Star Alliance Award Flights

[cssaus]

I'm going to be looking into redeeming some UA MP miles for a Star Alliance award for my wife for a trip to London with stopover in ROme. I'll be going as well but I will be purchasing a ticket but only going to Rome and back.

Looking into carriers I can get my wife to Rome on SQ and of course back from London to Sydney on SQ but from Rome to London there are several options such as using Lufthansa or Swiss Air via a hub.

I'm interested in hearing people's experiences who have done anything similiar and whether or not it's been a big hassle or not. I guess the only daunting aspect of it all if it can be done is that I now would have to go thru UA's MP call centre in Manila:!:

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Depends on when you want to go and in what class. I've had no real problems using *A miles (not UA) to europe, booking well in advance.

 

[cssaus]

Anyone familiar with the number of miles needed for a Star Alliance Award for a return Sydney to London business class fllight with a stopover in Rome?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Anyone familiar with the number of miles needed for a Star Alliance Award for a return Sydney to London business class fllight with a stopover in Rome?

On which program?

UA MP 300k
SQ KF 145k (open jaw FCO/LHR)
LH M&M 160k

etc

 

[cssaus]

On which program?

UA MP 300k
SQ KF 145k (open jaw FCO/LHR)
LH M&M 160k

etc

I forgot to mention it was UA MP.

Wow, the UA points needed are quite expensive aren't they.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I forgot to mention it was UA MP.

Wow, the UA points needed are quite expensive aren't they.

Yeah I think my award table I have saved for MP is wrong.

 

[cssaus]

Found this chart on the UA web site. If I'm reading it right it's talking about 140,000 miles and 120,000 miles in travelling exclusively on UA metal.

I've attached a copy of the awards chart along with a copy of the terms & conditions. I'm going to take a close look at the T&C's to see if what I was wanting to do is allowable.

 

[cssaus]

Here's the update on my experience.

I rang UA MP this morning and spoke to a very nice lady located in the Manila call centre. I told her I wanted to redeem miles for *A award in business class for the following itinerary:

17/05/07 SYD-FCO
03/06/07 FCO-LCY
21/06/07 LHR-FCO

I was told that it was going to cost me 120,000 miles for the trip wherease I had been expecting it to cost me 140,000 miles on the basis that the lower number only applied if travelling on all UA metal. The UA rep told me that was only the case if going via North America. I was happy to accept that.

For the SYD-FCO sector I was wanting SQ 222 dep at 5.00pm to connect with SQ340 at 1.00am the next day. Could only offer me SQ232 at 12.55pm. No big deal I can always find something to occupy me at Changi to make the hours pass by.

From Rome to London, I particulary wanted to fly into London City Airport as it's less busy and a lot more convenient for me to be met by the people I'm staying with. I wanted to get a flight at around midday but the only flights they could offer me was on LH2651 to Dusseldorf at 9.55am and then onto LCY on LH4828 at 1.00pm. Although these flts have LH numbers they appear to be operated on an LH codeshare basis.

For LHR-SYD I struck a problem in that for that date I want to return on, it's too far out for UA to offer me anything. Rather than leave the booking hanging I took a flight on the furtherest day out that they could see which happened to be June 5. I just took whatever they had going and I've made a note for myself to call back in 16 days time.

The taxes for the entire trip were $A291.17 plus a $US15 handling fee. I wasn't too shocked by that.

This was the first time I had any dealings with the new Manila call centre and I must say I was pleasantly surprised how friendly and knowledgeable the call centre lady was. I had in fact expected the worse. It did take me nearly 50 minutes to complete the process and I was constantly being apologised to for being put on hold whilst confirmation was taking place. There was a problem trying to determine the taxes and rather than being kept on hold for even longer I asked to be called back. Within 30 minutes of hanging up I got a call back.

I have one question that someone might be able to answer for me. I was given a reservation number by UA but it doesn't show up in UA's web site under "my reservations". What is the site where I can look it up?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The LH intra europe flights are likely on LH Cityline (and possibly Airone/Air Dolmiti for FCO-DUS). In my experience service is identical to what you'd get on LH mainline.

 

[cssaus]

The LH intra europe flights are likely on LH Cityline (and possibly Airone/Air Dolmiti for FCO-DUS). In my experience service is identical to what you'd get on LH mainline.

Looks like it's a combination of EUROWINGS and CONTACT AIR.