US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

Any idea what the 773 product to CDG on CA is?

same as the CA 773 on all other routes (google is your friend)

 

[Flashback]

Internet on the train is too patchy. Wanted to find out before I got into the office but guess I will have to wait

 

[appaz]

Internet on the train is too patchy. Wanted to find out before I got into the office but guess I will have to wait

its their newest aircraft... 2-2-2 herringbone style full flat beds

 

[Flashback]

its their newest aircraft... 2-2-2 herringbone style full flat beds

Thanks! He's found a flight via CDG and would rather do that now.... Even though it means BKK to PEK overnight in Y. Yuck. You can lead a horse to the water....

 

[anat0l]

Thanks! He's found a flight via CDG and would rather do that now.... Even though it means BKK to PEK overnight in Y. Yuck. You can lead a horse to the water....

Is this a modifed version of the "first option"?

Overnight flights suck overall. I bet BKK/PEK will be barely 4 hrs or so. That's PER/SYD red eye basically. You won't get much out of it from J except a flatter and bigger seat. Make the best of it then prepare for better rest on the next flight.

If landing in CDG, this means using the RER+E* to get to London. Probably still cheaper than APD + UK tax...

 

[anat0l]

same as the CA 773 on all other routes (google is your friend)

I haven't been keeping abreast of CA developments; have they installed new J on all international fleet?

 

[Flashback]

Is this a modifed version of the "first option"?

Overnight flights suck overall. I bet BKK/PEK will be barely 4 hrs or so. That's PER/SYD red eye basically. You won't get much out of it from J except a flatter and bigger seat. Make the best of it then prepare for better rest on the next flight.

If landing in CDG, this means using the RER+E* to get to London. Probably still cheaper than APD + UK tax...

It is, which I'm not happy about. I (and others) have spent a fair bit of time getting what was put on hold. PER-BKK has disappeared in J also, so it would be whY PER-BKK-PEK all to spend 1 night in Paris instead of Stockholm. The only flight ex-CDG leaves 12.15 via BRU. The Eurostar has the cheapest trip at £84 (so you have a higher cost to get from Paris as well as a much more expensive hotel). I just don't really understand this at all. Sigh.

Also APD doesn't come into play as it is on the incoming. Going home would still be LHR-BKK-PER which attracts the lovely London tax.

 

[hossein_au]

Hi there guys (and I mean "neutral" guys):
I too would love to tap into the collective wisdom of the group here, and I appreciate all the help I can get. I have a booking from SYD to HAM with the return for July next year (leaving HAM on the 26th):
HAM ZRH (Swiss J)
ZRH BKK (TG F)
BKK SYD (TG F)

I would LOVE to change the return leg to come back via USA/Canada. I would like to have a stop over in LA (2-4 days), and if at all possible, a <24hr in Toronto to Montreal. I have not been able to fine anything. My trip out has 4 flights, so I am guessing the rerun can have up to 6 flights. Any suggestions? If it helps I'm happy to move my departure by a couple of days either side. Thanks heaps.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi there guys (and I mean "neutral" guys):
I too would love to tap into the collective wisdom of the group here, and I appreciate all the help I can get. I have a booking from SYD to HAM with the return for July next year (leaving HAM on the 26th):
HAM ZRH (Swiss J)
ZRH BKK (TG F)
BKK SYD (TG F)

I would LOVE to change the return leg to come back via USA/Canada. I would like to have a stop over in LA (2-4 days), and if at all possible, a <24hr in Toronto to Montreal. I have not been able to fine anything. My trip out has 4 flights, so I am guessing the rerun can have up to 6 flights. Any suggestions? If it helps I'm happy to move my departure by a couple of days either side. Thanks heaps.

As a general rule you should limit both outbound and return to 4 segments each.

You can try for an extended itinerary - but anything over four you may run into trouble. Worth trying and see what they say.

 

[Flashback]

Hi there guys (and I mean "neutral" guys):
I too would love to tap into the collective wisdom of the group here, and I appreciate all the help I can get. I have a booking from SYD to HAM with the return for July next year (leaving HAM on the 26th):
HAM ZRH (Swiss J)
ZRH BKK (TG F)
BKK SYD (TG F)

I would LOVE to change the return leg to come back via USA/Canada. I would like to have a stop over in LA (2-4 days), and if at all possible, a <24hr in Toronto to Montreal. I have not been able to fine anything. My trip out has 4 flights, so I am guessing the rerun can have up to 6 flights. Any suggestions? If it helps I'm happy to move my departure by a couple of days either side. Thanks heaps.

As per original advice, you cannot do Europe to Australia via North America.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

As per original advice, you cannot do Europe to Australia via North America.

HAM is the destination by about 200 miles. (the same applies to any 'close alternatives' such as ZRH/FCO/MUC/FRA)

The only alternative for a legal stopover would be ATH or IST (own way to HAM and back)

 

[Flashback]

HAM is the destination by about 200 miles. (the same applies to any 'close alternatives' such as ZRH/FCO/MUC/FRA)

The only alternative for a legal stopover would be ATH or IST (own way to HAM and back)

Exactly... OP is asking to route via USA/Canada on the way home and unless I'm wrong, HAM is in Germany, ergo Europe...... and you can't do Europe -> Australia via NA... or am I missing something here?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Exactly... OP is asking to route via USA/Canada on the way home and unless I'm wrong, HAM is in Germany, ergo Europe...... and you can't do Europe -> Australia via NA... or am I missing something here?

