Hi Everyone,
I have a rather detailed situation here so I'd appreciate any advice from you very experienced flyers, especially if you have experience with SEA-ANC, please feel free to chime in. Thanks in advance for your help.
Even though I'm a 1K, there's lots I am still learning about the ropes for the new UA. (I'm not used to making my own ticket changes. I have in the past let UA or CO make changes, paid any extra what they said, and got reimbursed by work.)
I have not done much flying since the UA/CO merger, partially due to health reasons and also for other work related reasons.
However, I hope to make a personal trip in August to take my 99-year-old mother to Alaska, her dream (and mine to take her. She first flew on United at age 20.) We propose to fly Roundtrip from Seattle to Anchorage. I need your help to make this possible. Thanks.
I would prefer to fly on UA. I have unused non-refundable tickets from last summer (we planned this trip last summer, but she got sick & we cancelled) that expire soon that I need to apply soon towards new UA tickets. I need to buy new refundable & changeable tickets in the event my mother is unable to make the trip. (I really do not forsee other trips we could apply those unused non-refundable tickets towards.)
There are two daily flights all summer from SEA-ANC. I found that the lowest cost refundable "Flex Fares" are the same all summer. One is a "V" fare at 9 PM for $786/each and one is a "H" fare at 12:30 PM for $935. I could fly a fully refundable ticket First Class on Alaska Airlines for over $100 less than the UA "V" fare, but as stated need to apply the value from last summer's unused non-refundable tickets.
I do have budget constraints as this is a personal trip. However, as I stated, I prefer to fly on UA for this trip.
What it will depend upon is my ability to book the 9 PM "Flex"V fare, and then be allowed to make a change to the 12:30 PM flight within 24 hours of the flight. This is because it will be easier on her to take the earlier flight, (and we may get CPU'd to First with a meal...would be nice, but not essential.)
Since I am unfamiliar with the rules with the merged CO/UA, I need your help to please clarify some questions for me. Thus will help me to make my plans. Thank you.
(A) I was reading the benefits for MileagePlus Premier 1K on the UA website which state that I can make a flight change within 24 hours without a same day change fee. This also applies to my companion (my mother) booked on the same itinerary paid for by me, correct? According to another thread this is true.
(B) The UA website further states:
"When the original ticketed fare class is available on the requested flight within 24 hours of departure, the same-day flight change fee (instead of the change fee stated in the fare rules) will apply. When the original ticketed fare class is not available on the requested flight within 24 hours of departure, the same-day flight change fee (instead of the change fee stated in the fare rules) will apply, as well as any additional payments or refunds for the difference in fare."
My questions in regards to item (B) above are these:
(1) What is meant in this case by "fare class"? (2) Does the "Fare Rules Text?" (see below) prevent me from changing from the 9 PM flight to the 12:30 PM flight? (3) What is meant here by "available" ?
The proposed fare class I am considering purchasing is "V", and the Fare Basis Code for the "Flex Fare" is VA0HY. This only shows up for purchase on the 9 PM flights.
Also, in the Fare Rules Text with this Fare Basis it states:
FARE RULES TEXT
TO ANC -
PERMITTED 615PM TO 1015PM DAILY.
FROM ANC -
PERMITTED 1030PM TO MIDNIGHT OR 1201AM TO 230AM DAILY.
On the UA website I am able to see the available cabin bucket inventory when I click the "Fare Basis" link. For most flights this summer SEA-ANC it shows V9.
For my question (3) above "What is meant by available" ? Does there simply need to be at least 2 seats for "V" showing up in the bucket inventory for the 12:30 PM flight when I go to make the change from my ticketed "V" Flex fare for the 9 PM flight within 24 hours of the 12:30 PM flight ? Or does the website have to actually be able to show a price for V fare available for sale on the 12:30 PM flight?
(There is another "V" fare for this market, but it is non-refundable and carries a $200 change fee. Its Fare Basis Code is VA14QN, no advance purchase required. These fares have shown up for sale for some of the 12:30 PM flights, while the V "Flex" fares have not shown up for sale for the 12:30 PM flights.)
My final question (4) is in regards to the Complimentary Premier Upgrade. The flights ANC-SEA this summer have looked like lots of seats are available in First Class, so as a 1K on a V fare there is a decent chance we would be upgraded to First Class 4 days in advance with the CPU for the 9 PM flight.
If we have been upgraded for the 9PM flight and also then are able to change the flight to the 12:30 PM flight within 24 hours, what will happen in regards to a CPU for that 12:30 PM flight? Will we automatically be added to the Upgrade Standby list? Will our V Class tickets move us up in priority among 1 Ks? (I assume our checkin time for the original 9 PM flight will be shortly after 9 PM the night before the flight) Do I need to call the 1K desk to get added to the Upgrade Standby list for the 12:30 flight, or do I need to go to the airport the night before to have an agent add me to the list?
Thank you very much for your help in answering my questions.
