US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[Nizar]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

In J through USDM? I don't think this is correct. There's occasional availability through LMs but I don't think I've ever heard of someone doing it through USDM.

Nope on LM.
Sorry didn't notice the thread.
I have accounts at USDM but not a fan as I prefer to book/search online.

 

[hummel]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Nope on LM.
Sorry didn't notice the thread.
I have accounts at USDM but not a fan as I prefer to book/search online.

Each program has it's advantages I suppose. 30k Japan trip on USDM, SQ A380 J award space on LM...

I have miles in USDM but none in LM... It just concerns me there de-valuations they've done without notice recently (twice)

 

[bcworld]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Nope on LM.
Sorry didn't notice the thread.
I have accounts at USDM but not a fan as I prefer to book/search online.

So you're also not a fan of 23h layovers, stopovers, hand crafted itineraries and vaguely competent customer services!?

 

[Nizar]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

So you're also not a fan of 23h layovers, stopovers, hand crafted itineraries and vaguely competent customer services!?

Lol good call

 

[Nizar]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

It just concerns me there de-valuations they've done without notice recently (twice)

Devaluations are not unique to LM lol have you heard of Qantas

 

[bcworld]

Speaking of customer services...should relay an experience a friend recently had.

The were booked using USDM:

MEL-PVG (CA) overnight layover
PVG-NRT-JFK (NH) next day
...etc

Their CA flight to PVG was diverted to PEK due to bad weather - I am very surprised there was fuel for that but anyway. On arrival at PEK the customer service provided by CA sounded absolutely atrocious. Effectively despite being in the airport for about 3 hours after landing and going to any desk they could they basically got shoulder shrugging when it came to re-booking to resume their journey next day. Eventually they had to leave the airport for a hotel (after a CA employee created them a fake itinerary so they could get their 72 hr visa!) and call US Airways from there.

Of course, US pointed out that the whole thing should be under airport control. After they explained how CA simply couldn't or wouldn't help US got CA on the phone and they got re-booked for PEK-NRT the next day to meet up with their JFK flight. All in all a complete shambles.

The trip report for CA soft product in general was grim.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What's the problem with sleeping a few degrees off the direction of travel? Some seats have you sleeping backwards.

I think the greater issue for someone tall (like me) is whether or not I could actually lie flat on SQ business? their seat has a footprint of 30x51... in first class i have to lie on the diagonal to just scrape in lying flat and that seat's footprint is 35x71.

can someone who is tall (over 6'3) say what the sq premium business seat is like for sleeping?

the UA seat may be skinny, but at 76' length I could lie flat (just).

hence as a trade off... I would still take UA transpac rather than sq via sin if that was an option through USDM.

edited to add I guess the cut-out for the feet adds a few more inches to the business class seat?

 

[anat0l]

Speaking of customer services...should relay an experience a friend recently had.

The were booked using USDM:

MEL-PVG (CA) overnight layover
PVG-NRT-JFK (NH) next day
...etc

Their CA flight to PVG was diverted to PEK due to bad weather - I am very surprised there was fuel for that but anyway. On arrival at PEK the customer service provided by CA sounded absolutely atrocious. Effectively despite being in the airport for about 3 hours after landing and going to any desk they could they basically got shoulder shrugging when it came to re-booking to resume their journey next day. Eventually they had to leave the airport for a hotel (after a CA employee created them a fake itinerary so they could get their 72 hr visa!) and call US Airways from there.

Of course, US pointed out that the whole thing should be under airport control. After they explained how CA simply couldn't or wouldn't help US got CA on the phone and they got re-booked for PEK-NRT the next day to meet up with their JFK flight. All in all a complete shambles.

The trip report for CA soft product in general was grim.

That unfortunately is CA customer service in a nutshell. And it's an extremely small nut.

(Of course, when things are honky dory, all is indifferent)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Speaking of customer services...should relay an experience a friend recently had.

The were booked using USDM:

MEL-PVG (CA) overnight layover
PVG-NRT-JFK (NH) next day
...etc

Their CA flight to PVG was diverted to PEK due to bad weather - I am very surprised there was fuel for that but anyway. On arrival at PEK the customer service provided by CA sounded absolutely atrocious. Effectively despite being in the airport for about 3 hours after landing and going to any desk they could they basically got shoulder shrugging when it came to re-booking to resume their journey next day. Eventually they had to leave the airport for a hotel (after a CA employee created them a fake itinerary so they could get their 72 hr visa!) and call US Airways from there.

Of course, US pointed out that the whole thing should be under airport control. After they explained how CA simply couldn't or wouldn't help US got CA on the phone and they got re-booked for PEK-NRT the next day to meet up with their JFK flight. All in all a complete shambles.

The trip report for CA soft product in general was grim.

that is a major concern... unfortunately there are equal reports of the same thing happening in CAN with CZ. it would be extremely distressing.

 

[Nizar]

Speaking of customer services...should relay an experience a friend recently had.

The were booked using USDM:

MEL-PVG (CA) overnight layover
PVG-NRT-JFK (NH) next day
...etc

Their CA flight to PVG was diverted to PEK due to bad weather - I am very surprised there was fuel for that but anyway. On arrival at PEK the customer service provided by CA sounded absolutely atrocious. Effectively despite being in the airport for about 3 hours after landing and going to any desk they could they basically got shoulder shrugging when it came to re-booking to resume their journey next day. Eventually they had to leave the airport for a hotel (after a CA employee created them a fake itinerary so they could get their 72 hr visa!) and call US Airways from there.