If the point in the USA was the destination then a stopover in Europe would have been possible.. flying to the USA via Europe is allowed.

So SYD-ATH-YUL-SYD may have been a legal routing subject to MPM (with a stopover in ATH (own arrangements to HAM and back) and destination being YUL. Returning via LAX or YVR would have been fine, but no stopover allowed).

 

[Flashback]

If the point in the USA was the destination then a stopover in Europe would have been possible.. flying to the USA via Europe is allowed.

So SYD-ATH-YUL-SYD may have been a legal routing subject to MPM (with a stopover in ATH (own arrangements to HAM and back) and destination being YUL. Returning via LAX or YVR would have been fine, but no stopover allowed).

That's exactly what I was pointing out, the whole structure/logic of the trip would need to change.

 

[anat0l]

That's exactly what I was pointing out, the whole structure/logic of the trip would need to change.

People have gotten away with SWP/NAM/EUR trips (in that order); seems to be a bit of call centre bingo and luck with rates desk. Even though it is written in the rules that the travel should not be possible.

 

[anat0l]

It is, which I'm not happy about. I (and others) have spent a fair bit of time getting what was put on hold. PER-BKK has disappeared in J also, so it would be whY PER-BKK-PEK all to spend 1 night in Paris instead of Stockholm. The only flight ex-CDG leaves 12.15 via BRU. The Eurostar has the cheapest trip at £84 (so you have a higher cost to get from Paris as well as a much more expensive hotel). I just don't really understand this at all. Sigh.

Also APD doesn't come into play as it is on the incoming. Going home would still be LHR-BKK-PER which attracts the lovely London tax.

I know it's a frustrating job (especially when you have your own life to run), but hey, at least it wasn't completely on your own shoulders?

When I was researching routing options for both my parents, I think I spent what amounted to days looking at availability. Didn't help they didn't have solid dates, so when I was planning I had to have several backups. Of course, some of that changed as we delayed ticketing, which did mean going back to the drawing board at times. (Worse is when availability shifts in and out, for whatever reason!) So, you just put it down to doing a good deed, albeit a somewhat frustrating one! Guess at least it's not my money or points, so let them find out the harder way!

If PER-BKK has disappeared in J, then you could consider PER-SIN-BKK if it exists in J, though you may be out of segments at that point (unfortunately, SIN-PEK is a bust during New Years, for some odd reason).

I was thinking that the itinerary stops in CDG so that means on the way back, you'd take the E* to CDG then save the UK APD. After adding the E* and RER tickets, you might be hard pressed to actually save the amount of APD, especially if you also have to add a hotel stay. But leaving from LHR means open jaw (unless flight options after CDG takes him onward to LHR, e.g. via BRU), which evaporates any en route stopovers. Ah well!

 

[hossein_au]

As per original advice, you cannot do Europe to Australia via North America.

I don't want to change the outbound flight; I want to return from Europe to Australia via US. This basically changes the ticket from AUS-Europe-AUS (via Asia), to AUS-US-AUS (via Europe). I thought this was the advice given, or am I mistaken?

 

[Flashback]

I know it's a frustrating job (especially when you have your own life to run), but hey, at least it wasn't completely on your own shoulders?

When I was researching routing options for both my parents, I think I spent what amounted to days looking at availability. Didn't help they didn't have solid dates, so when I was planning I had to have several backups. Of course, some of that changed as we delayed ticketing, which did mean going back to the drawing board at times. (Worse is when availability shifts in and out, for whatever reason!) So, you just put it down to doing a good deed, albeit a somewhat frustrating one! Guess at least it's not my money or points, so let them find out the harder way!

If PER-BKK has disappeared in J, then you could consider PER-SIN-BKK if it exists in J, though you may be out of segments at that point (unfortunately, SIN-PEK is a bust during New Years, for some odd reason).

I was thinking that the itinerary stops in CDG so that means on the way back, you'd take the E* to CDG then save the UK APD. After adding the E* and RER tickets, you might be hard pressed to actually save the amount of APD, especially if you also have to add a hotel stay. But leaving from LHR means open jaw (unless flight options after CDG takes him onward to LHR, e.g. via BRU), which evaporates any en route stopovers. Ah well!

Yep, still not ticketed so don't know what he is doing.... is there still issues with Air China dropping holds after 1 day?

PER-SIN-anything is more or less non-existant, especially in J.

Yeh, figured you may have thought that re: APD, but unfortunately flights out of CDG on the A380 are scarce on the dates needed. But yeh, agreed it comes in much the same plus with extra hassle and more issues moving large amounts of baggage.... stopover not a big issue as no time for one really anyway.

 

[Flashback]

I don't want to change the outbound flight; I want to return from Europe to Australia via US. This basically changes the ticket from AUS-Europe-AUS (via Asia), to AUS-US-AUS (via Europe). I thought this was the advice given, or am I mistaken?

By definition of wanting to change to AUS-US-AUS (via Europe) you do have to change the outbound flight, as the outbound flight will be all the way to the US.

 

[hossein_au]

That's exactly what I was pointing out, the whole structure/logic of the trip would need to change.

At the moment I have SYD-BKK-FCO-VIE-HAM (destination) - ZRH-BKK-SYD. I am now thinking: SYD-BKK-FCO-VIE-HAM (stop over) - xx_ - LAX (destination) - xx_ - SYD. Is this a non-starter?