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

[hummel]

When we flew F BKK->LHR we had dinner together at my wifes seat. I sat on the ottoman and the table is big enough. It was a delightful experience

» Birthday onboard Royal First Class of Thai Airways | Sam Chui Aviation Photography

Brings back wonderful memories of having breakfast with my girlfriend at 39,000ft. BKK-CDG TG F. I want to go back!

 

[Alanslegal]

But even then, in Alanslegal's examples, they are talking about going from South Pacific to South Pacific via USA.... why would that be allowed in the first place?My example isn't like that. My example is South Pacific to North Asia with a stop over in USA. Example flight could be MEL-LAX-ICN-LAX-MEL. Would it be allowed? I dont think there are any MEL-ICN direct? (with *Alliance partner obviously, i'm sure i've checked multiple times, but dont have KVS on me now)

In my example I was trying to re-inforce the point that the destination will always be the further stop (>24hrs) away from the origin. We cannot nominate which city to be our destination. [In your original comment you wanted to nominate ICN as your destination when you were heading to the USA which I was pointing out that you can't do it**see below].

For those wondering, yes the stopover can be longer than the destination. I have booked two tickets to this effect with no issue.

**edit . there is no issue flying AUS-ICN-USA at AUS-USA award rates.

 

[hummel]

Whoa - you're the famous Sam Chui?!

*bows down - "I am not worthy"*

I just had the same thought after posting my reply... :shock:

 

[Flashback]

Well, I've now managed to piece together a nice itinerary, being a little flexible with dates and routing.

Hopefully when I ring up the flights will be OK for 2 PAX.

PER-SIN (SQ C) SIN-ICN (OZ C) ICN-ORD (OZ F) ORD-LGA (UA C)
Destination
LGA-BOS (US F) BOS-FRA (LH C)
Stopover
FRA-BKK (TG F) BKK-SIN-PER (SQ C)

All flights found using ANA.

Just need the approval of the travellers, then shall try and book! :shock:

Thanks all for the tip to try via ORD and BOS.

 

[Oneworldplus2]

It brings me much enjoyment reading this thread. Playing the game and living the dream!

Good luck flashware.

 

[Flashback]

It brings me much enjoyment reading this thread. Playing the game and living the dream!

Good luck flashware.

Many thanks! One of these days I'll get around to booking something in F myself. One day............ Until then, I'll just continue to book for everyone else in the family

That being said, I am doing LGW-IST-NRT-FRA-LGW all in C (TK/LH), so that should be OK anyway and awesome value for only 80k return each.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sorry I probably didnt make clear, I meant to ask, can a stop over duration (i.e. time between the arrival and depature flight) be any length of time? Can a stop over be 5 weeks?

Also, does a Destination duration (time between arrival and depature flight) be shorter than a stop over duration? i.e. 2-3 days?

how long you spend at a stopover and destination doesn't matter. You could spend 5 weeks at a stopover and one day at your destination. Your farthest point will be considered your destination, and you pay the price for that zone of travel (so USA is 110K in business and 140K in First)

Clearly I know a stop over in America to north Asia destination is illogical, but is it actually specified in the rules? Just says some other examples, I don't recall any specifically stating my example.

You need to read the rules fully in the USDM membership guide. No one point should be read in isolation, you should combine them where possible. For example, they state that USDM reserves the right to choose your routing, and that stopovers can only be on the most direct routing. If a routing exceeds maximum permitted mileage then while USDM doesn't necessarily state that, they can just not accept your routing because it is not the most direct. A good way to look at 'valid' routings is via the star alliance booking tool on the star alliance home page. Backtracking via asia is allowed from AU to USA, so just take TG or SQ to BKK or SYD, then use the star alliance tool BKK-xx_ - see what pops up. If your proposed routing is there then excellent chance USDM will allow it.

Plenty of F SYD-BKK and ICN-LAX!

But really is it worth extra 9 hours of flying (plus all the layover time) to fly in F than J?

Yes - F beats J (possibly UA excepted as I would not go out of my way to fly UA F). But it's a matter of choice. I would rather fly an extra 9 hours in F and actually sleep for 7 of those hours, than fly business class and get no sleep at all. I also prefer the benefits of travelling First, which are a marked step up from business (again, probably UA excepted).

