US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

Another general question - I want to go to Europe (F) just after Christmas 2014. The outbound dates will be open soon however I plan on staying for ~2 weeks.

Is there any way to hold the booking when the outbound seats are released so that they don't get taken when the inbound get released?

Or can I make the booking then make changes to add the return leg once they are open?

holds are generally allowed to a max of 72 hours.

you can certainly request your outbound seats and make a provisional return, ticket that, then change the booking once the preferred return dates open up. The fee would be $150 for this.

 

[Kangol]

holds are generally allowed to a max of 72 hours.

you can certainly request your outbound seats and make a provisional return, ticket that, then change the booking once the preferred return dates open up. The fee would be $150 for this.

Thanks - is this what most people are doing? or are you waiting until the whole itinerary is available then booking it all at once?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks - is this what most people are doing? or are you waiting until the whole itinerary is available then booking it all at once?

not that I'm aware of.

most people would just wait until the outbound and return were available.

there may be some added pressure with USDM coming to the end of their association with star alliance, and maybe some pressure around Christmas, but Thai is usually pretty generous with their seating allocation, plus they have a wide range of european departure points (F from LHR/FRA/MUC/FCO and some others).

 

[Kangol]

not that I'm aware of.

most people would just wait until the outbound and return were available.

there may be some added pressure with USDM coming to the end of their association with star alliance, and maybe some pressure around Christmas, but Thai is usually pretty generous with their seating allocation, plus they have a wide range of european departure points (F from LHR/FRA/MUC/FCO and some others).

Awesome, I was thinking of trying to get the TG A380 there and back - it seems like availability to/from CDG can be better than FRA (ex-BKK) but both are still available pending dates. Going skiing too so FRA may be a better option for connecting (not that CDG is bad or anything)

 

[Marsonline]

From the StarAlliance website, it seems only revenue customer can have access to first class lounge. Does that mean there will be no lounge access in CDG since there's no TG lounge there?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

From the StarAlliance website, it seems only revenue customer can have access to first class lounge. Does that mean there will be no lounge access in CDG since there's no TG lounge there?

'revenue customer' includes customers on award tickets.

you have a lounge at CDG

non-revenue would be things such as staff tickets.

 

[Marsonline]

Great! I assume one can switch between lounges? Apart from the Royal First/SPA ones, any other *As worth sampling (in HKG, BKK and CDG)?

'revenue customer' includes customers on award tickets.

you have a lounge at CDG

non-revenue would be things such as staff tickets.

 

[anat0l]

Great! I assume one can switch between lounges?

Yes, you can switch (or, as we say, hop) between eligible lounges as you wish. Visit one, a few or all lounges in an airport that you are eligible to enter.....

 

[Flashback]

From the StarAlliance website, it seems only revenue customer can have access to first class lounge. Does that mean there will be no lounge access in CDG since there's no TG lounge there?

'revenue customer' includes customers on award tickets.

you have a lounge at CDG

non-revenue would be things such as staff tickets.

WARNING: The "First Class" lounge at CDG is rubbish

 

[anat0l]

WARNING: The "First Class" lounge at CDG is rubbish

Still has to be better than the terminal, oui?

 

[Flashback]

Still has to be better than the terminal, oui?

Very marginally

 

[Marsonline]

Which one? Or do you mean all of them?

WARNING: The "First Class" lounge at CDG is rubbish

 

[legroom]

Which one? Or do you mean all of them?

I think (s)he was referring to the Star Alliance F lounge.

Tres ordinaire !

Smallish room, average Ikea furniture, limited range of food and drink, cramped lift going up

Sure, better than the public benches but mainly for the quiet-rest factor, nothing more

 

[Marsonline]

Will Lufthansa's Senator be better?

I think (s)he was referring to the Star Alliance F lounge.

Tres ordinaire !

Smallish room, average Ikea furniture, limited range of food and drink, cramped lift going up

Sure, better than the public benches but mainly for the quiet-rest factor, nothing more

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Will Lufthansa's Senator be better?

you can google 'images' for the star alliance F lounge at CDG

 

[Marsonline]

Haha, I did and I actually read a TR by 'One Mile At A Time'. Seems like there will be a long walk to get there:-|

Thanks everyone, I think the conclusion is I shall 'lower my expectation'

you can google 'images' for the star alliance F lounge at CDG

 

[travelislife]

not that I'm aware of.

most people would just wait until the outbound and return were available.

there may be some added pressure with USDM coming to the end of their association with star alliance, and maybe some pressure around Christmas, but Thai is usually pretty generous with their seating allocation, plus they have a wide range of european departure points (F from LHR/FRA/MUC/FCO and some others).

Also with United's pending devaluation I think Star Alliance inventory is getting hit pretty hard with redemptions at the moment. Combination of the perfect storm with USDM departing and United devaluing.

 

[anat0l]

Just to add to it, although it likely comes to no surprise to many, but I can confirm that from using ANA, there is plenty of SQ J availability between Australia and SIN (I did search BNE/SIN in J; I assume it's much the same for other routes), but only for the next 14 days.

Naturally, if you switch your already-booked itineraries to use SQ sectors, you'll incur the change fee of USD 150. If you book within the requisite 14 days before departure (possibly not possible for your return journey), you'll be charged the expedited ticketing fee of USD 75.

 

[bismarck]

Would love the advice of some wiser members here.

Am trying to get to Jamaica for my honeymoon in October and am looking to travel J or F with minimal connections (SWMBO does not appreciate time spent on planes as much as I do).

Asiana via Seoul seem to have the best availability to the USA from Sydney but I'm wondering if there are any other carriers I should consider for a one-stop trip to the US? (No availability on the United flight direct to LA).

 

[bcworld]

Would love the advice of some wiser members here.

Am trying to get to Jamaica for my honeymoon in October and am looking to travel J or F with minimal connections (SWMBO does not appreciate time spent on planes as much as I do).

Asiana via Seoul seem to have the best availability to the USA from Sydney but I'm wondering if there are any other carriers I should consider for a one-stop trip to the US? (No availability on the United flight direct to LA).

All other options involve more than one stop...although it may be a technical stop of just an hour or so.

From SYD on TG: SYD-BKK-ICN-LAX - the stop in ICN is 90 minutes however I never see J availability on the BKK-LAX flight.

Going to SIN isn't going to help as you will not be able to book flights to the US operated by A380 or 77W.

You're very unlikely to find NZ availability, especially for 2 but you could look at SYD-AKL-SFO/LAX.

You'll likely find Air China options to various US cities too...one of them might even give you a nice connection to Jamaica...IAH??? SYD-PEK-IAH....

For reference the MPM figure for KIN is 15533.

[KVS Availability Tool 7.3.3 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: SYD-KIN/US]

         GI       M      5M     10M     15M     20M     25M     
MPM      PA   12427   13048   13669   14291   14912   15533