Anyone have any advice for timing a reward flight with a ED? It's gotten to where you have to schedule out many months if you want to actually get the flight/dates that you want. I'm assuming the best way to go about getting the timing right is to get a flight that you want, and then start planning the ED around it. So if I'm planning a trip all the way out to January, when should I start the ED order process? And I'm assuming I just need to go with the info in the wiki to make sure that the dates are available for pickup? Thanks.
Timing United airline miles flights with ED
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You should start the order process as early as possible, as dates do fill up. The only thing it will cost you upfront is a deposit. My dealer wanted $500 - I'm not sure if that's standard - and they never actually put the charge through! You just need to order something to get a date, and you can change anything you want (even the entire model) right up until it goes into production. Once your sure you're doing ED there's no reason to wait. The deposit locks in the price/incentives, but if something better comes along you can change right up until you complete the purchases.
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Book the tickets as soon as possible. Dates can be changed gratis, unless things have changed.
In a worst case scenario (medical emergency, canceling the car, work issues etc.), just pay the cancellation fees - I've done this in the past. It's only a few hundred $$$ at most - nothing to really worry about. I treat it like an insurance deductible.
In a worst case scenario (medical emergency, canceling the car, work issues etc.), just pay the cancellation fees - I've done this in the past. It's only a few hundred $$$ at most - nothing to really worry about. I treat it like an insurance deductible.
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I looked for open frequent flyer dates six months in advance and found that flying into Munich and out of Frankfurt worked well with our travel plans and available points. I had a confirmed delivery date 5 months in advance, and booked the flights immediately. Within a few weeks I had tickets for castle tours and hotel reservations completed. Planning far in advance works for me and keeps the stress level low.
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It depends on elite level. Platinum and above it's free; below that and there may be a charge (changes to dates only more than 21 days out are free for all).
https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/mileageplus/awards/travel/ticketing.aspx
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I just got home day before yesterday (7/29). I booked UA frequent flier miles in September, 2011, ordered the car (an F30) in December 2011 for a July delivery.
IOW, get the flights FIRST, then order the car (you don't have to pay until just before you leave). When you order, you fill in the purchase order that BMWNA requires. Once that is accepted, you have a confirmed date for the car you ordered (you can change the details of the car right up until it goes into production about six weeks before your delivery date). BMW will deliver the car to you on that date.
I just finished booking my award flights for a September ED pickup. It was somewhat difficult to get the dates I wanted (but I only started looking about a month ago). Keep checking daily though b/c award availability changes frequently. They do also release additional inventory about 3-14 days before departure (particularly Lufthansa and their premium cabins). I know you can't go without tickets and just hope something opens up last minute but an option is to book something on the date you want (even if it includes more legs and layovers etc.) and then keep checking daily for other options, calling in and making the change. Yes, there's a change fee and it's tedious but this is what allowed me to get the flights I wanted in the end. Good luck!
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I book standard awards and then waitlist for saver awards - I've never not had the saver awards clear on flights to LHR from LAX a week or so prior to departure.
I'm not 100% certain this still works post 3/3/12 UA-CO integration but as a 1K/GS United is pretty good to me :thumbup:
Dick
I'm not 100% certain this still works post 3/3/12 UA-CO integration but as a 1K/GS United is pretty good to me :thumbup:
Dick
Thanks for all the help. I need to pick out some dates and just start checking the united site all of the time. I'm coming up on 200,000 award miles, and trying to find 2 first class saver reward flights is all the much harder.
On another note, anyone here ever flying into Munich, and then fly back from Paris? That is my plan so far. My wife has never been to Europe, and I'd like to go ahead and hit one of the "big" cities on the trip with her. Plan is to leave the car with bmw, and then take a train from Munich to Paris, maybe with a stop or two in between. Any suggestions? Thanks.
On another note, anyone here ever flying into Munich, and then fly back from Paris? That is my plan so far. My wife has never been to Europe, and I'd like to go ahead and hit one of the "big" cities on the trip with her. Plan is to leave the car with bmw, and then take a train from Munich to Paris, maybe with a stop or two in between. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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I wouldn't take the train to Paris. My recommendation would be a return ticket with stopover. For example:
ATL-MUC(stopover)-CDG
CDG-ATL
You can even do open jaw ticket with stopover.
