Frequent Flier miles for travel packages
Mar 10th, 2011, 04:31 PM
#1
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Frequent Flier miles for travel packages
Question for the community...
I recently booked a travel package on Orbitz for air and hotel from Geneva to New York (flight on Swiss).
I got rejected for United FF mileage credit (losing out on 7,700+ miles in the process), saying I was booked in a class that accrues no miles (even though I paid the same price as the lowest available mileage-accruing booking class). Could that be because I booked it as a package? There's no way to check this on the Orbitz site, and no one at Orbitz, Swiss or United will give me a straight answer. Help!
I recently booked a travel package on Orbitz for air and hotel from Geneva to New York (flight on Swiss).
I got rejected for United FF mileage credit (losing out on 7,700+ miles in the process), saying I was booked in a class that accrues no miles (even though I paid the same price as the lowest available mileage-accruing booking class). Could that be because I booked it as a package? There's no way to check this on the Orbitz site, and no one at Orbitz, Swiss or United will give me a straight answer. Help!
Mar 10th, 2011, 06:53 PM
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The price you paid is a different issue than booking class. Higher, same, lower ... means nothing.
Generally you can ask before purchasing if you will receive credit. Try booking another package (as far as you can before committing) and see if they tell you anywhere about mileage accrual.
Generally you can ask before purchasing if you will receive credit. Try booking another package (as far as you can before committing) and see if they tell you anywhere about mileage accrual.
Mar 10th, 2011, 11:30 PM
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Check the booking class. It should still be on your itinerary, and probably on your boarding passes. While it may not earn miles on UA, it may on other partners of Swiss, including all FF programs that belong to Star Alliance.
Mar 11th, 2011, 05:28 AM
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Always book direct for FF miles credit
in a class that allows it.
Priceline Orbitz etc almost always no FF miles
due to low package cost and cheaper booking class.
Frequently you can get better deals booking direct
Especially on AA.com Continental.com
Get a couple of their Credit Cards build up 80000 miles
plus on booking one flight.
Got 200000 miles last year with BA.com Amex card
for 2 cards now that was an awesome deal not as good now.
Got 4 free RT Europe flights out of that one booking.
So cancel if you can and shop around self book direct
for better values.
in a class that allows it.
Priceline Orbitz etc almost always no FF miles
due to low package cost and cheaper booking class.
Frequently you can get better deals booking direct
Especially on AA.com Continental.com
Get a couple of their Credit Cards build up 80000 miles
plus on booking one flight.
Got 200000 miles last year with BA.com Amex card
for 2 cards now that was an awesome deal not as good now.
Got 4 free RT Europe flights out of that one booking.
So cancel if you can and shop around self book direct
for better values.
Mar 12th, 2011, 09:33 AM
#5
If you booked a package then how do you know that the airfare part of the package price was equal to the airfare purchased alone?
The package price is supposed to reflect a savings vs purchasing the air and hotel separately. If what you think is true, that you paid the miles-earning airfare price, then that means that you only got a discount on the hotel. If you couldn't get the same hotel price separately, then you are still probably ahead. You didn't lose miles, you saved money.
What I suspect is that the booking code indicates that the portion of the package price that went to the airline(s) was lower than the miles-earning fare. You got a discount on both. That packaging discount was probably more than the miles were worth.
The package price is supposed to reflect a savings vs purchasing the air and hotel separately. If what you think is true, that you paid the miles-earning airfare price, then that means that you only got a discount on the hotel. If you couldn't get the same hotel price separately, then you are still probably ahead. You didn't lose miles, you saved money.
What I suspect is that the booking code indicates that the portion of the package price that went to the airline(s) was lower than the miles-earning fare. You got a discount on both. That packaging discount was probably more than the miles were worth.
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augustlily
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