Update: Today is the last day to make bookings under the current award chart for Continental and United! You can book tickets now and then change them later on for free without paying more miles. There is also no change fee as long as the new travel is scheduled 21+ days in advance. When you use Continental miles you can also make free routing changes although on United there continues to be a fee for routing changes on award tickets, so be sure to transfer those United miles to Continental before booking!
Update: Continental/United has partially relented. Originally the plan was to go with the more expensive United rates. However the new chart now states that a round-the-world ticket will cost 180,000 in coach, 260,000 in business, and 350,000 in first. This is cheaper than the old United rates but more expensive than the old Continental rates.
Originally posted on 03/16:
Related:
United Airlines Award Chart Changes.
–United Visa Signature: Get 30,000 Miles For Signing Up, $50 Cash Back, And First Year Free!
-Continental: Take Advantage While You Can…
-Click here to read about and apply for all of the benefits of the Continental OnePass Plus Card
As expected Continental has updated their award chart as part of their merger process with United.
Current Continental Award Chart Linky
Current Continental Interactive Award Chart Linky
06/15 Continental Award Chart Linky
One of the great features of the Continental program was their round-the-world award option.
The Continental round-the-world world allows to take up to 16 flights and is an incredible value.
As of 06/15 the rates will go up significantly.
Currently it is 160,000 miles in coach, 220,000 miles in business, and 280,000 miles in first.
On 06/15 it will be 200,000 miles in coach, 300,000 miles in business, and 400,000 miles in first.
The new rates bring Continental in line with what United has been charging for a round-the-world.
If you book travel prior to 06/15 you will be charged the current rate, even if you are traveling after 06/15.
As of 06/15 you can make redemptions for one-way travel using Continental miles. You can make one-way bookings now by just transferring miles to United. The only difference would be for booking the expanded award availability that Continental Elites have access to.
Other changes for Continental folks are similar to the United changes from earlier today. The short haul US/Canada award for 20,000 miles will now only be for flights up to 700 miles in length instead of 750. Travel to Oceania also goes up using Onepass miles (as opposed to going down with Mileage Plus miles)
You can still travel on non-Alliance partners with Continental on the same ticket (including round-the-world tickets) for the same award rate. United still does not allow that and generally charges much higher rates for non-alliance award rates.
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19 Comments On "Continental Award Chart Changes: Goodbye Cheap Round-The-World!"
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any other good airlines for round the world trips?
@chaim:
Air Canada and AA are good options.
More on that in a future post.
Somewhat unrelated. Am I able to earn onepass miles for rentals on Hertz.
So I can fly to TLV one way on Continental miles and return with let’s say El Al with AA miles? Would make availability options a bit better
@kivabb:
Yes.
You can do that now by transferring Continental miles to United and book a one-way on any Star Alliance carrier.
Dan, you wrote:
You can still travel on non-Alliance partners with Continental on the same ticket (including round-the-world tickets) for the same award rate.
But their award chart shows 85K each direction US-TLV for routes that include flights on Virgin Atlantic
@Eli:
That’s only for Virgin flights in business class to the middle east.
As Virgin doesn’t fly to Tel Aviv it shouldn’t affect you at all.
@reuvenhunt: Well I guess no one really cares about me!
Hi Dan – Need some help. Have been trying to redeem my miles for the Round the World ticket with Continental. I called all the following numbers listed on the site, and Continental either hung up before getting to an agent, or after I stayed on line for >1hr, the line still was not picked up. Is there another phone number? Did you have any luck!!!??? Would like to redeem my miles soon before the rate goes up. Thank you much!
a) 800.231.0856
b) 800.621.7467
c) 800.344-1411
d) 801.359.9632
e) 800.523.FARE (800.523.3273)
what does around the world ticket mean?
hi dan
question for you. i received my first statement from my chase british air credit card .it had credit of 100000 miles as of 6/11.do you have any idea when that hits my british air
mileage account?
please advise
thanks for all your help
Dan – does this change the number of miles needed on Continental flights to Israel in businessfirst?
Thanks!
Hi Dan I know this is off topic I gist wanted to know if I can still get 100k Amex points for signing up?
@Fan of dan:
Sure, there are a few cards that can give you 75K or 100K with a bit of work:
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=7057
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=6918
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=7882
Can you make a booking now (to take advantage of lower mileage rates) for the latest date available (may 2012) and then change it later in the year to be June/July/August 2012? Would that incur any fees?
Also, what if I book a direct flight now, for example to TLV but later decide I want to add a stopover in Europe for a few days. Is such a change possible? Any fees?
Thanks so much!
Thanks for the links. So for 100k I apply get 25 and then make em nuts till they give me another 75 based on past offers? Also do you want me to apply from your site?
if i have a ticket on hold but cant book it till tomorrow will i still get the old rate?
@fan of dan im sure he would appreciate it (to say the least) if u applied with his links
Fan of Dan: yes please use these links to help support this site. It is important
I bought a business class RTW with Continental a month ago. Here’s what they told me regarding changes. Slightly diff from what Dan stated.
* routing changes cost $75 per change once you book.
* $75 fee is also charged when changing flight dates with less than 21 days notice.
* Flight dates can be changed free of charge with less than 21 days.
Also. It’s prob too late to book RTW at the rates listed. It takes about 48-72hrs to get an itinerary priced (for taxes). You can’t redeem with miles until it’s been priced. By then the miles req would have gone up.