US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[smit0847]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

Is anyone attempting to book a 40,000 mile GUM F redemption? I realised after managing to book a J redemption that perhaps I should have attempted F!

 

[hossein_au]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

I am looking into a USDM booking from AUS-Europe. One possibility will involve flying long haul on A340 on LH in J. Has anyone flown with them? Looking up photos of the J cabin, I am not impressed at all, but I'm hoping I've only seen "old" photos? Anyone?

 

[bcworld]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

I am looking into a USDM booking from AUS-Europe. One possibility will involve flying long haul on A340 on LH in J. Has anyone flown with them? Looking up photos of the J cabin, I am not impressed at all, but I'm hoping I've only seen "old" photos? Anyone?

The photos you have seen will be current, LH has a notoriously poor long haul J hard product...even the A380s were fitted with slopey beds. Some aircraft do have better product eg 748 and some A330s, but as far as I know no A340s are refitted.

 

[smit0847]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

I am looking into a USDM booking from AUS-Europe. One possibility will involve flying long haul on A340 on LH in J. Has anyone flown with them? Looking up photos of the J cabin, I am not impressed at all, but I'm hoping I've only seen "old" photos? Anyone?

Having experienced the TG A380 J last weekend for the first time I would be trying to get that to FRA, CDG or LHR. It was great. Failing that consider TK on routes where you are guaranteed an A333 or 77W.

 

[hossein_au]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

Bummer! So, best to avoid LH on long haul... And their intra-EU offering in J is not that crash hot either (economy seats with the middle seat blocked, plus a $5 food instead of a $0.50 biscuit). No wonder Asian and Middle Eastern carriers continue to gain market share.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

Bummer! So, best to avoid LH on long haul... And their intra-EU offering in J is not that crash hot either (economy seats with the middle seat blocked, plus a $5 food instead of a $0.50 biscuit). No wonder Asian and Middle Eastern carriers continue to gain market share.

most intra europe business flights are just short connectors and the catering is significantly improved over economy (including full hot meals and open bar), and of course lounge access and all other priority services. and the service is usually outstanding on both LH and LX.

3+3 (with spare) gives the airline and passengers much greater flexibility. I would rather fly now in that arrangement than have to fly economy or wait 2 hours for the next flight because all 8 or 12 fixed business seats have been taken.

i would fly LH F via FRA with a connection to AMS any day over the option of EK F the whole way via Dubai.

 

[smit0847]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

Bummer! So, best to avoid LH on long haul... And their intra-EU offering in J is not that crash hot either (economy seats with the middle seat blocked, plus a $5 food instead of a $0.50 biscuit). No wonder Asian and Middle Eastern carriers continue to gain market share.

That's why you see so many posts in this thread reporting booking Asian long-haul carriers and not European or American ones....

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

That's why you see so many posts in this thread reporting booking Asian long-haul carriers and not European or American ones....

i think that's more of an issue to do with availability. TG is an Asian carrier with a woeful business class (equally as bad as LH in terms of seating, and a step down from LH in terms of food and amenities).

if united was available it would be first choice to fly to the USA on an award. why connect via Asia or New Zealand when you can do the flight on a flat bed in 14 hours instead of 40 (and on an angled bed if flying business class)?

 

[smit0847]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

TG is an Asian carrier with a woeful business class

I beg to differ!

 

[travelislife]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

I beg to differ!

Their A380's and 77W's are very good with full flat beds but I have to agree with MEL_Traveller on the other planes/routes. The 'new' seat they have installed on their refurbed 747's (the same as the current one on their older 777's serving most Australian routes) is actually worse than the 'old' business seat on their A340-500's, A340-600's and older 747's. They are both on an angle but at least the old one actually went flat whilst the new one has a shocking footrest and is not that great for overnight flights. Such a massive backwards step and the seats are going to be around for a few years yet.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

I beg to differ!

you have to compare apples with apples. TG has one aircraft type with full flat beds in business. LH has two (748 and now a330s).

TGs regular business class seat is equally as bad as LH's.

more generally in terms of product, I have never been inspired by TG cuisine... it's same same year after year. LH in the other hand has delivered (albeit occasionally) some exceptional dishes. as has LX.

TG have good staff, and their availability means they are often carrier of choice. but they don't even make my list if carriers for revenue tickets (sri lankan airlines whips TG (and cx for that matter) intra Asia for example)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

Their A380's and 77W's are very good with full flat beds....

good reminder! I forgot about their new 77w!