I have a rather detailed situation here so I'd appreciate any advice from you very experienced flyers, especially if you have experience with SEA-ANC, please feel free to chime in. Thanks in advance for your help.
Even though I'm a 1K, there's lots I am still learning about the ropes for the new UA. (I'm not used to making my own ticket changes. I have in the past let UA or CO make changes, paid any extra what they said, and got reimbursed by work.)
I have not done much flying since the UA/CO merger, partially due to health reasons and also for other work related reasons.
However, I hope to make a personal trip in August to take my 99-year-old mother to Alaska, her dream (and mine to take her. She first flew on United at age 20.) We propose to fly Roundtrip from Seattle to Anchorage. I need your help to make this possible. Thanks.
I would prefer to fly on UA. I have unused non-refundable tickets from last summer (we planned this trip last summer, but she got sick & we cancelled) that expire soon that I need to apply soon towards new UA tickets. I need to buy new refundable & changeable tickets in the event my mother is unable to make the trip. (I really do not forsee other trips we could apply those unused non-refundable tickets towards.)
There are two daily flights all summer from SEA-ANC. I found that the lowest cost refundable "Flex Fares" are the same all summer. One is a "V" fare at 9 PM for $786/each and one is a "H" fare at 12:30 PM for $935. I could fly a fully refundable ticket First Class on Alaska Airlines for over $100 less than the UA "V" fare, but as stated need to apply the value from last summer's unused non-refundable tickets.
I do have budget constraints as this is a personal trip. However, as I stated, I prefer to fly on UA for this trip.
What it will depend upon is my ability to book the 9 PM "Flex"V fare, and then be allowed to make a change to the 12:30 PM flight within 24 hours of the flight. This is because it will be easier on her to take the earlier flight, (and we may get CPU'd to First with a meal...would be nice, but not essential.)
Since I am unfamiliar with the rules with the merged CO/UA, I need your help to please clarify some questions for me. Thus will help me to make my plans. Thank you.
(A) I was reading the benefits for MileagePlus Premier 1K on the UA website which state that I can make a flight change within 24 hours without a same day change fee. This also applies to my companion (my mother) booked on the same itinerary paid for by me, correct? According to another thread this is true.
(B) The UA website further states:
"When the original ticketed fare class is available on the requested flight within 24 hours of departure, the same-day flight change fee (instead of the change fee stated in the fare rules) will apply. When the original ticketed fare class is not available on the requested flight within 24 hours of departure, the same-day flight change fee (instead of the change fee stated in the fare rules) will apply, as well as any additional payments or refunds for the difference in fare."
My questions in regards to item (B) above are these:
(1) What is meant in this case by "fare class"? (2) Does the "Fare Rules Text?" (see below) prevent me from changing from the 9 PM flight to the 12:30 PM flight? (3) What is meant here by "available" ?
The proposed fare class I am considering purchasing is "V", and the Fare Basis Code for the "Flex Fare" is VA0HY. This only shows up for purchase on the 9 PM flights.
Also, in the Fare Rules Text with this Fare Basis it states:
FARE RULES TEXT
TO ANC -
PERMITTED 615PM TO 1015PM DAILY.
FROM ANC -
PERMITTED 1030PM TO MIDNIGHT OR 1201AM TO 230AM DAILY.
On the UA website I am able to see the available cabin bucket inventory when I click the "Fare Basis" link. For most flights this summer SEA-ANC it shows V9.
For my question (3) above "What is meant by available" ? Does there simply need to be at least 2 seats for "V" showing up in the bucket inventory for the 12:30 PM flight when I go to make the change from my ticketed "V" Flex fare for the 9 PM flight within 24 hours of the 12:30 PM flight ? Or does the website have to actually be able to show a price for V fare available for sale on the 12:30 PM flight?
(There is another "V" fare for this market, but it is non-refundable and carries a $200 change fee. Its Fare Basis Code is VA14QN, no advance purchase required. These fares have shown up for sale for some of the 12:30 PM flights, while the V "Flex" fares have not shown up for sale for the 12:30 PM flights.)
My final question (4) is in regards to the Complimentary Premier Upgrade. The flights ANC-SEA this summer have looked like lots of seats are available in First Class, so as a 1K on a V fare there is a decent chance we would be upgraded to First Class 4 days in advance with the CPU for the 9 PM flight.
If we have been upgraded for the 9PM flight and also then are able to change the flight to the 12:30 PM flight within 24 hours, what will happen in regards to a CPU for that 12:30 PM flight? Will we automatically be added to the Upgrade Standby list? Will our V Class tickets move us up in priority among 1 Ks? (I assume our checkin time for the original 9 PM flight will be shortly after 9 PM the night before the flight) Do I need to call the 1K desk to get added to the Upgrade Standby list for the 12:30 flight, or do I need to go to the airport the night before to have an agent add me to the list?
Thank you very much for your help in answering my questions.