Of course, US pointed out that the whole thing should be under airport control. After they explained how CA simply couldn't or wouldn't help US got CA on the phone and they got re-booked for PEK-NRT the next day to meet up with their JFK flight. All in all a complete shambles.

The trip report for CA soft product in general was grim.

CA one to avoid then. Thanks for sharing that.

In general, what's a good way to get from Aus to the US through Asia ?
How does BR compare with OZ hard/soft products etc

OZ more highly ranked overall but more likely to get a fully flat J bed with BR ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

CA one to avoid then. Thanks for sharing that.

In general, what's a good way to get from Aus to the US through Asia ?
How does BR compare with OZ hard/soft products etc

OZ more highly ranked overall but more likely to get a fully flat J bed with BR ?

you need to choose the right OZ flight (ones with full flats). the routes these fly are published (subject as always to a last minute aircraft swap).

i wouldn't dismiss air china completely, if they have a flight at the time you need it, take it. certainly if you had a stopover in china (visa free) which could absorb any inbound delays then they'd be an ok choice. Australia-china-usa or Europe could be nicely done on full flat beds with an excellent hard product on the 77W depending on your destination.

 

[bcworld]

i wouldn't dismiss air china completely, if they have a flight at the time you need it, take it. certainly if you had a stopover in china (visa free) which could absorb any inbound delays then they'd be an ok choice.

Unfortunately ex MEL I think PVG might be one of the only routings via Asia to the west coast that keeps you under 25M.

 

[Nizar]

you need to choose the right OZ flight (ones with full flats). the routes these fly are published (subject as always to a last minute aircraft swap).

i wouldn't dismiss air china completely, if they have a flight at the time you need it, take it. certainly if you had a stopover in china (visa free) which could absorb any inbound delays then they'd be an ok choice. Australia-china-usa or Europe could be nicely done on full flat beds with an excellent hard product on the 77W depending on your destination.

True and that is good advice re: stopping over in China. Always wanted to check the place out.

With OZ flights it seem their ICN-SFO/ORD/LAX/JFK flights are on the 777 (744 for LAX which is angled-flat) and from the five versions of this aircraft only one has fully flat beds in J ?
I don't like those odds!

 

[travelislife]

Hi all, just a quick question. I am looking at an itinerary for a couple of friends. From Melbourne to the States (West Coast) with a stopover in Japan. Now I can easily find flights for this all in Business Class, but I guess there may be the chance that I might run in to issues with MPM. The return flight will be direct US-MEL avoiding Asia so don't know if that helps. Has anyone booked a similar itinerary or had issues doing so?

 

[bcworld]

Hi all, just a quick question. I am looking at an itinerary for a couple of friends. From Melbourne to the States (West Coast) with a stopover in Japan. Now I can easily find flights for this all in Business Class, but I guess there may be the chance that I might run in to issues with MPM. The return flight will be direct US-MEL avoiding Asia so don't know if that helps. Has anyone booked a similar itinerary or had issues doing so?

The return flight being direct doesn't excuse the fact that one direction is over MPM. However even once 25M came into play I'm sure some have reported allowed routings starting MEL-SIN, MEL-BKK. It's kind of hard to overlook these huge *A hubs so perhaps sometimes the MPM just isn't checked.

 

[travelislife]

Yep I agree with that and I guess it could just end up in some agent roulette which is annoying. Will be looking to put on hold this weekend when their accounts become valid to purchase miles.

 

[smit0847]

you need to choose the right OZ flight (ones with full flats). the routes these fly are published (subject as always to a last minute aircraft swap).

i wouldn't dismiss air china completely, if they have a flight at the time you need it, take it. certainly if you had a stopover in china (visa free) which could absorb any inbound delays then they'd be an ok choice. Australia-china-usa or Europe could be nicely done on full flat beds with an excellent hard product on the 77W depending on your destination.

ICN-LAX or SFO for their best fully flat product, which is identical to the TG A380 J.

I wouldnt dismiss AC either - I think for overnight flights they would be very comfortable. I would just bring my own entertainment and be prepared to be served a lot of pretty average food and drinks (they are very liberal with spirits so you could just get hammered I guess).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

ICN-LAX or SFO for their best fully flat product, which is identical to the TG A380 J.

I wouldnt dismiss AC either - I think for overnight flights they would be very comfortable. I would just bring my own entertainment and be prepared to be served a lot of pretty average food and drinks (they are very liberal with spirits so you could just get hammered I guess).

plus JFK as full flat.

 

[Alanslegal]

Re: misspelled name on booking

For eg. my passport is MR LEGAL// ALAN LUCKY

And my ticket booking is now ALANL LEGAL, ie my first name is ALANL , would this matter? booking is from Australia to Europe.

 

[hossein_au]

Re: misspelled name on booking

For eg. my passport is MR LEGAL// ALAN LUCKY

And my ticket booking is now ALANL LEGAL, ie my first name is ALANL , would this matter? booking is from Australia to Europe.

I guess that's because a space is typically not allowed in names. I have the same problem; my surname has a space (in my passport), but Qantas did not accept spaces in names. Subsequently all my tickets on QF are without the space, but I have never had any problems (touch wood!).

The same with USDM; it did not accept the space. When I made my booking over the phone, I asked the CSO to put a note in the booking. I'm not sure how useful that is going to be though. I guess I'm going to find out in a few months...