Consolidated "UA 'Z' Fare (Discounted Business Class)" Discussion Thread [Merged]
Dec 14, 2009, 12:25 pm
#226
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: PDX
Programs: UA 1K 1.14 MM ALASKA MVPG
Posts: 126
Not necessarily, it is giving you fares that are available. Try booking far into the future, others have said >60 days.
Dec 14, 2009, 12:31 pm
#227
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
What route are you most interested in? Looking at ExpertFlyer I see there are Z fares SFO-HKG in January for $4,750. They have a 3 day advance purchase and no minimum stay. But a lot of Z fares do have 50-60 day or more (I saw a 90 day one the other day) advance purchase requirement and some require stays as long as 10 days. The lowest Y fare for the dates I chose was $4,774. Just slightly more.
Dec 14, 2009, 12:33 pm
#228
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,857
Y fares are likely to be refundable, change fee free. Z fares are not and usually require min stay 7, 10, ... days (but your sitting in business).
Added: SFO-FRA, 50 day ZNC50E is $3,069 and Y1 is $5,942 / B1FE is $3,888
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 14, 2009 at 12:48 pm Reason: added some fares SFO-FRA
Dec 21, 2009, 12:59 pm
#229
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 565
Booking Z fares - where are the fare rules published?
I'm trying to book a SFO-BKK-PEK-SFO itinerary the last week of February. I've gotten the SFO-BKK (via NRT) leg to price out with a Z fare, but can't get PEK-SFO on March 6 to price out with anything other than D/C. Company rules say Z fares only, so it's no-go.
The flights show Z9, so I suspect I'm not meeting the fare rules rather than there being no seats available. Question: How can I find all the published Z fares applicable to a city pair, along with the fare rules? If I can find the fare rules I might be able to adjust my travel so I fit within them.
Thanks in advance!
The flights show Z9, so I suspect I'm not meeting the fare rules rather than there being no seats available. Question: How can I find all the published Z fares applicable to a city pair, along with the fare rules? If I can find the fare rules I might be able to adjust my travel so I fit within them.
Thanks in advance!
Dec 21, 2009, 1:10 pm
#230
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
I was thinking it had something to do with the Open Jaw and not being picked up as an RT, but I just did a dummy booking PEK-SFO-PEK with the first leg being March 6. Both legs show Z9, but it is booking in C. .bomb worn out from the big weekend? (I asked for "business lowest".
You might need to call on this.
You might need to call on this.
Dec 21, 2009, 1:11 pm
#231
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Los Angeles
Programs: UA Plat 2MM. DL Plat, AS MVP
Posts: 12,752
Most Z fares (that I know of) are for round-trip or open jaw. Looks like you are doing a circle trip. That might be the issue.
Dec 21, 2009, 1:16 pm
#232
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,630
I got a dummy Z fare to come up for SFO-PEK... the first line is travel must be Mon-Thur.
Also seems to require 10 day stay, and 50 day advance purchase.
Also seems to require 10 day stay, and 50 day advance purchase.
Dec 21, 2009, 1:18 pm
#233
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
You could join ExpertFlyer, www.expertflyer.com. It's a pay site but has a wealth of info about fares and you can find all the published fares for city pairs/dates. You might be able to sign up for a free trial.
Dec 21, 2009, 1:26 pm
#234
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 16,901
Dec 21, 2009, 1:35 pm
#235
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
The buckets themselves show up on all flights.. not just on flights where there's a published fare. There are also L, S, and T buckets on all flights but it doesn't mean any of those fares are actually available.
Dec 21, 2009, 1:43 pm
#236
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 984
i have a Z fare leaving out of west coast, international, on a Saturday
Dec 21, 2009, 1:48 pm
#237
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: MBS/FNT/LAN
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Mariott Gold
Posts: 9,630
Not all Z fares are alike.
I was just citing the Z fare rules of a random dates I plugged into for SFO-PEK.
Dec 21, 2009, 4:17 pm
#238
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Crystal City, VA
Programs: United Mileage Plus 1K 2 MM, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 2,627
You could join ExpertFlyer, www.expertflyer.com. It's a pay site but has a wealth of info about fares and you can find all the published fares for city pairs/dates. You might be able to sign up for a free trial.
Dec 21, 2009, 4:29 pm
#239
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,857
look at some Z fares for SFO-PEK-SFO, ZWR50, for early february
note for the same timeframe, did not see Z fares for PEK-SFO-PEK
STOPOVERS : STOPOVERS ARE NOT PERMITTED AT INTERMEDIATE POINTS.
....
COMBINATIONS : CIRCLE TRIPS NOT PERMITTED.
....
COMBINATIONS : CIRCLE TRIPS NOT PERMITTED.
Dec 21, 2009, 5:45 pm
#240
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K 2MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 565
Thanks all for the info. I did sign up for ExpertFlyer and it had exactly what I was looking for. Unfortunately I struck out on availability, so I booked the return in H and will try to upgrade with a SWU.