Author Topic: Star Alliance Award Search Tips  (Read 830764 times)

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #240 on: June 23, 2011, 05:03:08 PM »
If Continental shows availability for award, I can use US Air miles to book through US Air even though it's same route Continental flies? And vice versa?
Technically yes, but sometimes a Continental flight will show as available on CO.com, but wont be available to partners (ie US). For best availability results you can use the ANA method in the first post of this thread
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Offline Dan

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #241 on: June 23, 2011, 05:08:59 PM »
Technically yes, but sometimes a Continental flight will show as available on CO.com, but wont be available to partners (ie US). For best availability results you can use the ANA method in the first post of this thread
US might do starnet blocking, but why should it make a difference if the flight is showing on CO or ANA.  US can block any flight if they feel like it.
Now if you are CO elite, then you may see CO availability that partners can't book into.
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Offline Chaikel

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #242 on: June 23, 2011, 05:12:11 PM »
US might do starnet blocking, but why should it make a difference if the flight is showing on CO or ANA.  US can block any flight if they feel like it.
Now if you are CO elite, then you may see CO availability that partners can't book into.
I recently had many flights that showed up on CO.com non-elite, that did not show on ANA/KVS, and United showed as unavailable
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Offline Dan

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #243 on: June 23, 2011, 05:15:35 PM »
I recently had many flights that showed up on CO.com non-elite, that did not show on ANA/KVS, and United showed as unavailable
Please post an example.  Also just because ANA doesn't see it doesn't mean an agent couldn't book it.
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Offline Chaikel

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #244 on: June 23, 2011, 05:28:36 PM »
Please post an example.  Also just because ANA doesn't see it doesn't mean an agent couldn't book it.
Can't find any now. At the time I assumed it was normal. The UA agents told me they couldn't book it
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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #245 on: June 23, 2011, 05:29:45 PM »
Can't find any now. At the time I assumed it was normal. The UA agents told me they couldn't book it
UA and US do starnet blocking.
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Offline Chaikel

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #246 on: June 23, 2011, 05:38:26 PM »
UA and US do starnet blocking.
Could UA block a CO route they dont fly?
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Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #247 on: June 23, 2011, 06:12:02 PM »
Could UA block a CO route they dont fly?
Isn't this a mute point now that UA/CO miles can be moved freely between accounts?

Of late, US *net blocking hasn't been nearly as prevalent IME.

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #248 on: June 23, 2011, 06:15:09 PM »
Isn't this a mute point now that UA/CO miles can be moved freely between accounts?

Of late, US *net blocking hasn't been nearly as prevalent IME.

It was a OW before 6/15
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Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #249 on: June 23, 2011, 06:58:23 PM »
It was a OW before 6/15
I highly doubt it.
You saw a seat available with CO and UA couldn't book it?

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #250 on: June 23, 2011, 07:14:17 PM »
I highly doubt it.
You saw a seat available with CO and UA couldn't book it?
Ya, and it didn't show on KVS
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Offline aussiebochur

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #251 on: June 23, 2011, 07:29:09 PM »
Ya, and it didn't show on KVS
Did you try booking on CO.
Ive seen seats come up on CO.com but when you try booking its not available...

Offline Chaikel

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #252 on: June 24, 2011, 12:37:34 AM »
Did you try booking on CO.
Ive seen seats come up on CO.com but when you try booking its not available...
No, as I said it was a OW, before it was allowed. Now that I know it's unheard of, I'll make a note if it ever happens again
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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #253 on: July 07, 2011, 01:20:16 PM »
If I am trying to book a mileage ticket using continental miles and the continental website shows no availability on their partner airlines (Hawaiian Air) yet if I search on the partner airline's website directly (HawaiianAir.com) I see there ARE mileage tickets available though obviously at different mileage rates (HawaiianAir's award rates).

Is there any way for for me to book such a ticket using the continental miles and get the continental mileage award rate?

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #254 on: July 07, 2011, 01:24:49 PM »
If I am trying to book a mileage ticket using continental miles and the continental website shows no availability on their partner airlines (Hawaiian Air) yet if I search on the partner airline's website directly (HawaiianAir.com) I see there ARE mileage tickets available though obviously at different mileage rates (HawaiianAir's award rates).

Is there any way for for me to book such a ticket using the continental miles and get the continental mileage award rate?
If you plan on checking bags you'll be better buying a ticket with a corporate account which gets 2 free bags.
Email me and I can book you on my corp account if you want.
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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #255 on: July 07, 2011, 01:31:16 PM »
If I am trying to book a mileage ticket using continental miles and the continental website shows no availability on their partner airlines (Hawaiian Air) yet if I search on the partner airline's website directly (HawaiianAir.com) I see there ARE mileage tickets available though obviously at different mileage rates (HawaiianAir's award rates).

Is there any way for for me to book such a ticket using the continental miles and get the continental mileage award rate?

I don't think so. It's like being unable to book AA AAnytime awards with BA miles.
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Offline Dan

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #256 on: July 07, 2011, 01:32:25 PM »
I wouldn't rely on CO.com to search for IslandAir or Hawaiian avaialbility.  Try calling them.
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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #257 on: July 07, 2011, 08:16:08 PM »
I don't think so. It's like being unable to book AA AAnytime awards with BA miles.

Are you guessing or have you had some experience with this kind of thing? Based on some of dan's posts it would seem that as long as the other airline show award availability at their
lowest level you could use any *alliance miles with its respective airline?

Dan, did I misunderstand your posts?

No disrespect meant.
I'm just wondering if it's worth a shot or a waste of time?

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #258 on: July 07, 2011, 08:16:50 PM »
I wouldn't rely on CO.com to search for IslandAir or Hawaiian avaialbility.  Try calling them.

calling continental or Hawaiian?

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Re: Star Alliance Award Search Tips
« Reply #259 on: July 08, 2011, 01:32:23 AM »
Are you guessing or have you had some experience with this kind of thing? Based on some of dan's posts it would seem that as long as the other airline show award availability at their
lowest level you could use any *alliance miles with its respective airline?

Dan, did I misunderstand your posts?

No disrespect meant.
I'm just wondering if it's worth a shot or a waste of time?

AAnytime are the more expensive AA awards, AA's lower tier is called SAAver.

calling continental or Hawaiian?

You're not relying on CO.com, i.e. CO's website, so instead you're calling CO.
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