US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[dexter_jambles]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone can provide me some advice on completing my first USDM booking. I see in previous posts that there is sometimes problems with USDM CSRs seeing award availability. I've currently got 2 bookings on hold for MEL-HKG-MEL (CX)- one is all in J, the 2nd is J and Y.

For the Y segment they say it is the only class available but on BA's Avios search engine it shows there is space available for both J & Y+. The CSR is adamant that there is nothing but coach.

Interestingly a previous CSR said the same thing about all the J segments too (i.e. could only see Y), but they 'tried something' and then she could find the J availability. Unfortunately we got cut off so now I'm trying to change the last segment J but 2 CSRs later & still no one is seeing the J (or even the Y+) availability.

Just an update on the story so far:

- changed the on-hold booking on hold to 2 x 8-sector bookings redeeming via 2 separate accounts, all in J & only the single leg mentioned above in Y
- called again today to ticket the on-hold booking, but strangely the first segment (MEL-HKG in J (CX)) had dropped off both bookings. Tried to add the same segment again but only one J was available and the other had to be Y. Decided to ticket it anyways.
- completed the ticketing for both pax but only received one confirmation email. Will wait until later tomorrow to see if the other confirmation comes through. If not, will have to try & book again before the on-hold booking expires on 25 March.
- 5 calls over 4.5hrs and I'm almost there! I'll provide another update once all final.

The advice & shared experiences on this forum have been invaluable.

Cheers

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just an update on the story so far:

- changed the on-hold booking on hold to 2 x 8-sector bookings redeeming via 2 separate accounts, all in J & only the single leg mentioned above in Y
- called again today to ticket the on-hold booking, but strangely the first segment (MEL-HKG in J (CX)) had dropped off both bookings. Tried to add the same segment again but only one J was available and the other had to be Y. Decided to ticket it anyways.
- completed the ticketing for both pax but only received one confirmation email. Will wait until later tomorrow to see if the other confirmation comes through. If not, will have to try & book again before the on-hold booking expires on 25 March.
- 5 calls over 4.5hrs and I'm almost there! I'll provide another update once all final.

The advice & shared experiences on this forum have been invaluable.

Cheers

you may not get an email for the second booking (I've never received on for even primary bookings!)

You can check the status of the booking (including ticket numbers) through either of the manage booking functions on the USDM web site.

 

[serfty]

According to this: View from the Wing » US Airways Dividend Miles Program Goes Away Saturday. Here’s Everything That Happens Next (including Changes to How American’s Upgrades Work) Comments Feed

For those concerned about the portability of fare rules etc, it seems that unless re-ticketing is needed any changes would be under the rules originally ticketed - i.e. US DM.

Already-Issued US Airways Award Tickets Under the Single AAdvantage Program

Existing US Airways-issued awards will retain the rules of the tickets as-issued. In other words, if you had a stopover on your award ticket and you make a change to date and time of travel you can keep that stopover without paying additional miles.

I had a series of rapid fire questions and one piece of the answer here intrigued me. I learned that American will be “a little more lenient” with these US Airways-issued awards than Dividend Miles had been, such as being able to make date and time changes to already-issued US Airways awards without a fee (something American offered, but that US Airways under a strict reading of the rules did not.. though was always ‘your mileage may vary’ with agents).

I asked about changes to an itinerary after travel had commenced (such as changing your return flight after departure of our your outbound) and was told this would be possible.

However changing the origin or destination of an award, or changing where the award stops over, would require a new award under AAdvantage rules (meaning the loss of the free stopover). ...

 

[Limewood]

If one USDM return sector was changed to another arrival city after the merger would that incur any fees from AA?.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If one USDM return sector was changed to another arrival city after the merger would that incur any fees from AA?.

if following AA rules, then yes.

Changes to AA awards are free of charge provided the origin and destination stay the same.

changes to times, dates, even route are allowed, but origin/destination must stay the same,

 

[Limewood]

Excellent Mel_ thanks once again

 

[Isochronous]

Ironically I called to make a change and after 40mins on hold missed the deadline. 48 hr freeze on all USDM changes apparently. But free changes under AA sounds good!

 

[dexter_jambles]

you may not get an email for the second booking (I've never received on for even primary bookings!)

You can check the status of the booking (including ticket numbers) through either of the manage booking functions on the USDM web site.

Thanks again. No email but it all seems OK when logging into the account.

So ended up getting 2pax for:

MEL-HKG 1xY, 1xJ CX
HKG-HEL J AY (stop)
HEL-DUS J AY
DUS-PMI Y AB (destination)
PMI-ZRH Y AB
ZRH-HKG J CX
HKG-MEL 1xY, 1xJ CX

120K + ~US$140 each.

Not the preferred result but still a good one.

With the merging into AA perhaps I'll keep a look out for J availability for the Y segments and try my luck to change!

