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

[bcworld]

Thanks for the heads up. I'm a newbie and just signed up to US Div Miles after being a long time Plat QF flyer.

Planning on getting my partner to set up a US Div Miles acct also.

Any thoughts / tips from the group on 2 week trip for late January or Feb 13?

Thanks

Welcome!

Now, thoughts about a trip to WHERE??

 

[ndh99]

oops...America is the prefered choice (LAX or NY) but would be happy to stop over on the way in either Asia or Europe.


I've played with the ANA program and see that TG flights to and from SYD seem to be pretty available in J and F - I'd love some advice on which routes to look for that have availability (ie. is it better to get to the USA via Asia and then Europe (France/Germany/UK) or to try to go straight from Asia?

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[lmere12]

oops...America is the prefered choice (LAX or NY) but would be happy to stop over on the way in either Asia or Europe.I've played with the ANA program and see that TG flights to and from SYD seem to be pretty available in J and F - I'd love some advice on which routes to look for that have availability (ie. is it better to get to the USA via Asia and then Europe (France/Germany/UK) or to try to go straight from Asia?Any advice would be appreciated.

G'day ! If you have a read thru the successful bookings thread that will help you

 

[smit0847]

Looks like you might be in luck.

Buy or gift miles November 1 – 30, 2012 and get a 100% bonus – up to 50,000 miles. Buying miles is the quick and easy way to get award travel. And for the perfect holiday present, gift miles to a friend of family member to help them reach award travel.

https://membership.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/programdetails/purchasemiles/default.html

However not active yet.

YAYYYYYY!!!!

That's excellent news.

Goodness this is going to be a cheap trip!

 

[smit0847]

oops...America is the prefered choice (LAX or NY) but would be happy to stop over on the way in either Asia or Europe.


I've played with the ANA program and see that TG flights to and from SYD seem to be pretty available in J and F - I'd love some advice on which routes to look for that have availability (ie. is it better to get to the USA via Asia and then Europe (France/Germany/UK) or to try to go straight from Asia?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi mate

There are some very knowledgeable people on this forum but if it was me I'd be looking at a simple J SYD-ICN-LAX/SFO/JFK return on OZ with a stopover in ICN. A simple itinerary with a great airline.

PS - I use the very user-friendly beta.awardtravelr.com to search for availability, because I think the ana site looks like it was designed by a primary school student.

 

[QF1]

Does USAir have this promotion every month. I just checked and the 100% bonus is available even this month same as september. the promotion was running in July as well.

 

[burmans]

Does USAir have this promotion every month. I just checked and the 100% bonus is available even this month same as september. the promotion was running in July as well.

Seems to be most months these days, Sept/Oct and now apparently November as well.

 

[ndh99]

Hi all,

another newbie question:

I just opened a DM acct 2 days ago. I realise it takes 12 days before I can buy but when I go to the buy section it doesn't show up with any bonus miles when providing me with a quote for the number of miles I wish to buy. When I go to the share page it does show the bonus miles for sharing? Does anyone know if this because the acct is new and should I just wait and see if I'm quoted bonus purchase miles after the acct is 12 days old? Advice?

 

[markis10]

Hi all,

another newbie question:

I just opened a DM acct 2 days ago. I realise it takes 12 days before I can buy but when I go to the buy section it doesn't show up with any bonus miles when providing me with a quote for the number of miles I wish to buy. When I go to the share page it does show the bonus miles for sharing? Does anyone know if this because the acct is new and should I just wait and see if I'm quoted bonus purchase miles after the acct is 12 days old? Advice?

The buy bonus was targeted this month but looks to be general next month, given its not yet November in DM land, you won't see the bonus for buy.

 

[Pumbaa]

I hope all is ok over there & u get yr flight out (sooner rather then later)

Hi everyone,

Just an update. I have been staying at the Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca with my GF when the storm hit. We were all packed and hoping to go to the airport on Tuesday morning, but when we got downstairs, the power was out, the generator the hotel had running ran out of gas and the reception staff told us JFK was closed and so were most of the tunnels and bridges. There was no visible damage from looking outside our hotel, so we thought everything was OK. Because there was no power and no internet, we didn't know how bad it really was!

All of downtown (34th street and under) has no power. We've been without power since 9pm Monday night! Today we braved the weather and got a private car up to Times Square (Thanks Greenwich). Here I went into a Starbucks, and shamelessly used their free wifi. I managed to Skype US Airways and asked for advice. I stayed on the line for 45 minutes in total and it didn't cut out! Go Starbucks internet! Asiana couldn't help, but I got a very knowledgable assistant at US airways, and she booked a flight back home for us. JFK-NRT(J)-BKK(F)-PER-(J). Not as awesome as my previous flights, but I'm just relieved to have flights coming home. Flights are not available until Sunday and we have overnight stopovers in NRT and BKK.

I had to book an extra 3 nights in New York. We are lucky we booked when we did, because now, nearly all manhatten properties are booked out this weekend. I managed to luckily score 3 nights at the Westin Grand Central hotel. It is so strange to have half of New York without power, all the businesses 34th street down are closed until further notice, the subway is going to partially reopen tomorrow.

My GF and I are going to order some takeout from Carmines in Times Square and take it back to our powerless hotel downtown. We are staying at the Greenwich hotel for one more night until we move to the Westin tomorrow.

Thats enough updates for now, I'll report again when I check into the Westin and have free internet!

 

[kpc]

Great to hear Pumbaa...must be a very stressful situation. Good on US airways for sorting this out!

