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Booking two FF passengers together


IDKaren

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Need some advice. My husband and I both have enough FF miles on United to go somewhere. LAST time I used them..I booked mine and then when I went back into the site to book his -the flight I booked was no longer shown as available! Called UA and they said there were no more FF seats on that particular flight:eek: We wound up on different flights on 2 out of 3 legs. SO how do i book us both a ticket using our own FF and get on the same flight??? Will I need to call United directly and pay for them to do it? Thanks so much for any advice!

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There are two possible reasons:

 

1) Between the time of booking the two seats, the other one was grabbed by another passenger. To avoid this, a phone agent could grab both seats and allocate the mile costs to the proper account.

 

2) There was only one seat available on the first flight, and thus none available for the other person. To look for award seats, a service such as ExpertFlyer may be able to help.

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2) There was only one seat available on the first flight, and thus none available for the other person. To look for award seats, a service such as ExpertFlyer may be able to help.
The first thing to try is a search on the airline website for two award seats, even if you don't have enough miles to book two. If the airline website will let you make that search, then at least you will know whether or not you could in theory get two award seats. You can then either book them one by one, and take the risk of something happening after you book the first; or call the airline, pay the fee, and do it at the same time so you know that you have both.
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I had this same issue and saw lousy availability looking online for 2 people for FF flights so I just bit the bullet and called and was able to get the flights we wanted for both of us. Some times its just better to call and pay a little more to get some service.

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Chances are, there is only 1 FF seat available on your flights.

 

Do what Global suggested, check if there are 2 FF seats available on your flights - if there are, CALL UA to get it done if you dont have enough miles from 1 account to have 2 awards.

 

Or, (dont know if UA website allows such with same IP address), open 2 browser windows - one log-in using your own account, the other log-in using your spouse's account, book the flights under each account one after another on EACH step of the process and then finalize them within seconds apart. If there are 2 seats available on the flights, you definitely should be able to get 2 seats that way.

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Chances are, there is only 1 FF seat available on your flights.

 

Do what Global suggested, check if there are 2 FF seats available on your flights - if there are, CALL UA to get it done if you dont have enough miles from 1 account to have 2 awards.

 

Or, (dont know if UA website allows such with same IP address), open 2 browser windows - one log-in using your own account, the other log-in using your spouse's account, book the flights under each account one after another on EACH step of the process and then finalize them within seconds apart. If there are 2 seats available on the flights, you definitely should be able to get 2 seats that way.

 

Since FF info is often stored as a cookie, try using two separate browser programs (IE and Firefox) - that way, there is no conflict between cookies in the two windows of the same program

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Since FF info is often stored as a cookie, try using two separate browser programs (IE and Firefox) - that way, there is no conflict between cookies in the two windows of the same program

 

Dont know. Last night I was able to log in CO on 2 separate windows under IE, one to my account and the other on husband's account, when I was trying to see how the bookings were done when on the phone with the agent. I can view both accounts simultaneously under 2 IE windows. The agent has to split me from a booking I made earlier online, put me to the original PNR that is associated with the ticket cancelled in July of 2007. Then she booked my husband on a separate PNR using the same itinerary I created online earlier of the day, but now his booking has a new PNR. The one I did online was disgarded.

 

All the while I toggled back and forth between the 2 windows to see the ticketing process - even had to go into husband's account profile to delete an old credit card info as the system would not let the agent applied the Travel Certificate to his ticket- the system kept picking up the invalid credit card info on his account.

 

So I know for CO, it works even using same browser engine.

 

BTW, the CO agent from Electronic processing support group ROCKED! She was much more friendly than the first reservation agent I got, when I tried to explain what I needed, the first agent claimed, "I have been a reservation agent for 17 years, dont tell me what the other agents told you to do...." What an attitude! I hang up and called back, got a gentleman who immediately transferred me to online booking even before I finished my sentence. Luckily I got an excellent one when the online group picked up my call.

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Thanks for all your help! Once we figure out the "where" and "when" I will either give United a call or try your ideas! At least we are "Flexible" as far as month, , week , day etc- that should help I hope!

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Thanks for all your help! Once we figure out the "where" and "when" I will either give United a call or try your ideas! At least we are "Flexible" as far as month, , week , day etc- that should help I hope!

