US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

yes was going to use Air Berlin ZRH-SUF - I'm pretty sure it's not code-share as well. I used the oneworld route mapper either go through MUC, ZRH or BERLIN but ZRH had the flight connection to SUF.

Just trying to minimise the # of internal flights I need to buy or use other points on.

Internal flights should be relatively cheap if you are prepared to fly with say Easyjet or similar. Failing that, it sometimes help to check return prices rather than one ways. We had a short internal European flight where the one way was hundreds of Euro, but the return was around 100 Euro. So we booked the return and didn't use it.

Oh, and Avios... if you have any, can be amazing value for otherwise shortish but very expensive fares.

 

[Alanslegal]

Just a quick question, a friend of mine had her initial outbound SYD-BKK flight changed to a flight the next day which causes a mis-connect in BKK for Europe. She's somehow managed to get TG to change the SYD-BKK to a flight which now gives her two nights in BKK, then onwards to Europe. The process usually is to call USDM and confirm those flights however the issue is that she has an open jaw in Europe, meaning the two nights in BKK should be invalid. What to do now?

 

[bcworld]

Just a quick question, a friend of mine had her initial outbound SYD-BKK flight changed to a flight the next day which causes a mis-connect in BKK for Europe. She's somehow managed to get TG to change the SYD-BKK to a flight which now gives her two nights in BKK, then onwards to Europe. The process usually is to call USDM and confirm those flights however the issue is that she has an open jaw in Europe, meaning the two nights in BKK should be invalid. What to do now?

Just call up and say there was a schedule change by TG, happy to accept the changes and reissue. I think it will be fine. Alternatively, online it should be showing, 'there has been a schedule change'...so she could try clicking accept changes there but it doesn't always work.

 

[Alanslegal]

Just call up and say there was a schedule change by TG, happy to accept the changes and reissue. I think it will be fine. Alternatively, online it should be showing, 'there has been a schedule change'...so she could try clicking accept changes there but it doesn't always work.

Cheers, it doesn't show online on USDM MMB and it says " ! Your reservation containing flight 476 departing SYD on xx_ AUG has been changed. Please contact us as soon as possible to book new flights". And the SYD-BKK flight is not listed but everything else is. On TG's check my booking, all of the flights including SYD-BKK is listed.

 

[bismarck]

Cheers, it doesn't show online on USDM MMB and it says " ! Your reservation containing flight 476 departing SYD on xx_ AUG has been changed. Please contact us as soon as possible to book new flights". And the SYD-BKK flight is not listed but everything else is. On TG's check my booking, all of the flights including SYD-BKK is listed.

I have had the same thing showing for a few months. When I rang USDM, they couldn't even see a schedule change. SWMBO is also booked on the same service but doesn't have the change showing. I'm guessing it's just a bug.

Hope it's OK.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Cheers, it doesn't show online on USDM MMB and it says " ! Your reservation containing flight 476 departing SYD on xx_ AUG has been changed. Please contact us as soon as possible to book new flights". And the SYD-BKK flight is not listed but everything else is. On TG's check my booking, all of the flights including SYD-BKK is listed.

It needs to be listed, if USDM has it in their systems AND TG can read you a ticket number against the booking, that is a good start. But I'd want to make sure it is ticketed correctly. i would be asking for USDM to send a copy of the e-ticket to you.

 

[Timba-Jet]

It needs to be listed, if USDM has it in their systems AND TG can read you a ticket number against the booking, that is a good start. But I'd want to make sure it is ticketed correctly. i would be asking for USDM to send a copy of the e-ticket to you.

Agree, safer to ensure both US and operating carriers are correctly showing the flights.
In the mean time check what your itinerary is on Saudi Arabian airlines website by entering your US e-ticket number.

 

[baggyred]

You know that feeling you used to get as a kid when Christmas was coming... well that pales into insignificance the giddy feeling I have with what I think might be the US airways miles program. I understand the bonus runs out in 48 hours or so.

