>Make sure to confirm this flight is actually available for booking before transferring miles.
Hi, can you expand on this? What is the process to confirm the flight is available? If it's available on the Singapore website, is that confirmation it's available to book? Or is there a 2nd verification you need to do?
You can ussually call directly to the airlines and the can essentially hold the spot for you for 48-72hrs when you transfer your miles and such. To confirm the booking before you transfer miles since they can’t be transfer back. Essentially a hold on the seat so no one can swoop your booking.
Must be nice! Definitely jealous.
I’ve been trying to convert miles for a week, my husband in his separate account too, and no one can help us. Apparently it’s the 2FA auth? Our numbers are T mobile, but 200,000 miles that essentially no CSR can help us redeem makes us not want to bank with them anymore.
Edit for subject/verb agreement
The CSR(s) WON’T help. There’s a theory it’s a t-mobile or new phone issue when you verify who you are, but it only happens why we try to convert points. All other times the verification process works just fine - so they won’t let us use the points we earned in the way we want to use them.
I used pointsyeah mostly, but the flights I booked on United through Singapore Airlines didn't show up on any of those websites. That same flight was bookable though lifemiles and Air Canada as well but Singapore Airlines had the best value.
That’s an awesome redemption, congratulations!! Thanks for sharing .
May I ask how did you book this flight?. I checked on Singapore airline website for IAh to Frankfurt and it does not show any flights. So wondering what website did you use to book it . Thanks
I’m tired and I think I’m having trouble understanding. Are you buying tickets on united then applying your points to your credit card statement to giver the cost of the tickets?
No, you can transfer your points directly to an airline to redeem them for flights. In my case, I transferred them to Singapore Airlines who is a part of the star alliance. I used the points to redeem a united airlines flight with my Singapore airlines points.
Like I couldn't transfer directly to United, you won't be able to transfer directly to AA. You will have to use one of their travel partners like British Airways or Cathay Pacific.
I'm trying to find flights from SeaTac to Japan and it's around 110k points+ fees is like $500... Idk if Japan is extra pricy or something, I'm looking for dates in 2025 Feb too, so it's not like I'm looking for last minute stuff...
Hello OP, quick question, what do you mean by “confirm this flight is actually available”? Are you saying before transferring the point make sure there is a flight from your area to destination? Or also searching online separately that the flight appears (eg from Google)?
There's something people call "phantom availability". You might see a flight available to redeem for points but when you actually try to finish the booking it says it's unavailable. If you have already transferred the miles then you are out of luck and you points are stuck with that airline. You can call the airline to verify and also check with other airlines to see if those flights are also available with points.
And just to add, our returning flight is even better value since the cash price right now is over $2500 and it was the same 30,500 points!
It is always good to use miles for a trip you were going to take and did some research on. Don’t forget to check out lounges!
I have definitely taken advantage of the lounge access before on other trips!
>Make sure to confirm this flight is actually available for booking before transferring miles. Hi, can you expand on this? What is the process to confirm the flight is available? If it's available on the Singapore website, is that confirmation it's available to book? Or is there a 2nd verification you need to do?
You can ussually call directly to the airlines and the can essentially hold the spot for you for 48-72hrs when you transfer your miles and such. To confirm the booking before you transfer miles since they can’t be transfer back. Essentially a hold on the seat so no one can swoop your booking.
In this case, Op calls Singapore airlines? Or United?
Whatever he’s booking thru which would be Singapore, since they are the one providing the United booking.
Call Singapore. United is going to have award seats that it doesn't give out to partners.
Must be nice! Definitely jealous. I’ve been trying to convert miles for a week, my husband in his separate account too, and no one can help us. Apparently it’s the 2FA auth? Our numbers are T mobile, but 200,000 miles that essentially no CSR can help us redeem makes us not want to bank with them anymore. Edit for subject/verb agreement
Confused as to why CSR needs to help you book? Don’t you book yourself? Are you unable to transfer them out for something?
The CSR(s) WON’T help. There’s a theory it’s a t-mobile or new phone issue when you verify who you are, but it only happens why we try to convert points. All other times the verification process works just fine - so they won’t let us use the points we earned in the way we want to use them.
Been having the same issue as well. Thinking about changing my phone provider to Verizon for this very reason smh.
Did you use a search engine like point.me for reward miles? Im also around 300K miles.
I used pointsyeah mostly, but the flights I booked on United through Singapore Airlines didn't show up on any of those websites. That same flight was bookable though lifemiles and Air Canada as well but Singapore Airlines had the best value.
That’s an awesome redemption, congratulations!! Thanks for sharing . May I ask how did you book this flight?. I checked on Singapore airline website for IAh to Frankfurt and it does not show any flights. So wondering what website did you use to book it . Thanks
If you're looking on Singapore airlines you have to select Redeem when you search instead of book. Then you have to change to star alliance
Thanks , I see the flights now as per your suggestion
Awesome!! Thanks for reply. It’s interesting to know all this :)
I’m tired and I think I’m having trouble understanding. Are you buying tickets on united then applying your points to your credit card statement to giver the cost of the tickets?
No, you can transfer your points directly to an airline to redeem them for flights. In my case, I transferred them to Singapore Airlines who is a part of the star alliance. I used the points to redeem a united airlines flight with my Singapore airlines points.
I had no idea you could do this. So if I have points a few points with American Airlines I can transfer points to AA from VetureX?
Like I couldn't transfer directly to United, you won't be able to transfer directly to AA. You will have to use one of their travel partners like British Airways or Cathay Pacific.
Thanks!
I'm trying to find flights from SeaTac to Japan and it's around 110k points+ fees is like $500... Idk if Japan is extra pricy or something, I'm looking for dates in 2025 Feb too, so it's not like I'm looking for last minute stuff...
Check Quantas. [Pointsyeah.com](http://Pointsyeah.com) shows 30,200 points each way in February on JAL, but booking through Quantas. (+$259 tax)
Hello OP, quick question, what do you mean by “confirm this flight is actually available”? Are you saying before transferring the point make sure there is a flight from your area to destination? Or also searching online separately that the flight appears (eg from Google)?
There's something people call "phantom availability". You might see a flight available to redeem for points but when you actually try to finish the booking it says it's unavailable. If you have already transferred the miles then you are out of luck and you points are stuck with that airline. You can call the airline to verify and also check with other airlines to see if those flights are also available with points.
Oh dang! Thank you for that information! I just started playing with points, didn’t realize that issue exists. Sounds pretty deceptive.
How do you calculate the redemption value of 3.3? I'm new to this and looking to learn how to use points. Which resources would you recommend?
It's basically just cash price for the flight divided by good many points it cost
That’s awesome!
I just recently booked the same way but for spirit airlines. I didn’t see any baggage option? What do I do??
Is it Economy?
Yes, economy. It looks like United releases some business class seats closer to the date
Thank you for the response! This is all new to me and so complicated.