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

[travelislife]

Shayne, your PM box is full, but the below is what I was going to send to you. Others can feel free to add to if they feel.

The number for the Dividend Miles Service Centre is 800-428-4322 (from the US airways website). So on Skype select the United States as the country you are calling and input this number, it will be a free call. Try and make sure you are on WiFi not 3G so you have a good connection. Also sometimes depending on your phone carrier if you are on 3G they will charge you for the data as some plans don't allow VOIP to be included in the data charges, so WiFi is best.

Have you been searching for 2 or 3 seats when doing your searches?

When you call them be prepared with everything you want to ask and have paper and a pen handy. Don't confuse them with all of the information you need straight away, ask them to look for the two flights you want and get them to put those on hold. Once they are on hold ask if there is a 3rd seat available. Then after all this ask how much an infant fare will be, I think it will be more in the range of $700, but could be wrong.

Just be patient with the call centre as it can take a bit of time and few calls before you have everything you want arranged. Remember you do not need to have bought any miles at this stage. You can do that after you have all of your seats reserved, so there is nothing to lose by calling up.

Thai also doesn't have the flat beds in J to Italy at the moment, only CDG (Paris).

 

[Shanye2233]

Just rang and was told this route SYD - CDG (stopover) - Milan isn't possible because its not a hub city? Who know what's that means . And couldn't get a price for the infant the phone dropped out. They also said flight very expensive if buying miles 120k over $3,000 to purchase this per ticket , funny they work for us DM and don't know their own promo's.

Thai airways have 170 degree lie flat I'm keep trying

 

[sr81]

Strictly that's true. Stopovers with USAirways miles need to be a Star hub city. CDG (Paris) is not a Star hub city so you are not allowed to use this for a stopover.

Frankfurt/Munich/Zurich/London are all hub cities.

Why don't you fly into Paris but out of Milan? You will then need to make your own way to Milan but trains in Europe are simple and pretty cheap. You could also catch the overnight sleeper train which is a great family adventure and tres European.

In times past I have also found that not every phone operator knows what they are talking about. When talking to the operator make sure you 'offer' to take them through the itin step by step. "MEL-BKK on Thai flight"…… etc.

They also know nothing when it comes to buying miles. Just ignore this.

Call back and try again. My first time took 3 phone calls to get it all squared away.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just rang and was told this route SYD - CDG (stopover) - Milan isn't possible because its not a hub city? Who know what's that means . And couldn't get a price for the infant the phone dropped out. They also said flight very expensive if buying miles 120k over $3,000 to purchase this per ticket , funny they work for us DM and don't know their own promo's.

Thai airways have 170 degree lie flat I'm keep trying

I wouldn't even get into a discussion with the operator about the purchase of miles. Just make the booking and say that you will be getting the miles transferred (if they even ask). Talking about the purchasing of miles, or anything else just confuses the issue.

you also need to call Thai and ask about your daughter's ability to travel. They may want a doctor's certificate. You should have all this before you buy the tickets as travel insurance will not cover the loss of your daughter's ticket (or any of the other tickets) if you cannot fly due to her condition.

Always star by asking for three tickets, and at the same time say 'if you can't find three, just look for two now and we'll complete the third later'. by that stage either the third seat will be released, or hopefully over the next couple of days another seat will come free (before you have to pay for them).

 

[burmans]

The AUD is taking a battering the last few days. Now it is 1 AUD:1 USD. I suggest you jump on the opportunity now than later!

Just shows the stupidity of the market sometimes. I see no reason to believe that the US is a better place to put my money than Australia. Personally I think that this is just a correction due some speculators having to unwind positions against the USD (i.e. that they would not resolve their debt issue). Short term they have resolved their problems but over the mid to long term AUS is a better place for your money so my bet would be this is a short term drop and it will shortly be above the #1 mark again.

 

[JohnK]

Interesting indeed. That is a lot of information to digest.

So it would cost around AUD1500 for 100,000 miles assuming the AUD does not continue to free fall.

I do not believe 90,000 miles for business class to South East Asia is great value but 120,000 milesfor busines class to Europe sounds like great value and 150,000 miles for first class to Europe sounds even better value but availability may be an issue for 2 people.

I don't have a US Dividend Miles account so will need to sign up and wait the 12 days before purchasing miles. Will buy me some time to think about it.

