Switching award flights with different mileage requirement
Apr 15, 2024, 8:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 64
Switching award flights with different mileage requirement
My H and I are traveling end of May with another couple. We purchased premium plus seats for a flight at 97K our friends were paying cash so they opted for the earlier flight as it was cheaper... oddly enough the Economy plus seats on their flight was more expensive so we did not switch. Fast forward United made a plane change and messed up our seats and put us in economy. We had them fix it but the tickets were at a higher milage point so they just made the adjustment.
That got me thinking, is it possible they would let us just switch to the earlier flight if there are seats available without paying more miles? Do I have a better chance of that day of the flight? Arrive early with our friends explain the situation and see if they will put us on the earlier flight if there are PE seats available (My H is very tall and cannot deal with economy)?
I am guessing they would not do that in advance .. unless someone has had other experience with that. Its a 3 hr difference and our friends will have to wait for us in Paris for 3 hrs .. if we take the risk and cannot get on the earlier flight we would have to wait 6 hrs at the airport before we could fly. So debating. Any thoughts?? Thanks!
That got me thinking, is it possible they would let us just switch to the earlier flight if there are seats available without paying more miles? Do I have a better chance of that day of the flight? Arrive early with our friends explain the situation and see if they will put us on the earlier flight if there are PE seats available (My H is very tall and cannot deal with economy)?
I am guessing they would not do that in advance .. unless someone has had other experience with that. Its a 3 hr difference and our friends will have to wait for us in Paris for 3 hrs .. if we take the risk and cannot get on the earlier flight we would have to wait 6 hrs at the airport before we could fly. So debating. Any thoughts?? Thanks!
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 15, 2024 at 8:21 pm Reason: Please use meaningful titles
Apr 15, 2024, 8:16 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,471
My H and I are traveling end of May with another couple. We purchased premium plus seats for a flight at 97K our friends were paying cash so they opted for the earlier flight as it was cheaper... oddly enough the Economy plus seats on their flight was more expensive so we did not switch. Fast forward United made a plane change and messed up our seats and put us in economy. We had them fix it but the tickets were at a higher milage point so they just made the adjustment.
That got me thinking, is it possible they would let us just switch to the earlier flight if there are seats available without paying more miles? Do I have a better chance of that day of the flight? Arrive early with our friends explain the situation and see if they will put us on the earlier flight if there are PE seats available (My H is very tall and cannot deal with economy)?
I am guessing they would not do that in advance .. unless someone has had other experience with that. Its a 3 hr difference and our friends will have to wait for us in Paris for 3 hrs .. if we take the risk and cannot get on the earlier flight we would have to wait 6 hrs at the airport before we could fly. So debating. Any thoughts?? Thanks!
That got me thinking, is it possible they would let us just switch to the earlier flight if there are seats available without paying more miles? Do I have a better chance of that day of the flight? Arrive early with our friends explain the situation and see if they will put us on the earlier flight if there are PE seats available (My H is very tall and cannot deal with economy)?
I am guessing they would not do that in advance .. unless someone has had other experience with that. Its a 3 hr difference and our friends will have to wait for us in Paris for 3 hrs .. if we take the risk and cannot get on the earlier flight we would have to wait 6 hrs at the airport before we could fly. So debating. Any thoughts?? Thanks!
Assuming your friends' flight does have a P+ cabin (and it's not sold out), you can get UA to move you to that one no charge.
Apr 15, 2024, 8:52 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 64
They did not remove PP from the flight they just messed up when reseating us. So I called and they reticketed us and put us in the pp seats. However the cost of the pp seats had gone up from 97,700 to something like 102 so they waived that I guess by adding 4400 miles to our acct at no charge. The PP ticket prices have got up even more since then 120 but the earlier flight is 115 so asking them to move us now I am guessing they will say we don't have enough miles. However I was wondering if we see availability on the earlier flight the day before might it be worth going early with our friends to see if they will let us fly with them. If it does not work out we are stuck for 6 hrs at the airport and our friends will still have to wait 3:hrs at the other end.
Apr 15, 2024, 8:55 pm
#4
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.997MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,861
As far as switch to another flight, since you did not mention status,I will assume no status. Changing flights on the same day is only free for elites.
However, it is very unlikely there will be open seats in PremPlus. You can standby for free but only for economy.
If there happened to be open PremPus seats (unlikely), upgraders would get them. While I have never been in an PremPlus cabin, there might be an gate agent that might let you switch but I would not count on it.
Additionally your fare class (ON) will need space -- again exceptional rare for day of travel.
No, no miles were added or needed if an agent makes the change
Unless you have status, you will not be able to make a change before upgraders fill any available seats.
However, it is very unlikely there will be open seats in PremPlus. You can standby for free but only for economy.
If there happened to be open PremPus seats (unlikely), upgraders would get them. While I have never been in an PremPlus cabin, there might be an gate agent that might let you switch but I would not count on it.
Additionally your fare class (ON) will need space -- again exceptional rare for day of travel.
Unless you have status, you will not be able to make a change before upgraders fill any available seats.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 15, 2024 at 9:05 pm
Apr 16, 2024, 4:54 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 64
Thanks You may have helped us avoid 6 hrs in the airport! I do not have elite status. So even though I have pp tickets already the seats will go to those already scheduled on the flight who upgrade. I suppose I could call and see if I get an agent who is feeling kind and willing to move us but guessing that is unlikely. I don't mind paying a change fee if we could do it but guessing the agent would have to waive the extra miles then. What is odd is that the flight we have when we booked it, the PP seats were cheaper than the flight before but the economy seats were not. Otherwise we would be traveling together.
They did do something strange with the miles they added 4400 somehow because in my account it says I have a credit but when I click on the credit it takes me to my reservation. If I get a receipt it says 4400 miles paid. They had to do some kind of maneuvering in the system in order to re-ticket us.
They did do something strange with the miles they added 4400 somehow because in my account it says I have a credit but when I click on the credit it takes me to my reservation. If I get a receipt it says 4400 miles paid. They had to do some kind of maneuvering in the system in order to re-ticket us.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 16, 2024 at 3:19 pm Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
Apr 16, 2024, 11:22 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,099
Thanks You may have helped us avoid 6 hrs in the airport! I do not have elite status. So even though I have pp tickets already the seats will go to those already scheduled on the flight who upgrade. I suppose I could call and see if I get an agent who is feeling kind and willing to move us but guessing that is unlikely. I don't mind paying a change fee if we could do it but guessing the agent would have to waive the extra miles then. What is odd is that the flight we have when we booked it, the PP seats were cheaper than the flight before but the economy seats were not. Otherwise we would be traveling together.