After spending a week of February in Belgium enjoying the sights (along with the fries, waffles, and chocolates), I was entirely ready to head home. I’d booked my return itinerary using LifeMiles, but on flights entirely operated by United Airlines. It had three segments to get me all the way home to Arcata-Eureka Airport, but such is life.
The flight check-in notification came and was subsequently ignored. I was enjoying the lovely cathedral in Leuven and didn’t want to be interrupted. Little did I know there was an issue…and I’d quickly remember the value of miles during flight disruption.
Wild Winter Weather in the Northeast
If I had been tracking the news, I would have known that the northeastern U.S. was bracing for some intense weather. But I was doing no such thing. So, it was a complete surprise when I went to check in and found my flight from Brussels to Newark had been canceled.
In terms of easy rebooking options, United offered nothing that day. Or the next. It was a bit foreboding. But I don’t panic in these situations. Honestly, I do my best not to panic in general. It has been my desire that the Lord would grow me in both peace and self-control. And this was one of those moments.
I considered my options and I drove back to Antwerp from Leuven. It’d be easier to work things out from my hotel room. I’d call United and get an agent on the line while I looked for options. I’d be better served to do so from the comfort of my hotel room (and where I have a laptop).
And I did exactly that. The automated system told me it’d be 25-30 minutes until I could speak to an agent. In the meantime, I’d already found one rebooking option that still got me home and was working on a second. I’d just have to convince United to book me in partner business class.
The Value of Miles During Flight Disruption
But then 25-30 minutes stretched into an hour. And then into nearly two. I prayed that an agent would pick up. My dinner plans in Antwerp were long forgotten.
I sat there and contemplated. What are some other reasonable options? Alaska Airlines doesn’t fly to Arcata-Eureka yet, so I’m left with only United. But I’m sure I could still find something to SFO. With plenty of Alaska, American, and Delta miles at my disposal, there’d be an award available. I might pay through the nose, but I could still get home in a reasonable amount of time.
So, I began the search for alternate tickets. If the call disconnected or I decided to throw in the towel with 10:00 PM rolled around (still almost two hours away). If I couldn’t get my ticket rebooked, then at least I could get to California.
The flexibility of having plenty of airline miles cannot be understated. This was one of those moments where this was abundantly clear. Since U.S. airlines offer fee-free cancellation on award tickets, I could book an award now and cancel it if United comes through with changing my ticket.
Just 15 minutes later I had an itinerary locked in. I could get to SFO on a combination of British Airways and American Airlines flights for a great price in economy. I was even able to find a saver seat the following day on United to get back to Arcata-Eureka. I’d be home in time to pick my kids up from school.
It was only minutes later that the United agent picked up. Actually, he didn’t pick up. The line disconnected right when he tried to take my call. But he called me back. I cannot be more appreciate after over three hours on hold.
And he worked magic. He got me on the flights I wanted through Munich, snagging a Lufthansa business class seat on the long-haul all the way back to San Francisco. This was a far better option than flying United from Brussels to Newark and then economy from Newark to San Francisco. Thank you, Lord.
And just like that I rolled back the tickets I’d booked. It’s that easy to cancel award tickets with U.S. airlines (not so much with LifeMiles).
Conclusion
If I wasn’t sitting on hundreds of thousands of miles and had to rely on cash, I would have been in trouble. Fares were expensive, and since I was ~24 hours from flying, the airlines don’t have to honor the 24-hour free cancellation policy. So, I’d more or less be left with whatever United offered.
Such is the value of miles during flight disruption. This was a great lesson in the peace of mind they can afford. I’m thankful everything worked out for adjusting my original itinerary, but having them available to book back up flights is something you can’t easily put a price tag on.
