Is it just me....?
 

I am looking at award tix on UA for several destinations and dates and it seems to me that it has become very hard to get them. Furthermore, I feel that it all has been done in favor of what they call 'Standard awards' which cost way too many miles. Curiously enough, there are always seats available in that category for the flights I want but nothing available on 'Saver awards' for days around the dates I picked.
I feel a little jipped and not very pleased with what could be considered as a breach in the whole contract; you get miles, you keep on flying with us.
I know the airline industry is scared senseless by the amount of miles saved by their customer base but I don't like being robbed...
Thoughts???
Stephane

I feel differently.

First off, standard awards are available on any flight which has any revenue availability at all. In other words, if there is an open seat, you get it. It is really a good deal sometimes.

Second, I have found saver awards to work well if you are flexible and book far in advance. For example, I called yesterday for a trip for two to SIN for summer in C, and the exact dates were available in SQ C! ^

That's why I am asking, I didn't know about the availabiliy thing. Maybe I am just unlucky with my trips.

How far out are you trying to book? For how many people? In what class? On what route?

Welcome to Flyertalk!

A couple of thoughts.

1. How far in advance are you looking? For us to be most helpful, share that info!

2. Are you looking to go to HNL or to Peoria? First, Business, or Coach?

3. "Jipped" is not a great expression. (Remember, it derives from the word "Gypsy," and it carries a very negagtive connotation!

It's all in how far out and where you're going. I was able to score a pair of savers to St. Maarten in June, but I booked those last December -- with only a couple UA flights a week, those are very hard to come by.

I just booked a Standard to DCA for the end of March. I could have found some Savers to BWI for the same dates, but decided that miles were cheaper than a rental car.

One trick that I've found successful at times is when you're shut out on Saver Economy, try a Saver First / Business (for three class) if you're going to have to burn 40K miles anyway.

Sometimes you also have to get creative with your dates of travel. The flight that has no availability on Monday may be wide open on Tuesday and the flight that is full on Friday may be good on Thursday or Saturday.

You also might want to check alternate airports for where you're going.

The process that I use to book award travel is this:

1) See what availability is out there for the hotel you want. My DC trip was based upon availability of hotels for my Hhonors points, so I found a window of availability.
2) Check fares to your destination if you have to buy a ticket. Find multiple flights in your price range. (Those miles never buy my ticket if I can earn miles on a trip.)
3) Then start playing with award availability. Look at a variety of days and get creative with airports and timing.

Get the award ticket(s) and buy your ticket, then immediately get that hotel nailed down.

Welcome to FlyerTalk, stephane!

The situation you describe definitely is annoying: You earn the miles, but it seems like the awards you want aren't available when you want them. It's easy to come to the conclusion that you've been shortchanged.

With the proliferation of ways to earn miles, we're all competing with other people who have the same type of currency (miles) for a limited number of awards. The most desirable awards will be snapped up quickly. But don't give up hope! With a bit of research, persistence and flexibility, it's usually possible to get what you want.

There are many helpful threads -- and FlyerTalkers -- in all of the FT Miles and Points forums. If you need help on a specific problem, please do some searches before starting a thread. Chances are good that your question has been asked before.

Good luck!

Is it just me, or do you hate threads with non-descript titles too?

Nah, we thrive on conflict. I didn't even see the title, just the :td: ;)

For the OP, welcome to FT and be sure to call the awards desk. Don't trust the bomb to give you accurate inventory.

Pat

When it comes to Awards I always call UA rather than checking on-line. One reason is I'd much rather the agent let his/her fingers do the typing through all of the *Alliance carriers and on multiple dates (if I'm flexible) than trying to do it on united.bomb.

BTW - that is a thought for you as well - if you're looking for awards, don't just check for UA flights but all *alliance carriers.

PS - In all my years of travel I only recall having to ante up double-miles for an award one time (booked at 1am for a 6am flight & yes, alcohol was involved in that decision ;) :D ), so guess I've always gotten saver awards?

Cheers.

Edited to add: It does help if you're a bit more descriptive in subject titles, and Welcome to FT!

Award seats certainly are there to be had, since my wife and I usually burn more than 500,000 miles a year on premium awards to Asia and Europe on Star Alliance.

Let us know of your orgination and destination, the dates, class of service, and how many seats, and I am pretty sure we can show you how to find awards.

I like them. They have this nice element of surprise, leaving you guessing which board you'll end up on! ^

This was a little better than the standard "HELP!!!" thread that pops up once a week. :D

It may be a function of where I live and where I'm going as much as anything else, but so far I've been able to get saver awards on United/*A within a day or so of when I want to travel. United generally has some availability while Delta pretty much has zilch. Makes it tougher for me to burn my remaining DL miles :(

I think he would have written 'gypped' if he meant to slander Romany. 'Jipped' would seem to have a vaguely Japanese connotation. Either that or he can't spell.

My brother, who is quadriplegic, has some side-splitting expressions for the handicapped, but I wouldn't dream of reporting them here for fear of upsetting the delicate sensibilities of FT folk, or at least of their policeman.