 

[stueyjones]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

Hi All
Not sure if this is the correct place to post, but am looking to piece together a USDM itinerary to get from sunny old Brisbane to South America for world cup time in J. All the flights directly into Brazil seem a no go (absolutely nada available), so had a thought I'll fly into Costa Rica and then just an internal South American flight. What's the issue you ask? Well, I have spent some time on Star Alliance site, KVS etc and pieced together 2 itineraries.
1. (Preferred). BNE>BKK with TG, BKK >LHR with Thai (Stopover), LHR>Houston With UA, Houston>Costa Rica with UA. All in early June 2014. Then back a similar way but SJO>EWR>BRU all with UA, then BRU>BKK>BNE with Thai. End of June. All Business.
2. BNE>TPE with Eva, TPE>NRT with Eva, NRT>LAX with ANA, LAX>Houston>SJO with UA. Similar timings, all Business.
Questions. The first is my preferred route (as I can stopover and see family in the UK), but obviously its 20% further in miles. Any thought on if an agent will force me to go trans pacific due to it being more direct, or even if for some reason I'm not seeing it would not be allowed? Secondly, anyone any suggestions for alternate routes. Its taken me hours to get here (not complaining, in some ways its fun) but if anyone has prior experience of a similar routing in either direction I'd appreciate a heads up. Air NZ seem to never have business availability (as I'd considered their trans pacific via AKL), similar routing via Frankfurt or Madrid in Europe seem either not open yet or fully booked in award seats. It is 300+ days so I was unsure which one it might be, but just worked on the assumption it was availability being taken.
Any suggestions gratefully received.
cheers
Stuart

 

[bcworld]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

1. (Preferred). BNE>BKK with TG, BKK >LHR with Thai (Stopover), LHR>Houston With UA, Houston>Costa Rica with UA. All in early June 2014. Then back a similar way but SJO>EWR>BRU all with UA, then BRU>BKK>BNE with Thai. End of June. All Business.
2. BNE>TPE with Eva, TPE>NRT with Eva, NRT>LAX with ANA, LAX>Houston>SJO with UA. Similar timings, all Business.
Questions. The first is my preferred route (as I can stopover and see family in the UK), but obviously its 20% further in miles. Any thought on if an agent will force me to go trans pacific due to it being more direct, or even if for some reason I'm not seeing it would not be allowed?

Your first is way over MPM (maximum permitted mileage).

Your second sounds long winded but is actually within US's usual MPM measure.

Personally I would be looking for the occasional UA seat that is available from SYD into LAX or SFO and take it from there. If you can find one from there you should be able to plot a route down to GIG or GRU...even LifeMiles online booking engine sometimes manages this when UA is available.

 

[stueyjones]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

Thanks BCworld. Much appreciated. Is there somewhere I can get access to the permitted mileages? Just out of interest and for future planning!!
cheers
S

 

[bcworld]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

Thanks BCworld. Much appreciated. Is there somewhere I can get access to the permitted mileages? Just out of interest and for future planning!!
cheers
S

I've never seen MPM freely available anywhere...you'd need a subscription to a tool or site that offers that type of reference data. ExpertFlyer and KVS are two examples.

A while back I did create a spreadsheet of MPM values...take a look and see if it helps you at all:

25M.xlsx

 

[smit0847]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

you have to compare apples with apples. TG has one aircraft type with full flat beds in business. LH has two (748 and now a330s).TGs regular business class seat is equally as bad as LH's.more generally in terms of product, I have never been inspired by TG cuisine... it's same same year after year. LH in the other hand has delivered (albeit occasionally) some exceptional dishes. as has LX.TG have good staff, and their availability means they are often carrier of choice. but they don't even make my list if carriers for revenue tickets (sri lankan airlines whips TG (and cx for that matter) intra Asia for example)

I agree that for overnight flights, TG's angled seats are far from ideal.Apart from the somewhat dull cuisine however, I think TG are an excellent choice for daytime flights.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

I agree that for overnight flights, TG's angled seats are far from ideal.Apart from the somewhat dull cuisine however, I think TG are an excellent choice for daytime flights.

I think it comes down to being able to see how other carriers do it better

edited to add that if you had a choice of TG, SQ, CX or QF from Australia to Europe in business class, and assuming all departed and arrived at the same time and were the same price, I think the TG flight would go out empty!

 

[Alanslegal]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

For me a flat seat in J is more important than meals/service etc.

People say BA's CW is not good but I'd take it over any skyslope seat .... I'm mainly looking at you QF

 

[travelislife]

Re: US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

For me a flat seat in J is more important than meals/service etc.

People say BA's CW is not good but I'd take it over any skyslope seat .... I'm mainly looking at you QF

This is so true. If I said this on a flyertalk board I would probably be flamed down, but this is why I would pick UA over TG business on any long haul (except for TGs new product) the UA seat is actually pretty good for sleeping on.