I must admit I still don't get it however I will write what I think I know and add questions and hopefully you learned folk can help a newbie like me out

Let me know if this is correct
1. Buy miles with 100% bonus. You buy 50,000 and get another 50,000. I'm unsure of the cost but am assured it is good value
2. Use the various tools like the QF search, AA tool and BA tools to look for award flights
3. I can then book flights with oneworld in J using the generous points chart - i however have to call US Airways to do this?
4. Award flights are fickle beasts so it is best to be prepared and book a long way out

The questions I have are many

1. Is the points chart for return flights I take it. As an example from South Pacific to US in J it quotes 110,000 points. A return trip in J will be 110,000 and not 220,000 right?
2. I note a lot of people have multiple accounts - why is this? to grab multiple 100% bonusses? Open one for the wife, one for the parents etc etc? Is that the plan?
3. The end game for me is I would like to travel from perth to europe october next year in J. In addition I fly from Perth to Melbourne 4-5 times per year and would prefer to be in J as opposed to Y. My wife and I would also like to go to HK in J at some stage
4. Lastly - is it easy to transfer points or do you have to wait for an offer. If I was able to secure 300,000 miles through myself, my wife and my dad, is it easy enough to get them across to my name?5.
5. Lastly (And I'm sorry and excited) the rules for US Airways on their award chart says any flights to Europe must go via the atlantic - does this mean the US or does that include Singapore and Hong Kong. I'd much prefer to go via DOHA but that doesn't look possible
if I have this right I can travel return in J from Perth to Melbourne for 30,000 miles?

As I said, I'm a little excited - hopefully I have my head around it.

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Edit: Just realised Europe has to be via the Atlantic not the Pacific - so hong kong and singapore are out... got my oceans mixed up! Do I take it that US Airways points are out for this? AA Mile a possibility?

 

[Doggy]

You know that feeling you used to get as a kid when Christmas was coming... well that pales into insignificance the giddy feeling I have with what I think might be the US airways miles program. I understand the bonus runs out in 48 hours or so.

I must admit I still don't get it however I will write what I think I know and add questions and hopefully you learned folk can help a newbie like me out

Let me know if this is correct
1. Buy miles with 100% bonus. You buy 50,000 and get another 50,000. I'm unsure of the cost but am assured it is good value
2. Use the various tools like the QF search, AA tool and BA tools to look for award flights
3. I can then book flights with oneworld in J using the generous points chart - i however have to call US Airways to do this?
4. Award flights are fickle beasts so it is best to be prepared and book a long way out

The questions I have are many

1. Is the points chart for return flights I take it. As an example from South Pacific to US in J it quotes 110,000 points. A return trip in J will be 110,000 and not 220,000 right?
2. I note a lot of people have multiple accounts - why is this? to grab multiple 100% bonusses? Open one for the wife, one for the parents etc etc? Is that the plan?
3. The end game for me is I would like to travel from perth to europe october next year in J. In addition I fly from Perth to Melbourne 4-5 times per year and would prefer to be in J as opposed to Y. My wife and I would also like to go to HK in J at some stage
4. Lastly - is it easy to transfer points or do you have to wait for an offer. If I was able to secure 300,000 miles through myself, my wife and my dad, is it easy enough to get them across to my name?5.
5. Lastly (And I'm sorry and excited) the rules for US Airways on their award chart says any flights to Europe must go via the atlantic - does this mean the US or does that include Singapore and Hong Kong. I'd much prefer to go via DOHA but that doesn't look possible
if I have this right I can travel return in J from Perth to Melbourne for 30,000 miles?

As I said, I'm a little excited - hopefully I have my head around it.

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Edit: Just realised Europe has to be via the Atlantic not the Pacific - so hong kong and singapore are out... got my oceans mixed up! Do I take it that US Airways points are out for this? AA Mile a possibility?

1. Correct it's all return (ie. 110k to Europe ret in J)
2. Two good reasons for multiple accounts. 1) There is a cap to the amount of bonus pts you can aquire during a promo and 2) Share miles. Look up share miles -- even better value than buy w/ 100% bonus.
4. Transferring pts is a waste of money. $10 per 1k. So to move 100k pts would cost you $1000. Who would do that? Not me.
5. You can absolutely get to Europe via Middle East and Asia. No sweat, people do it all the time. What you read was most likely referring to traveling to Europe from the USA, not from Aus.

Hope that's helped.

 

[bcworld]

their award chart says any flights to Europe must go via the atlantic

They keep tinkering with the wording of this and it now says:

2) Travel to/from Europe, Middle East, and Africa must operate via the Atlantic ocean

I believe what they really mean is travel from the Americas to these destinations. Travel from Australia to the Europe is in fact not permitted via the Atlantic Ocean (North America)...so all the usual routings via Asian or Middle East transit points are fine.

 

[smit0847]

Who wrote the USDM section of the 'Frugal Premium Flying' guide in the AFF Knowledge Centre?! It's missing a lot of crucial information and some of it is just plain wrong.

 

[bcworld]

Who wrote the USDM section of the 'Frugal Premium Flying' guide in the AFF Knowledge Centre?! It's missing a lot of crucial information and some of it is just plain wrong.

Is this content you have to pay for? I'm logged in to AFF but it won't let me view it.