 

Being flexible on both the WHEN and the WHERE, as well as HOW TO, always help in finding award seats. The HOW TO get to your desired destination, meaning the routings - dont forget to check creative routings as much as your airline allows it, and may need to check availability segment by segment as an one-way award...

 

Good Luck!

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You can DO one way rewards? I did not know that! How does that work? We have only flown FF once and that was the "different routes" trip. Now that I finally have enough miles I need to know all the ins and outs!! Now I have two FF on Alaska too and need to start reading up on their poliicies. Geez who knew it was so hard to fly cheaper:confused: Thanks all!

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You can DO one way rewards? I did not know that! How does that work? We have only flown FF once and that was the "different routes" trip. Now that I finally have enough miles I need to know all the ins and outs!! Now I have two FF on Alaska too and need to start reading up on their poliicies. Geez who knew it was so hard to fly cheaper:confused: Thanks all!

 

One-way costs the SAME as a round trip.

 

What I mean checking One-Way award is, very often, when there are connection flights involved, for some reason, the system would NOT display you the award seats for the whole itinerary - HOWEVER, when you check segment by segment, as an One-Way award (to fool the system, not that you are going to fly One-Way), it would show there are award seats for EACH segment involved, but it would not show award availability if all segments are together as an itinerary. I have yet to figure out WHY is that - however, I learn to check segment by segment, before I exhaust all my avenues. You know what I mean?

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Airlines use a process called "journey control". In this process, all individual segments of a routing may show availability, but the complete routing does not. This is because of capacity controls being put in place for the overall origin and destination end-points.

 

Sometimes an agent can override journey control, but more often, the system is locking out agents from the override. Each airline is different, but I can attest that journey control is definitely in place for AA, DL and NW.

 

Do a Google search of "journey control" for more info.

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Not on all airlines. BA and QF (my two main FF schemes) do one-way awards for half the price of a round-trip. In fact, I think that all QF awards are priced as one-way sectors.

 

I am talking US domestic airlines as the question poster has UA account and just sign up AS account.

 

QF and in that matter, all Australian domestic flights are sold as one-way, and roundtrip is just 2x one-way pricing for the same fare bucket. Naturally QF has its FF program mirror the actual fare structure.

 

However, to redeem an award solely within Australia/New Zealand - AA asks for FAR LESS miles than QF program, eventhough AA awards are same "price" one-way or roundtrip. That is the rub.

 

In fact, if OP can fly AS often, AS is the right program to go. It requires LESS miles to claim the same kind of partner awards vs AA, it is much easier to claim awards on desirable routes and desirable cabins.

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I am talking US domestic airlines as the question poster has UA account and just sign up AS account.

 

QF and in that matter, all Australian domestic flights are sold as one-way, and roundtrip is just 2x one-way pricing for the same fare bucket. Naturally QF has its FF program mirror the actual fare structure.

Although you're right about the way that QF Australian domestic cash fares are sold, the QF scheme doesn't reflect this. The one-way award "pricing" also applies on long-haul flights where one-way tickets are only at full fare and you must buy a round-trip cash ticket to get discounted fares.

 

The same applies in the BA scheme, and AFAIK both schemes apply this to awards on partner airlines including on US domestic routes.

 

So the general statement needed some qualification, although you may well be right about the UA and AS schemes.

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Here is the QF award chart - one-way

 

7 5,801-7,000 42,000 63,000 84,000 126,000

8 7,001-8,400 48,000 72,000 96,000 144,000

9 8,401-9,600 56,000 84,000 112,000 168,000

10 9,601-15,000 64,000 96,000 128,000 192,000

 

Between SFO and SYD, Great Circle Mapper says it is 7415 miles

 

http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=SFO-SYD%0D%0A&RANGE=&PATH-COLOR=red&PATH-UNITS=mi&PATH-MINIMUM=&SPEED-GROUND=&SPEED-UNITS=kts&RANGE-STYLE=best&RANGE-COLOR=navy&MAP-STYLE=

 

It will take 2x96000 miles to claim a QF business class award if I do not misunderstand it. So it takes 192,000 miles for that award SFO/SYD/SFO.

