Using UA Miles especially on SQ : Is there a paid expert service?

[joelyong]

About 4 years? That's how long I've been booking it... Been forcing my flights through BKK each year for the quintessential full body massage complimentary to TG F pax. Started the hobby in 2012 trying to get back to SIN from ORD for cheap at the conclusion of my Masters degree. Flew ORD-DUS-FRA-ICN-TPE-SIN, ORD-ICN was on LH F just to check out the Lufthansa FCT... Spent US$152 on it.

Then I got accepted for a PhD programme in Australia, so flew SIN-BNE-MEL in 2013 on EY/QF just for the chauffeur service. Parents were suitably amused that I had a chauffeur to send me to the airport, I am a poor student after all.

In 2013 I went SYD-BKK-HND/NRT-GUM-cough-TPE-SIN-MEL just to 1) get a massage, 2) visit a friend in TPE, 3) go home to SIN for a holiday. Free hotel nights at the Conrad Bangkok, Strings by Intercontinental Tokyo and Grand Hyatt Taipei.

2014 was MEL-BKK-HKG-BKK-SIN/openjaw SIN-KUL-MNL on MH using BA Avios/MNL-BKK-MEL to meet friends in HKG and MNL. Free nights at the Hyatt Regency Tsim Sha Tsui and the Fairmont Manila.

2015 went on a first/business class round-the-world trip westwards MEL-SYD-DXB/AUH-DUS-JFK-ORD-CMI-ORD-SFO-JFK-MIA-UIO-GYE-PTY-AUA-JFK-LAX-SAN-PHX-LAX-HKG-SGN-KUL-MEL, got a haircut in the EY lounge at AUH, free nights at the Fairmont on the Palm Island Dubai, Fairmont San Francisco, met friends in CMI, SFO and UIO, a free night at the Holiday Inn Aruba, met friends in SAN, a free night at the Intercontinental Times Square New York, and another free night at the Park Hyatt Saigon. Flew F on QF SYD-DXB, EY AUH-DUS, AA SFO-JFK/JFK-LAX and CX LAX-HKG. 8 separate tickets and 2 Amtrak tickets.

2016 was a 787 trip. Went back to SIN for Chinese New Year via AMS, essentially routing MEL-SYD-BKK-KIX-PVG-AMS-AUH-SIN-KUL-NRT/HND-CGK-SIN-BKK-BNE-MEL. Free nights at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai, Hilton Capital Gate Abu Dhabi, Strings by Intercontinental Tokyo and some random AMS Holiday Inn Express near the airport while checking out the red light district. Got SYD-BKK-KIX in TG F (would have preferred BKK-NRT on the A380, but they didn't have space), PVG-AMS-AUH on KLM (just to get the Delft houses and fly the KL 787-9 AMS-AUH), AUH-SIN on the EY 787-9 F, HND-CGK on the ANA 787-9 (missed the Star Wars 787 by a day, it regularly flies HND-CGK on Sundays but I was flying on Saturday to get home the day before Chinese New Year Eve!), and BKK-BNE for the TG 787-8. Flew all 3 F segments solo. 4 separate tickets.

Still have enough for one last hurrah, thinking of going MEL-SYD-BKK-NRT-TPE-HKG-CAN-DOH-AUH-CAI-AUH-NRT/HND-SIN-MEL to get the SQ A380, TG A380 and QR A380...

How many years are we talking?? It reads like you're pulling this stuff out in your sleep!!! <insert jealousy here> by the way Mainly because I would be at the beginning and just trying to even figure out which programs I should buy from and hoard to let alone checking award stuff and learning the ins and outs, although I think my award booking routings won't be complicated ie 2 stops max

 

[NZflygirl]

4 years is a lot of study!I think you should probably be part of the paid services team to find award flights for people.
I doubt you'll be doing any "hurrahing", flying a premium cabin for travel is something people don't let go of easily, nor should they

Did you use AA Avianca UA and Alaska? or others as well?

 

[joelyong]

I wish I could. But I prefer maximising time in the air and collecting stashes of swag, while most people usually want the most efficient route. I could go SYD-BKK-NRT-ICN-TPE if I wanted to, with overnights in BKK, TPE and ICN, but some people would want the most direct flights and I'd curse and swear at them for not extracting the most value out of their miles. So I wouldn't want to book for people.

I used Avianca for getting cheap Y tickets for friends. Did save them quite a fair few dollars when AV miles when on sale, if the final cost was like $993 I'd bill them $1050 and get a commission out of it. Burned my AS miles during my round the world trip last year when it was possible to do ORD-SFO (stopover)-JFK-MIA-UIO for 30k in AA "business" class, but the transcontinental SFO-JFK leg F would get coded as "business", while if I were purely doing SFO-JFK in F it would have cost me 32.5k AS miles one way.

