US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[kamchatsky]

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

Good luck finding availability on AirNZ.

I have 100k+ USDM, 100k KF Miles etc etc but looks like I have to pay to get to PPT in January.

Hasn't been award space since I started looking 4+ months ago.

Hummel,

I did look at late December, all of January and early February and NZ withheld all the trans-Tasman and Tahiti Y seats.

Whereas from mid Feb 2014 onwards Y seats for Trans-Tasman and Tahiti is wide open at the moment. Forget about J though.

Have you looked at QF/TN using AA miles as an option?

 

[robcuk]

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

Good luck finding availability on AirNZ.

I have 100k+ USDM, 100k KF Miles etc etc but looks like I have to pay to get to PPT in January.

Hasn't been award space since I started looking 4+ months ago.

I have been looking for this time next year as its the best time to go I.e non wet season and there seems quite a bit of availability be it in Y

 

[kamchatsky]

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

I have been looking for this time next year as its the best time to go I.e non wet season and there seems quite a bit of availability be it in Y

If you know exactly what days to book then book it now as NZ40/41 AKL-PPT only has 2 flights per week, and Friday flight from PPT-AKL is an OMG red-eye.

 

[hummel]

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

Hummel,

I did look at late December, all of January and early February and NZ withheld all the trans-Tasman and Tahiti Y seats.

Whereas from mid Feb 2014 onwards Y seats for Trans-Tasman and Tahiti is wide open at the moment. Forget about J though.

Have you looked at QF/TN using AA miles as an option?

I haven't looked at the AA miles option as don't have any and would need to buy. Unsure if the cost would work out etc Currently looking at $1800 AKL-BOB-AKL per person.. in Y! :shock:

But seriously, the rate was that cheap we had to go!

 

[travelislife]

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

Got a 100% bonus email, to pull or not to pull is the question.... Currently sitting in the Hanoi business lounge on a USDM trip on my way to Paris through BKK (came here from MEL), BKK-CDG will be first time on A380 and first time in First! So sad USDM is disappearing.

 

[kamchatsky]

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

I haven't looked at the AA miles option as don't have any and would need to buy. Unsure if the cost would work out etc Currently looking at $1800 AKL-BOB-AKL per person.. in Y! :shock:

But seriously, the rate was that cheap we had to go!

You can always call AA to check for availability first on QF/TN to PPT from Australia, then if available put the award ticket on hold (up to 5 days!) then you go to buy AA points.

PPT-BOB is run by Air Tahiti (NOT Air Tahiti Nui) and you have to pay for it, no redemptions on that leg.

 

[65ravenblack]

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

gifting is simple... just go to YOUR account, and follow the prompts to gift to another person (you will need their dividend miles account and I think email?)

i would urge you to exercise caution in gifting. the presumption is that you will have received money in exchange for the gift and all accounts (yours and theirs) could be closed for audit.

i know it's rare, but it does happen. and you can't speak to usdm to get a resolution of the matter.

Ah.....OK.

I think it's too good a thing to put at risk. I'll get them to wait until they are offered a bonus and they can buy themselves.

Thanks MEL_Traveller,
Aaron

 

[robcuk]

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

gifting is simple... just go to YOUR account, and follow the prompts to gift to another person (you will need their dividend miles account and I think email?)

i would urge you to exercise caution in gifting. the presumption is that you will have received money in exchange for the gift and all accounts (yours and theirs) could be closed for audit.

i know it's rare, but it does happen. and you can't speak to usdm to get a resolution of the matter.

I have heard of this and we all know about a FF whose miles were suspended but how can you exercise caution in gifting? Surely its simple you gift miles to a friend, partner or relative etc.... they then receive the miles.

Im not being argumentative just interested to hear how we can go about this in a safe manner.

 

[65ravenblack]

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

Having a think about this.

Our friends are not very PC savvy......they are a fair bit older than us and have asked us handle it for them.

I'm a bit unsure now as to what to do......if we wait for them to get a bonus offer and they purchase, we were going to use our credit card to buy them and they were going to pay us back, however, by using our credit card to purchase for someone elses membership number is abit suss in itself (not that we are doing anything wrong in my eyes) and maybe viewed as such by USDM.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this.

Cheers,
Aaron

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

I have heard of this and we all know about a FF whose miles were suspended but how can you exercise caution in gifting? Surely its simple you gift miles to a friend, partner or relative etc.... they then receive the miles.

Im not being argumentative just interested to hear how we can go about this in a safe manner.

Having a think about this.

Our friends are not very PC savvy......they are a fair bit older than us and have asked us handle it for them.