ATL-MUC
FRA-CDG (stopover)-ATL
Same number of miles as a return ticket, unless United changed their mileage policy.
ATL-MUC(stopover)-CDG
CDG-ATL
You can even do open jaw ticket with stopover.
ATL-MUC
FRA-CDG (stopover)-ATL
Same number of miles as a return ticket, unless United changed their mileage policy.
WOW, I just did a "multiple destination" trip (open jaw, never heard of that). This is blowing my mind. It just seemed to give me the munich-paris flight for no miles. The trip I pulled up has 8 total flights- Lake Charles, LA-Munich-Paris-Lake Charles, all for 200,000 miles. Awesome. Thanks for the tip.
Now I just need 15,000 more miles (I'm at 200,000, trying for 2 1st class tickets). Any ideas on how to get these miles quicker? I've already got a chase card, my wife picks up most of the miles for us.:thumbdwn:
(Anyone think there is another deal of the year coming? I've got time to wait)
Now I just need 15,000 more miles (I'm at 200,000, trying for 2 1st class tickets). Any ideas on how to get these miles quicker? I've already got a chase card, my wife picks up most of the miles for us.:thumbdwn:
(Anyone think there is another deal of the year coming? I've got time to wait)
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apply for the chase sapphire preferred card, 40k sign up bonus, instantly and easily transferable to UA miles. I'm sure it goes without saying if you see Lufthansa first class tix, grab those instead (for the same miles) of UA flights. I flew Lufthansa first to my euro delivery on UA miles in January, it was great. Lufthansa award seats will, of course, be harder to come by, but keep an eye out.
Important to note that in business class (on non-A380) on Lufthansa is -not- OTOH notably better than flying United. But F definitely is.
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I flew CLT-MUC and Lufthansa regularly releases award space on that route Business and Coach, and usually 7-10 days before they release first class as well.
Back when I did my ED I had no clue about miles but finally learned
Back when I did my ED I had no clue about miles but finally learned
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Question is if it's worth paying the change fee to switch from booked UA tix (presumably booked weeks/months in advance for certainty) to LH as/if they come up as the date of travel approaches. For first class, I'd say "definitely" for business not as much and for economy, doesn't make much difference.
But, regardless, if Lufthansa is available in same class on a convenient flight as United on any given date, I'd definitely advise grabbing LH over UA, for sure.
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Chris Cheung posted one way.
Another is simply to do the open jaw (IAH*-MUC; CDG-IAH) and drive from Munich to Paris, with stops in between as you see fit. Drop the car outside of Paris, take the train into the city and have a couple of days (or more) in Paris car free. You'll have a lot more flexibility in seeing things between Munich and Paris by driving as compared to taking the train or flying.
*I assume - maybe there's a more convenient airport with service to IAH or other hubs.
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Spend more money. Front load any purchases like furniture. Buy silver dollars/currency from the mint/fed using your credit card and then deposit it to your bank. Run a google search - a lot of folks have done this.
Another option is to just buy the miles. I've done this in the past. I'd rather secure seats for a few hundres dollars than have my trip get derailed. You can always make more money - perhaps just a day or two of working. Well worth securing 2 first class seats in my opinion.
If you choose not to book the seats now, always have a "what if" backup plan. This may involve just having to pay for economy seats.
Any tips on finding the Lufthansa first class tickets? I've done a bunch a searches, over a bunch of different times, and haven't seen any of these. Just Lufthansa Business. Can you search for these flights on the Lufthansa website (that you can use United miles with)?
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Search for the "ANA Tool" using google.
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I recommend flying into Paris instead of Munich directly. Two benefits to that. First, there will probably be more flights to paris than Munich which means using miles will be easier. Second, you have to give the ED department three options for delivery. This way you can plan your vacation now, list 3 dates within your vacation, and for sure get one. Airline tickets once you are in Europe are incredibly cheap. I am flying from London to Munich for 75 bucks a person and flying back from Paris to Bristol for only 80.
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