 

[drivatruk]

I read somewhere a few days ago that AA will only allow direct routes between here and the USA for points redemption. Does that sound correct or was i have a moment? They said no more via HKG or NRT.

 

[sergeyvzn]

I read somewhere a few days ago that AA will only allow direct routes between here and the USA for points redemption. Does that sound correct or was i have a moment? They said no more via HKG or NRT.

Not quite right

you can go via HKG or NRT but it will be 2 lots of points - one Australia to Asia (1 or 2) and the other Asia (1 or 2) to the USA. More expensive

 

[anat0l]

Not quite right

you can go via HKG or NRT but it will be 2 lots of points - one Australia to Asia (1 or 2) and the other Asia (1 or 2) to the USA. More expensive

This is correct.

As I said before, AA will often let you ticket something like this. They will draw up the ticket then give you the price. If you find the price is higher than you expected via the charts, then it's likely that your proposed routing required more than one lot of points (e.g. due to your transiting a third zone to your destination and it is not earmarked as a free transit).

The most common thing that AA won't let you ticket up irrespective of cost is exceeding MPM by 25%.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The most common thing that AA won't let you ticket up irrespective of cost is exceeding MPM by 25%.

given you also need to have a published fare for the route... exceeding MPM shouldn't ever become an issue!

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Hi All

Have an existing USDM booking and the first flight is QF MEL - ADL. if i log onto USDM it says I have a flight change and to contact USDM. It also has an accept button ath the bottom of the page.

But the flight times are no different to the original booking so I am not sure what i am accepting.

This is my first redemption with the program and I am just not sure.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[hummel]

Hi All

Have an existing USDM booking and the first flight is QF MEL - ADL. if i log onto USDM it says I have a flight change and to contact USDM. It also has an accept button ath the bottom of the page.

But the flight times are no different to the original booking so I am not sure what i am accepting.

This is my first redemption with the program and I am just not sure.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Just accept, no need to ring USDM.

 

[get me outta here]

The 'change' I just had to accept was that the connection time CBR - SYD and SYD - LAX no longer worked, even though there was 14 hours btw flights. When I looked at it, they had transposed the 1 st and 2nd flights. It took them a very long time to work out 04 of the month comes before 05 of the month.

Hi All

Have an existing USDM booking and the first flight is QF MEL - ADL. if i log onto USDM it says I have a flight change and to contact USDM. It also has an accept button ath the bottom of the page.

But the flight times are no different to the original booking so I am not sure what i am accepting.

This is my first redemption with the program and I am just not sure.

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Just accept, no need to ring USDM.

The 'change' I just had to accept was that the connection time CBR - SYD and SYD - LAX no longer worked, even though there was 14 hours btw flights. When I looked at it, they had transposed the 1 st and 2nd flights. It took them a very long time to work out 04 of the month comes before 05 of the month.

Thanks for your comments

 

[coolkid101]

hi guys,
is it unusual that my ADL-HKG (CX) -NRT (CX) -GUM (JL) -NRT (JL) -SYD (QF) -ADL (QF) flight is missing a segment when i look on CX and QF websites? they only show the ADL-HKG-NRT as 1 segment, then miss the NRT-GUM and show GUM-NRT as the next flight ? when i look at the JAL website it checks out but not on the other 2.
thanks!

 

[sergeyvzn]

hi guys,
is it unusual that my ADL-HKG (CX) -NRT (CX) -GUM (JL) -NRT (JL) -SYD (QF) -ADL (QF) flight is missing a segment when i look on CX and QF websites? they only show the ADL-HKG-NRT as 1 segment, then miss the NRT-GUM and show GUM-NRT as the next flight ? when i look at the JAL website it checks out but not on the other 2.
thanks!

Not at all. Airlines often only show their own segments and those immediately before or after because they need to know where your luggage goes etc but they are not interested in your full itinerary

 

[get me outta here]

I phoned the UK USDM to sort out my flight problem. The U.S. was busy then. I'd give them a call to check and then get it emailed once sorted out.

hi guys,
is it unusual that my ADL-HKG (CX) -NRT (CX) -GUM (JL) -NRT (JL) -SYD (QF) -ADL (QF) flight is missing a segment when i look on CX and QF websites? they only show the ADL-HKG-NRT as 1 segment, then miss the NRT-GUM and show GUM-NRT as the next flight ? when i look at the JAL website it checks out but not on the other 2.
thanks!

 

[coolkid101]

Not at all. Airlines often only show their own segments and those immediately before or after because they need to know where your luggage goes etc but they are not interested in your full itinerary

I phoned the UK USDM to sort out my flight problem. The U.S. was busy then. I'd give them a call to check and then get it emailed once sorted out.

thanks for your help guys! only thing is now 1 of you has said to leave it alone and another said to call!
only reason i haven't already called is because i'm worried about the agent potentially realising the whole itin was illegal and then cancelling the booking... so if you guys tell me not to worry then i'll stick with that i think?

thanks again!