Booking with United Reward Points question?

I have limited United experience but if it’s like Delta or American, the low point redemptions will disappear and not be replenished. Also frustrating is that sometimes hideous 2 or 3 segment options will permanently replace the nonstops at the lowest point redemption. I think with all the big 3 that the rule “redeem 11 months out” is never wrong.

As an aside Southwest allows free rebooking at a lower point redemption, but their points redemptions are directly derived from the day’s fare, I don’t think the other big 3 are so closely correlated.

I have a boatload of experience booking with United points. Here's what I can tell you...

1. Getting 5 seats on the same flight is difficult, often nearly impossible, even under the best of circumstances.
2. Getting seats at the saver (low cost) level at all is challenging, and with the passage of every minute gets more difficult.
3. Waiting never improves your chances. Yes, there's a non-zero chance that United may release some additional seats later, but that's a very, very, very bad bet to make, as it rarely happens at all, when it does, it might be the day before the flight when it's too late to actually make plans and go. Don't wait.
4. Everything gets more difficult (harder to get seats) if you are flying out of a smaller market (Indianapolis). ORD is United's fortress, so that's your best bet for anything.
5. Everything gets more difficult (harder to get seats) if you are trying to go to a popular destination during the busy summer season (pretty much anywhere in Europe is popular during the summer). You don't say when your proposed trip is, if it's mid-February then you may be OK (unless a ski destination...). If it's July...fuggedaboudit.
6. In general, the best options are usually available about 11 months out. With every day that passes, the seats get snapped up, and as a general rule they are not replenished - once they're taken, that's it.

Bottom line: The passage of time works against you. Looking for more than 1 or 2 seats on the same flights works against you. Your best chances are if you can be flexible (very flexible) with everything: travel dates, routing, tolerance for awful layovers, etc.

If you can get 4 of your 5 seats now, you would be extremely foolish to wait another minute to book what's currently available. I'd jump on anything that works for you.

Good luck.

For others chipping in, I can gather from your other posts,

this is your first Europe trip

you are making the journey in June

you are flying outbound Chicago to Amsterdam (how are you getting there, as your question is for a one way from Switzerland to Indianapolis or Chicago)

your other post says Geneva to Indianapolis or Chicago for the inbound.

one of the proposed itinerary options you proposed was:

D1 - Flight inbound AMS
D2 - Arrival AMS - train to Amsterdam Central and Taxi or Tram to hotel
D3 - Amsterdam
D4 - Amsterdam
D5 - Amsterdam
D6 - EasyJet to Prague 1:20 min./ then Train to Krasna Lipa (Bohemian Swtlitzerland National Park) 3 hr 30 min
D7 - Bohemian Switzerland National Park
D8 - Bohemian Switzerland National Park
D9 - Bohemian Switzerland National Park
D10 - Train from Krasna Lipa (National Park) to Prague 3:30 min.
D11 - Prague
D12 - Prague
D13 - Flight out of Prague back home.
D14 - Flight inbound IND

David said it all. I’ve only been able to get saver seats to Europe once, booking way in advance. There were three of us but I could only get two seats. The connections were not ideal. Then I had to buy a seat for my daughter (taking different flights was not an option) and it cost a fortune. Still ahead overall, but be aware that those in your group having to buy a specific routing may have to cough up more than they expect just to be on the same planes.

Thanks for the help guys. Exactly what I was looking for. Just booked the tickets. Was able to get all 30,000 point flights there and back. My friend is going to fly a different airline. I believe TAP. Thanks again. This forum has been very helpful!

A wise choice, well done.

It's worth remembering that most people never get to use their FF miles, and many that do cash them in end up wasting them by spending 2X, 3X or more for the high-priced seats (same seats as you got, but they pay many times over). Getting a good award seat redemption always takes some combination of: preparation, early booking, being flexible on all the details, effort, and luck. Sounds like you made it work, so congrats on beating the odds. Have a great trip!

PS: One last tip...once you've booked an award ticket, don't just forget it until you head for the airport. Today, pick your seats if you can (to avoid a bad seat that may be assigned to you automatically), Then keep an eye on your flight details, check the details online every month or so from now until departure date, to ensure that nothing goes sideways and surprises you at the last minute. Have fun in Europe!

David is spot on. We always check our award seats and flights at least monthly and we ALWAYS book our seats at 330 days prior to our tentative flight dates when they first come available. On any airline booking award tickets, he who hesitates is relegated to the leftovers, if any are available. Hooray for you getting most of the your seats on the same flight. Good luck.

Glad you got the 4 tickets. I agree with most of the replies. What we do is..... both of us have the united card. We charge everything possible under sun to get mileage. Then pay my cc off when it is due. We can only spend enough money to use our miles to Europe every other year. You will not get mileage credit on your flights only the portion on $$$ you spent on the flights. When I pick out my next RS tour, I plug in dummy dates as far out as possible and watch the dates and mileage requirements. When I book the RS tour ASAP when they are released, wait for my confirmation of tour, when book our two tickets. Yes they go quickly. We have to fly out of tulsa ok and really don’t get good prices or mileage. This year was good out tulsa-chicago- London; home Paris-Chicago-tulsa for 60,000(30,000 each way) plus taxes and extra leg room on the long haul flights.

Agree, check your flights monthly or so. Our flights have already changed. Evidently, we are changed to a bigger plane coming home from Paris. 3- 4-3 seating. I am on right side of plane aisle seat and husband is window. Seat in between us is already taken.

You can also buy miles on sale if you are lacking a few

Have fun

Kim

3- 4-3 seating.

A 777 that has been "updated" to squeeze in an extra seat in each row. I hope the person sitting in the middle seat between the two of you is not broad-shouldered.

Getting ready to start looking at what I can get for 60,000 United miles for Christmas markets 2019-20 -- because I want to take advantage of the extra connection in Europe, will have to wait until return date less 330 days. EDIT: Yes, I could book one-ways separately so the first booking could be done esrlier but RT can add a free third flight within Europe.

In the past, Saver (30,000 miles) flights DID start to disappear as time passed -- direct flights first, then less attractive connections. But for people with more flexibility than cash, it can still be a good deal.

will have to wait until return date less 330 days

Not really, you can book one-ways, each 330 days out. Same number of points.

Most of you probably already know this, but it's much easier to book good reward seats from airports where there's lots of competition-for us, that's Kennedy instead of Atlanta. We also often buy one seat and use points for the other 1 or 2. It appears to be easier to use points if you're buying one seat. My husband watches for sales, like the $2700 business one way to London that he gave me for Christmas(he's using points for his-so we're basically paying $1350 each for business class one-way), and books both tickets then. I think there are times when he gets sales using miles too. If you can afford to pay for some of your flying costs, the airlines are much more cooperative.

It's also worth considering that partner airline flights (with Miles) can be more available than United flights. We've had good success with two-segment flights on airlines like Lufthansa. But if you already have another segment in the U.S., I can understand not wanting three. It is more complicated to assign seats on partner flights, but it can be done.