US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[ferni]

For me it was at F check in...my layover was about 20 hours so needed to get a boarding pass. I didn't have to suffer the indignity of paying myself though...they took the cash and did it for me.

Same for Wife and I earlier this year... at F check in (after <24 hour stop over in bkk) they apologized and asked for the 700B PP.. i went to the ATM just near F checkin and grabbed it out, didn't really understand why but wasn't going to argue...

 

[serfty]

I've booked a 6 hours stay at the transit hotel for October...3500THB so currently about $115. Yes, it's overpriced. However it will save 1400THB in departure taxes compared to leaving the airport. Then there's the convenience factor. The rates for 8 hours, which is what we actually need were so much higher so will probably linger in the airport for a bit before heading to the hotel.

Overpriced or not, it's all relative. If you get a good night sleep out of it then it's not too bad, much better then stay awake all night at the airport IMO.
I payed many times more then $115 for "24 hours" stays at hotels but actually used the room only for a few hours to sleep.

I agree - $115 isn't actually all that shabby for getting a good night's sleep on an undesirable connection, and in this location and time saves a whole lot of inconvenience.

Paying $200 on the other hand - which would be remarkably common for airport hotels - would be much harder to make a decision on / stomach, but even then I might be quite tempted unless I had a plan to survive the night.

Agreed that I don't consider $115 expensive for an overnight stay in a hotel, particularly one in a unique location like this...I guess where it grates is that this hotel suffers from very poor reviews, so I'm not expecting it to be very good for the price!

Why are the reviews so poor?

Frankly all I'm expecting is a bed (hopefully not made of concrete), quite clean, not really paper thin walls and no bed bugs.... the rest can look like a dorm or hospital room for what I care, though a bit of character or colour in the room wouldn't go astray.

Well paper thin walls are a regular complaint...hearing every announcement from outside etc.

May be an idea to consider using your noise cancelling headphones attached to your phone with the alarm on; or similarly earplugs with your phone's alarm vibration setting on and set to full, resting against a sensitive area of your body.

I used it once (~$104) about four years ago; booked from Midnight to 6am. The room was actually well appointed. Also, (a very basic) breakfast was included in the room rate.

However, the rooms overlook the concourse and around 2am there was an MH (IIRC) flight departing from the gate below and loud muffled announcements disturbed me for around 45 minutes.

Also, I received an unasked for call at 5:30am to remind me I needed to be checked out by 6!!! In the end I maybe got 4 hours sleep.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

So if you want to use USDM pts for a ret MEL-PVG flt May 2015 - where is best place to search possibilities. US site shows nothing - QF shows Y SYD-PVG - do you keep searching like CX / MH sites or is there a more cleverer way to do it?

 

[sergeyvzn]

So if you want to use USDM pts for a ret MEL-PVG flt May 2015 - where is best place to search possibilities. US site shows nothing - QF shows Y SYD-PVG - do you keep searching like CX / MH sites or is there a more cleverer way to do it?

Try the BA site, it's got most OW airlines covered. Please remember that CX availability is only shown correctly on the JAL site, both BA and QF will show some phantom availability
my approach would be to break it into possible segments i.e. MEL -HKG and HKG-PVG and then check each segment separately
also, Air China might be your second choice, they are still a partner

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Thanks serg - I am such a novice at this caper - TBH they way my 2 previous bookings through USDM were ravaged by TG scheduling changes and then AA/US merger I wish I had not gotten involved in the whole caper.

But we have the points so we need to burn - again tks for your help.

 

[hummel]

Thanks serg - I am such a novice at this caper - TBH they way my 2 previous bookings through USDM were ravaged by TG scheduling changes and then AA/US merger I wish I had not gotten involved in the whole caper.

But we have the points so we need to burn - again tks for your help.

Perhaps you could do the direct MEL-PVG flight on Air China? A long flight but don't need to stop in HKG that way.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Perhaps you could do the direct MEL-PVG flight on Air China? A long flight but don't need to stop in HKG that way.

Yeah I will try for the dates I want and see how it goes - thanks to all for suggestions.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Perhaps you could do the direct MEL-PVG flight on Air China? A long flight but don't need to stop in HKG that way.

agreed... Air china would be my first choice on the route if flying in premium cabins. Much better seat than CX or QF.

