Using Points to come home from Canada ?

[Digger11]

Hi,

I need to get back from Canada in November and cant work out the points.

YUL-PVG-BKK-MEL is the routing I found, but when i look at this in United site, it adds up all of the points and comes to about 130,000 for a one way business ticket.
I know I could call an operator but I am guessing the site is correctly costing out the trip. Why isn't it 80,000 points ?
When I read the redemption rules, it says I can go from USA/Canada to Australia as long as I go via the pacific. I thought going via Shanghai is over the pacific ?

Am I missing something here ?

thanks

Digger.

 

[clifford]

Business class awards YUL-SYD look a bit thin on the ground in November. I suspect that you have tried to book using the "Multi-city" option, which prices separately for each separate "Destination".

The only way you will get the award for 80K miles is to accept a "One-way" itinerary, eg YUL-PVG-SYD (available on 15 November).

Since the "enhancements" to Mileage Plus last October, there is almost no way of getting around this.

 

[Digger11]

Thanks Cliffy,
Yes, I used multi city, the only way i could find flights on the days I'd like travel.
If i rang an operator with the flight numbers would they override the extra points ? Or am I a bit stuffed ?

Good "enhancements to the scheme" not.

 

[clifford]

If i rang an operator with the flight numbers would they override the extra points ? Or am I a bit stuffed ?

No, generally, the call centre agents can only do the same as you. They'll just say "the computer says no".

 

[htg123]

You might want to consider using jfk as your airport. It will give you more options at 80k

 

[Digger11]

Cheers htg, will look into New York.

 

[Digger11]

Update on this - yes leaving from JFK works, kind of.
I can get all of the way from JFK- BKK (via CPH) to come home on Thai, and can find a flight from BKK-JFK, but United won't put them together online as one 80,000 business reward flight. 110k in total (80k to BKK and then another 30k to get home to Melbourne from BKK).

I will call the Call Centre anyway - but is there a rule here I am missing ? Seems a straight forward trip that the United Site should let me book

JFK-GVA-CPH-BKK-MEL. Is it too many legs or something ?


Cheers and thanks for the assistance.


Digger

 

[htg123]

United won't let you route via Europe. Only Asia/Pacific

 

[Digger11]

Good Point, forgot that one. AwardNexus showed the flights as valid staralliance reward routing, but you are correct in that United has its own restrictions.
​Back to the drawing board.

 

[htg123]

Few things. Consider looking at flying to syd/CBR/bne and getting a separate ticket to Mel.
Since you're in Canada, maybe u can get hold of aeroplan from someone or swap.. Aeroplan will allow routing via Europe. Just be careful about which airlines have fuel surcharges

 

[Digger11]

Good advice, not sure where i would get Air Canada points from though, but you are correct in that they have more flexible routing.

My current theory is to get to BKK and then pay another 30,000 points to get home. Plenty of good business seats from Canada to BKK and then lots of Thai business to Melbourne. So 110,000 all up, which isn't a total disaster.

Looked at going to Los Angeles for a couple of days on the way home, as there is a nice direct United flight to Melbourne from there, but no J availability when I need to travel.
I suppose I could wait to see if some opens up, but a bit risky for me.

cheers
Digger

 

[htg123]

I guess it all depends on how u can handle the u certainty. Im going to the us next month for 2 weeks and I still don't have a ticket back, but hopeful that something good should open up. Even if you don't wanna wait till that close, you can potentially afford the time.

 

[Digger11]

To close thjs off, I have booked my journey home and this is how I did it all in J.

I can get to Chicago easily and stay with my brother so will leave from there.

ORD-TPE-SIN-BKK -MEL

Decided to stay over in Singapore for 3 nights on the way home to recover from the jetlag and rest - so cost is 80,000pts to Singapore and then 30,000 more to get home.

Is a mixture of EVA Air and Thai, who I have used before and they are both fine to me.

cheers

Digger.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That's a good option for coming home. That routing is also a sweet spot for Lifemiles... 99K ORD-NRT-SIN in F on All Nippon, or ORD-NRT-BKK on NH/TG F.