US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[smit0847]

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

I wasn't thinking of ICN-SYD, but more along the lines of FRA-ICN-BKK-SYD...

I already have the SYD-HAM in April. As this is a return USDM redemption Oz-Europe in F, I thought maybe I can squeeze a USA on the way back? So, the whole thing instead of being SYD-BKK-...-HAM-...-BKK-SYD, would be something along the lines of SYD-BKK-...-HAM-...-YYZ-...-LAX-...-BKK-SYD.

There is FRA-ICN OZ F availability on the Saturday 25/10 (which I think would probably beat TG A380 F) however there's no F offered by anyone ICN-BKK so you would have to go J.

I would forget trying to get home via the US - way too hard.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

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

I posted this question on the "success" thread, but just noticed I should have posted it here... sorry! Here's the question: I am trying to get from HAM to MEL/SYD/BNE, leaving on or around 24th of October. I'm happy to fly via Asia, or long way round, via the USA. But am finding it difficult to put it all together; I'm after F, but I seem to get quite a few legs in Y or no availability at all :-( Getting back to Oz, I much prefer if the flight lands at a reasonable time as I will need to book a domestic flight to Canberra. I really don't want to arrive in the country only to have to spend one more night in a motel somewhere.

Thanks in advance for any/all help.

are you using a tool such as United.com to check availability? I entered in your route and date and came up with a ramge of flights, including those suggested by bcworld.

this is probably more a flight search assistance question rather than being a question about the rules or operation of USDM.

 

[smit0847]

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

I'm surprised to find anything for GUM right now for the dates I'm looking for, for two people, but hell - if you don't like flying around much, it's a nightmare on paper! (Something I wouldn't mind at all, but newbies to the entire FF game might take issue at)

How's everyone going with getting to the US DM call centre with the adverse East US weather? I keep getting the automatic "please call back later" message; not even a Telstra-esque queue where I have to wait an hour or so.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if its other AFFers taking your GUM flights - we're all after the same TG F, BR J and UA J seats on the same routes especially during school holidays, long weekends etc. There's a lot of 'guests' reading this forum who may well just read the succesfull itineraries and then go off and book their own without posting anything at all.

Are the lines still busy at 4am US time? I can't believe that many people are actually trying to call then!

from reading thread, and booking last night (hope i don't jinx it), they don't seem to be enforcing alot of the rules at present. e.g. i have stops in USA & Europe but only paid 140k miles and am coming home via asia.

I don't think there has ever been a better time to try and book a ridiculous USDM itinerary than now (providing you can get through!). The agents I have spoken to seem to be caring less and less about the rules the closer we get to US leaving *A.

 

[appaz]

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

lurkers gonna lurk

 

[anat0l]

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

Are the lines still busy at 4am US time? I can't believe that many people are actually trying to call then!

I've tried calling at various times of the day with no success except the "please call back later" message. I would love to be put into a queue, even if very long!

 

[smit0847]

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

I've tried calling at various times of the day with no success except the "please call back later" message. I would love to be put into a queue, even if very long!

I've never, ever had a problem getting through between 9pm and 11pm AEST.

 

[hossein_au]

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

There is FRA-ICN OZ F availability on the Saturday 25/10 (which I think would probably beat TG A380 F) however there's no F offered by anyone ICN-BKK so you would have to go J.

I would forget trying to get home via the US - way too hard.

Sure. Thanks for your help.

 

[hossein_au]

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

are you using a tool such as United.com to check availability? I entered in your route and date and came up with a ramge of flights, including those suggested by bcworld.

this is probably more a flight search assistance question rather than being a question about the rules or operation of USDM.

I've been using ANA and ITA Matrix. I'll try United.com as well. Thanks.

 

[zainman]

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

I've been using ANA and ITA Matrix. I'll try United.com as well. Thanks.

How do you search for award flights using ITA? I only ask because doesn't each airline have their own booking code for award/redemption seats?

 

[hossein_au]

I was only using ITA to explore routings and then plug those into ANA if it didn't come up with them on its own.

 

[Flashback]

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

I've tried calling at various times of the day with no success except the "please call back later" message. I would love to be put into a queue, even if very long!

Can try the UK number, then use SAYNOTO0870.COM - Non-Geographical Alternative Telephone Numbers to get a non-premium rate number...

 

[zainman]

I was only using ITA to explore routings and then plug those into ANA if it didn't come up with them on its own.

Been doing similar things to set up seat alerts using Expert flyer myself today!

 

[legroom]

from reading thread, and booking last night (hope i don't jinx it), they don't seem to be enforcing alot of the rules at present. e.g. i have stops in USA & Europe but only paid 140k miles and am coming home via asia.

I must be so .... unlucky.

They invalidated my on-hold booking when I went to ticket it (MPM issues).

27 hrs stop over (2nd one) not allowed etc.....


****

Could I ask the gurus here about seat selection on TG, TK and ET bookings (from USDM) ?

How do you go about this ?

Thanks

 

[MaxLaughton]

My dad's made it nice and tough for me to try and figure out his first points booking.

He wants to go from Melbourne to Las Vegas, arriving on April 6 (firm date) and departing the 10th or 11th. He's got enough points to go in First (for two people, which is what this would be for) but I'm finding it tough to find flights for him. Anyone able to assist?

 

[get me outta here]

I skyped TG in MEL and gave them my first flt no and they gave me the TG bkg number and then go online and choose yr seats. I found that changing seats, I sometimes had to do it twice to get it to stick. There is a TG theread on here about which seats people prefer. I went for 2 or 3 windows. Originally, though I'm travelling alone, but they had me in the only centre seats good for couples so I changed from that.

Could I ask the gurus here about seat selection on TG, TK and ET bookings (from USDM) ?

How do you go about this ?

Thanks[/QUOTE]

 

[appaz]

My dad's made it nice and tough for me to try and figure out his first points booking.

He wants to go from Melbourne to Las Vegas, arriving on April 6 (firm date) and departing the 10th or 11th. He's got enough points to go in First (for two people, which is what this would be for) but I'm finding it tough to find flights for him. Anyone able to assist?

out bond leaving MEL just after midnight on the 5th and land LAS at just before midnight on the 5th

TG462 J MEL-BKK
TG600 F BKK-HKG
CA112 J HKG-PEK
CA983 F PEK-LAX
UA112 Y LAX-LAS

 

[bcworld]

out bond leaving MEL just after midnight on the 5th and land LAS at just before midnight on the 5th

TG462 J MEL-BKK
TG600 F BKK-HKG
CA112 J HKG-PEK
CA983 F PEK-LAX
UA112 Y LAX-LAS

Over MPM...jus sayin...worth a try.

 

[robcuk]

My dad's made it nice and tough for me to try and figure out his first points booking.

He wants to go from Melbourne to Las Vegas, arriving on April 6 (firm date) and departing the 10th or 11th. He's got enough points to go in First (for two people, which is what this would be for) but I'm finding it tough to find flights for him. Anyone able to assist?

That could be tough? I helped a friend with a similar trip - ended up booking via ICN and into LAX. He went with that as options were few and far between. He has a night in LA which he is happy about before catching a flight onto Vegas.

I cannot remember the return leg but it maybe via SFO?

 

[MaxLaughton]

Thanks for the help!

 

[appaz]

Over MPM...jus sayin...worth a try.

lol MPM def worth a try.. just sayin'