Is it really that cheap!!

[wallacej]

I have 140k with United. I don't want to go back to the US any time soon, but need to use my points in the next six months.


Looking at the UA website, it appears that I can go to NZ, for 20k (y) return - I need to call their call centre, but does anyone know if this is true? What is the catch? Looking at this I could go to Fiji for close to that price too. This would be great, could take a couple of friends etc...

This is the award chart
http://www.unitedairlines.com.au/core/download/016_Charts_INAE.pdf

 

[littl_flier]

That would be correct.

To answer a question you posed in another thread, it's also the same on AA. 20k miles anywhere in AUS and NZ on AA but I'm not sure about Fiji. There are no catches, just the usual taxes and surcharges. Hence why, depending on the circumstances, AA or UA can be better for awards than QF.

 

[Mwenenzi]

...., it appears that I can go to NZ, for 20k (y) return - I need to call their call centre, but does anyone know if this is true? What is the catch? Looking at this I could go to Fiji for that price too.

Yep its very true. Fly in Air NZ. Bus class is not much more. The earn-burn is better many US airlines compared to QF. Thats which many of us are putting miles in USA airlines ffp.

 

[wallacej]

Just when you think you know a lot about these programs, something comes along and whacks you...

I will go to the UA website, but I guess I should be putting my car rental points elsewhere, either to UA or AA instead...

Is there a website we can go to, tick a whole bunch of boxes to work out our circumstances and it can tell us which FF program we should be with?

As I read elsewhere that there can be so many variables...

To stay OT, you are right, to fly to NZ in first/bus, or any of the other countries covered under Australia/Oceania is not that much more expensive...

 

[wallacej]

I rent with Thrifty and the UA site says:

Thrifty Car Rental
250 miles for every qualifying seven-day rental. 500 miles for qualifying rentals of eight days or longer

Most of my rentals are 3-5 days, but I guess to extend the life of my points and keep my UA account "active" I could rent through one of the other companies that issue points by the day?

 

[wallacej]

Yep its very true. Fly in Air NZ. Bus class is not much more. The earn-burn is better many US airlines compared to QF. Thats which many of us are putting miles in UA airlines ffp.

If you don't mind, what do you put through on your UA account?

 

[clifford]

I have 140k with United. I don't want to go back to the US any time soon, but need to use my points in the next six months.


Looking at the UA website, it appears that I can go to NZ, for 20k (y) return - I need to call their call centre, but does anyone know if this is true? What is the catch? Looking at this I could go to Fiji for close to that price too. This would be great, could take a couple of friends etc...

This is the award chart
http://www.unitedairlines.com.au/core/download/016_Charts_INAE.pdf

You can also fly to Papeete, Rarotonga, Nandi, Samoa and Tonga from Australia for 20,000 miles roundtrip in Y (40,000 in C class).

One of my favourite good-value Star Alliance trips using UA miles, however, is Australia-Bombay roundtrip in C class (business). It's only 75,000 miles. Bombay is also a good stopover on the way to Europe.

 

[Mwenenzi]

If you don't mind, what do you put through on your UA account?

In truth not much. A few Air NZ and Emirates flights on Aust NZ routes. Keeps UA alive, but only just. Most of my flight miles go AA and some to QF.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Avatar's

Triva:- all poster's above have aircraft avatars

 

[clifford]

Re: Avatar's

Triva:- all poster's above have aircraft avatars

Must be a message there...

Even our postie had a chat with me today about an airshow in Temora last weekend (I hadn't seen it advertised).

He'd figured (via my snail-mail) that I was a bit interested in aviation matters (I am a CASA-licensed pilot, amongst other things).

 

[futaris]

Has anyone tried to redeem a solely Australian itinerary using UA miles???

i.e. BNE-PER? From what I can tell, there is no possible routing that would be below the MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage).

Best routing would be BNE-AKL-PER, which is 110% over the direct route. Don't suppose United allow this, and would charge you for two awards. Would an open Jaw, i.e. BNE-AKL-PER be okay for 20k?

 

[clifford]

Sorry, but these days there is no such animal.

Why not use your miles to go to the Pacific instead.

 

[Reggie]

Used some of my now defunct Ansett, and more recently SQ points to fly PER-AKL-PER in J for 35,000 points.

 

[ozstamps]

Actually for 20K UA you can fly PERTH to TAHITI r/t on Air NZ with NZ stopover.

However you can't fly MEL-SYD on UA. Weird.

 

[BlacKnox]

Yep, UA has some excellent award redemption rates in the region.

Is there a website we can go to, tick a whole bunch of boxes to work out our circumstances and it can tell us which FF program we should be with?

As I read elsewhere that there can be so many variables...

Blonde Bomber's Star Alliance Gold Comparison Chart over in the "star alliance" forum at Flyertalk is very useful.

 

[brett-au]

Uh, silly question, but how exactly does one do this? Can you do it online or do you have to ring the Australian United office? Or the US United office?

Thanks

 

[StevePER]

Uh, silly question, but how exactly does one do this? Can you do it online or do you have to ring the Australian United office? Or the US United office?

You can't do partner redemptions online - you can call the Australian number (which normally diverts to India). If you're lucky they'll forget to charge you for the taxes & charges.

 

[stryker]

You can't do partner redemptions online - you can call the Australian number (which normally diverts to India).

Diverts to Manila, actually.

It's slightly better than India.

 

[ozstamps]

They BOTH suck. :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[mainly tailfirst]

They BOTH suck. :evil: :evil: :evil:

Jeez ozstamps, tell us what you really think!

mt