US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[PapaRubbery]

You first class options are limited across the pacific, pretty much OZ or Air China are the only ones I think (excluding UA direct). Another option is Eva Air Business Class which is meant to be very good, in and out of Taipei. Also out of Australia I think you only have first out of Sydney with TG, CA and OZ. You would also have to buy a separate domestic ticket from MEL-SYD.

Hi mate,

Yeah been looking around since I posted this. Just bought myself 90k - so I'm precisely on 140k for the F redemption, and she's on 100k. At the rate US Air are going there'll be a dozen more promos between now and March 30!

Our current plan is:

MEL-SYD (we buy)
SYD-ICN J (overnight as 10hr layover - Transit Hotel looks good? Do F Lounges in ICN for OZ have private sleeping rooms?)

OR

SYD-BKK-ICN all in F with a few hours transit in between

Then

ICN-JFK F

And returning

JFK-ORD-NRT F if we stopover in Japan

Otherwise

JFK-ICN F
ICN-BKK J/F
BKK-MEL J

Kinda tempted to go NYC-FRA-BKK-MEL but that'll most likely take longer.

Alas, she sees extra flight time as a negative, even in F!

Cheers,

Alex

 

[PapaRubbery]

Sorry gents to double post but the above itinerary is now looking like

MEL-BKK-ICN J Thai
ICN-JFK F Asiana
Destination
JFK-LAX J United
Stopover
LAX-ICN F Asiana
ICN-BKK-MEL J Thai

Or

LAX-NRT F ANA
NRT-BKK-MEL J Thai

Convinced her that overnighting in the transit hotel at ICN wouldn't be as good as going MEL-BKK-ICN in J and enjoying the lounges along the way (and extra flying time - but shorter total travel time, due to better connections).

Keith @ PointsHacks.com.au recommends TID, and claims they will cover award redemptions? Does anyone else have any experience in this area? Obviously OZ/TG would honor any award tickets made post US departure - but were there to be a change in service (eg three class cabin being replaced with two class cabin) would they honour the F booking, and rebook you on an equivalent flight?

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to cover myself for the future. The OZ/ANA F product looks so bloody good. Can't wait!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sorry gents to double post but the above itinerary is now looking like

MEL-BKK-ICN J Thai
ICN-JFK F Asiana
Destination
JFK-LAX J United
Stopover
LAX-ICN F Asiana
ICN-BKK-MEL J Thai

Or

LAX-NRT F ANA
NRT-BKK-MEL J Thai

Convinced her that overnighting in the transit hotel at ICN wouldn't be as good as going MEL-BKK-ICN in J and enjoying the lounges along the way (and extra flying time - but shorter total travel time, due to better connections).

Keith @ PointsHacks.com.au recommends TID, and claims they will cover award redemptions? Does anyone else have any experience in this area? Obviously OZ/TG would honor any award tickets made post US departure - but were there to be a change in service (eg three class cabin being replaced with two class cabin) would they honour the F booking, and rebook you on an equivalent flight?

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to cover myself for the future. The OZ/ANA F product looks so bloody good. Can't wait!

travel insurance will NOT cover a change of class of service, nor will it cover a flight cancellation (other than for consequential matters such as your hotel/food while you are waiting for your alternative flight). it is for the respective airline to either (a) rebook you or (b) offer compensation for the downgrade if any is due.

it depends what you mean by insurance covering award flights.

ANY paid insurance will cover you for award flights for medical, baggage, delays. insurance through credit cards is another matter... some will and some won't provide cover, or will only provide cover under very limited circumstances (one example is a credit card that will only cover you if you have used points for your flight earned exclusively by using the card's points program).

some insurances will cover the cost of the award points in the event of cancellation and in circumstances where the airline refuses to refund your points. I'm not aware of too many programs that fit that category. qantas, us air, lifemiles etc etc will all give you your points back if you (or they) cancel the flight. so no loss there.

 

[PapaRubbery]

travel insurance will NOT cover a change of class of service, nor will it cover a flight cancellation (other than for consequential matters such as your hotel/food while you are waiting for your alternative flight). it is for the respective airline to either (a) rebook you or (b) offer compensation for the downgrade if any is due.

it depends what you mean by insurance covering award flights.