 

[ferni]

Yeah I will try for the dates I want and see how it goes - thanks to all for suggestions.

For AC the best way to search is with ANA.... what dates do you want to travel to/from? How many seats? I can see pretty good availability in May MEL-PVG

[KVS Availability Tool 7.3.9/Diamond - Awards/StarAlliance-7D]

MEL  Melbourne Metro / Tullamarine VI AU = MEL AVV [YMML]
PVG  Shanghai PuDong CN [ZSPD]
SAT  02 May 2015 (02 May 2015 - 08 May 2015) | 2 Seats


Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive    A/C  St  Availability
---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  -------------
CA         178     MEL   10:35     PVG   19:25     330  0   FS/  CS+  YS-
CA         178     MEL   10:35 +1  PVG   19:25 +1  ***  0   FS/  CS+  YS-
CA         178     MEL   10:35 +3  PVG   19:25 +3  ***  0   FS/  CS+  YS-
CA         178     MEL   10:35 +5  PVG   19:25 +5  ***  0   FS/  CS+  YS-
CA         178     MEL   10:35 +6  PVG   19:25 +6  ***  0   FS/  CS+  YS+

 

[hummel]

agreed... Air china would be my first choice on the route if flying in premium cabins. Much better seat than CX or QF.

Interesting thoughts. I haven't flown AC but I thought the CX J product got good reviews? Obviously need to stop in HKG but have never through much of AC.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Interesting thoughts. I haven't flown AC but I thought the CX J product got good reviews? Obviously need to stop in HKG but have never through much of AC.

well.. air china (CA) has so-so food. pretty poor IFE. But meal service is completed roughly 60 minutes after take-off, service is ok, and the seats are all forward facing and very comfortable (talking a332s which operate to MEL).

cx has better lounges and service, but I didn't find the beds any better, in fact they were slightly on the firmer side on CX and certainly not worth flying via HKG with potential 1-2 hours of extra delay due to ATC.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

what dates do you want to travel to/from? How many seats? I can see pretty good availability in May

Thanks fermi - May 5 2015 - MEL-PVG

 

[ferni]

Thanks fermi - May 5 2015 - MEL-PVG

Yep can see at least 2 seats in J available on 5th May 2015, on CA178.

But USDM is priced as return trip (no cheaper for one way) so you should book a return... what date do you want to return?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Yep can see at least 2 seats in J available on 5th May 2015, on CA178.

But USDM is priced as return trip (no cheaper for one way) so you should book a return... what date do you want to return?

Yep aware need ret - 11th or 12th out of CRK pref but MNL will suffice. (Hence the KA query in other thread).

 

[ferni]

Yep aware need ret - 11th or 12th out of CRK pref but MNL will suffice. (Hence the KA query in other thread).

How are you planning to get to MNL or CRK? what date?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

How are you planning to get to MNL or CRK? what date?

That is undecided right now - I have a trade show to attend in PG which I might attend 2,3 or 4 days - might just take o/w on PR to get to MNL - but not sure.

 

[ferni]

That is undecided right now - I have a trade show to attend in PG which I might attend 2,3 or 4 days - might just take o/w on PR to get to MNL - but not sure.

Well no J on QF MNL-SYD... how about CX HKG-MEL on the 11th or 12th ? I can one J seat on CX163 on both days, you could make your own way to MNL and then onto HKG to connect to it to get home?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Well no J on QF MNL-SYD... how about CX HKG-MEL on the 11th or 12th ? I can one J seat on CX163 on both days, you could make your own way to MNL and then onto HKG to connect to it to get home?

Yeah will prolly go that way - I can get KA CRK-HKG so it should all work well - will call US morrow - thanks for your help fermi - I owe you one.

 

[ferni]

Yeah will prolly go that way - I can get KA CRK-HKG so it should all work well - will call US morrow - thanks for your help fermi - I owe you one.

With the KA CRK-HKG looks like an overnight would be needed in HKG... also can only see Y award seats....

You're welcome, may need to call in on that when I need some help with SQ

 

[Cruiser Elite]

You're welcome, may need to call in on that when I need some help with SQ

Any time - will be my pleasure.