 

[smit0847]

Is this content you have to pay for? I'm logged in to AFF but it won't let me view it.

No its free (I thought the same thing) - you may need to log out and then log back in (that worked for me). I hope they're not going to chaarge people for info like that - its dangerously misleading.

Here's the link for anyone else (I didn't even know we had this Knowledge Centre):

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ustralian-frequent-flyer-knowledge-60618.html

 

[anat0l]

I haven't tried using it yet but I think the AFF Knowledge Centre may need a separate login. Happy to be corrected.

Some of it is free but some select elements are pay (e.g. a recent Webinar required payment to participate).

 

[bcworld]

No its free (I thought the same thing) - you may need to log out and then log back in (that worked for me). I hope they're not going to chaarge people for info like that - its dangerously misleading.

Here's the link for anyone else (I didn't even know we had this Knowledge Centre):

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ustralian-frequent-flyer-knowledge-60618.html

Logging out and back in worked.

So yeah, the numbers seem way off. Clearly it's all based on 100% share promo costs but even then some of the claims seem wildly optimistic. It reads more like a spruiking piece than something that is informative and educational. And, while I realise a couple of bookings have sneaked through, as far as I'm concerned GUM is pretty much dead in these OW days.

Apologies if the author is reading!

 

[hummel]

markis10 is the author I believe. Remember the guide probably isn't aimed at a lot of the people in this thread.

 

[anat0l]

markis10 is the author I believe. Remember the guide probably isn't aimed at a lot of the people in this thread.

Which is fair but is also why one has to be a lot more careful in what you say to others about this deal.

Giving the cost at the Share Miles rate carries its own dangers (thinking about those who start with no miles); I'm not optimistic about that. Similar with GUM itineraries - one needs to understand they are not just open slather let alone as simple as booking a cash ticket.

This all said, I have not read the article (module) yet, so I don't know if these comments are misplaced. Also said, I assume comments and corrections are also welcomed to articles; by rights if I believed what I said then I should submit for corrections but laziness (and competing priorities) takes over....

 

[smit0847]

Logging out and back in worked.

So yeah, the numbers seem way off. Clearly it's all based on 100% share promo costs but even then some of the claims seem wildly optimistic. It reads more like a spruiking piece than something that is informative and educational. And, while I realise a couple of bookings have sneaked through, as far as I'm concerned GUM is pretty much dead in these OW days.

Apologies if the author is reading!

I think the author may actually be using the 100% buy promo price but halving the miles required to get a one-way price. This of course is incorrect as USDM dont offer one-ways.

Maybe the bit about the taxes, booking fees, MPM, routing rules, availability etc didn't make the final draft?

 

[baggyred]

They keep tinkering with the wording of this and it now says:

I believe what they really mean is travel from the Americas to these destinations. Travel from Australia to the Europe is in fact not permitted via the Atlantic Ocean (North America)...so all the usual routings via Asian or Middle East transit points are fine.

Ok great! That opens up a lot of availability from perth should i have a simple route from Per to LHR via Doha. Another option (and more points) was to go via the US

I know it's hard to get routing - however I need to go to the UK next year and thought the following route might be permissible (including one stopover). Obviously there has the be availability.

Per->Doh->LHR (S/O) -> JFK (Dest) ->Syd->Per or Per->HK->LHR (S/O) -> JFK (Dest) ->Syd->Per - are these permissible if can be found?

Also I know this is a US AIrways forum but most seem to be across AA as well. I can buy 55,000 AA Miles today and get 16500 bonus taking me to 71,500 miles which I think is enough for two J flights to Melbourne return. The cost is about $1600AUD which makes each flight about $800 return. Have I understood this right. Are their massive fuel fines or taxes?

I appreciate US Airways may be slightly cheaper however AA seems to have a better online booking engine which allows me to do such a flight online and as such I don't have to call the US and can just do it online. Plus I can keep my US AIrways points for int'l travel.

I note AA has 80,000 point purchase cap (excl bonus points) - does US Airways have a cap?

Lastly (sorry) if I was to buy another 70,000 miles for my wife, could she simply by more flights for me? Or do flights have to be in the name of the account holder?

 

[bcworld]

markis10 is the author I believe. Remember the guide probably isn't aimed at a lot of the people in this thread.

Well markis10 is right up there as one of the AFF contributors with the most broad based knowledge IMO, so I would be surprised at this. What appears to be happening is an attempt to ultimately commoditise the information that appears in threads like this one. However by omitting the list of things that smit mentions it certainly fails to constitute any sort of wiki or educational piece. Perhaps the initial text is just a teaser and remaining info will end up 'pay per view'?