Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Travel Topics > Air Travel
Reload this Page >

What's the Best Way to Figure out a Routing using Star Alliance Miles

What's the Best Way to Figure out a Routing using Star Alliance Miles

Old Jun 21st, 2009, 12:11 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,652
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
What's the Best Way to Figure out a Routing using Star Alliance Miles

We want to do a trip from the DC area to SE Asia (at this point flexible as to exactly where in SE Asia) and use our United miles. What's the best way to see what would be available using UA miles for biz class with Star Alliance? Any airlines to avoid? Thanks!
yestravel is offline  
Old Jun 21st, 2009, 04:22 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
You can register on the ANA website and use it to see Star Alliance award inventory. But, United does block some available partner award inventory...so, ultimately, you'll need to call to see what is really available through Mileage Plus. You can see availability on United flights on the United site by setting your online profile to "expert mode" and then doing a standard award search...looking for XC (business) inventory.
ms_go is online now  
Old Jun 22nd, 2009, 04:13 AM
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,652
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
Thanks for your suggestions. I registered on the ANA website and will use that for searching for Star Alliance tixs. I set my UA profile to "expert mode" as u said. I'm not sure what is different about this in looking for award tixs. I am using the award calendar to look 4 fares. I did a test of IAD to EZE in biz class (using other search function). I did not get any different information than I usually get. That is, it shows me on the calendar the day there are tixs available in biz class. Is there something else that I am missing?
yestravel is offline  
Old Jun 22nd, 2009, 02:52 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I use the method used by Ms_go and search for standard awards. I intend to actually use a saver award, but this way shows the XC availability. It has helped me find alternate routings a few times. When we did this a few years ago, I was able to find 2 seats to LHR from SFO. The routing was SFO-LHR-ORD-SFO.
misterfuss is offline  
Old Jun 23rd, 2009, 06:37 AM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,897
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
We successfully followed the suggestions above for our trip in Business Class to Hanoi and Bangkok back in April. We flew on ANA, Asiana and Thai - all three airlines were excellent. We have also flown on Singapore in the past - also excellent. *A options that we have not used include Air Canada, Air China and Lufthansa (via Frankfurt) so I can't comment on those.
Craig is offline  
Old Jun 23rd, 2009, 08:22 AM
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,652
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
Craig, thanks for the info. How far in advance did you book your seats using FF miles?

For some reason I am still not getting how the xpert status helps. misterfuss, I always looked at the standard awards to gauge seat availability and could do that without changing my profile to xpert. What am I missing??
yestravel is offline  
Old Jun 23rd, 2009, 12:47 PM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,405
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The expert mode allows you to see seats by fare class, including the saver and upgrade award classes.

Sorry, I probably confused things by even mentioning the expert mode/standard award searches. It is useful for searching upgrade awards, but not necessary for searching saver awards. As a matter of habit, I do all my award searches this way, as I happen to like the extra information--particularly now that Expertflyer can't publish United award information.
ms_go is online now  
Old Jun 23rd, 2009, 06:20 PM
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hello, yestravel.

For travel to SE Asia in Business Class using United Airlines frequent flyer miles, you could book as early as 10 months ahead of time. Thus, one could book right now in late June '09 for travel in April or May '10.

Your United miles will permit you one destination and one stopover. Once in SE Asia, you can easily add a city or two or three using the Asian low-cost carriers.

With regard to airlines to avoid, many travelers will tell you to steer clear of Air China. You may check out passenger reviews at www.airlinequality.com

As the Cunard Line used to say: "Getting there is half the fun."
johnwm is offline  
Old Jun 23rd, 2009, 11:25 PM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,076
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Sure, the expert mode is good for searching for award availability. When your search finds flights that match your dates, then you mouse over (or click on) the "Flight Info" link for each flight. This will show you the availability. XF=first class awards, XC=biz class awards, XY= economy class awards. The NF and NC numbers are available upgrades. The F, Y, and C numbers show you first, biz, economy tix available for purchase, respectively.

If you saw an "award calendar" then I think that means that there were no flights that matched your search criteria. The only time I see a calendar as the search result that is what it meant.

Ok, so:
go to united.com
login in as a user with Expert Mode set in the user profile
at the top, click on Mileage Plus and choose Redeem Miles
in the Book on Miles panel:
put IAD in the From box and EZE in the To box
choose your Departing and Returning dates
use Number of Passengers: 1
toggle on Standard Award
press Search

This will show the nonstop schedule: United 847 in the Depart column and UA 846 under Return

Put your mouse over the Flight Info link and you will see the availability numbers mentioned above. You should expect to see XC0, meaning no saver biz class award availability.

The ANA website will show you Star Alliance availability, but a lot of the non-UA flights are blocked by UA.

This method has always worked for me, but some at flyertalk say it may be unreliable (for upgrades, at least) and they pay to use expertflyer or kvs.

As far as finding *A routing goes (per your thread title) and for *A schedules, use staralliance.com. That can answer the question: what star alliance carrier(s) or combination of *A carriers can get me from AAA to BBB. No seat availability info.
mrwunrfl is offline  
Old Jun 24th, 2009, 06:12 AM
  #10  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,652
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
At last, I got it! Thank u all so much. mrwunrfl, really appreciate all your detailed directions. Now we just need to figure out exactly where we might want to go and when. One more question -- do those routes get booked quickly using FF miles in biz class?
yestravel is offline  
Old Jun 24th, 2009, 09:46 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,076
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I don't know. Award availability comes and goes.

But for going to SEA you can check the united website but that shows availability on UA only. You can use the ANA search site to give you an idea of what is available, but as ms_go mentioned they may be blocked for UA FF awards. I think you understand all that.

Use the ANA search, united dot com, and then call to find what availability UA provides on other *A carriers. Be flexible with dates.
mrwunrfl is offline  
Old Jun 25th, 2009, 06:30 AM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,652
Likes: 0
Received 7 Likes on 1 Post
Thank u all so much. U've been very helpful.
yestravel is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Original Poster
Forum
Replies
Last Post
OregonMaiden
Air Travel
11
Oct 6th, 2013 09:01 AM
Betsy
Air Travel
51
May 20th, 2012 08:58 PM
PattiGE
Air Travel
7
Feb 26th, 2011 06:27 PM
RedStater
Air Travel
27
Oct 25th, 2009 11:55 AM
tom18
Air Travel
4
Feb 6th, 2008 04:45 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -