I've been perusing the options for a miles trip to SFO this summer to visit my uncle(s), and I happened upon this flight:

United Airlines #139 747-400
10:00am depart ORD
12:38pm arrive SFO

United Airlines #870 747-400
1:50pm depart SFO
7:55pm arrival ORD

How about that! Anyone know when this bad boy starts up? Or when it ends?
Do you think it's worth 40,000 mileage plus miles to fly the 744 domestically (business class)?

Wow. I was on 139 a year or so back, and I believe it was a 75. Departed later in the evening, too.

Dunno if I'd blow the miles, but then, I'd use mine to fly internationally; that's just me.

#870 is usually a 777; but in the past UA thrown everything for that flight. I have flown the 747-200 and 400 and once in 1989 the 747SP which was a special treat.

If you get the chance to fly a 747-400 domestically, DO IT!!

I don't know about using your miles - that's up to you.

The 747-400 doesn't have PTV's, but it is still a nice, neat, comfortable giant. These equipment switches are rare, and no one knows how long they'll be in any kind of a domestic flight situation...get one now while you can!!

He said he was going to fly Business, on the 744 F and C both have PTV's.

I've flown a UA 744 domestic DEN-SFO-DEN, in the upper deck in business class. It sure was a treat. Sad to say my only two times on a 747, but it was really fun. Man that thing is huge!

Cheers,
Cameron

The last time I was in a 74 was 10 years ago, United 808 to Chicago. Man, that was a long takeoff, but fun!!

Looks like I might get to ride in a 744 over to London when I go later this spring...United's apparently sending bigger planes on their SFO-LHR runs (at least, that's what I'm seeing when I price tickets.)

I'd consider buying a Y class ticket (if you're jonesing to fly a 744 domestically) and then try to upgrade with miles - there should be some seats available. That way, you'll at least accrue miles en route. Blowing 40K on a 4 hour flight seems a bit impulsive. As has been suggested, I'd save them for an int'l flight - it's one of the perks of being a UA FF.

Quoting 777fan (Reply 7): I'd consider buying a Y class ticket (if you're jonesing to fly a 744 domestically) and then try to upgrade with miles - there should be some seats available. That way, you'll at least accrue miles en route. Blowing 40K on a 4 hour flight seems a bit impulsive. As has been suggested, I'd save them for an int'l flight - it's one of the perks of being a UA FF.

Well said. I'd agree with that. You can probably get a r/t airfare of 200-300 dollars on this routing, and then use only 30,000 miles to upgrade. Personally, I'd only get an upgrade on the SFO-ORD leg, as the ORD-SFO leg will probably be UA's reduced lunch service, usually just a chilled salad or, sometimes if lucky, a sandwich. I believe it's a dinner service in the other direction. As has been said, the 747 doesn't have PTV's in Y class, but does in C and F.

Quoting Planespotting (Thread starter): Do you think it's worth 40,000 mileage plus miles to fly the 744 domestically (business class)?

If you have them, why not use certs? Actually, at 0.02 per mile, you are talking about $800 if you use 40,000 miles. You can buy a $200-$300 ticket, buy a pack of 4 500 mile upgrades for $200 and save.

For 50,000 miles you could fly from SFO to LHR on a UA 747-400... thats 10,000 flight miles instead of 3000 and blowing 40000 !

Yes! 2 years ago in April of 2004 UA was operating their 747-400s from LAX to ORD. I took advantage of that and it was a sweet, inexpensive experience! I might do this trip again, except to SFO this time!

Gotta be an international tag......

Quoting Planespotting (Thread starter): United Airlines #139 747-400 10:00am depart ORD 12:38pm arrive SFO United Airlines #870 747-400 1:50pm depart SFO 7:55pm arrival ORD

When is the 747-400 flying this run? All the dates I can find have the 767-300 running this route.

I flew on a UA 744 flt. 917 from FRA to IAD this past June. It was really comfortable to fly on and enjoyed it very much. If I were you I would save the miles for the longer international flights on the UA 744. Longer time on the plane instead of only a few hours.

Back in 1996, we needed to go from SFO to ORD. I called United. They had a 747 that left around 1:30 pm. I booked it. What they didn't tell me was that bird was coming in first from Japan. And guess what? It was late. Waaay late. And the United people were real tight lipped on what was going on (not cool). Finally it came in, but they had unload all the people and luggage, then clean it before we could get on. I don't think we went wheels up until around 7:00 or so. They made it up to the passengers by giving us free cocktails.

My advice: Be careful of the 1:50 pm United 747-400 flight to ORD.

Yep I was going to book a ticket on UA870 just because it was a 747, but the connecting flight to PHL got in way too late. Also I saw that they are running SFO-IAD with a 747. Pretty neat stuff!

Aaron

Quoting FlyDreamliner (Reply 13): When is the 747-400 flying this run? All the dates I can find have the 767-300 running this route.

June dates. Looks like the 744 starts running on June 8th and ends on July 4th. One ways are priced @ $409.

I wish UA would put the 747 on the ORD or IAD to LAX run. I took N122UA on July 4,2004 ORD-LAX.

Did a jumpseat on UA747 DEN-SFO this past summer. If you ride in business class you will have a PTV and can request the upper deck!?!

Last time I flew domestic on the 747-400 was probably 15 years ago ORD-IAD on the upper deck. Does anyone know if F class was on the upper deck of the UA747-400 back in the early 1990's?

Yes, flying on UAL747 from SFO to ORD can be entertaining. Flew that route and aircraft once myself. I would not mind doing that again.

[Edited 2006-03-20 02:34:08]

i priced out a ticket on ua for fri june 9th retn the following fri specifically on the 400......cheapest right now is $418.00..r/t priced out the competition....us and frontier are 378.00 r/t and the rest of the pack along with ual is 418.00. i bet that some one is going to pull out some good deals for the summer which if ual initiates or follows will be a lot cheaper than what is out there right now..

Well, Let's see what I can do for my SLC-DFW-JFK trip, I wont mind a bit of a detour here and there to get on this gentle giant...

Quoting Jfr (Reply 12): Gotta be an international tag......

Nope, usually just increased utilization during repositioning.

Quoting Leothedog (Reply 15): They made it up to the passengers by giving us free cocktails.

UA does that if you have a 1 hour delay or more

Quoting United_fan (Reply 18): I wish UA would put the 747 on the ORD or IAD to LAX run. I took N122UA on July 4,2004 ORD-LAX.

IAD-LAX will almost certainly get it this summer, it is a pretty regular thing. Actually, when I left MSY 2 days before Hurricane Katrina, I flew MSY-IAD-LAX and the IAD-LAX flight was a 744

Quoting Uadc8contrail (Reply 21): i priced out a ticket on ua for fri june 9th retn the following fri specifically on the 400......cheapest right now is $418.00..r/t priced out the competition....us and frontier are 378.00 r/t and the rest of the pack along with ual is 418.00. i bet that some one is going to pull out some good deals for the summer which if ual initiates or follows will be a lot cheaper than what is out there right now..

That will go down

I tried looking it up on UA's website, but all it shows is the 2PM 777 flight..

Any other domestic 744s on the horizon? Will they put it back on a DEN-SFO, DEN-LAX, or DEN-ORD run?

Can anyone find any other UA 744 routes for the year? I only see ORD-LAX after Apr 18th.

Thanks

Do not bet everything on a specific domestic 744 flight, particularly if it is still several months out. Sometimes UA will pull them from the schedule except during the peak beginning and end of summer travel seasons if they need them elsewhere. A 744 was scheduled for all of last summer between LAX and IAD but they reduced it to a 772 and ocasionally a 763 during the middle, late July and most of August.

Try to get a seat upstairs before they 747s disappear from domestic flying completely.