How to use miles on United for China flight

[Pearl64]

We are trying to get either first class or business class reward seats on United for our China trip next April. Problem is we do not have enough miles. I have 112000 and my husband has 97000. We need 160000 each. We are flying from Pittsburgh to Shanghai and return flight Beijing to Pittsburgh. I know I can purchase miles but even with a 30% discount 50000 miles will cost well over 1200 USD. We will need to try for flights as soon as they are available. I know about the super saver. My question is do we purchase miles and go for the reward seats or do we buy economy seats and then try to upgrade? We have never redeemed miles so this is new territory.

 

Also, what is the difference between business and first class? We did a trip to Australia in coach and vowed never again. Also, what if we use a Star Alliance flight such as Air Canada? Can we use miles for that?

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions as to the miles issue and possible routes that would possibly break up the long flight and possibly use fewer miles.

 

Pearl

[Talisker92]

I am not sure how the United website works, but if it is like the BA site, you can select either business class with miles, or pay for economy and upgrade with miles. The decision is which costs less.

[Kamloops50]

To fly from Pittsburgh to China you probably are flying thru a major west coast gateway. Why not find a cheap seat to Seattle , San Francisco or Los Angeles . Then use miles to fly to/from China on points.

[Gardyloo]

We are trying to get either first class or business class reward seats on United for our China trip next April. Problem is we do not have enough miles. I have 112000 and my husband has 97000. We need 160000 each. We are flying from Pittsburgh to Shanghai and return flight Beijing to Pittsburgh. I know I can purchase miles but even with a 30% discount 50000 miles will cost well over 1200 USD. We will need to try for flights as soon as they are available. I know about the super saver. My question is do we purchase miles and go for the reward seats or do we buy economy seats and then try to upgrade? We have never redeemed miles so this is new territory.

 

Also, what is the difference between business and first class? We did a trip to Australia in coach and vowed never again. Also, what if we use a Star Alliance flight such as Air Canada? Can we use miles for that?

 

Thank you in advance for any suggestions as to the miles issue and possible routes that would possibly break up the long flight and possibly use fewer miles.

 

Pearl

United is one of several US airlines that have made booking upgrades using miles much more difficult. Basically, the "cost" of upgrading using miles on longhaul trips involves the miles themselves (in the case of US < > China, 30,000 miles each way) PLUS a "co-pay" ranging from $350 to $600 each way, PLUS, of course, the cost of the "underlying" coach ticket that's being upgraded.

 

Generally, the lower the "base" ticket price, the higher the co-pay requirement.

 

Example - for travel next February (can't see April yet) the cheapest United coach fare I can see from Philly to Beijing (don't know your cities, but shouldn't matter too much) is around $1200 round trip.

 

That's in a "K" fare category (coach class has around 8 "fare buckets" each with varying restrictions and conditions - "K" is one of the more restrictive.) Because "K" fares are cheap, the co-pay for the upgrade is $600 each way. So now you're out of pocket $2400, $1200 for the ticket and $1200 for the co-pays. PLUS you'll need to redeem 60,000 miles. Most people put a ballpark "value" of 1.5 - 2 cents per mile, so that's another $1200 or so in miles value, taking the whole deal to $3600. Oh, plus taxes.

 

To get the cheaper co-pay (say $350) you'd have to buy a coach ticket in, say, "M" class, costing over $3500 just for the coach ticket, so then you'd be looking at $4200 or so plus 60K miles. For the sake of reference, an actual purchased business-class ticket would run around $4300 for the same dates I looked, with no mileage cost (actually, you'd earn around 20,000 miles by buying a ticket) or under $3500 if you flew out of New York.

 

So - to me - paying an extra $1200 to buy the miles to redeem for a ticket that would cost $4300 is a better deal than paying $2400 and 60,000 miles per person, and then hoping for an upgrade. But people are different.

 

One important factor is that by upgrading you have to use United flights; using a straight mileage ticket you can use any partner or combination of partners - Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, ANA, etc., so your chances of scoring seats are much improved.

 

One thing about being an "early bird" for mileage or "award" tickets is that often there are no early worms. Airlines release seats into award categories throughout the life of the booking period, and with business- or first-class seats (and upgrades) it's typical that very few are made available at the beginning of the booking period. The airlines want to sell those seats for (big) bucks, so they'll hold off on letting them go for miles until their computers say it's unlikely they'll sell out before the flight.

