United LAX to Rome need help!

[HEINER]

Hello All... We need some help!

 

Our miles are on United we are going next September 2016 on a cruise. We need a one way ticket from LAX to Rome our miles are on United and I have been currently tracking to see what may open up. Saver Awards it what we have always been able to use but it looks like United is not posting very many flights with saver awards anymore from LAX. to Europe

 

We are ok changing planes in the US then on to Rome that would be our first choice. Our we better off to fly out of SFO or New York we would need to pay for a ticket there then use our miles to Rome also thought about LAX to London they do show some Saver Awards with miles then pay for a ticket on to Rome if we did that what would be the best airline to use?

 

 

We want to go Business class. Standard Award is more mile than we have.

 

Our cruise is a TA back to Flordia. I can book that later.

 

Thanks, for any information you can give us.

 

Betty

[twin123185]

Three years ago I booked JFK to Rome on Lufthansa using miles and 8 months later, a.month before my flight a saver award showed up on United from Newark. It was well worth the change fee. Of course back then it was 50000 for the seat not 70000 that it is now. Need miles? Get the credit card when them have a 50000 bonus for getting one!

[CruiserBruce]

The schedule for September 2016 isn't up yet. When it comes up, Saver Awards will pop up, in an unpredictable manner in the first 7 to 10 days after release. Then they will be gone.

 

Some strategies. Book one person, one way, first. Then try the second. You might get one Saver award on a given flight in Business, but not two. Perhaps try booking one person, each on two separate computers.

 

It sounds like your travel days are pretty fixed. Any flexibility you can add will help you greatly.

 

Be prepared for the possibility that only one goes free. The other will need to purchase their flights. We do this frequently.

 

We are in Australia right now. We flew Global First using this strategy. We got two Saver Awards going to Australia, and two Standard Awards coming back. Our flight days are pretty flexible -we landed in Sydney 7 days prior to our cruise.

 

For a 14 hour flight, Global First, for free, is so worth it. But we have used the above strategy for 3 trips to Europe, and will be using it next month for an August 2016 Europe trip.

Edited August 15, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[critterchick]

I recommend that you search for flights that go from LAX to Europe and then connect to Rome from there. We flew on United a few years ago, connected at Dulles and arrived in Rome at 8:00 am or so. Big mistake - we had to force ourselves to stay awake, finally crashed mid-afternoon and took a couple of days to recover.

 

Look at flights to London or even Munich or Zurich on partner airlines. Don't be afraid of overshooting and having to backtrack a bit - that will open up more flights.

 

Also consider a subscription to Expertflyer.com. I don't think United lets them show award availability any more on UA flights, but the other carriers might. Good luck!

[alidor]

Why even look for this now? Airlines don't open their books until 330 days out. It'll be October before you can see any availability at all.

[MHF]

There is a blog called Million Mile Secrets that has a nice discussion of how to get to Europe on United by using stopovers, layovers, open jaws, etc: just look in previous articles on his site. The whole awards thing can be confusing but his idea of looking for the flight from the West Coast to the East Coast and then from the East Coast to Europe is helpful. Somehow, splitting the trip made a difference in some cases but he shows how to book it under one Saver.

 

I am also trolling the UA sight for an August flight next year! Good idea to learn ahead of time how to look for what you want.

 

Melissa

[Gardyloo]

The schedule for September 2016 isn't up yet. When it comes up, Saver Awards will pop up, in an unpredictable manner in the first 7 to 10 days after release. Then they will be gone.

 

That's not how it works. Airlines release seats into award buckets throughout the life of the booking period. One or two might show up when the gates open at 331 days, or they might not. Then, as the airlines' yield management systems (continually) analyze sales, competition, load factors, and many other factors, one or two (or more) might get released into award inventory days, weeks, or months later, right up to the day of the flight. This is especially the case in business class, where cash bookings can come up at the last minute, and represent much higher profit to the airlines than redeeming somebody's miles.

 

Why even look for this now? Airlines don't open their books until 330 days out. It'll be October before you can see any availability at all.

 

This is true (although some European and Asian carriers actually open their booking windows at 350 - 360 days out, but those seats can't be booked using UA miles until 330.)

 

So in the meantime, start familiarizing yourselves on alternative ways to get to Rome from LAX. What other carriers might you use besides United? Lufthansa to Frankfurt or Munich and then to Rome? Sure. How about Swiss to Zurich then Rome? You bet. Turkish to Istanbul to Rome? Why not? Air Canada to Toronto to Rome? No worries.

 

The thing is, do your homework so that when the time comes you know what to look for. Do "dummy" bookings with closer-in dates to see what United's website offers - sometimes you can see where they tend to default to particular routes for LAX-Italy awards, usually where there's spare capacity. Also, look for first class rather than business seats. Usually for a modest amount of extra miles (which can be purchased from United if need be) you can find space in FC (on carriers that offer it) when business class is sold out. Far fewer cash buyers for first class these days.

 

It's worth the effort.

[CruiserBruce]

That's not how it works. Airlines release seats into award buckets throughout the life of the booking period. One or two might show up when the gates open at 331 days, or they might not. Then, as the airlines' yield management systems (continually) analyze sales, competition, load factors, and many other factors, one or two (or more) might get released into award inventory days, weeks, or months later, right up to the day of the flight. This is especially the case in business class, where cash bookings can come up at the last minute, and represent much higher profit to the airlines than redeeming somebody's miles.

 

 

Yes, this is true in the business model. What you need to remember is a) some routes never give up Saver Awards on certain days of the week, or certain peak times of the year, and b), it is highly unlikely the OP has the flexibility to wait until last minute "sales" to get award seats for the routes and dates they want. So, it is very likely the OP will be booking the flights at the earliest date of release.

