United Award Booking - Odd Pricing

GordonBombay

GordonBombay

Level 2 Member
I've found it's easier to generate miles/points than it is to efficiently spend them. I came across something today and couldn't find which thread or subforum to post in.

This summer I'm flying from NYC to Chicago. For 12,500 miles I can fly nonstop LGA-ORD on United.
I'm also flying from NYC to Charleston around the same time, and there is a nonstop United option for 12,500 miles. However, there is also an option which connects in Chicago (LGA-ORD-CHS) and is only 10,000 miles. It's interesting that it's less miles and you could theoretically just not board the second leg (ORD-CHS) to save 2,500 miles.

I'm pretty sure I read something similar to this before but can't figure out where. Is there a thread or a subforum where I can read more about this?
 
KennyBSAT

KennyBSAT

Moderator
Staff member
Don't check bags, don't do it all the time. Lots of possibilities exist to do the same with AA reduced price awards and all shades of revenue-based awards including Southwest. Hawaii-Mexico is cheaper on AA miles than Hawaii-Continental U.S. And on and on...
 
deemkaa

deemkaa

Level 2 Member
Does anyone know about any unusual pricing for NYC-BKK with UA/(UR)? Any tricks to pay less than 40k UR OW?
 
J

janetdoe

Level 2 Member
GordonBombay said:
I'm also flying from NYC to Charleston around the same time, and there is a nonstop United option for 12,500 miles. However, there is also an option which connects in Chicago (LGA-ORD-CHS) and is only 10,000 miles.
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That doesn't make any sense. The 10k option should be priced based on the distance between the origin and destination... it should be 10k for any flight between NYC and CHS, regardless of routing. Can you confirm that you are seeing BOTH 10k and 12.5k pricing between NYC-CHS, depending on routing?
italdesign said:
The beauty of having boatloads is you don't have to care if they are used efficiently.
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Agreed, if you really have more than you know what to do with, pay the extra 2,500. If there are weather or mechanical irrops, they could re-route you through a different city and you would have no recourse, as long as they flew you to CHS as your final destination. Also, you can't check luggage on the 10k option, and you could get screwed (or at least put in a very awkward position) if they are forcing people to gate check to your final destination.

Plus, depending on whether or not you have any other 'questionable' activity on your account, you may or may not want to do something that is technically against the rules for a relatively minor benefit. <shrug>
 
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