US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[_TheTraveller_]

No. London is your destination and travel between SWP-EU is not permitted via the USA.

I'm confused. LHR isn't my destination JFK is my destination.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm confused. LHR isn't my destination JFK is my destination.

The destination and stopover are determined by distance. LHR is the farthest point from your departure, therefore it is the destination. JFK (if it were allowed per the rules) is closer to SYD and therefore the stopover.

The passenger cannot choose the designation of 'destination' and 'stopover'.

To make this itinerary work you would need a European point closer to SYD than JFK (something like ATH, FCO, or others if you play around etc)

 

[_TheTraveller_]

The destination and stopover are determined by distance. LHR is the farthest point from your departure, therefore it is the destination. JFK (if it were allowed per the rules) is closer to SYD and therefore the stopover.

The passenger cannot choose the designation of 'destination' and 'stopover'.

To make this itinerary work you would need a European point closer to SYD than JFK (something like ATH, FCO, or others if you play around etc)

Thanks for the info.

 

[sergeyvzn]

The destination and stopover are determined by distance. LHR is the farthest point from your departure, therefore it is the destination. JFK (if it were allowed per the rules) is closer to SYD and therefore the stopover.

The passenger cannot choose the designation of 'destination' and 'stopover'.

To make this itinerary work you would need a European point closer to SYD than JFK (something like ATH, FCO etc)

However, people have done it before using the geographical cretinism of US Airways agents. It might be possible if you get a right agent. They might charge you the North American award or European award rate (as the stopover is in the higher zone) and allow this itinerary, I would say give it a try

 

[bcworld]

Thanks for the info.

You could start in MEL...make BOS the destination.

Great Circle Mapper

 

[diningdecadence]

Hey, I just wanted to ask if this route was possible: SYD-DXB-LHR(stop)-JFK(dest)-NRT/HND-HKG-SYD.

No. London is your destination and travel between SWP-EU is not permitted via the USA.

give it a go and see what they say. i managed to get a ticket with stops in Paris and then Houston coming home via Seoul (from Sydney) previously.

 

[anat0l]

However, people have done it before using the geographical cretinism of US Airways agents. It might be possible if you get a right agent. They might charge you the North American award or European award rate (as the stopover is in the higher zone) and allow this itinerary, I would say give it a try

give it a go and see what they say. i managed to get a ticket with stops in Paris and then Houston coming home via Seoul (from Sydney) previously.

I agree - I have ticketed a similar itinerary before (in the *A days) and it probably should not succeed, but give it a shot nonetheless. Just be prepared for a 'no' answer, even if you were to try a few agents.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

So.. doing a bit more research. I've actually really wanna do SYD-DFW in F on the A380 (space isn't as scarce as LAX).

I've read the US award rules from a multitude of sites and they don't specifically note some rules eg: SWP-EU so pardon me if I fumble.
If SYD-DXB-LHR(dest/stop)-JFK(dest/stop)-NRT-HKG-SYD doesn't pan out, I was considering
MEL-SYD-DFW-PHL dest (QF/AA F/J)
PHL-DFW-FRA stop (AA F)
FRA-NRT (JL F)
NRT-HKG (CX J since the 747 is gone and theres no F on HND-HKG)
HKG-MEL (CX J)

What are my chances of getting that through? MEL-FRA is under MEL-PHL so I guess that would make PHL my destination. Would the SWP-EU via US rule kick in considering that FRA isn't the dest? I also understand that there are issues with backtracking but since only AA flies F to FRA (I know US flies J from PHL-FRA) would they allow it? And is it safe to assume that there are no F flights back to Aus via Asia?

 

[bcworld]

PHL-DFW-FRA stop (AA F)
FRA-NRT (JL F)
NRT-HKG (CX J since the 747 is gone and theres no F on HND-HKG)
HKG-MEL (CX J)

What are my chances of getting that through?

Not a chance. There is significant backtracking in a region that US agents actually do understand, and it's about 3000 miles over 25M. Not going to happen.

Take out DFW and it might work. Actually it won't. NRT is another issue, you need to skip it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So.. doing a bit more research. I've actually really wanna do SYD-DFW in F on the A380 (space isn't as scarce as LAX).

I've read the US award rules from a multitude of sites and they don't specifically note some rules eg: SWP-EU so pardon me if I fumble.
If SYD-DXB-LHR(dest/stop)-JFK(dest/stop)-NRT-HKG-SYD doesn't pan out, I was considering
MEL-SYD-DFW-PHL dest (QF/AA F/J)
PHL-DFW-FRA stop (AA F)
FRA-NRT (JL F)
NRT-HKG (CX J since the 747 is gone and theres no F on HND-HKG)
HKG-MEL (CX J)

What are my chances of getting that through? MEL-FRA is under MEL-PHL so I guess that would make PHL my destination. Would the SWP-EU via US rule kick in considering that FRA isn't the dest? And is it safe to assume that there are no F flights back to Aus via Asia?

PHL/FRA combination is fine. There are no restrictions flying from the USA to SWP via EU.

