I am one of those travellers with a fat United account (240,000, all hard-earned).<BR>I'd always intended to use them on a luxury jaunt...first class Australia or the Far East.<BR>But now I'm thinking, I don't have a lot of facation time and what the heck, let's blow them all at once. I know there's a war going on and the world's going to hell in a handbasket, so why not make it an adventure?<BR><BR>First, I'd love to get suggestions on an itinerary. I think I can swing up to 10 days, 2 weeks at the most. Starting in Seattle.<BR><BR>Second, anyone else with a big account thinking of blowing their miles, too?

Don't have an account that fat, but I do have enough miles for a RT to Europe -- not going to do that on a hurry-up basis, but have thought a bit about this. <BR><BR>One thought (maybe you aren't this kind of generous soul): take a friend or two on a surprise 1st class trip to Australia -- or a party of 4 to Hawaii, or some such. I know it seems like giving them thousands of dollars, but if the miles turn into dust, what difference would it have made?<BR><BR>Another (more realistic) idea: check into partner programs and also find out how long a ticket purchased with miles is good for. Even if UA goes bellyup, it will be subdivided and it's possible some of your miles (maybe on a 1 for 2 or 1 for 5 basis) might be accepted by a surviving partner. <BR><BR>Question for others: If you got yourself tickets for next Christmas using those miles for some segments on partner airlines, wouldn't they (the tickets) still be good, even if UA isn't there to get you to Europe or wherever? <BR><BR>

Re soccr's last question:<BR>I think it would depend on whether the tickets are ISSUED by UA or the partner carrier you would be flying on, not on the flight numbers mentioned on the ticket. <BR><BR>In other words, a UA ticket for a Lufthansa flight would not be valid anymore, but a Lufthansa ticket for a UA flight would (Lufthansa would be forced to rebook you on another carrier).<BR><BR>Hope this helps,<BR>Andre

We are booked on Luthansa for 2 business tickets for Oct.1,2003. (taking a cruise). I'm scared to death that Luthansa won't have to honor our tickets since they were purchased with UA miles. Even after using 160,000 for that trip...we still have 210,000 left. HELP!

<BR>petlover:<BR>Check you're ticket number. If the ticket number starts with 220 then it is a Lufthansa ticket, not UA. <BR><BR>I learned this fact after buying an LH ticket at united.com where the flight was a codeshare operated by United (the r.t. to Munich for next Thu was $409 as a UA ticket or $303 as a LH ticket, same planes).<BR><BR>

Petlover, <BR><BR>mrwunrfl is correct - however it's easier to check the upper left hand corner of the ticket, where it says &quot;issued by...&quot;.<BR><BR>Good luck!<BR>Andre

soccr,<BR>The partner airlines are under no obligation to honor UA award tickets if UA does cease operation. They may decide to honor them as a gesture of goodwill but it's not guaranteed. It doesn't matter if the flights are Lufthansa or UA code share since UA will not have paid for them until after you travel. <BR><BR>tbilisi,<BR>How about trying for 2 FC tickets on Singapore or Air NZ?

I think I've come up with a plan to blow our 590,000 ff miles, but have a question. Just when is this liquidation supposed to take place? We're thinking of booking our dream cruise to Alaska, but it's towards the end of May. Is that before the possible liquidation?<BR>Thanks

I've got a question for you... we bought 2 economy tickets on Lufthansa for September 2003 and upgraded to business class with United FF miles. If United goes belly up, do you think Lufthansa will be kind and honor our upgrades? I sure don't want to fly economy!

petlover - What did Lufthansa say when you called them and asked them about your concern?

Jed, I did call both Lufthansa and United. Neither could give me a definite answer and each somewhat deferred to the other. Lufthansa did seem encouraging about never leaving a passenger stranded in a foreign county. I guess my problem would be if something happened BEFORE we left for Europe.

Today 2 large credit card companies (they habdle about 1/2 off all airline tickets sold) are trying to get a judge to allow them to refuse to ticket on United. The deadline is April 14. If the judge goes with the banks it's bye bye UA shortly there after. Unless they can figure how to take checks over the net and phone.

Where did this info come from?? I'm questing the reliability of the source (not you) just where you heard this? I haven't heard this one yet.

<BR>That doesn't make sense. Credit card companies don't issue tickets. I suppose a cc company could worry about cardholders calling them to get a refund for a ticket on an airline that went belly up. Maybe they'd have some risk on their cardholder protection programs.

biz.yahoo.com/djus

Hanna, I have searched that web site and not found an article that supports what you are saying. Any more specifics?

me too Hanna. Please give us the exact website or maybe copy and paste for us. This is of important interest for sure. Thanks!

biz.yahoo.com/djus/030324...071_1.html <BR>

The deal with the banks is not them issuing tickets. It is that 2 merchant banks which process payments for United (credit card payments) are looking for an escape hatch. See:<BR><BR>http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/030324/1711001071_1.html<BR>

I did it! I'm blowing the miles and my family is going on the cruise to Alaska...The lady who made my reservation said that, even if United goes down, our reservations are good, so who knows?<BR>Hope I don't get seasick!