US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[hummel]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Having the worst luck.

It all goes perfect until.

AGENT: "Is narita in japan?"

Japan is 120k because you are stopping over there.

Most agents seem to know that NRT is in Japan. Perhaps try KIX or NGO and just give them the actual airport code. No need to tell them the actual airport name.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Has anyone successfully bought any US DM lately. When I try & purchase US DM today it displays the points section as seen on the AA website ie with no current mileage bonus. I thought you could still buy US DM up until 31 March 2014.

I did a post #37 on the thread below detailing the current St Patricks Day bonus until 25 March which doesn't seem to work. I obviously don't have the luck of the Irish today.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....iles/try-your-luck-mystery-bonus-58343-4.html

 

[Danger]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Having the worst luck.

It all goes perfect until.

AGENT: "Is narita in japan?"

Japan is 120k because you are stopping over there.

Reminds me of my trip to San Diego Zoo: ". . . Koalas are found predominantly in Australia and Tasmania . . ."

 

[travelislife]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Has anyone successfully bought any US DM lately. When I try & purchase US DM today it displays the points section as seen on the AA website ie with no current mileage bonus. I thought you could still buy US DM up until 31 March 2014.

I did a post #37 on the thread below detailing the current St Patricks Day bonus until 25 March which doesn't seem to work. I obviously don't have the luck of the Irish today.

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....iles/try-your-luck-mystery-bonus-58343-4.html

I bought 45k+45k bonus miles last night in two accounts with no issues at all.

 

[Danger]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

In the other thread netgroom posted the following successful itinerary:

TG J BNE-BKK 20hr layover (Lay by the pool)
BR Y BKK-TPE (Stop over for 20 hours, check out TPE)
BR J TPE-CTS Stopover for 11 days (Destination, White Christmas and Skiing)
UA Y CTS-GUM 4 days of defrosting and checking out Guam
UA Y GUM-NRT (Stop over 25 hours)
TG Y NRT-BKK 4hr layover
TG J BKK-BNE

Ticketed for 30,000 and $142.8 USD each

Based on this successful booking would it be possible to for a ski trip from Perth to Sapporo (CTS) and a couple days in Guam? Say something like

TG J PER-BKK (transit)
TG J BKK-CTS (stop)
UA Y/J CTA-GUM UA (stop)
UA Y/J GUM-NRT (transit)
someone Y/J NRT-BKK (transit)
TG J BKK-PER

And all for 30k plus taxes? I'd be looking at doing this in early February.

 

[davem]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Most agents seem to know that NRT is in Japan. Perhaps try KIX or NGO and just give them the actual airport code. No need to tell them the actual airport name.

Seems like a good strategy.

EDIT : Booked

SYD-BKK F
BKK-HND F (STOP)
NRT-GUM J (DESTINATION)
GUM-NRT J
NRT-ICN F
ICN-BKK J
BKK-SYD F

 

[hummel]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Seems like a good strategy.

EDIT : Booked

SYD-BKK F
BKK-HND F (STOP)
NRT-GUM J (DESTINATION)
GUM-NRT J
NRT-ICN F
ICN-BKK J
BKK-SYD F

Even better! I do wonder how HND/NRT are classified though, as aren't they some distance away and therefore an open-jaw?

 

[davem]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Even better! I do wonder how HND/NRT are classified though, as aren't they some distance away and therefore an open-jaw?

They are co-terminals so it is technically the same airport.

Just like JFK/EWR/and the other one

 

[hummel]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

They are co-terminals so it is technically the same airport.

Just like JFK/EWR/and the other one

Gotcha! Explains why United.com sometimes spits out that kind of combo.

 

[travelislife]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Even better! I do wonder how HND/NRT are classified though, as aren't they some distance away and therefore an open-jaw?

They are classified as co-terminals, so no open jaw.

 

[davem]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Other useful co-terminals are FLL/MIA, all the london airports, HKG and shenzhen (sometimes)

 

[bcworld]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Other useful co-terminals are FLL/MIA, all the london airports, HKG and shenzhen (sometimes)

The problem sometimes is convincing US agents that these are co-terminals. They know about JFK/LGA/EWR...but they could struggle with LHR/LGW.

 

[anat0l]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

The problem sometimes is convincing US agents that these are co-terminals. They know about JFK/LGA/EWR...but they could struggle with LHR/LGW.

No different to other dumb things that some dumb US agents do. Like misplacing destinations in completely incorrect continental regions.

 

[Flashback]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

The problem sometimes is convincing US agents that these are co-terminals. They know about JFK/LGA/EWR...but they could struggle with LHR/LGW.

Ehh, not really. It's the same as NRT/HND which agents struggle with. Read out the full name TOKYO Narita and TOKYO Haneda, ditto for LONDON Heathrow and LONDON Gatwick - that usually helps them see sense

 

[anat0l]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Ehh, not really. It's the same as NRT/HND which agents struggle with. Read out the full name TOKYO Narita and TOKYO Haneda, ditto for LONDON Heathrow and LONDON Gatwick - that usually helps them see sense

Also helps if you put on a bit of an American / Southern accent when you say them. Like "Toe-kee-yoe Nerr-ree-ter" or "Hah-nay-der".

I booked my sister on a co-terminal HND/NRT. She didn't quite know where Tokyo Haneda was, but funny enough after she brought it up, she was capable enough to see it was a co-terminal with Narita.

 

[Happy Trails]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Also helps if you put on a bit of an American / Southern accent when you say them. Like "Toe-kee-yoe Nerr-ree-ter" or "Hah-nay-der".

I made a booking to CMB yesterday and throughout the process the agent continually referred to it as 'Columbus' and 'Columbia'.
This after spelling it out phonetically and giving her the airport code.

 

[boomy]

On my last booking the agent kept mistaking BUD for Bucharest. I tried to correct her a few times but eventually I gave up.
At least it was geographically close...

 

[appaz]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

You can't really find these things. The trick involves primarily GUM, but also SPN and ROP?

Common stopovers are HKG, NRT, KIX, NGO, cough, BKK, PVG, TPE, maybe PEK. So you can have one stopover > 24hours and lots of layovers close to but not over 23h 59mins.

You could stay in GUM for as long as you like...potentially just a few hours and up.

I note you're in PER...don't recall seeing a PER-GUM itin but the MPM looks generous enough. PER-BKK-HKG-GUM is well under.

I'm from Perth and booked PER-SPN for Xmas with a stop in NRT on the way home 40k points for F/J - posted a while ago

 

[Danger]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

I'm from Perth and booked PER-SPN for Xmas with a stop in NRT on the way home 40k points for F/J - posted a while ago

Did you do this by phone US Airways in the US? I'm thinking of call and seeing if I can put together the below.

In the other thread netgroom posted the following successful itinerary:

Based on this successful booking would it be possible to for a ski trip from Perth to Sapporo (CTS) and a couple days in Guam? Say something like

TG J PER-BKK (transit)
TG J BKK-CTS (stop)
UA Y/J CTA-GUM UA (stop)
UA Y/J GUM-NRT (transit)
someone Y/J NRT-BKK (transit)
TG J BKK-PER

And all for 30k plus taxes? I'd be looking at doing this in early February.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Heads Up! (I hope)

Did you do this by phone US Airways in the US? I'm thinking of call and seeing if I can put together the below.

With all due respect, why have you waited until '5 minutes till midnight' to start asking about the Guam trick? We have been discussing it on this forum almost daily for a year now and there are dozens of successful itineraries posted and hints and tips listed. You're an established contributor to this site- Why are you asking these basic questions now?