AA yup, I still have a massive stock of them. Considering going to Easter Island for the heck of it. MEL-AKL-PPT-IPC, 30k AA each way in J.

I keep some BA for short hops MEL-SYD, mainly because MEL has less F flights than SYD has.

Unfairly for me, like I said, did my Masters in the US, got a social security number, got a few credit cards, which allowed me to fly F for cheap. Came to MEL, lived in a residential college for 3 years, heck, they took Visa/Mastercard payments, so applied like crazy for new credit card. Put $3k of housing payments here, $2k there, $5k here, $10k there, and paying for my housing at the residential college for 3 years netted me a round the world trip - not many people can say that can they?

Most of my miles are actually stashed in transferable programmes - Citi ThankYou, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest. That way I can pick and choose what I want - like if I want SQ F I'd just drain down my ThankYou into SQ and book.

4 years is a lot of study!I think you should probably be part of the paid services team to find award flights for people.
I doubt you'll be doing any "hurrahing", flying a premium cabin for travel is something people don't let go of easily, nor should they

Did you use AA Avianca UA and Alaska? or others as well?

 

[HTG2016]

first/business class round-the-world trip westwards

MEL-SYD-DXB/AUH-DUS-JFK-ORD-CMI-ORD-SFO-JFK-MIA-UIO-GYE-PTY-AUA-JFK-LAX-SAN-PHX-LAX-HKG-SGN-KUL-MEL,

Wow , what can i say that look like an impressive iti to try all the route out in First/Business class

 

[joelyong]

Followed it up this year with MEL-SYD-BKK-KIX-PVG-AMS-AUH-SIN-KUL-NRT/HND-CGK-SIN-BKK-MEL.

Had to get back to SIN for Chinese New Year.

Next year for Chinese New Year thinking of MEL-SIN-HKG-TPE-HKG-CAN-DOH-CAI-AUH-BOM-SIN-HKG-PVG-KIX-BKK-SYD-MEL or something similar.

EY A380 (AUH-BOM), QR A380 (CAN-DOH), TG A380 (KIX-BKK), SQ A380 (MEL-SIN).

Wow , what can i say that look like an impressive iti to try all the route out in First/Business class

 

[nightelves]

Hi I'm new to this United routing but where would I start to look at maximising my time in the air while minimxing the amount of points I need to spend.

Can someone give me some pointers. That would be very helpful for me. Thanks so much

 

[I love to travel]

1. You need to ring for SQ flights. Everything else is online
2. You cannot create your own routing - or they will charge you extra points. In other words, what is online is what you get (with the exception of SQ)
3. Phantom availability is usually not a problem.
4. USA availability is usually limited

 

[nightelves]

Ok couple of questions how on earth can you book such a flight like this. MEL-SYD-DXB/AUH-DUS-JFK-ORD-CMI-ORD-SFO-JFK-MIA-UIO-GYE-PTY-AUA-JFK-LAX-SAN-PHX-LAX-HKG-SGN-KUL-MEL and not get charged heaps of points.
Secondly what is a phantom availability andwhat does it mean by 125% MPM?

 

[joelyong]

I didn't say it was all under the same ticket. Cost me 60k AS, 265k AA and 20k UA miles.

Ok couple of questions how on earth can you book such a flight like this. MEL-SYD-DXB/AUH-DUS-JFK-ORD-CMI-ORD-SFO-JFK-MIA-UIO-GYE-PTY-AUA-JFK-LAX-SAN-PHX-LAX-HKG-SGN-KUL-MEL and not get charged heaps of points.
Secondly what is a phantom availability andwhat does it mean by 125% MPM?

 

[HTG2016]

Hi I'm new to this United routing but where would I start to look at maximising my time in the air while minimxing the amount of points I need to spend.

Can someone give me some pointers. That would be very helpful for me. Thanks so much

I am in the same boat with 200K MR Gateway Bonus thinking about transfer them all to United for our family travel next year to South Asia . 60K for return ticket in J and $140 tax is the best value .

Regard maximize time in air with multi stop connection , it look like United have stop allowing that from with their recent devaluation since early OCT . From my understading you used to be able to go from SYD - HKG either with 1 stop in BKK or with 3-4 stop via multi city tool for the same 30K points in J . With the new system they only show you few option when you search SYD-HKG route and charge multiple segment if you customize your route .

