E+ Availability
Aug 8, 2008 | 9:05 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: YHZ. Previously YYC
Posts: 1,954
So I just went on-line to buy it, and it told me this..
Non-US Addresses
Currently, United Travel enhancements is only available to customers with addresses in the United States.
Hmmmmm
Non-US Addresses
Currently, United Travel enhancements is only available to customers with addresses in the United States.
Hmmmmm
Aug 8, 2008 | 9:13 am
#17
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Near SEA
Programs: UA MM, AS MVPG75K, Marriott Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,990
That's correct. Do you have a US credit card perhaps as well as a US mailing address?
Aug 8, 2008 | 3:50 pm
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: YHZ. Previously YYC
Posts: 1,954
Unfortunatly, no.
Aug 8, 2008 | 4:05 pm
#19
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 41,216
Or do you mean that a lounge agent can prevent the sweet at any time before the DM?
Aug 8, 2008 | 4:09 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 41,216
So if I do this in SIN or SYD, I regularly get my meal choices last
.Again UA's problem #1 (actually problem #1 through #20) are their call centres
.
Aug 8, 2008 | 6:59 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: YHZ. Previously YYC
Posts: 1,954
Okay, so to UPDATE..
What I decided to do was get my husband to buy the E+ package. He doesn't have any status and doesn't collect status miles so he doesn't care his flights to europe will be credited on his mileage plus. This way I will get to sit in E+ With him, and still get my miles credited to Air Canada, where I collect my points!
Perfect!!!
Also, somehow, It let processed my E+, even though I have a Canadian Credit Card. Oh Well.
What I decided to do was get my husband to buy the E+ package. He doesn't have any status and doesn't collect status miles so he doesn't care his flights to europe will be credited on his mileage plus. This way I will get to sit in E+ With him, and still get my miles credited to Air Canada, where I collect my points!
Perfect!!!
Also, somehow, It let processed my E+, even though I have a Canadian Credit Card. Oh Well.
Aug 8, 2008 | 7:15 pm
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Still going through ORD security when boarding has already started
Programs: AA EXP, UA Silver, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Hyatt Disco, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,322
Yeah, and I've never understood this. What POSSIBLE reason could they have for this restriction???
Sometimes it seems like United is allergic to revenue...
Aug 9, 2008 | 5:03 pm
#23
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: IPT
Programs: DL Diamond, Hilton Life Diamond, Hertz Presidents, former US former Charimans
Posts: 131
I was just looking at buying E+ access myself today, so I was surprised to see this thread is only 2 days old.
I'm US Chairmans, so I have the same problem. The summary I took away from this thread is "yes, you can do it, but it's a giant pain and be prepared to devote at least an hour of your life to phone calls every time you want to fly on United". Is that basically correct?
It's ridiculous - if I'm going to spend the cash for E+ access with UA, why should I have to go through this? It's not going to get me to change my FF status to United (they don't operate from my home airport). As far as I can tell, this policy is actually bad for UA, since it means they lose out on my E+ membership fee.
I'm US Chairmans, so I have the same problem. The summary I took away from this thread is "yes, you can do it, but it's a giant pain and be prepared to devote at least an hour of your life to phone calls every time you want to fly on United". Is that basically correct?
It's ridiculous - if I'm going to spend the cash for E+ access with UA, why should I have to go through this? It's not going to get me to change my FF status to United (they don't operate from my home airport). As far as I can tell, this policy is actually bad for UA, since it means they lose out on my E+ membership fee.
Aug 10, 2008 | 6:53 am
#24
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 41,216
The official reason why the US 1K lines are no longer allowed to accept foreign credit cards are the minimally higher surcharges these cards imply for the seller (SQ illegally solves that issue by issuing the tix in your home currency at a very
disadvantageous exchange rate ... for you).
However if they do not notice it, it always goes through smoothly. I always buy my awards from the US line, and united.com doesn't notice either of a credit card is alien.
Aug 10, 2008 | 11:10 am
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Still going through ORD security when boarding has already started
Programs: AA EXP, UA Silver, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Hyatt Disco, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,322
Spot on.
The official reason why the US 1K lines are no longer allowed to accept foreign credit cards are the minimally higher surcharges these cards imply for the seller (SQ illegally solves that issue by issuing the tix in your home currency at a very
disadvantageous exchange rate ... for you).
However if they do not notice it, it always goes through smoothly. I always buy my awards from the US line, and united.com doesn't notice either of a credit card is alien.
The official reason why the US 1K lines are no longer allowed to accept foreign credit cards are the minimally higher surcharges these cards imply for the seller (SQ illegally solves that issue by issuing the tix in your home currency at a very
disadvantageous exchange rate ... for you).
However if they do not notice it, it always goes through smoothly. I always buy my awards from the US line, and united.com doesn't notice either of a credit card is alien.
How can an international airline not allow non-US credit cards?
This is LUNACY!
Unbelievable.
Aug 11, 2008 | 11:53 am
#26
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 41,216
And it is a major lunacy, as I even offered them to pay the credit card penalty which is permissible for Australian CCs - hence removing all possible cost factors for UA - but they would not bite.
Last year I bought an Asiana ticket for which I had to do a reroute. I could pay all charges on the phone with a Korean agent. Foreign card, no local address (I mean UA knows my card and address for 10+ years), agent hardly spoke English ... no problem.
But when talking to a 1K agent ... no way
.If PayPal, Amazon, and so many other merchants can take it .. why not UA???