US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

What do the award ticket rules say about stopovers? Can one have two? If travelling to the US from SYD via Asia, can there be a stop in Asia in addition to the destination city in the US?

the US Airways dividend miles membership guide is just a short read (about 10 minutes). worth having a quick read... it contains the supposed rules (sometimes enforced, sometimes not) including allowed routing and stopover restrictions.

 

[Flashback]

Some sage advice in here: US Airways Dividend Miles Account Audit | LoyaltyLobby

 

[smit0847]

Where an airline traditionally releases more seats once the available award seats are booked (i.e. TG might release 2 F seats and then 2 more F seats once those first 2 are booked), when you put a reservation 'on hold', does the airline consider the 'on hold' seats as booked and then releases more or are would they not release more until the 'on hold' reservation is fully ticketed? Putting them 'on hold' would pull them from the inventory wouldnt it?

 

[ferni]

Where an airline traditionally releases more seats once the available award seats are booked (i.e. TG might release 2 F seats and then 2 more F seats once those first 2 are booked), when you put a reservation 'on hold', does the airline consider the 'on hold' seats as booked and then releases more or are would they not release more until the 'on hold' reservation is fully ticketed? Putting them 'on hold' would pull them from the inventory wouldnt it?

In my experience with TG putting them on hold should release more seats (They don't need to be ticketed) if they have more to release.

 

[Foreigner]

In my experience with TG putting them on hold should release more seats (They don't need to be ticketed) if they have more to release.

This does happen. I know as I found out, just yesterday.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Where an airline traditionally releases more seats once the available award seats are booked (i.e. TG might release 2 F seats and then 2 more F seats once those first 2 are booked), when you put a reservation 'on hold', does the airline consider the 'on hold' seats as booked and then releases more or are would they not release more until the 'on hold' reservation is fully ticketed? Putting them 'on hold' would pull them from the inventory wouldnt it?

once the seats are on hold they are taken out of inventory. if there are more seats to be released then they are.

 

[zainman]

once the seats are on hold they are taken out of inventory. if there are more seats to be released then they are.

any idea on how long before the additional seats are released? Looking for 4xJ seats to europe.. I can see 2 so thinking of 'holding' the 2 and then checking availability again...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

any idea on how long before the additional seats are released? Looking for 4xJ seats to europe.. I can see 2 so thinking of 'holding' the 2 and then checking availability again...

depends on the airline.

TG is fairly unique in that they will only release two seats at a time, even if they plan to release a far higher number. As the initial two seats are taken, they'll immediately release another two, and keep doing so until the total allocation is exhausted. This can happen during the course of a single call to book flights.

Once that allocation is gone - they revert to the same system as most other airlines... flights are periodically reviewed and more seats may be released - at any time - depending on how many revenue seats they may or may not sell and indeed whether or not they are happy for some seats to remain unsold and unallocated (ie have an empty cabin to preserve the premium product).

 

[zainman]

depends on the airline.

TG is fairly unique in that they will only release two seats at a time, even if they plan to release a far higher number. As the initial two seats are taken, they'll immediately release another two, and keep doing so until the total allocation is exhausted. This can happen during the course of a single call to book flights.

Once that allocation is gone - they revert to the same system as most other airlines... flights are periodically reviewed and more seats may be released - at any time - depending on how many revenue seats they may or may not sell and indeed whether or not they are happy for some seats to remain unsold and unallocated (ie have an empty cabin to preserve the premium product).

Cheers for that. TG is the airline in question. Good to know they release them immediately.

I am not sure if what you have said about them releasing only 2 seats at a time is true. Over the past week I have seen numerous flights MEL-BKK-FRA/MUC with 4 seats available. I have been using the united website and searched for 2 adults and 2 children (between 5-11).

 

[anat0l]

My mum has been telling me she wouldn't mind travelling to Canada as well as Russia. Naturally, when the travel idea came up, she asked whether she could possibly use her cache of US DM miles (before it goes to AA) to achieve this.

This means she will want to hit YVR and DME (or any other MOW, maybe even LED instead) in the same trip. What are the chances I could concoct something that can work in these two places?

I've told her that depending on what kinds of routings can be arranged, she may need to visit each place in a certain order.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

My mum has been telling me she wouldn't mind travelling to Canada as well as Russia. Naturally, when the travel idea came up, she asked whether she could possibly use her cache of US DM miles (before it goes to AA) to achieve this.

This means she will want to hit YVR and DME (or any other MOW, maybe even LED instead) in the same trip. What are the chances I could concoct something that can work in these two places?

I've told her that depending on what kinds of routings can be arranged, she may need to visit each place in a certain order.

MOW is your destination. And you can't go to Europe via USA to you'd have to go to MOW first.

BNE-BKK-MOW on TG should be fine.

Use the star alliance booking tool to work out the most direct routing MOW-YVR and then YVR-BNE.

Ideally you'd want to do this in a maximum of 4 segments.

Is YVR on the way home to BNE (ie most direct routing? That's the question (as to how strictly they'll enforce that). I don't think you'll know until you try.