 

[HTG2016]

I didn't say it was all under the same ticket. Cost me 60k AS, 265k AA and 20k UA miles.

I am looking to redeem 3 J seat on SQ new route SYD-SIN with a stop in CGK with their 777-300 . Can the phone agent book this if avail show on AirCanada website for this flight .

 

[joelyong]

Tough luck getting J...

Rule of thumb all SQ Australia/NZ-Sin flights show zero J inventory to partners until 14 days before flying.

But if AC is showing availability then call in to check. You might get lucky.

I am looking to redeem 3 J seat on SQ new route SYD-SIN with a stop in CGK with their 777-300 . Can the phone agent book this if avail show on AirCanada website for this flight .

 

[ChrisFlyer]

Tough luck getting J...

Rule of thumb all SQ Australia/NZ-Sin flights show zero J inventory to partners until 14 days before flying.

But if AC is showing availability then call in to check. You might get lucky.

That hasn't been the case for a long time. I booked SQ J ex BNE earlier this year using UA miles, about 11 months before the flight (which isn't until next year).

As others have said, you just need to book by phone, and not on the A380 or 777-300ER aircraft.

 

[joelyong]

They changed it again?

I remember AV was giving me zero results for J availability (but was checking sometime in June), They might have changed inventory release rules meh.

Good to know!

That hasn't been the case for a long time. I booked SQ J ex BNE earlier this year using UA miles, about 11 months before the flight (which isn't until next year).

As others have said, you just need to book by phone, and not on the A380 or 777-300ER aircraft.

 

[HTG2016]

That hasn't been the case for a long time. I booked SQ J ex BNE earlier this year using UA miles, about 11 months before the flight (which isn't until next year).

As others have said, you just need to book by phone, and not on the A380 or 777-300ER aircraft.

Just made a phone call to United . Australia phone number . Not sure if the agent actually check but she told me that SQ dont release J ticket only Y on United System .

TG only have 2 seat , What chance do i have for booking 2 seat first and wait for another seat to release on TG via United website .

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just made a phone call to United . Australia phone number . Not sure if the agent actually check but she told me that SQ dont release J ticket only Y on United System .

TG only have 2 seat , What chance do i have for booking 2 seat first and wait for another seat to release on TG via United website .

TG traditionally releases two seats at a time until the initial allocation is exhausted. That release can be almost instantaneous (like people have been completing one booking and the next batch of seats appeared). However, no way of knowing how close to the end of the allocation you are (although if booking a long way in advance you should be ok)

 

[HTG2016]

TG traditionally releases two seats at a time until the initial allocation is exhausted. That release can be almost instantaneous (like people have been completing one booking and the next batch of seats appeared). However, no way of knowing how close to the end of the allocation you are (although if booking a long way in advance you should be ok)

Look at the calendar on UA website the whole month is avail with 2 X J seat on FEB 17 . I think i might take my chance , good to hear that people have succesfully did that before ) tossing between old seat on SYD-BKK and lie flat bed on new A350 on MEL-BKK . That will mean an extra hop from SYD to MEL for us .

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Look at the calendar on UA website the whole month is avail with 2 X J seat on FEB 17 . I think i might take my chance , good to hear that people have succesfully did that before ) tossing between old seat on SYD-BKK and lie flat bed on new A350 on MEL-BKK . That will mean an extra hop from SYD to MEL for us .

I don't think the A350 will be flying by then. Of the two daily services, the 465/466 are the most likely to have a 77W (flat beds) with the other 461/462 being an older 772 or 773 (old angled). Even then, the 465/466 seems to be flying a few of the older planes depending on the day.

I'd fly from SYD - spend an extra 10K for F if you can get it, or if you want a chance of a flat bed, the 466 ex MEL.

 

[HTG2016]

I don't think the A350 will be flying by then. Of the two daily services, the 465/466 are the most likely to have a 77W (flat beds) with the other 461/462 being an older 772 or 773 (old angled). Even then, the 465/466 seems to be flying a few of the older planes depending on the day.

I'd fly from SYD - spend an extra 10K for F if you can get it, or if you want a chance of a flat bed, the 466 ex MEL.

Ausbt articled saying A350 will start flying around end of OCT and UA website showing Aircraft type 359 when search for MEL-BKK .

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Ausbt articled saying A350 will start flying around end of OCT and UA website showing Aircraft type 359 when search for MEL-BKK .

This is true, but TG doesn't have permission to fly this type of plane to Australia yet. The booking engines still say A350 (as they do plan to fly the plane here), but this will change as you get closer to your intended departure date when.