 

I agree with the rest of the advice. The OP should be looking for options within United's networks, plan on flying to Frankfurt, or Munich, for example on partners for the best options.

[Gardyloo]

Yes, this is true in the business model. What you need to remember is a) some routes never give up Saver Awards on certain days of the week, or certain peak times of the year, and b), it is highly unlikely the OP has the flexibility to wait until last minute "sales" to get award seats for the routes and dates they want. So, it is very likely the OP will be booking the flights at the earliest date of release.

 

I agree with the rest of the advice. The OP should be looking for options within United's networks, plan on flying to Frankfurt, or Munich, for example on partners for the best options.

I understand that some routes are harder than others, and no doubt the flexibility is an issue to be sure. For example, if the OP were traveling in the next week, six out of the next eight days have business class saver space from LAX to FCO, on United metal via Newark or Chicago. Spot checking, there are a number of days open in October, November, March and April, too. But those wouldn't work for cruise pax needing specific dates.

 

My point is that if they're not visible on day one of the booking period, that doesn't mean they won't be visible on day two or on day ninety. At some point one needs to pull the trigger, of course - either fly coach, pay more miles for a partner itinerary, or buy a revenue ticket. United charges more miles for partner tickets now than on their own planes, but from big airports like LAX, there are many, many alternatives using Star Alliance to get to Rome (even some counter-intuitive ones like Air New Zealand to London, then Lufthansa) and those flights will appear throughout the booking window.

[CruiserBruce]

You note I didn't say book on Day 1. In my experience over the last several years is the Saver Awards that appear on Day 1 are usually less than desirable routes. It has been my experience that the better Saver Awards start showing up about 3 days after release. The current Saver Award (SFO to SYD) that we are enjoying opened up 12 days after release. As has been suggested, watching the schedule prior to the actual desired flight dates will reveal the pattern. Just clear cookies very regularly.

[HEINER]

What great information you all have gave us!! We are flexible as when we can leave we plan to go into Rome 6 days early. But if the miles come up that would works for us we could go earlier or a day to two later.

 

I'm have been all over the board this afternoon looking at different city's to fly into so far LAX to London looks like the one that opens up business or first class the most. Thanks for the tips to look at different city's to fly into I never thought of doing that.

 

So if we fly LAX to London we are going to need to pay for the ticket to Rome what airline would you recommend to use?

 

I will keep tracking daily to see what Saver Awards are available on different flights.

 

 

Last year we were able to get United Global first class LAX to Berlin three days after it open. We were so happy!!

 

Keep the information coming we need all the help we can get!!!

 

Again thanks for taking the time to help us!!

 

Betty

[CruiserBruce]

There isn't going to be a non-stop LAX-FCO. So you should be able to book to FCO thru FRA, Munich, LHR, or lastly Paris, and use UA partners for the intra European flights, and get it all as part of your Award. We have done it SFO-FRA-FCO all on Lufthansa, and SFO-FRA on UA, connecting to CPH on Lufthansa, just in the last 2 years.

[Globaliser]

So if we fly LAX to London we are going to need to pay for the ticket to Rome what airline would you recommend to use?

Are you planning to stop in London, or will you simply connect and fly on to Rome?

[HEINER]

Are you planning to stop in London, or will you simply connect and fly on to Rome?[/quote

 

Just connect and fly on to Rome. But we are open to other area to fly into and connect on to Rome. With our miles on United so far London is looking the best. I know we need to wait until air opens up to see what will really happen.

[Globaliser]

Just connect and fly on to Rome.

Then I think you have only Alitalia and BA to choose from between Heathrow and Rome.

[HEINER]

Then I think you have only Alitalia and BA to choose from between Heathrow and Rome.

 

 

Thank you so much! I will look at both airlines.

[CruiserBruce]

s

Then I think you have only Alitalia and BA to choose from between Heathrow and Rome.

 

Neither airline is associated with UA, so, most likely these will be separately purchased fares.

[Globaliser]

Neither airline is associated with UA, so, most likely these will be separately purchased fares.

That was the premise of HEINER's question: award ticket on UA to London, then a separate cash ticket to Rome.

[FlyerTalker]

Any reason why it couldn't be UA to LHR, then LH through either FRA/MUC on to FCO?

 

I usually look to find the availability across the pond, then try to figure out how to manage getting the two ends to work.

 

DL wanted 137k SkyPesos to fly one way in Biz to SIN. Found 70k seats from the USA to Shanghai, then cobbled on Garuda to Jakarta and then AF to SIN at no additional cost in Pesos. Seems it could be similarly done to FCO.

[pcur]

I recommend that you search for flights that go from LAX to Europe and then connect to Rome from there.

 

I agree. We usually fly BA into London, and then connect via EasyJet to Europe. Last time we did the reverse: took a TA to BCN, and then flew EasyJet to London, stayed a while, and then flew BA back to LAX.

[Viv0828]

We often book mileage seats on flights that are less than desirable. Then DH calls the airline almost every day to see if something with a better connection is available. Except for one time, he was able to make the change and was rarely charged. United usually routes us on Lufthansa through Frankfurt.

 

Last time we were actually booked out of SFO to some city I can't remember and then on to FRA. About 2 days before we were going to leave, we somehow got changed to a nonstop LAX to FRA. What a lovely surprise!

Edited August 21, 2015 by Viv0828

[Globaliser]

We usually fly BA into London, and then connect via EasyJet to Europe. Last time we did the reverse: took a TA to BCN, and then flew EasyJet to London, stayed a while, and then flew BA back to LAX.

Why use easyJet for the intra-European sector? It would probably be cheaper to do the whole thing on BA, especially on occasions when you're simply connecting in London. The total cost of travel using easyJet can be expensive, especially if you have cruise luggage with you.