 

[robcuk]

how long you spend at a stopover and destination doesn't matter. You could spend 5 weeks at a stopover and one day at your destination. Your farthest point will be considered your destination, and you pay the price for that zone of travel (so USA is 110K in business and 140K in First)



You need to read the rules fully in the USDM membership guide. No one point should be read in isolation, you should combine them where possible. For example, they state that USDM reserves the right to choose your routing, and that stopovers can only be on the most direct routing. If a routing exceeds maximum permitted mileage then while USDM doesn't necessarily state that, they can just not accept your routing because it is not the most direct. A good way to look at 'valid' routings is via the star alliance booking tool on the star alliance home page. Backtracking via asia is allowed from AU to USA, so just take TG or SQ to BKK or SYD, then use the star alliance tool BKK-xx_ - see what pops up. If your proposed routing is there then excellent chance USDM will allow it.



Yes - F beats J (possibly UA excepted as I would not go out of my way to fly UA F). But it's a matter of choice. I would rather fly an extra 9 hours in F and actually sleep for 7 of those hours, than fly business class and get no sleep at all. I also prefer the benefits of travelling First, which are a marked step up from business (again, probably UA excepted).

Would you rather fly direct from say SYD to LAX in J than fly via Asia in F with a long layover?

Even flying in F, flying can be tiresome so I would be tempted to fly direct in J unless I had a stopover in Asia.

I guess the problem flying to the States via the west coast or east coast - your options are limited.

 

[k3nnis]

Can someone confirm if using US miles to book an award SYD-SIN-SYD in J via SQ metal, can we use the 773 refurb planes? I understand we can't book A380 and 77W?

 

[Insaneous]

Thanks MEL and robcuk,

One of the pitfalls I had was diving straight into looking for the direct city-city availability seperately (i.e. MEL-LAX component, then LAX-ICN component, etc) on KVS, and assuming all these individual components together would be accepted as a entire valid routing from MEL-ICN (as shown on one of those *alliance routing websites websites, it would not be valid to go via LAX).

So, whats shown on website like AwardTravelr - Searching across all possibilities to make your frequent flyer miles work for you is generally the only way to get via two destinations?

As I am trying to work out how to get to HNL during my trip.

I can fly MEL-LAX in J - stopover
LAX-HNL in J - destination (has to be destination since it's not a US hub/base right?)

Now since there is no availbility in J/F (or even Y?) with Air NZ, typing in HNL-MEL on AwardTravlr, gives me options to get to MEL from HNL which are:

HNL-ICN (J)
ICN-BKK (J)
BKK-MEL (J)

Which seems to be the least complicated one. So the fact that it's on AwardTravlr, means it is a valid routing?

Of course, going via asia means additional flight (and in J not F), but there is no other way to get from HNL-MEL. Only way I would be able to do it without using Award travel would be to pay for separate flights LAX-HNL-LAX, so justifies going via Asia then.

I'm guessing these are inlne with rules, no doubt will have to look again tonight!

 

[robcuk]

Can someone confirm if using US miles to book an award SYD-SIN-SYD in J via SQ metal, can we use the 773 refurb planes? I understand we can't book A380 and 77W?

I flew with SIN on the a380 in J with USDM but that was last Xmas which I booked 2 months prior. It seems since SIN updated there software & we had that mass booking of J and F the J openings on the a380 have gone. I have seen plenty of availability in J on the other SIN metal which if your planning on flying into SIN would be fine surely?

 

[k3nnis]

Oh ok. Would be a bonus if I could fly A380 J on SQ metal using US miles. I guess if I could go on the 773 refitted, that would be ok too Would prefer to avoid the A330.

 

[robcuk]

Thanks MEL and robcuk,

One of the pitfalls I had was diving straight into looking for the direct city-city availability seperately (i.e. MEL-LAX component, then LAX-ICN component, etc) on KVS, and assuming all these individual components together would be accepted as a entire valid routing from MEL-ICN (as shown on one of those *alliance routing websites websites, it would not be valid to go via LAX).

So, whats shown on website like AwardTravelr - Searching across all possibilities to make your frequent flyer miles work for you is generally the only way to get via two destinations?