 

[Flashback]

A question for those who can think outside the box. I'm trying to get my BIL over to LON by the 5th January 2014, to start a contract on 6th January 2014. Restrictions are.. has to leave after the 3rd. Makes it fairly tough.

I can find flights on OZ and LH from ICN -> CDG and FRA respectively, however getting to ICN from PER/BKK is proving to be a bit tough.

I've tried BKK -> MUC, VIE, CPH, LON, ZRH, DXB, IST, CDG, FRA, MXP, FCO, OSL, BRU, ARN all without too much luck.

What other options could I look at? MS via BKK/CAI?

I've not seen much with PVG or PEK either....

Is there any other option I've not though of? Looking for 1 pax in J or F.

 

[anat0l]

A question for those who can think outside the box. I'm trying to get my BIL over to LON by the 5th January 2014, to start a contract on 6th January 2014. Restrictions are.. has to leave after the 3rd. Makes it fairly tough.

I can find flights on OZ and LH from ICN -> CDG and FRA respectively, however getting to ICN from PER/BKK is proving to be a bit tough.

I've tried BKK -> MUC, VIE, CPH, LON, ZRH, DXB, IST, CDG, FRA, MXP, FCO, OSL, BRU, ARN all without too much luck.

What other options could I look at? MS via BKK/CAI?

I've not seen much with PVG or PEK either....

Is there any other option I've not though of? Looking for 1 pax in J or F.

Real challenge here! Needing to leave on the 3rd is making it a nightmare. If he could leave a day earlier, you just might be in the clear.

When does he have to start on the 6th? Could he, say, arrive in LCY on the morning of the 6th and head straight to work? (Delays notwithstanding)

 

[Flashback]

Real challenge here! Needing to leave on the 3rd is making it a nightmare. If he could leave a day earlier, you just might be in the clear.

When does he have to start on the 6th? Could he, say, arrive in LCY on the morning of the 6th and head straight to work? (Delays notwithstanding)

Ditto if being able to arrive on Monday instead of Sunday as I can easily get him there on TG & MS via BKK/CAI. Yeh, that could be an option but that relies upon LH flights being able to be booked ...

I've told him what the deal is, so have left it with him to go back to the company and try get a start 1 day later - unless of course you can find something arriving Monday early AM.

 

[anat0l]

Ditto if being able to arrive on Monday instead of Sunday as I can easily get him there on TG & MS via BKK/CAI. Yeh, that could be an option but that relies upon LH flights being able to be booked ...

I've told him what the deal is, so have left it with him to go back to the company and try get a start 1 day later - unless of course you can find something arriving Monday early AM.

Might have found something for him.

The length of flying and layovers is probably going to make him want to throttle you (or me), but hey, beggars can't be choosers!

[B][U]Date   Flight  Sector   Dep   Arr     Cls  A/C  Connect  Remarks[/U][/B]
03JAN  TG 484  PER-BKK  0910  1505      J  330     8:54
03JAN  TG 674  BKK-PEK  2359  0540+1    Y  330     8:15  No J availability
04JAN  CA 931  PEK-FRA  1355  1715      J  773    17:25
05JAN  LH 904  FRA-LHR  1040  1125      J  322      END  Almost any LH flight this day (without overstepping transit to avoid consuming stopover)

There is a similar option on PVG/FRA, which is on LH rather than CA, but I haven't verified it through with a Y connection because there is no easy J connection to PVG - either you have no choice, you need to connect via PEK (on a short Y sector) or do a silly J connection (in order to avoid violating < 24 h Chinese TWOV rules).

My original idea was getting him on CA PEK/FCO (on what looks to be old equipment, 330). Problem was getting from FCO to LHR on late 5/1. Turns out it was almost impossible, unless you want to hand over a substantially silly amount of money for a Alitalia one-way direct flight (last of the night).

Generally your options were confined to finding a "day" flight on 4/1 or 5/1, but as you (and I) have both found, this is extremely difficult.

When I first chuck this into Awardtravelr, it spat out diddly-squat. I tried a simple search just to make sure AT wasn't messing me around, but no, it was telling me I had no chance in hell.

I'd run this by your BIL ASAP; get it held by US DM with the dummy return flights and think hard about it.

 

[Flashback]

Might have found something for him.

The length of flying and layovers is probably going to make him want to throttle you (or me), but hey, beggars can't be choosers!

[B][U]Date   Flight  Sector   Dep   Arr     Cls  A/C  Connect  Remarks[/U][/B]
03JAN  TG 484  PER-BKK  0910  1505      J  330     8:54
03JAN  TG 674  BKK-PEK  2359  0540+1    Y  330     8:15  No J availability
04JAN  CA 931  PEK-FRA  1355  1715      J  773    17:25
05JAN  LH 904  FRA-LHR  1040  1125      J  322      END  Almost any LH flight this day (without overstepping transit to avoid consuming stopover)

There is a similar option on PVG/FRA, which is on LH rather than CA, but I haven't verified it through with a Y connection because there is no easy J connection to PVG - either you have no choice, you need to connect via PEK (on a short Y sector) or do a silly J connection (in order to avoid violating < 24 h Chinese TWOV rules).