 

So don't feel rushed to book or make sudden decisions. In fact, you have most of a year, so why not shop for credit card sign-up bonus miles offers that could give you 40K or 50K miles - in the meantime? Or start using your credit card for everything (pay it off, mind) and see how many miles you can wrack up by, say, this fall. There will still be award seats available then, don't worry. In fact, if you wanted to use miles to travel in business class to China in a couple of weeks, there are plenty of seats available.

 

As for the difference between business and first class, the differences are nothing like the gap between coach and business. IMO not worth the money or extra miles, but others may disagree.

Edited April 18, 2014 by Gardyloo

[6rugrats]

I would not purchase a very expensive coach ticket and try to upgrade, for the reasons above.

 

This trip in BusinessFirst, if you keep it all on UA metal, is only 140,000 miles each. If you choose partner airlines, it's going to be more miles (at least 160,000). You don't need Global First IMO. BusinessFirst should be fine.

[mfanderso]

I've flown in both Global First and Business First (using miles). While Global First is nice, I wouldn't hesitate flying Business if that was all I could get.

[CruiserBruce]

First of all, BusinessFirst is the best you are going you are going to be able to do. No Global First

 

Second, without some aggressive moves- signing up for a credit card with big bonus miles for signing up and spending, and some careful shopping, you will only be able to get one person over and back for free, or the two of you will be able to go over for free, but you will be buying standard tickets coming back.

 

As mentioned, while UA's system has some pluses, it also has made it very difficult to upgrade a Coach fare to BusinessFirst. So, without elite status, that is almost impossible.

 

Some research on the FlyerTalk board may help, but without knowing your time lime, budget and some other issues, it is difficult to give you more guidance.

[FritzG]

Another perk of the Mileage Plus credit card from their ad--

USE MILES FOR ANY SEAT, ANY TIME, ON ANY UNITED FLIGHT*

Primary Cardmembers can use their miles to book any available seat, any time on any United-operated flight when they redeem miles at the MileagePlus Standard Award level. No limitations, no restrictions and no blackout dates on available seats if you provide your MileagePlus number before starting the award booking process.

 

This could be helpful if you are still accruing miles and want to wait to book a flight. We've found booking award travel with United to be very easy with our credit cards. Before we got the cards it was harder to find a good selection of available award seats.

[Pearl64]

We both have the United Mileage Plus Card. I probably can get mine up to the required number of miles but then there is husband. Cruiser Bruce, we are flying from Pittsburgh or could be Cleveland to Shanghai and back from Beijing. We need to be in China on April 11, 2015. We leave to come back April 28, 2015. We don't want to spend more than a ticket would be if we had to pay for it ourselves.

 

Can we pay going over and use miles to upgrade coming home? Just trying to work out different scenarios. I am digesting all suggestions.

 

Pearl

[CruiserBruce]

OK, looking out to March 2015, I am seeing Saver (not "Super Saver") Awards for 80K in a couple of possibilities that work for getting you there. Both Business and First are possible from SFO onwards, coach to SFO. So 160K there. There are many choices there, so I think that won't be a problem going over. The only issue is you don't have a lot of flexibility with your dates, so we won't absolutely know what you can do until the dates the fares come available.

 

Coming back will be similar, or possibly higher. But you don't have enough miles for that. And, again, upgrading a Coach seat fare with miles without elite status on UA is a minefield, and very frustrating.

 

Do you have any flights in the near future you can buy the Miles Accelerater (sp?) on? I understand that is generally a better rate for buying miles. You won't need to buy the return trip for a couple of months...what is your spending look like, in terms of getting more miles that way?

Edited April 18, 2014 by CruiserBruce

[Gardyloo]

Can we pay going over and use miles to upgrade coming home? Just trying to work out different scenarios. I am digesting all suggestions.

Yes, mileage upgrades are all one-way. Remember, however, that you'd have to fly exclusively on United planes if you go the upgrade route as opposed to a straight redemption.

[6rugrats]

FritzG - I really think OP wants saver, not standard awards!

 

1. You do not want to book two one way award tickets to get there, and then purchase two one way tickets to get back. That would be very expensive.

