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All you need to know:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/38212

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/mileageplus/awards/travel/types.aspx
Click on "United air travel award rules:"
"You may redeem miles for travel in United Global FirstSM, United First®, United Business® or United BusinessFirst® , even if the space is not available. In these cases, United Economy in the same award type must be confirmed, and the front cabin will be waitlisted. For example, a Saver United First award must be confirmed in Saver United Economy to be eligible for waitlisting. If the courtesy waitlist does not clear, it will expire 24 hours before itinerary departure, and you will automatically be added to the airport upgrade standby list upon check-in. In these cases, you will be confirmed on a space-available basis by a United airport representative at the gate once the flight has closed for check-in. For United BusinessFirst and United Business travel awards, the difference in miles will be refunded when the United BusinessFirst or United Business class segment of the trip could not be confirmed. Waitlist requests may only be made over the phone with your local United Reservations office"


« Last edited by HolyNyc on February 02, 2015, 08:51:46 AM »

Author Topic: Plan B Discussion: Booking BusinessFirst Awards Without Availability  (Read 507651 times)

Offline AsherO

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For LAX-EWR-TLV for example even if LAX-EWR clears, if EWR-TLV does not you still get the extra miles refunded.

What about (theoretically) vice versa? Do all legs have to clear? Longest leg?
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Offline Dan

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Based on the BF leg clearing.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Mocha

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Can this be booked online? If yes then how?

Offline Knaper_Chuchem

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Can this be booked online? If yes then how?


Ahhh, 'wishful thinking' some might call it, and I'd gladly agree...

Offline Mocha

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Ahhh, 'wishful thinking' some might call it, and I'd gladly agree...
When I called, the agent wanted to charge me to $25 booking over the phone fee.

Offline Dan

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When I called, the agent wanted to charge me to $25 booking over the phone fee.
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/3250 they'll waive it if it can't be done online.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline Knaper_Chuchem

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They'll waive it if it can't be done online.


Still, it makes one wonder why aren't they making these options available online? And so many other options? Just to name a few, waitlisting a direct flight, confirming a cleared waitlist, changing a reservation with a partner, and the list goes on.. 

Just to give you a small example, I wasted probably 2 hours of CO staff (and we're not talking third world countries outsourced staff, we're talking highly paid employees residing in the US and A..) when doing my last successful 'Plan B'. I was on the phone with 5 agents till I got it done.. Seriously! 

I must think it has to do with my lack of wisdom.. As my name will attest to that!

Offline Mocha

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Why does everyone on FT stress thr this is really a last resort? Seems like a fair chance that youll get confirmed J.

Offline Dan

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Why does everyone on FT stress thr this is really a last resort? Seems like a fair chance that youll get confirmed J.
Because you still may wind up in coach.  I'd rather fly at less convenient times than have a chance at being stuck in the back of the bus on a longhaul.
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Offline Mocha

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Because you still may wind up in coach.  I'd rather fly at less convenient times than have a chance at being stuck in the back of the bus on a longhaul.
Got it. Though it may not be the case for me as I'm planing on leaving LIH on Thursday afternoon and the only the other flight that has availability in J is in the am so don't want to lose out to much time there.
Plus J for me would be to have a nice sleep and not be interrupted with a stop at LAX smack mid-dream.

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they'll waive it if it can't be done online.
Where does it say that on the website?

Offline Dan

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It doesn't.
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It doesn't.
CSR refused to waive anything before we even got started. HUCA approach?

Offline Dan

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Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

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Does anyone know if this only works for itinerary with intl legs or it can also be done on itnin wholly domestic?

Offline benchik

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I just did this with United. I had to walk the agent through the website to show her the rule. After hanging up. I noticed that only one seat was waitlisted. (I booked 2.) The other one was only in economy. However, the miles deducted was the total of both seats in business.

I called again and got a agressive agent who didn't like the whole idea. She then removed the waitlist on the 1 flight. It now shows both to be in economy, but the mileage deducted for both is for the business amount.

Is it possible that this is enough, or will I have to go through the whole story with united again?

Offline benchik

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Anyone with fresh experience on this?

Offline duvid crockett

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I just did this with United. I had to walk the agent through the website to show her the rule. After hanging up. I noticed that only one seat was waitlisted. (I booked 2.) The other one was only in economy. However, the miles deducted was the total of both seats in business.

I called again and got a agressive agent who didn't like the whole idea. She then removed the waitlist on the 1 flight. It now shows both to be in economy, but the mileage deducted for both is for the business amount.

Is it possible that this is enough, or will I have to go through the whole story with united again?
When are u trying to book for? I'm ticketed in businessfirst for Sunday afternoon from a waitlist but I was booked already for Lufthansa and they confirmed my direct seat about 3 weeks ago

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Anybody have any updated info on whether there is any possible way of getting onto the upgrade list without physically being at the airport?

Offline yosele

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I have a reservation with saverpass award. I want to be put on the wait list.

The first rep I spoke with told me that I could be put on the wait list, and if I get the seat, my miles will be deducted.

Is that the right way to do it? How do I specify to the agent what I want to do? Benchik, where on the site is the instructions to walk through the rep?
« Last Edit: March 27, 2013, 11:12:31 PM by yosele »