ANY paid insurance will cover you for award flights for medical, baggage, delays. insurance through credit cards is another matter... some will and some won't provide cover, or will only provide cover under very limited circumstances (one example is a credit card that will only cover you if you have used points for your flight earned exclusively by using the card's points program).

some insurances will cover the cost of the award points in the event of cancellation and in circumstances where the airline refuses to refund your points. I'm not aware of too many programs that fit that category. qantas, us air, lifemiles etc etc will all give you your points back if you (or they) cancel the flight. so no loss there.

Awesome, thanks for the detailed reply.

I guess my concern is for whatever reason a carrier decides to stop servicing a particular route.

You are booked on that route.

But given it was a USDM booking, and this cessation has happened post 30-Mar-2014 - your recourse is what? A refund of miles by US Airways, which would now be AA miles, and then you'd have to try to book something on OW, right?

I guess my question is, does the redemption airline have to honour bookings (as in offering alternatives in the case of a cessation), or will they tell you to go back to the carrier you booked with?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Awesome, thanks for the detailed reply.

I guess my concern is for whatever reason a carrier decides to stop servicing a particular route.

You are booked on that route.

But given it was a USDM booking, and this cessation has happened post 30-Mar-2014 - your recourse is what? A refund of miles by US Airways, which would now be AA miles, and then you'd have to try to book something on OW, right?

I guess my question is, does the redemption airline have to honour bookings (as in offering alternatives in the case of a cessation), or will they tell you to go back to the carrier you booked with?

It all depends

But very simply...

Well in advance of travel - refer to the ticketing carrier (USDM).

On day of departure - operating carrier has the obligation to protect you on another service.

At worst case - refund of miles. best case, ticket is re-issued and you can continue your journey.

That's the simple answer. the full answer is a lot more complex and will depend on a range of issues dependent on your particular circumstances.

 

[spudwa]

My wife and I are trying to get to Florida from Perth in Feb. We'd prefer as much F as possible but our booking guy has only been able to come up with this J route so far

Feb 11 - Perth to Bangkok on Thai 484, departing at 9:10a, arriving at 3:05p
Feb 11 - Bangkok to Delhi on Thai 315, departing at 8:40p, arriving at 11:40p
Feb 12 - Delhi to Zurich on Swiss 147, departing at 2:05a, arriving at 6:25a
Feb 12 - Zurich to Miami on Swiss 2666, departing at 9:50a, arriving at 2:35p


March 4 - Miami to Frankfurt on Lufthansa 463, departing at 4:55p, arriving at 8:00a on the 5th
March 5 - Frankfurt to Zurich on Lufthansa 1186, departing at 9:30a, arriving at 10:25a
March 5 - Zurich to Bangkok on Thai 971, departing at 1:15p, arriving at 6:00a on the 6th
March 6 - Bangkok to Perth on Thai 483, departing at 11:55p, arriving at 7:50a on the 7th

He says he cant find any F flying east or west and even if we fly into NY or Chicago or LAX. I can't believe Feb is so popular.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Shanye2233]

If I have made a dividend miles booking for late next year and I want to make some changes say in July am I suppose to call now American Airlines and request those changes on star alliance flights ? And do they know how much miles I paid or suppose to have paid and is there still a processing fee for the change of $150USD Per passengers .


merry Christmas

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If I have made a dividend miles booking for late next year and I want to make some changes say in July am I suppose to call now American Airlines and request those changes on star alliance flights ? And do they know how much miles I paid or suppose to have paid and is there still a processing fee for the change of $150USD Per passengers .


merry Christmas

until otherwise notified you will call US Airways.

US Airways will send you an email in due course explaining everything you need to know.

 

[smit0847]

until otherwise notified you will call US Airways.

US Airways will send you an email in due course explaining everything you need to know.

Which I suspect will be that US cannot make changes to *A bookings after they leave *A as they will not have access to *A inventory save for a few continuing codeshares (which I believe will not include UA or TG). I suspect you will be given the option of keeping your booking as is, or cancelling it and refunding the miles which you can then use in whatever program then exists (DM or Aad). I would be very careful with bookings for late next year and not make them unless you are certain you won't want to change it.

But as MEL_Traveller has correctly pointed out, US will send you an email in due course explaining everything you need to know. My suspicions may be completely incorrect.

 

[Shanye2233]

So that would mean you could make any changes after US airways leaves *A .What if the change is out of our control ?

I made four J Bookings to Vancouver and I want to change them to Toronto when the seats become available on AC so I won't be able to do that then ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So that would mean you could make any changes after US airways leaves *A .What if the change is out of our control ?

