ms_go

yestravel, here is the chart with the fees:

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/con...ticketing.aspx

Changes within 21 days of travel for a ticket booked with a general member's miles would be $100. For a ticket booked with miles from a Premier Silver account, the fee is $50.

Above the table, it says: Fee level is based on the MileagePlus status of the member whose miles were used to book the award. Sounds like you may have had a bit of a break with the lower amount if the miles came from a non-status account.

cmstraf

Meant to say United not US

DonTopaz

The ANA seats that became open "in the middle of the day" likely didn't become open in the middle of the day: it's far more likely that they opened up at 12:01am Japan time.

Look, the Frequent Flyer game is a complicated one, and it very definitely is not for everyone. It gets increasingly difficult as more and more people play. And the sands are constantly shifting -- the rules and truisms of 5 years ago and 2 years ago and even 6 months ago might not longer be valid. The more time, energy, and skill that you can apply to the game, the more successful that you'll be. Newcomers who don't understand that there's plenty of risk that goes along with the potential reward are likely to be in for some serious surprises.

yestravel

Thanks, ms_go -- yes, i went and checked the charges and we did get a break. UA also said if i submit a dr note I can get the $50 reimbursed. havent gotten it together to do that yet.

cmstraf - my experience booking is that you do need to act fast. But it seems that seats do keep opening up and eventually you will get something if you passed one opportunity by. each of the airlines releases seatsat different timeframes. on the trip i mentioned where i changed my date, i went from a flight with a stop, my original ticket to a non stop. You just never know. Good luck--it is time consuming.

yestravel

i agree with your post, Don, but am curious what the risks are that you mention. Are they any different than with a paid ticket?

cmstraf

Great point about 12:01 Japan time. I will check out when that it is. DH is Italian and we are not newcomers to the game. However, it indeed s much more complicated than it used to be. I've been spending time on it everyday. I'm willing to do a LOT (and risk 800 loss) to fly business over what my friend Erica calls the Pond.

DonTopaz

The biggest risk is the advance time -- I get 60-80% of my award tickets at the maximum amount of time before a flight, which is 330-355 days in advance, depending on the airline. Stuff happens in the meantime that makes you want or need to cancel or revise the flights, and that typically costs $50-125 per.

Another risk is when you spend money in one way or another to accrue miles: when you're a serious collector of FF miles, that involves some interesting, but certainly legal, financial activities. Short version is that you might spend a certain amount of money to get the miles, and then after you've got the miles you discover that you can't put them to the use that you'd expected. In the OP's case, for example, spending several hundred bucks to buy United miles has a reasonably high risk of being a very bad purchase.

filmwill

Maybe this has something to do with your Asiana flight dropping off:
http://online.wsj.com/articles/asian...ays-1415946114

cmstraf

OMG!! It's Asiana that was showing openings every day until today...actually, only Asiana. Why don't they punish the airlines by having it give 50% of their profits to families of passengers who died?? I'm going to hunt down Korean embassy online and write a plea (probably not effective, but something constructive to do with information.

Thanks for the heads up film will. I will psychologically prepare myself for daily checks.

And you make a good point Don. We have cancelled vacation due to Medical Events four times in the past and are all too aware of the hubris in making plans so far out. On the other hand, I really don't want to fly economy if we have any choice at all (paying for business not being an option).

cmstraf

However, I just checked United again and Asiana does have economy seats available for that date??

cmstraf

Asiana flight back on.

cmstraf

Note to Don. Because DH is Italian, we always have future use for unused miles. I've bought miles in past but never more than a few thousand. Still even 600-700 is cheaper than it would cost to pay for economy. Returning economy with miles and paying for premium economy is another option but I am loathe to give up anticipated comforts of business.

Lolazahra

Hi all -- one of the liveliest, most information filled threads ever!

Just wanted to note we flew Asiana last summer through Seoul on our way to a trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Our group had a combo of coach, biz and first class seats. Biz was complete lie back in their new Quadra Smartium. Very comfortable! First was the separate suites with closing doors. Coach had extra leg room it was reported from friends. Food and service was fantastic in all cabins. A friend in coach asked a question upon check-in and someone was standing at the gate with a sign with his name to give him the answer when we landed in Seoul!

Now at time I found out through research on Skytrax and Seatguru, that they were not flying the new plane out of NY and that I would be on a plane with their older, less comfortable configuration. They were flying it out of Chicago though, so we opted to fly early in the morning to Chicago and connect to our flight there. It was seamless and well worth the effort for the comfort.

Good luck! And thanks for all the good advice Fodorites!

cmstraf

Yes, everyone, thank you!! I now check United website 1-2x a day--will make one way reservations at 12:01 am central time a week from today. 12:01 am IS the Magic Hour (easy for us WestCoasters). My final first choice would be ANA flight, but it has only opened up 5 times and never on a Saturday. It looks like we will go for Asiana flight with new business seats from SFO to Incheon, risk the short 55 minute connection.
If ANA flight opens up, I may check with United about change fee.

Next month I will go through the same process, awaiting time flights will open for Nov 27 2015.
We have 80,000 miles. I am currently undecided about buy LOTS of miles to make up other 80,000 while miles are on sale or hold out to "earn" them with flying economy home as a backup.