 

In comparison, AA award chart shows 125,000 miles needed for the SAME award - on QF flights no less, as you know AA does not fly to Australia.

 

http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/AAdvantage/partners/airlines/All_Airline_Award_Chart.jsp

 

Here is AS award chart - AS only requires 110,000 miles for the SAME QF flights.

 

http://www.alaskaair.com/as/mileageplan/AwardsAustralia.asp

 

Qantas

Class of Service Region Round-Trip

Award Level

Coach North America to/from Australia / New Zealand 85,000

Business North America to/from Australia / New Zealand 110,000

First North America to/from Australia / New Zealand 140,000

Coach Intra-Australia and Intra-New Zealand 25,000

Business Intra-Australia and Intra-New Zealand 40,000

 

So the long-haul one-way redemption is of very little use, unless you dont need to fly the return leg, or doing a RTW trip of some sort.

 

For the RTW type, OneWorld has the OneWorld award that would probably beat both the QF and BA One-Way redemption requirements, though I have very little knowledge for that as neither program would serve our interest.

 

All domestic airlines can continue to charge One-Way the same as the round-trip as they are now, so long as they dont change it to the models of QF and BA - that would mean a MAJOR devaluation of our programs. Wonder why AA has quite some Aussie based and UK based members in AAdvantage?

 

Although you're right about the way that QF Australian domestic cash fares are sold, the QF scheme doesn't reflect this. The one-way award "pricing" also applies on long-haul flights where one-way tickets are only at full fare and you must buy a round-trip cash ticket to get discounted fares.

 

The same applies in the BA scheme, and AFAIK both schemes apply this to awards on partner airlines including on US domestic routes.

 

So the general statement needed some qualification, although you may well be right about the UA and AS schemes.

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Airlines use a process called "journey control". In this process, all individual segments of a routing may show availability, but the complete routing does not. This is because of capacity controls being put in place for the overall origin and destination end-points.

 

Sometimes an agent can override journey control, but more often, the system is locking out agents from the override. Each airline is different, but I can attest that journey control is definitely in place for AA, DL and NW.

 

Do a Google search of "journey control" for more info.

 

I was able to find our DFW/ANC seats on a FLL/DFW/ANC, YVR/DFW, (forded overmight) DFW/JAC, JAC/DFW/FLL trip this way when I could not get FLL/DFW/ANC to show up, even as one-way, but DFW/ANC definitely available. Put DFW/ANC on hold, called AAdvantage and the agent was able to expand the itinerary the way I wanted.

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It will take 2x96000 miles to claim a QF business class award if I do not misunderstand it. So it takes 192,000 miles for that award SFO/SYD/SFO.

 

In comparison, AA award chart shows 125,000 miles needed for the SAME award - on QF flights no less, as you know AA does not fly to Australia.

Indeed, every scheme is different, and QF redemption requirements are higher (although QF miles are also easier to earn for some core target passengers, so a one-for-one comparison is not that easy to do).

 

But if you want a one-way award flight from SFO->SYD on QF, it will cost you either 125,000 AA miles or 96,000 QF miles or (as I understand it) 80,000 BA Miles. And that is because the following statement is not universally true:-

One-way costs the SAME as a round trip.
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Indeed, every scheme is different, and QF redemption requirements are higher (although QF miles are also easier to earn for some core target passengers, so a one-for-one comparison is not that easy to do).

 

But if you want a one-way award flight from SFO->SYD on QF, it will cost you either 125,000 AA miles or 96,000 QF miles or (as I understand it) 80,000 BA Miles. And that is because the following statement is not universally true:-

 

I understand where you argument stands. The point I make is, the majority of flers who book award seats, do NOT need it for One-Way travel. Hence, the difference in the One-Way redemption benefits very tiny group of the vast mass of the FFers, despite it is the very fact, that some programs do have One-Way award for redemption. I am looking at it from the practical viewpoint for the actual usage of such awards.

 

No, QF miles are not easier to earn than AA miles, given there are so many more ways to earn AA miles, and in that matter, for any US legacy carriers miles, that are not limited to flying, or credit card spending.

