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

[baldman]

Good morning all

I have miles in United that I want to use for travel next year, ideally on SQ. Is there a "paid service" that one can use to plan and make the necessary bookings?

Any and all recommendations greatly appreciated.

baldman

 

[get me outta here]

Hi baldman,

I see you didn't get any replies and so I think the answer is in the negative. Perhaps, start a new thread with specific questions re routings and timings, amount of points etc and some of our more learned friends may have some suggestions. Best of luck.

Edit, Oh I see now that you did ask some more q's, so maybe you are all set now.

Good morning all

I have miles in United that I want to use for travel next year, ideally on SQ. Is there a "paid service" that one can use to plan and make the necessary bookings?

Any and all recommendations greatly appreciated.

baldman

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi baldman,

I see you didn't get any replies and so I think the answer is in the negative.

I would have thought perhaps someone like onemileatatime would have been able to arrange this (for a fee) through their service? There is supposedly some work-around for redeeming SQ via UA. But you can't do it on line. Either the passenger has to do it, or an award booking service could do all the leg-work, but they can be expensive.

 

[smit0847]

Do you mean paying someone to book your flights? most major US FF blogs offer this service. From memory it will be about $250 US pp per trip. The UA website is very intuitive and stable so it's something you should be able to do by yourself quiet easily.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Do you mean paying someone to book your flights? most major US FF blogs offer this service. From memory it will be about $250 US pp per trip. The UA website is very intuitive and stable so it's something you should be able to do by yourself quiet easily.

Except SQ flights don't show on UA at all IIRC. So you have to be able to source the availability through alternative means, know the relevant booking windows, and then call UA and be able to guide the agent through it.

 

[smit0847]

Except SQ flights don't show on UA at all IIRC. So you have to be able to source the availability through alternative means, know the relevant booking windows, and then call UA and be able to guide the agent through it.

Presumably you can only access SQ regional J. Given how many members there are in star I'm not sure I'd jump through the hope to get SQ J.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Presumably you can only access SQ regional J. Given how many members there are in star I'm not sure I'd jump through the hope to get SQ J.

Yeah - I'd forgotten about that restriction - most probably limited to certain regional flights, operated by regional aircraft (no 77W or A380). We're lucky being able to book those through LM and the screen-shot method.

Agree - plenty of other star options. TK would be a good. Also NH.

 

[annielee]

successfully redeemed SQ J from KUL to MEL (1st Jan)
did a booking online via TG, then call them half an hour later to change it to SQ.. at no extra cost..

cant find anything via LM...

 

[clifford]

yes, I think the secret is to book something close to what you want online (obviously not including an SQ flight) and then call United and ask them to change the booking to include your desired SQ flight(s).

A case in point was yesterday when (foolishly?) I first rang the Singapore UA call centre to request them to make a business class award booking SIN-SYD using SQ and TG. The response I got was that this was not a legal routing so it couldn't be done. OK, I thought, let's see what can be done online. I was able to make a reservation for my preferred itinerary in economy class using UA and TG flights, so clearly the routing was not illegal. This morning I phoned UA again and requested they change the booking to business class and replace the first flight with one on SQ. This was done with the minimum of fuss and all was well.

The other thing to note is that UA have their second eleven on duty at the weekend, so it's best to wait until Monday.

 

[annielee]

meaning your fight is SYD-SIN-BKK ??

 

[clifford]

meaning your fight is SYD-SIN-BKK ??

Perhaps the other way round, but starting in SIN.

 

[JohnK]

Perhaps the other way round, but starting in SIN.

Why? Do you prefer Thai long haul?

I am saving up my United miles and trying to see if I can get a convoluted routing to/from BKK because I get bored if I fly direct.

 

[clifford]

Why? Do you prefer Thai long haul?

I am saving up my United miles and trying to see if I can get a convoluted routing to/from BKK because I get bored if I fly direct.

No, I had a day in SIN to kill, so I thought it would be better to spend it flying in business class than sitting at an airport.

Arrive SIN at 00:30 on MH, now booked I class for 30,000 miles SIN-HKG (SQ 772), HKG-BKK (TG 388), BKK-SYD (TG 744).

Life could be worse, I suppose. I like TG's business class on the 388's and 77W's, but it's very ordinary on the other types.

 

[JohnK]

No, I had a day in SIN to kill, so I thought it would be better to spend it flying in business class than sitting at an airport.

Arrive SIN at 00:30 on MH, now booked I class for 30,000 miles SIN-HKG (SQ 772), HKG-BKK (TG 388), BKK-SYD (TG 744).

Life could be worse, I suppose. I like TG's business class on the 388's and 77W's, but it's very ordinary on the other types.

I'll need to check for myself but can you book that itinerary online? I'd love to do BKK-HKG-SIN-SYD for 30,000 miles coming home.

 

[RTWtraveler]

We are in Canberra and with SA service beginning in Sept I have tried to use UA miles for a CBR-SIN booking, but the UA web page is not showing any award seats available. I have written to Milage Plus, with out response. Any suggestions for using UA miles from CBR on SA? Have used miles on TG, last one was 80K return to Penang in F....that was NICE.

 

[travelislife]

We are in Canberra and with SA service beginning in Sept I have tried to use UA miles for a CBR-SIN booking, but the UA web page is not showing any award seats available. I have written to Milage Plus, with out response. Any suggestions for using UA miles from CBR on SA? Have used miles on TG, last one was 80K return to Penang in F....that was NICE.

You can use your UA miles to book SQ it just can't be done online, has to be over the phone. UA online search engine doesn't show SQ flights at all, even if their is availability.

 

[RTWtraveler]

I noticed you can book a regular SA flight online. Do you know if the number of points needed are the same as for SYD to BKK?

 

[travelislife]

I noticed you can book a regular SA flight online. Do you know if the number of points needed are the same as for SYD to BKK?

I am not sure exactly what you are asking? What you do you mean a regular SQ (assuming SQ not SA, South African Airways) flight can be booked online? On United's website? This has no relation to award bookings. United has made a decision to 'hide' SQ from their award search (I imagine due to costs incurred a few years ago when some 'mistakes' happened), hence it won't show up even if there is availability.

Yes SYD-BKK should be the same points as SYD-SIN. 30,000 miles plus about $50-$80 in taxes in business class.

 

[RTWtraveler]

Sorry for the confusion. I know SYD-BKK-SGN is 30K, but was wondering if CBR-SIN would also be in the same 30K band of miles. I presume it would be. Thanks for the tip to call UA. I hate having to always get to Sydney for international travel. By air it is expensive and road travel has once again become an issue with all of the construction.

 

[JohnK]

I have tried and tried but the best I can do online is SYD/BNE-BKK-HKT-HKG but is a little lengthy.

I like idea of SYD/BNE-BKK-HKG (think last leg is A380) and then a paid Oneworld flight back to BKK. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try calling and asking to replace first leg with SYD/BNE-SIN-BKK?