I have learned LOTS, and have, in fact, decided I should spend more time on Europe thread, where I have more to offer others (DH is Italian).

cmstraf

WOW---just found out that I can fly Asiana to BKK, get in at 10 pm, fly out of BKK at 10am next day and fly on to Nepal for same 80,000 miles for saver business that it would cost to fly to Bangkok. Long haul, but I'm very excited! I've heard that the BKK-KTM leg is very expensive.

mrwunrfl

Good job. Wish I had thought of it.

So, suppose you see the SFO-ICN-BKK-KTM itinerary available in an award search but not SFO-NRT-BKK-KTM. That does not necessarily mean that the latter itin is not available.

Search SFO-NRT-BKK for the day you want and then search for BKK-KTM on the next day.

If you can't get the itin via NRT online in one search result then you can call UA. They will see the availability that you saw (from the two searches) and should then waive the phone res fee.

You can't make a stopover (over 24 hours) in BKK on a one-way award but you can on a roundrip.

cmstraf

Thanks. I think I'll call United once I see possibilities anyhow. I'm willing to pay fee if necessary
but will check separate listings. Will check NRT.

I know about the stopover rule, which is not a problem in SFO-KTM direction. I had planned to spend 2 nights in BKK, but I will just add a night in KTM. Coming home though, I hope to spend 3-4 nights in BKK. I'm going to look into getting an open jaw KTM-Paro-BKK flight with Druk Air and then use miles from BKK to SFO.

AskOksena

Belated greetings to the OP, cmstraf, from San Francisco Bay Area -- and best wishes on procuring those tickets, flying out of my main N. America business travel hub of SFO.

You have already received some good SFO to BKK suggestions. My primary SFO -> Asia business travel carrier remains that cherished Singapore Airlines, with her two daily ex-SFO flights being SQ1 to Hong Kong and SQ15 to Incheon (the latter presently scheduled to fly for work this weekend). Can assure you, SQ continues to provide most acceptable business class product, ex-SFO -- and don't forget those sensational SIA cabin crews.

As noted in this most informative thread, there are options flying other airlines from the aforementioned SQ satellites of HKG and ICN. For what it's worth, have experienced some exceptional Thai Airways 601 and 607 F-Class work-related flights from HKG to BKK. (And, for what it's worth, some fine TG 'up front' working flights out of Tokyo to BKK, namely TG683 (HND-BKK) and TG677 (NRT-BKK)).

[Noticed on another thread, the OP's concerns over flying Asiana. Have never flown OZ 'trans-pac' for work (again, it's SQ for business reasons for me, flying into and out of SFO), but have always had fine OZ business class, work-related flights, ex-ICN to other Asian meeting locales. Remain partial to SQ, but would not hesitate to fly OZ.]

However you end up flying, savour your planning; happy for you. And should you end up with those few extra days in beloved Bangkok, do try for at least a few moments admiring the Mandarin Oriental's various public spaces. My profile page review of the MO just barely touches on her ongoing excellence. Class operation, indeed. Warm and early Thanksgiving wishes to you and all; privileged to celebrate the lovely holiday with some special family, friends and colleagues in SF Bay Area,

macintosh (robert)


... Singapore Airlines, You're a Great Way to Fly ...

cmstraf

Thanks macintosh (robert),
I would love to fly Singapore Airlines someday--have heard wonderful things about it--but for this trip am constrained to United partners and they don't come up on the website. The (hopefully) good news I've heard is that we can fly to Kathmandu for the same number of miles as to Bangkok, so my current hope is to snag an outgoing business flight at the end of this weekend, spending only one night in BKK or Chengdu before going on to KTM and then spending 3 nights in BKK on our way home. Can't stay at the Mandarin, aiming for Shangri-La, will stop to see public space.

Availability is limited so I'll take the first thing I can get that's not mixed cabin. My first choice would be ANA to Narita then Thai Airway to BKK and KTM, but that hasn't come up yet.

One thing I've learned (in case there is someone who doesn't know) is that UA opens up its award flights at 12:01 am each day Chicago time.

Has anyone gone from Bhutan to BKK for a few days? I really want to see BKK, but am a a bit afraid the two might not mix well.

Thanks everyone--I'll let you know what we end up with. Happy Thanksgiving--I'm very grateful for this forum!

filmwill

Actually Singapore is a Star Alliance partner with United but finding any trans-pac business class award seats with them is somewhat akin to finding a unicorn. Even finding economy class with them lately has been a challenge. Finding inter-Asia flights is rather easy with them, for the record.

On a side note: WELCOME BACK, mr. macintosh!! Alas--and not to hijack the OP's thread--I'll finally be traversing the great Pacific on your most beloved SQ! A380 Business Class for us this time, and what a time to have it! Over 24hours+ of flying (plus a stopover baked in) to India. Talk about an embarrassment of riches! It's been quite a few years now of back and forths on the subject -- but I'm glad to finally report that it promises to be a lovely journey, indeed. All that and we'll be stopping over at your favorite Mandarin Oriental (not BKK however, as we'll be stopping in Singapore on the way this time) -- but still, a trip of a pedigree you can certainly appreciate.