 

I have a friend who applied Home Equity Line of Credit each year, just to take advantage of the bonus airline miles came with the offers from the banks. He does not need the HELC and usually pays 0 to have such line established, then closes it without any fee. The most laughable thing is, late last year he looked into yet another such act, after his research showed that it has a 2 year binding period before he could close the HELC, and there is a $75 fee to do that, he decided NOT to sign on the dotted line. So the HELC is never established. Guess what? 45K UA miles still were deposited into his UA account.

 

Open a brokerage account, you have a choice of AA, UA, and a few other airlines miles to choose from as your bonus miles, up to 50K depends on how much your initial money is.

 

Another friend went on a Budget rental car promo on DL, and the upshot, he spent about just under $1000, and earned 2 x 140K DL miles between him and his significant other - that translates to 2 SQ F awards to HKG from SFO next Spring - in the hope that SQ WILL fly A380 on that route currently served by 747. SQ has honored the F award seats booked on the route now served by A380... so he is hoping the same.

 

I learned about this scheme too late - otherwise I would jump in too. $1000 cost for 2 SQ F Transpac r/t - what a bargain!

 

Heck, you can even sign up a Netflix dvd rental program for as little as $4.99 a month and get 4,000 UA miles...

 

You can say the US Domestic Airlines are suicidal in doling out their miles - but they sold their miles to the various merchants for little cost, (the seat would be unsold anyway if not being redeemed) and in exchange, they get their very needed cash for working capital... The reality is, the FF miles are truly up for grab, only if you live in US and know how to grab it. Even Canadians dont have the same opportunities.

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No, QF miles are not easier to earn than AA miles, given there are so many more ways to earn AA miles, and in that matter, for any US legacy carriers miles, that are not limited to flying, or credit card spending.
I deliberately pointed to their "core target passengers". That does not include those who are building up multiple tens of thousands of miles by playing mileage earning games, and who never set foot on aircraft.

 

Fly a short AA sector: you earn a minimum of 500 miles.

 

Fly a short QF sector: you earn a minimum of 1000 miles. SYD-MEL, SYD-CBR, SYD-BNE, BNE-MEL - this is where the circuit-bashing takes place. Earning miles twice as fast as on comparable AA flights counts to me as easier earning than on AA.

 

And most of these passengers just don't have time to play mileage earning games outside their flying. Most of them don't want to, anyway - many of them have far more miles than they ever get the chance to use.

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I deliberately pointed to their "core target passengers". That does not include those who are building up multiple tens of thousands of miles by playing mileage earning games, and who never set foot on aircraft.

 

Fly a short AA sector: you earn a minimum of 500 miles.

 

Fly a short QF sector: you earn a minimum of 1000 miles. SYD-MEL, SYD-CBR, SYD-BNE, BNE-MEL - this is where the circuit-bashing takes place. Earning miles twice as fast as on comparable AA flights counts to me as easier earning than on AA.

 

And most of these passengers just don't have time to play mileage earning games outside their flying. Most of them don't want to, anyway - many of them have far more miles than they ever get the chance to use.

 

That is fine - but that does not mean QF or BA one-way redemption a better value to the majority of their program participants.

 

You can say QF & BA are the programs that gear to elitism - that is fine and dandy at their part, and sad to the 95% of their more ordinary members.

 

To that, I will say, the US airlines are more "democratic", shall we say? That we the Americans are not so snobbish and in the land of opportunity, everyone who tries, and tries hard, would, at least in theory, gets what he deserves.

 

I dont know how much you know about AA program for the Elite earning bonus - this is an excerpt from the PDF file for the AA Platinum member - a MID-TIER status (the Executive Platinum member earns the SAME bonus miles, but have other perks.)

 

100% Mileage Bonus

Your miles add up twice as fast since you’ll receive a 100%

mileage bonus on the base or guaranteed minimum miles for

eligible flights on American Airlines, American Eagle,

AmericanConnection and select airline partners. For complete

details please visit aa.com/elitestatusbonus.

 

Now how is that compare to QF's system for the same elite level? I dont see any difference - actually it is much more generous than your "targeted" QF high tier member - as PLT is just the mid tier.

 

Wouldn't the PLT and EXP are the "core target customers" of AA? In the same spirit, the UA 1K, CO Plat, DL Gold (Or Diamond?), so on so forth, all earn 100% redeemable miles on each segment they fly. So how is that being LESS than QF program?