As I am trying to work out how to get to HNL during my trip.

I can fly MEL-LAX in J - stopover
LAX-HNL in J - destination (has to be destination since it's not a US hub/base right?)

Now since there is no availbility in J/F (or even Y?) with Air NZ, typing in HNL-MEL on AwardTravlr, gives me options to get to MEL from HNL which are:

HNL-ICN (J)
ICN-BKK (J)
BKK-MEL (J)

Which seems to be the least complicated one. So the fact that it's on AwardTravlr, means it is a valid routing?

Of course, going via asia means additional flight (and in J not F), but there is no other way to get from HNL-MEL. Only way I would be able to do it without using Award travel would be to pay for separate flights LAX-HNL-LAX, so justifies going via Asia then.

I'm guessing these are inlne with rules, no doubt will have to look again tonight!

Seems like you dont have too many options. Any legs have F availability?

 

[Insaneous]

Seems like you dont have too many options. Any legs have F availability?

Not on return... might have to check on the way there.

I thought of copying the same route option given for HNL-MEL (which is HNL-ICN-BKK-MEL) and instead return to SYD via BKK (F), and make own way from/to SYD.

however when I plug in HNL to SYD on AwardTravlr, it only gives me Y options (via more direct route I believe), no J or F options for any legs at all.
When I plug in HNL to MEL, I get routing options via BKK, ICN in J (no F obviously)

I'm guessing then that for HNL-SYD these Y flights are the only valid routing options? And that individually working out HNL-ICN (J or F), ICN-BKK (J), BKK-SYD (F) is not valid routing as it does not show as an option on AwardTravlr?

 

[travelislife]

Not on return... might have to check on the way there.

I thought of copying the same route option given for HNL-MEL (which is HNL-ICN-BKK-MEL) and instead return to SYD via BKK (F), and make own way from/to SYD.

however when I plug in HNL to SYD on AwardTravlr, it only gives me Y options (via more direct route I believe), no J or F options for any legs at all.
When I plug in HNL to MEL, I get routing options via BKK, ICN in J (no F obviously)

I'm guessing then that for HNL-SYD these Y flights are the only valid routing options? And that individually working out HNL-ICN (J or F), ICN-BKK (J), BKK-SYD (F) is not valid routing as it does not show as an option on AwardTravlr?

Don't use Awardtravelr as your route planner (although everything that pops up I have had no trouble booking). Check routes on the star alliance tool to see if they are valid routes and then search for each flight segment individually.

 

[Insaneous]

Don't use Awardtravelr as your route planner (although everything that pops up I have had no trouble booking). Check routes on the star alliance tool to see if they are valid routes and then search for each flight segment individually.

thank you, will check it out tonight.

 

[Insaneous]

Don't use Awardtravelr as your route planner (although everything that pops up I have had no trouble booking). Check routes on the star alliance tool to see if they are valid routes and then search for each flight segment individually.

Hmm interesting, so if I use the *alliance tool, for HNL-SYD (or MEL), only flight option I get is get is via AKL, however the Awardtravlyr gives me the options I described before.

Does this mean only flight option I can take is HNL-AKL-SYD, as it is only one on -alliance tool?


There is availability of HNL-BKK, on the same tool, and BKK-SYD as separate search, does that mean I can combine the two and ignore the HNL-AKL-SYD (as its never got award seats)

 

[Insaneous]

Excuse my typing... android phone browser and forum never seem to work for me...

 

[travelislife]

Interesting. I would just call up and feed the segments you want and see how you go.

 

[Alanslegal]

Hmm interesting, so if I use the *alliance tool, for HNL-SYD (or MEL), only flight option I get is get is via AKL, however the Awardtravlyr gives me the options I described before.

Does this mean only flight option I can take is HNL-AKL-SYD, as it is only one on -alliance tool?

I think you should re-read page 1 on the equivalent FT thread, that will help. Alot of your questions are answered if you have read them. Pay attention to "piecing" your segments to make an itinerary.

And it doesnt matter what Award Traveller or ANA or EF or KVS or whatever tells you because at the end of the day, US are the ones who are issuing the ticket and will say if its allowed or not. The search programs only give you a guide in whats available, assists you in your booking process, and can help identify ways to get to where you need to get to.