However - I think you'll be exceeding MPM on the way back with your preferred routing. To get it under MPM I would be looking to get rid of the backtrack to DFW, and also consider the non-stop FRA-HKG on CX F

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Not a chance. There is significant backtracking in a region that US agents actually do understand, and it's about 3000 miles over 25M. Not going to happen.

Take out DFW and it might work. Actually it won't. NRT is another issue, you need to skip it.

Thanks for that. Totally forgot about the MPM.

PHL/FRA combination is fine. There are no restrictions flying from the USA to SWP via EU.

However - I think you'll be exceeding MPM on the way back with your preferred routing. To get it under MPM I would be looking to get rid of the backtrack to DFW, and also consider the non-stop FRA-HKG on CX F

Thanks. I've been searching for CX F is particularly hard to come across. It would be even harder to get 2F seats. I know that CX tends to release the F seats close to the departure dates. Do you or anyone have any tips in getting F CX seats?

 

[bcworld]

Thanks. I've been searching for CX F is particularly hard to come across. It would be even harder to get 2F seats. I know that CX tends to release the F seats close to the departure dates. Do you or anyone have any tips in getting F CX seats?

All I can suggest is looking at LHR...it has the frequency, 4 CX flights a day with an F cabin, it's one route where I do often spot some F. If you want to fly CX F then the UK APD is small price to pay.

 

[robcuk]

I booked and travelled the following last year:

SYD - BKK - FRA (Stopover) - ORD (Dest) - FRA - CDG - BKK - SYD.

All long haul in F. Had no dramas booking, maybe I got lucky.

 

[sergeyvzn]

If you want F all the way from Europe to Australia via Asia, you only got 2 options - BA and QF. Both are out of LHR
All other variants include at least one leg in J
BA to Sydney in F is hard to find and you don't want the fuel surcharges
QF LHR to MEL seems to have decent availability for 2 F seats on Mon, Tue and Wed pretty much every week (11-9 months out, further it's more sporadic)

 

[robcuk]

If you want F all the way from Europe to Australia via Asia, you only got 2 options - BA and QF. Both are out of LHR
All other variants include at least one leg in J
BA to Sydney in F is hard to find and you don't want the fuel surcharges
QF LHR to MEL seems to have decent availability for 2 F seats on Mon, Tue and Wed pretty much every week (11-9 months out, further it's more sporadic)

Yes I have noticed that availability out of SYD in F on QF is very rare where as out of MEL it's good. My inlaws are due over soon and they are going back to LHR via SIN with QF J followed by BA F but that was booked prior to US charging the fuel surcharge.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

All I can suggest is looking at LHR...it has the frequency, 4 CX flights a day with an F cabin, it's one route where I do often spot some F. If you want to fly CX F then the UK APD is small price to pay.

I thought it was 5 flights and 3 with F or am I mistaken? I just had a look at LHR-HKG 329 days out on KVS (with JL/BA/QF) all have 0 award seats and 6 availability. FRA-HKG has a couple seats so that isn't too bad.

Just another question. Is it ever worth positioning at PER (PER-PHL 25M is 17710?) I have some AS miles to use.
Maybe PER - DOH - LHR (open jaw) FRA - PHL (dest) - DFW - SYD - PER?
Or PER - SYD - DFW - PHL - FRA - NRT - HKG - PER?

I booked and travelled the following last year:

SYD - BKK - FRA (Stopover) - ORD (Dest) - FRA - CDG - BKK - SYD.

All long haul in F. Had no dramas booking, maybe I got lucky.

I guess that was on *A?

If you want F all the way from Europe to Australia via Asia, you only got 2 options - BA and QF. Both are out of LHR
All other variants include at least one leg in J
BA to Sydney in F is hard to find and you don't want the fuel surcharges
QF LHR to MEL seems to have decent availability for 2 F seats on Mon, Tue and Wed pretty much every week (11-9 months out, further it's more sporadic)

QF has a flight via Asia? I thought all SYD/MEL-LHR all went via DXB?

 

[bcworld]

Maybe PER - DOH - LHR (open jaw) FRA - PHL (dest) - DFW - SYD - PER?

Not valid either. That's a surface sector rather than an open jaw and they won't do it.

With the CX LHR flights I think it's seasonal whether there are 1 or 2 daily 2 class 77Ws.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Not valid either. That's a surface sector rather than an open jaw and they won't do it.

With the CX LHR flights I think it's seasonal whether there are 1 or 2 daily 2 class 77Ws.

Thanks for that. Just a bit of clarification. Arrival/Dep during an open jaws must be on different continents/zones?

 

[bcworld]

Thanks for that. Just a bit of clarification. Arrival/Dep during an open jaws must be on different continents/zones?

The open jaw must be at your point of origin OR at the destination e.g. leave from MEL fly back to SYD...or fly to LAX and leave from NYC. It can't be a random surface sector somewhere along the way.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

The open jaw must be at your point of origin OR at the destination e.g. leave from MEL fly back to SYD...or fly to LAX and leave from NYC. It can't be a random surface sector somewhere along the way.

Cheers for that. If thats the case then I assume the MPM will be calculated from your return destination?