 

[bcworld]

Thats enough updates for now, I'll report again when I check into the Westin and have free internet!

Good on you for seemingly staying relaxed and taking the situation in your stride! It seems like US have done a great job in rerouting you as well so that's also good to hear.

 

[Shanye2233]

I have a ticket issued in my name and my mothers name . Her middle name isn't spelt correctly it should be Maryanne and its Marianne what can I do ? I don't want to cancel the ticket and start again or contact us airways at all . We leave in 17 days .

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have a ticket issued in my name and my mothers name . Her middle name isn't spelt correctly it should be Maryanne and its Marianne what can I do ? I don't want to cancel the ticket and start again or contact us airways at all . We leave in 17 days .

there is no problem with this. For entry to the USA they will go from the actual name scanned fomr the passport - and that name should match the ESTA. One letter spelling mistake won't be a problem... ordinarily.

However - given the complexities of this case, and the fact that the tickets are coming from suspended and/or closed accounts, it is only wise that you call USDM and confirm the ticket is valid. You should take the time to explain to them that the account is closed and that you need a clear confirmation that you can travel.

Otherwise it may be possible you either get denied uplift from Australia, or get denied uplift at the next port of call (it might be possible that checking-in triggers a review of the ticket). If the ticket is somehow cancelled, the airline carrying you will refer you to USDM - who may well say you are on your own.

However - a quick call will sort all that out in no time. Let us know how you go!!

 

[Shanye2233]

I though she was going to have to do a quick name change . Her ESTA is the same as her passport . When I get to Sydney I'm thinking about checkin online so nobody has to verify the ticket any further . What information do I require to check in online ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I though she was going to have to do a quick name change . Her ESTA is the same as her passport . When I get to Sydney I'm thinking about checkin online so nobody has to verify the ticket any further . What information do I require to check in online ?

the issue is that once the ticket is used (you check-in) there could be a trigger which then gets head office to check it, whether or not you actually see someone or not. If the ticket is correctly identified as cancelled while you are in flight to your first stopover (Soeul?) you could find yourself denied boarding for your next flight, with the polite advice to contact USDM.

I have had the exact same thing happen to me on a Qantas ticket - departed Melbourne ok, but got to Sydney and they paged me to say there was an issue they had to sort out.

Normally the airline would have a hard time denying you carriage if they have taken you part of the way, or if you are trying to get home after they have carried you already. However your circumstances are different. your method of 'payment' is a USDM account which no longer exists. If could well be that the airline deems ticket payment has not been made at all.

DOT protection may not work for you. DOT requires you to have a valid ticket. If the airline shows you don't have a ticket you could be stuck.

Is it worth the worry? Just call them and find out.

 

[Shanye2233]

The ticket is active in USDM . The booking codes are all active so the ticket isn't the issue . I'm concerned about the middle name of my mother so I would like to know how to do a online check in . And when I get to the USA if the agents who take your photo , etc look at your ticket or only your passport and ESTA which match . So according to you we won't have any issues with the middle name ?
I thought about calling the airlines involved and telling them there is a spelling Mistake on the middle name that needs to be corrected this isn't a name change but a typo human error .

how do I check in online for OZ at Sydney airport ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The ticket is active in USDM . The booking codes are all active so the ticket isn't the issue . I'm concerned about the middle name of my mother so I would like to know how to do a online check in . And when I get to the USA if the agents who take your photo , etc look at your ticket or only your passport and ESTA which match . So according to you we won't have any issues with the middle name ?
I thought about calling the airlines involved and telling them there is a spelling Mistake on the middle name that needs to be corrected this isn't a name change but a typo human error .

how do I check in online for OZ at Sydney airport ?

how do you know the ticket is still active in USDM? Have you used the ticket number to pull up your reservation on OZ? That would be a good start. If you can get to the select seat page on OZ with the current ticket number so far so good. What happens after you check-in or use the ticket the first time then becomes your next hurdle. Or even, worst case, USDM tries to recover the full cost of your ticket from you... possibly by charging your credit card in full.

'Active' PNRs in themselves mean nothing without a valid ticket number attached. That valid ticket number can also be withdrawn at any time, rendering the rest of your PNRs useless.

Back to the name issue - absolutely nothing to worry about. Immigration in the USA will look at the passport and the ESTA. When you board the flight in Seoul (and prior to the flight taking off), the passport details and ESTA will be matched against some no-fly list. but none of those are going to be caught up in a single letter name problem like yours. It happens all the time. (If an odd letter or two changed the name substantially then there is more concern.)

 

[Shanye2233]

I see thanks for the info I thought it was a worry . I can select the seats and the ticket was a legimate purchase so no issues . How do I check in online with Asiana at the terminal ? What do I need to print out !!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I see thanks for the info I thought it was a worry . I can select the seats and the ticket was a legimate purchase so no issues . How do I check in online with Asiana at the terminal ? What do I need to print out !!

sigh. While the ticket may have been 'legitimate' at the time of its purchase, the account is now closed right? I have a feeling it should be ok, but you would be wise to check.

On-line check-in for asiana is the same process as selecting your seat. If you have selected your seat on-line then the next step is to check-in when you can (however many hours before departure it is 24 or 48 or whatever).

Are you travelling with bags? You will need to see a person to drop those off. you will also need to see a person if you want priority immigration card for sydney to skip the queues. Someone with more knowledge will be able to step in here, but can you have 'contactless' check-in for an international flight with the ultimate destination as the USA? (does a member of staff have to physically see passports and match with ESTA etc?)