I made four J Bookings to Vancouver and I want to change them to Toronto when the seats become available on AC so I won't be able to do that then ?

It depends which partners USDM maintains. They sent us an email explaining which airlines they were going to continue in partnership with.

Otherwise, come 30 March, existing star alliance partners (save for the ones mentioned in the email) will no longer be bookable through USDM (and later through AA).

If a change is outside your control then one of two things will happen. Either the operating carrier will make alternative plans for you (protect you on another flight) or you will have to go back to USDM (or AA) and find award inventory for something suitable. (or get a refund.)

 

[casanovawa]

some insurances will cover the cost of the award points in the event of cancellation and in circumstances where the airline refuses to refund your points. I'm not aware of too many programs that fit that category. qantas, us air, lifemiles etc etc will all give you your points back if you (or they) cancel the flight. so no loss there.

I have a claim that i have sent off to QBE (through ANZ Plat AMEX/Visa CC) because i was part way through a USDM redemption and my brother died and i had to fly back to Oz, called US Air and they said once started can't make changes to itinerary and obviously if you miss a flight the rest of the redemption is cancelled...

So will be interesting to see what the insurance company comes back with...

 

[Foreigner]

I have a claim that i have sent off to QBE (through ANZ Plat AMEX/Visa CC) because i was part way through a USDM redemption and my brother died and i had to fly back to Oz, called US Air and they said once started can't make changes to itinerary and obviously if you miss a flight the rest of the redemption is cancelled...

So will be interesting to see what the insurance company comes back with...

Sorry to hear about that sad news. Will be interested to know how underwriters assess the claim. Are you claiming miles as well as the flight back? In the same class?

 

[casanovawa]

Thanks...

And when i called the insurer they said i could book a flight back in the same class (J) but knowing how these companies will try to weasel out of everything and that i would have to pay for the flight up front and then claim it, i settled for a QF Y flight back rather than get a nasty surprise when they claimed all sorts of sub paragraphs and excesses and $ limits to reduce what they paid out... In the claim i am claiming the flight back being reimbursed and the US miles for the redemption be reimbursed as i had to cancel the trip...

We'll see how i go i guess...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks...

And when i called the insurer they said i could book a flight back in the same class (J) but knowing how these companies will try to weasel out of everything and that i would have to pay for the flight up front and then claim it, i settled for a QF Y flight back rather than get a nasty surprise when they claimed all sorts of sub paragraphs and excesses and $ limits to reduce what they paid out... In the claim i am claiming the flight back being reimbursed and the US miles for the redemption be reimbursed as i had to cancel the trip...

We'll see how i go i guess...

sorry to hear about your circumstances.

I know it's difficult, but you might have escalated the call with USDM. There have been at least two reports where USDM has allowed changes during an itinerary for circumstances where the passenger has needed to make changes in exceptional circumstances (medical).

As for the flight home with the insurance company - I believe they were correct in their advice to you. Depending on how your policy is worded the fare home can indeed be in the same class as travel booked.

but at the end of the day - probably the least of your worries

 

[ferni]

I have a claim that i have sent off to QBE (through ANZ Plat AMEX/Visa CC) because i was part way through a USDM redemption and my brother died and i had to fly back to Oz, called US Air and they said once started can't make changes to itinerary and obviously if you miss a flight the rest of the redemption is cancelled...

So will be interesting to see what the insurance company comes back with...

Sorry to hear about your loss.... I'm interested in how you go with QBE (via ANZ CC) as that's the travel insurance I usually rely on with these USDM bookings... thankfully never had to claim...

 

[Foreigner]

Is it possible to ticket from Sydney to USA via JNB?

 

[seritonin]

Is it possible to ticket from Sydney to USA via JNB?

They will likely charge you South Pacific to Africa miles rate but you might get lucky...

 

[Foreigner]

Would this be a valid itinerary?

SYD-ICN-LHR (stop)
LHR-IAD (stop)
IAD-FRA-IST-PVG-ICN-SYD

In J for 110k miles

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would this be a valid itinerary?

SYD-ICN-LHR (stop)
LHR-IAD (stop)
IAD-FRA-IST-PVG-ICN-SYD

In J for 110k miles

Put it this way - it's worth trying for

Potential issues - London is actually your destination. this should be charged at 120K.

If they allow it as a stopover, you may still get charged the higher zone of 120K.

On the way home you may have some issues with the number of segments.

But as always with USDM, YMMV.