I'm a bit unsure now as to what to do......if we wait for them to get a bonus offer and they purchase, we were going to use our credit card to buy them and they were going to pay us back, however, by using our credit card to purchase for someone elses membership number is abit suss in itself (not that we are doing anything wrong in my eyes) and maybe viewed as such by USDM.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this.

Cheers,
Aaron

he criteria for an account audit are anyone's guess... but we know it happens.

i think the key to avoiding an audit is for the pax redeeming tickets to be the same as the name on the account. that's the primary issue I would suspect.

what could trigger a preliminary investigation? gifting where the surname of the account is different from the name in the credit card. unless it is for something like a wedding gift (very generous!) then who simply 'gives' $5000 worth of miles to a friend for nothing in return? family members ok, but total 'strangers'?

while the account audit may come out in your favor, the stress and timelines might be a bit tricky if you need to redeem and fly soon.

if you have plenty of time then for sure, go ahead a gift and if there is an audit it can get sorted. it's just a word of being overly cautious.

 

[ferni]

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

Having a think about this.

Our friends are not very PC savvy......they are a fair bit older than us and have asked us handle it for them.

I'm a bit unsure now as to what to do......if we wait for them to get a bonus offer and they purchase, we were going to use our credit card to buy them and they were going to pay us back, however, by using our credit card to purchase for someone elses membership number is abit suss in itself (not that we are doing anything wrong in my eyes) and maybe viewed as such by USDM.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this.

Cheers,
Aaron

Just stick to using their credit card to buy the miles for their account... that's what i've done for family. Keep it all in their name.

 

[Alanslegal]

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

If person A gifts to person B, then use person A's credit card for the points purchase/gift.

And then when person B redeems a flight, person B uses their credit card.

Very well within the rules I'd say.


Now however if Person A gifted to B,C,D,E,F......Z, and even paid using Person A's credit card, well then this might ring alarm bells at USDM.

 

[shellthom]

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

I spoke with MHen about this on Saturday and I am still understanding how it works.
My question is mostly around how long will these USDM's be available to be used to book these flights as I understand they are likely to be a part of oneworld shortly and the current process is using *A rewards - which I hear are cheaper and easier to come by?
I am still doing my research but I didn't have an account before so have no miles or anything but based on the conversation on Sat night would be very interested in getting in if/while I can for some F flights to EU.

 

[mhen]

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

Hi Shellthom,
Merger expected to happen Aug/Sept. Once that happens it will be announced when US will leave *A. Making bookings ok up until then. Only difficulty might be for schedule changes that occur after US has left *A.
mhen
PS you have a PM

 

[shellthom]

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

Ah ok that sounds ok. We will be flexible so schedule changes etc shouldn't be a bother. Replied to pm. Thanks

 

[markis10]

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

This is great news!!!!!! From airline route.net

Based on latest schedule changes on Thursday 04JUL13, the following is latest Winter 2013/14 International operation changes for THAI, effective 27OCT13. New Adjustment:
Bangkok – Brisbane eff 16FEB14 Boeing 777-300ER replaces -300, daily service

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

This is great news!!!!!! From airline route.net

Based on latest schedule changes on Thursday 04JUL13, the following is latest Winter 2013/14 International operation changes for THAI, effective 27OCT13. New Adjustment:
Bangkok – Brisbane eff 16FEB14 Boeing 777-300ER replaces -300, daily service

why oh why not MEL? (although historically BNE had first class a lot longer than MEL)

 

[yohy?!]

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

why oh why not MEL? (although historically BNE had first class a lot longer than MEL)

my ears were burning

 

[kamchatsky]

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

My sister has put the following itinerary on hold to fly off mid next week!

TG F SYD-BKK
TG J BKK-FRA (A380)
LH J FRA-TXL

LH J AMS-FRA
TG F FRA-BKK (A380)
TG F BKK-SYD

I just told her to reroute to TG F BKK-ZRH (A340), LX J ZRH-TXL instead. Even though J BKK-FRA is A380, F is still F.

Have to say after US merge with AA, I will miss the award availability of Star Alliance Awards. It beats OW Awards hands down!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

My sister has put the following itinerary on hold to fly off mid next week!

TG F SYD-BKK
TG J BKK-FRA (A380)
LH J FRA-TXL

LH J AMS-FRA
TG F FRA-BKK (A380)
TG F BKK-SYD

I just told her to reroute to TG F BKK-ZRH (A340), LX J ZRH-TXL instead. Even though J BKK-FRA is A380, F is still F.

Have to say after US merge with AA, I will miss the award availability of Star Alliance Awards. It beats OW Awards hands down!

agree... first is still first. although the difference on the A380 is marginal, given the departure time probably all that is needed is a quick meal, and the seat is full flat. the only thing really missing would be the buggy to the plane flying C... as your sister will have F lounge access anyway.

I would change via zrh though if possible.