My original idea was getting him on CA PEK/FCO (on what looks to be old equipment, 330). Problem was getting from FCO to LHR on late 5/1. Turns out it was almost impossible, unless you want to hand over a substantially silly amount of money for a Alitalia one-way direct flight (last of the night).

Generally your options were confined to finding a "day" flight on 4/1 or 5/1, but as you (and I) have both found, this is extremely difficult.

When I first chuck this into Awardtravelr, it spat out diddly-squat. I tried a simple search just to make sure AT wasn't messing me around, but no, it was telling me I had no chance in hell.

I'd run this by your BIL ASAP; get it held by US DM with the dummy return flights and think hard about it.

Yep - the only issue there being it flies out on the 3rd rather than 4th.

I've found PER-BKK-DXB-CAI-LHR with a longish transit here and there departing Sunday 5th arriving Monday 6th - so I think that'll have to be the best option assuming it stays by the time he calls. Ball is in his court now. Will give that to him as another option though, thanks! LH is hard to book right now though and here's the latest update from FT: Note: It appears that there are some issues with US agents viewing award availability on LH. This has been happening for quite a few months.
Flights on LH seem to only be available on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This appears to be an IT glitch.

 

[anat0l]

Yep - the only issue there being it flies out on the 3rd rather than 4th.

I've found PER-BKK-DXB-CAI-LHR with a longish transit here and there departing Sunday 5th arriving Monday 6th - so I think that'll have to be the best option assuming it stays by the time he calls. Ball is in his court now. Will give that to him as another option though, thanks! LH is hard to book right now though and here's the latest update from FT: Note: It appears that there are some issues with US agents viewing award availability on LH. This has been happening for quite a few months.
Flights on LH seem to only be available on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This appears to be an IT glitch.

Ah damn... I re-read your post and it says after the 3rd. (You could've just said, "must leave on 4th". Never mind. )

To bypass LH, could just indirect on SN or LX, unless they are having issues too. There's ways to skin cats once in Europe; not all pleasant mind you but that's the major struggle completed.

 

[Flashback]

Might have found something for him.

The length of flying and layovers is probably going to make him want to throttle you (or me), but hey, beggars can't be choosers!

[B][U]Date   Flight  Sector   Dep   Arr     Cls  A/C  Connect  Remarks[/U][/B]
03JAN  TG 484  PER-BKK  0910  1505      J  330     8:54
03JAN  TG 674  BKK-PEK  2359  0540+1    Y  330     8:15  No J availability
04JAN  CA 931  PEK-FRA  1355  1715      J  773    17:25
05JAN  LH 904  FRA-LHR  1040  1125      J  322      END  Almost any LH flight this day (without overstepping transit to avoid consuming stopover)

There is a similar option on PVG/FRA, which is on LH rather than CA, but I haven't verified it through with a Y connection because there is no easy J connection to PVG - either you have no choice, you need to connect via PEK (on a short Y sector) or do a silly J connection (in order to avoid violating < 24 h Chinese TWOV rules).

My original idea was getting him on CA PEK/FCO (on what looks to be old equipment, 330). Problem was getting from FCO to LHR on late 5/1. Turns out it was almost impossible, unless you want to hand over a substantially silly amount of money for a Alitalia one-way direct flight (last of the night).

Generally your options were confined to finding a "day" flight on 4/1 or 5/1, but as you (and I) have both found, this is extremely difficult.

When I first chuck this into Awardtravelr, it spat out diddly-squat. I tried a simple search just to make sure AT wasn't messing me around, but no, it was telling me I had no chance in hell.

I'd run this by your BIL ASAP; get it held by US DM with the dummy return flights and think hard about it.

Well, can travel out 2nd or 3rd now - finally pushed a bit of flexibility on this one. Doesn't seem to open up too much more though I think... think the only real option here is via PEK, but as I'm flat out at work today I've not had a chance to try the TG & BR options through all their ports e.g. ZRH, MUC, CPH, MAD, ARN, CDG, FRA, etc etc.

 

[Flashback]

Flying out on the 2nd I can find this, but it really relies upon being able to book Lufthansa.
1/2 (TH) TG484 Perth Bangkok(BKK) 09:10 15:05 330
1/2 (TH) TG674 Bangkok(BKK) Beijing 23:59 05:40 +1 330
1/3 (FR) LH721 Beijing Frankfurt 11:30 15:00 74H (nice if can get it, lay flat!)
1/3(FR) LH914 Frankfurt London(LHR) 16:05 16:50 321

 

[Flashback]

Flying out on the 2nd I can find this, but it really relies upon being able to book Lufthansa.
1/2 (TH) TG484 Perth Bangkok(BKK) 09:10 15:05 330
1/2 (TH) TG674 Bangkok(BKK) Beijing 23:59 05:40 +1 330
1/3 (FR) LH721 Beijing Frankfurt 11:30 15:00 74H (nice if can get it, lay flat!)
1/3(FR) LH914 Frankfurt London(LHR) 16:05 16:50 321

If there are still issues with LH I could always do:
1/3 (FR) CA911 Beijing Stockholm(ARN) 13:50 16:30 333 which would then require an overnight in ARN, unless bouncing through FRA, but that again brings LH into the fold.