Star Alliance frequent-flier bookings

I always thought that the Star Alliance (United, Lufthansa, USAirways,
etc) had an "earn and burn" policy on frequent-flier programs: you could
earn your miles on one partner and redeem them on any other.

In theory, this appears to be true, but in practice it doesn't seem to
be. I went to the United web site and saw a zillion flights that were
open for award travel using United's frequent-flier miles. So I called
USAirways (where I had a lot of miles) and tried to redeem them on one
of those United flights.

No luck. The USAirways agent told me that nothing was available, even
though the United web site clearly showed that many flights were still
open. The USAirways agent (who was very nice) went off to talk to
someone in "inventory management," whatever that is, and came back 5
minutes later to explain that United has its own spaces for their own
frequent fliers, BUT that only a tiny few of them are opened up for Star
Alliance partners. So effectively if you earn miles on one parter, like
USAirways, you might have a lot of trouble finding flights on Lufthansa
or United to use them on.

Were my experiences unusual, or have others also run into this trouble?

dleifker

With Air CaCa[air canada] one is lucky to get ANY flights when redeaming
points.

For example, a flight from YEG to Las vegas, usually a 3 hours direct flight,
was booked through 3 airports, and the trip lasted 13 hours each way, using up
points!!

The crooked airlines do not want people to use points, only pay cash.

I now boycott the Star Alliance carriers, and fly with more reputable
carriers.

On Sat, 26 Apr 2008 19:01:22 -0700, Dan Leifker wrote:

I always thought that the Star Alliance (United, Lufthansa, USAirways,
etc) had an "earn and burn" policy on frequent-flier programs: you could
earn your miles on one partner and redeem them on any other.

In theory, this appears to be true, but in practice it doesn't seem to
be. I went to the United web site and saw a zillion flights that were
open for award travel using United's frequent-flier miles. So I called
USAirways (where I had a lot of miles) and tried to redeem them on one
of those United flights.

No luck. The USAirways agent told me that nothing was available, even
though the United web site clearly showed that many flights were still
open. The USAirways agent (who was very nice) went off to talk to
someone in "inventory management," whatever that is, and came back 5
minutes later to explain that United has its own spaces for their own
frequent fliers, BUT that only a tiny few of them are opened up for Star
Alliance partners. So effectively if you earn miles on one parter, like
USAirways, you might have a lot of trouble finding flights on Lufthansa
or United to use them on.

Were my experiences unusual, or have others also run into this trouble?

dleifker

So effectively if you earn miles on one parter, like
USAirways, you might have a lot of trouble finding flights on Lufthansa or
United to use them on.

Were my experiences unusual, or have others also run into this trouble?

dleifker

On the contrary, I've had little trouble using mileage plus, DENOMA for
example....duh. DENHNL....during lunar eclipses.
I've saved a lot of cash with United hooking me up with their partners for
flights FRAPRG and NRT PVG for examples. Just name the day and it was
done. I now save miles with only international segments in mind. Caveat; I
never travel high season. Regards, s

I had usair put my wife and I on a delta flight, first class, when i
waited till the last minute and using points had my wife and son on
one return flight and myself on another from the dominican republic...

I think it comes down to standing, I am chairmans preferred and have
little trouble getting usair to do anything I want, whenever I want it
done....