 

2. You don't have to start your award travel in SFO, start in PIT.

 

3. I would never count on being able to upgrade. Your flights would have to be on all UA metal and you're going to pay 30,000 miles each, plus a $600 copay for tickets purchased in the cheapest fare classes. Chart here:

 

https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/news/United-Award-Chart-02-01-14.pdf

 

I would be trying to earn as many miles as possible by using my Mileage Plus credit card and shopping through UA Mileage Plus:

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/mileageplus/default.aspx

Edited April 18, 2014 by 6rugrats

[Bowie MeMe]

Last year for a flight to Hawaii we used United miles. I "bought" my ticket going with my miles and transferred DH's miles to my account and got my return trip (one way tickets anyway so not an advantage to one way). Then we bought his round trip ticket with cash and we upgraded his to economy plus to match my ticket. The miles for that Hawaiian ticket came from the IAD to PEK ticket in October of the year before. Unfortunately, we do not fly business or first (but we do go more often) class but found that the flight in economy plus was not too bad.

 

In fact the Hawaiian flights seemed longer because they were domestic flights and there was no meal, only water in cup twice in the 11 hour flight, and one cup of soda. Meals and drinks at least break up the boredom! on one of the longest domestic flights ever.

 

Be very careful of expiration dates. I do believe on miles (maybe not credit card?) they expire in only 18 months. Also shop for miles seats at other places easy enough to get to -- for China LAX or SEA. Southwest has a cheap flight across the country if you hit a sale (not first class but you get there) and Alaskan Air is cheaper to both LAX and SEA. Find a seat from America to PEK then figure out how to get to the airport where it starts (separate ticket for US travel). It sounds crazy but I have saved a lot of money with that philosophy. We generally give ourselves 24 to 36 hours in the starting of international flight town -- but that is often because we just can't fly for 24 hours -- 12 hours and I have sinus and leg problems. Good luck. Figuring out the air is always a challenge but by doing it yourself the outcome is almost always better than what cruise air would be. IMNSHO:D

[TravelerThom]

...what if we use a Star Alliance flight such as Air Canada? Can we use miles for that?..l

We went to China a few years ago and used Star Alliance Business. We were using USAir miles (they have just left Star Alliance). We easily picked up ANA from Washington IAD non-stop into Tokyo, with a three hour layover before our ANA flight to Beijing. Used the ANA business lounge in Tokyo NRT to catch up on email, etc. Our China trip ended in Hong Kong, and there were no Business mileage (even at Standard, which was beyond our budget) seats back directly to the US available for days. Asking lots of questions we eventually got Business on our preferred day on Singapore Airline (often ranked as #1 in the world for service) if we were willing to go HKG-SIN-JFK(with a stop in FRA)-DCA (we could have transferred in FRA to UA direct into IAD, but choose the comfort of SQ and convenience of DCA). We could have done a 3 hour connection in SIN, but choose to do an 8 hour which allowed us to take advantage of the FREE tour of Singapore offered by the Tourist Board if you have at least 5 hour layover. The Lounge in SIN had hot food, open bar and nice showers. Think outside the box and consider all the airlines and routings that are available to you.

 

Thom

[6rugrats]

UA has removed online bookings for Singapore, and I am amazed you were able to use US miles to book a business class seat. It must have been some time ago. Singapore rarely releases any premium seats for award tickets to its airline partners.

Edited April 22, 2014 by 6rugrats

[TravelerThom]

UA has removed online bookings for Singapore, and I am amazed you were able to use US miles to book a business class seat. It must have been some time ago. Singapore rarely releases any premium seats for award tickets to its airline partners.

I'll consider myself lucky:)

 

My advice to consider all options still stands, even if the particular example I gave is unlikely to happen. Maybe 20 years ago I was trying to use miles for IAD-FRA and return. This may have been before you could even book FF on-line, as I was on the phone with UA and had gone through about 10 days none of which had available tickets. Finally the agent volunteered that they had seats for almost every day on the Lufthansa non-stop. I hadn't thought to check for other airlines.:o

 

Thom

[nolatravelgirl]

United award tickets in premium cabins are becoming harder and harder to find. I leave 5/29 for a Black Sea cruise and am still fiddling for acceptable flights using miles. I am a united million miler and 1k (100,000 butt in seat miles flown in 2013) and can't find a single premium seat on any of my preferred flights. I have a very convoluted route confirmed but hope that closer to my departure I will find something acceptable. The problem you will face as a non elite is that making last minute award changes will cost you $$$.

 

You are trying to find two premium cabin award seats that will also include premium transcons is darn near impossible for a non elite.

[zoncom]

Thats a long haul on United. Consider International partners with stellar reps such as Singapore, considered one of best lines in World.

[nolatravelgirl]

Thats a long haul on United. Consider International partners with stellar reps such as Singapore, considered one of best lines in World.

