On March 10th, there’s non-stop award availability in economy from Los Angeles to Seoul on Asiana. But searching United.com for non-stop awards I get this message:
Indeed, search for award space between Seoul (Asiana’s hub) and Bangkok (Thai Airways’ hub), I am presented with options only for Thai on United’s website.
But if I search for those March 10 Los Angeles – Seoul seats on the Aeroplan website (Air Canada’s Aeroplan is an American Express Membership Rewards partner and a Star Alliance member), the seats come right up.
What you need to do is:
- Search for Asiana award space using the Aeroplan website (no miles are required in your account to search) or the ANA website.
- Call United to book if you want to use MileagePlus miles for the award
Calling United directly, I was told I had a 60 minute wait for an agent. That’s one of the hazards of not having status with United.
Having United call me, though, my wait time was 4 minutes to speak to an agent.
The agent I spoke with first offered me connections through San Francisco, which were offered on the website. But when I asked specifically about Asiana’s non-stops she confirmed availability on both flights (and business class availability on the noon Airbus A380 that day as well).
So right now if you want Asiana award seats, you have to call. United will likely want to charge you a telephone booking fee. They aren’t supposed to waive the fee, but I’ve never failed to get them to do so when booking an award I couldn’t reserve online.
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First SQ, now OZ. What’s the real reason of having status with UA then? Domestic award charts are cheaper with LH and SQ without surcharges with no $75 last minute booking fee. International first class is like cash + points; so might as well pay LH or SQ those fuel surcharges in exchange for those miles. And if one has elite status with Star Alliance Gold, one gets lounge entry; no need to pay extra for access.
Glad to see the other awesome asian carrier removed from normal United searches, god forbid someone have a free drink in coach on a 10-hour transpacific flight.
That’s because I just snatched 4 seats in business a a bargain 70K per seat LAX-ICN-BKK … now I have to find 4 seats for the return trip!!!
Extremely frustrating! Thank you for posting the workaround.
Thanks for your post! I thought it was just a temporary glitch. Maybe United is doing the Delta disappearing act…albeit more slowly.