 

Sure, US Airway in its recent round of cuts, eliminated the elite bonus miles. So far, no other US Airlines have followed suit on this definitely sucidal move - take away the perks from the flyers who give the airline most flying revenues - how smart such move can be? Unless one is hostaged to US hubs, one would have moved his flying to other legacy airlines.

 

And of course, UA cancel the guaranteed 500 miles minimum, replaced it with the actual fly miles - still, UA 1Ks also enjoy the 100% bonus redeemable miles.

 

As for the elites who have so many miles they can hardly use, and not have time to explore other mileage earning scheme - True, there are such elites in every program. However, there are Tens times more elites in each program would try everything they can, to MAXIMIZE their earning potentials and would not mind to have as many miles as they can grab, via whatever means they can find. People have families and friends who can use the miles if they themselves cannot use. There are worthy clauses that can be benefited from the excess miles in the accounts. I know an AA EXP who flies solely on his own dimes - he redeemed his awards for certain US Olympic swim team member and her families so the extended families can all attend the game at Athens. He will do the same for the Beijing game. I also read about an AA EXP who flew extensively on every AA promo so he can earn enough miles via the 100% bonus so his church can send mission workers to Africa. This kind of stories is not uncommon among the AA elite flyers.

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To that, I will say, the US airlines are more "democratic", shall we say? That we the Americans are not so snobbish and in the land of opportunity, everyone who tries, and tries hard, would, at least in theory, gets what he deserves.
"Tries" and "deserves"? This is really pushing the boundaries. There's no morality in a FF scheme. It's not a character-building exercise. This is a purely commercial venture. I completely fail to what is "democratic" about the US airlines' FF schemes - after all, I've never seen a vote taken, or elected management effected, in any FF scheme.
As for the elites who have so many miles they can hardly use, and not have time to explore other mileage earning scheme - True, there are such elites in every program. However, there are Tens times more elites in each program would try everything they can, to MAXIMIZE their earning potentials and would not mind to have as many miles as they can grab, via whatever means they can find.
Your source, please, for the assertion that there are far more of the latter than the former?

 

I'm vividly reminded of the QF FF whose statement I saw on a screen in the QF Club Business Centre when he'd forgotten to log out before leaving the machine. Over 2.5 million miles. And he was only QF Silver (= AA Gold/OW Ruby).

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"Tries" and "deserves"? This is really pushing the boundaries. There's no morality in a FF scheme. It's not a character-building exercise. This is a purely commercial venture. I completely fail to what is "democratic" about the US airlines' FF schemes - after all, I've never seen a vote taken, or elected management effected, in any FF scheme.Your source, please, for the assertion that there are far more of the latter than the former?

 

I'm vividly reminded of the QF FF whose statement I saw on a screen in the QF Club Business Centre when he'd forgotten to log out before leaving the machine. Over 2.5 million miles. And he was only QF Silver (= AA Gold/OW Ruby).

 

So this guy is an AA Gold equivalent, does he enjoy the 100% bonus earning QF offers to its "Core Target Customers"? How long it takes he to accumulate this pile if he is ONLY equivalent to AA Gold? which means he flies less than 50K a year but above 25K a year.

 

Poor soul does not have an opportunity to use his miles? OR he is hoarding his miles so he could claim premium cabin seats for his family, which would require at least 57% MORE miles than AA - using the example of 196K SYD/SFO/SYD roundtrip on QF, and 125K for the same route, SAME PLANE, on AA program.

 

If he has a family of 4, and he is the only one that flies a lot, such hoard can be used up in 2 annual family trips that bring you to North America or Europe, if he decides to vacation outside Australia and Asia.

 

A 2.5 million miles QF balance equates only 1.6 million miles AA balance in my book based on the 1.57 QF miles = 1 AA miles in redemption value on the above example. It is only fair and meaningful to compare the miles requirement for the SAME award, to compare the "implied" value of miles in different program.

 

1.6 million miles is a lot, but NOT A WHOLE LOT. At one point our combined AA accounts have just a tad below this amount. Of course, we dont hoard our miles, we use them as fast as we can replenish them. On balance, we maintain a 700K total constant balance in our AA accounts give and take 50K and between 1/3 to 1/4 of such in 3 other airlines accounts.

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