Also recognize that the international partners may offer better service that by booking on these partners it will cost you SIGNIFICANTLY more miles due to the UAL new award chart.

 

When flying UAL only in F class on 3 class international will be 90K (one way) to North Asia, but the same itinerary on partner airline will cost you 140K.

Edited May 9, 2014 by nolatravelgirl

[Pearl64]

Thanks to all who replied. I thought I would post our results. We ended up purchasing miles when United had a mile sale. We figured the flights cost us less than what we would have spent for an economy ticket. We were able to get Global First from Chicago to Shanghai. I could have gotten the Pittsburgh flight added but it was at a ridiculous hour so we will look for a one way Southwest flight when they become available. We will meet up with our Chicago friends who are also on this trip. Then the return flight was more difficult to book. I was able to get business from Beijing to Tokoyo and global first from Tokoyo to Chicago and economy to Pittsburgh. I just kept watching and grabbed when it was available.

 

Now I have questions on the return flight. Do we need to retrieve our luggage in Tokoyo and go through immigration and passport control? I know we will have to do that at OHare. We have three hours in Tokoyo and four hours in Chicago. I am hoping those will allow enough time.

 

Again, thanks for all your help. This was my first time dealing with miles.

 

Pearl

[Gardyloo]

Now I have questions on the return flight. Do we need to retrieve our luggage in Tokoyo and go through immigration and passport control? I know we will have to do that at OHare. We have three hours in Tokoyo and four hours in Chicago. I am hoping those will allow enough time.

Congratulations on your success. No, if the flights are all on one ticket, you won't have to do anything at Tokyo besides enjoy the lounges. Your bags will be tagged through to Chicago.

[Pearl64]

Thanks, Gardyloo. It is good to know that we won't have to do much in Tokyo except transit to our next flight. I doubt we will visit the lounges as I doubt my husband would want to spend more $$$ to do so! This will be our first first class experience. At our age doing these long flights in steerage is not a good thing.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Pearl

[Bowie MeMe]

We both have the United Mileage Plus Card. I probably can get mine up to the required number of miles but then there is husband. Cruiser Bruce, we are flying from Pittsburgh or could be Cleveland to Shanghai and back from Beijing. We need to be in China on April 11, 2015. We leave to come back April 28, 2015. We don't want to spend more than a ticket would be if we had to pay for it ourselves.

 

Can we pay going over and use miles to upgrade coming home? Just trying to work out different scenarios. I am digesting all suggestions.

 

Pearl

 

Hi Pearl We had the same issue on a flight to Hawaii to use up points that we gained on a China trip (Watch Out they do expire! 18 months I think). We found that buying two one way tickets much more expensive than buying one ticket straight out and the other person used all the miles of the family for a straight award ticket. You must buy award tickets as one way so you could possibly do 3 on award points and then one way.

 

Now Philadelphia is not far from DC area and we have lots of options. You can get to EWR (Newark NJ) by train and that opens more direct flights. IAD has a nonstop to PEK (Beijing) and we did OK in economy+ -- we just go too often to even consider Business or First Class :o Drive in the day before and get a park/fly deal or rent a rental car and drop it at the airport. If you go through the west coast (a 5 hour flight but only takes 2 hours or so off the time a transpolar flight ) try both LAX and SFO (San Francisco ). Also for reward tickets think about getting to Asia then another hop to Beijing -- gives you lots of options. I find the most frequent gateway city is Tokyo followed by Seoul and Hong Kong. Try various combination on the ITA matrix and then go to airline site for booking the flight. Good luck!

[Gardyloo]

Thanks, Gardyloo. It is good to know that we won't have to do much in Tokyo except transit to our next flight. I doubt we will visit the lounges as I doubt my husband would want to spend more $$$ to do so! This will be our first first class experience. At our age doing these long flights in steerage is not a good thing.

 

Thanks again for your help.

 

Pearl

You misunderstand, Grasshopper. The lounges (food, booze, showers) are complementary to people flying in business or first class. http://boardingarea.com/frequentlyflying/2013/02/18/lounge-review-united-airlines-global-first-at-tokyo-narita-airport/

[Pearl64]

That is good to know about the lounges! As I said this is our inaugural first class flight!

 

To Bowie MeMe, we never fly out of Philadelphia. Too many issues getting from the other side of the state to Philly. Plus, if a flight is going to be cancelled it will be from Pittsburgh to Philly. Too many horror stories on that one. Actually, DC is closer for us. But, I got our award tickets so I am happy.

 

Pearl