I want to travel to Europe with my father in September next year but may not be able to make a decision until later in the year and I am not too keen on purchasing miles and leaving them stale in the account.

Decisions, decisions....

 

[anat0l]

Just rang and was told this route SYD - CDG (stopover) - Milan isn't possible because its not a hub city? Who know what's that means .

I think there is a rule that the stopover (if you choose to have one) must be at a Star Alliance hub only. To find out what the hubs of an airline are, you can use Wikipedia and check the summary box on the right side of the page. They should be mostly correct.

Of course, some have managed to slip under the radar with this rule. Others have said the rule is actually stricter than this, which is that you not only can you stopover at only hubs, but you can only fly into your stopover port on an airline which has a hub at that stopover.

I'm sure someone here will have more experience in this regard.



----------
This anat0l content, if it must be known,
Was sent via Aust Freq Fly app, but not from an iPhone.

 

[Shanye2233]

If yOu buy now and wait on them with another promo there is fear they can changet the redemption amounts as well

 

[serfty]

...
I don't have a US Dividend Miles account so will need to sign up and wait the 12 days before purchasing miles. Will buy me some time to think about it. ...

Cost nothing to join and start the 12 days pending while you do think about it.

What are economy redemptions like.

 

[Alanslegal]

What are economy redemptions like.

not worth the effort as it may cost the same as an outright cash purchase

 

[Alanslegal]

but 120,000 milesfor busines class to Europe sounds like great value and 150,000 miles for first class to Europe sounds even better value but availability may be an issue for 2 people.

definitely great value to eur.

im currently at the tg first lounge now courtesy of these points, heading back to syd after 8 weeks on vacation

just had an hour long full body oil massage so im relaxed but the flights delayed due to storms.

 

[Shanye2233]

I'm thinking about flying in J with TG to europe how you finding their services is there a big difference on the plane between F and J . I know you don't get access to the F lounges are the seats in J the lie flat ?

If you had to choose between LH SQ and TG which would you fly.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Interesting indeed. That is a lot of information to digest.

So it would cost around AUD1500 for 100,000 miles assuming the AUD does not continue to free fall.

I do not believe 90,000 miles for business class to South East Asia is great value but 120,000 milesfor busines class to Europe sounds like great value and 150,000 miles for first class to Europe sounds even better value but availability may be an issue for 2 people.

I don't have a US Dividend Miles account so will need to sign up and wait the 12 days before purchasing miles. Will buy me some time to think about it.

I want to travel to Europe with my father in September next year but may not be able to make a decision until later in the year and I am not too keen on purchasing miles and leaving them stale in the account.

Decisions, decisions....

scratching my head at this one... you don't think USD1330 was amazing value to fly business class anywhere in asia from Australia? You're struggling to find economy for that on Qantas to many places...

you will need to maybe wait until day 13 to actually buy the miles - just to be on the safe side. Some have bought a little too early and have found their credit card authorised for the value but no miles (the miles purchase actually looks like it goes through, but doesn't). They have then gone back and everything was fine to buy the next day... but of course the original autrhorisation stands for 10 days or whatever.

the increase in awards is a possibility... but the liklihood is US airways going under seems fairly remote (and wouldn't it go into chapter 11 anyway?)

Availability for next year to Europe does look like it is a problem on most airlines into London during the Olympics... when checking the other day QF awards even dried up completely in F/J after the 14th of July or something. But generally TG is fine as long as you are flexible... so it might be a wait in BKK for 6-12 hours (rather than the immediate connection) or flying vai another city such as FRA/MUC.

There are also exciting new possibilities such as Turiksih (full lie flats being rolled out across the fleet) and Air China - also rolling out full flats across their fleets. many of those flights are currently wide open.

If you have a flight in mind, then I'd stock up. If no flight in mind - not much point having stale miles as you say.

 

[Flashback]

Looks like I might jump on this now, need to redeem 3x J from PER-Europe for an event that's happening next year and considering the cost in whY revenue is the same as points in J, it's a no brainer.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm thinking about flying in J with TG to europe how you finding their services is there a big difference on the plane between F and J . I know you don't get access to the F lounges are the seats in J the lie flat ?

If you had to choose between LH SQ and TG which would you fly.

Seats on Thai out of SYD on the A340 are 180 degrees flat - just at an angle to the floor.

You will still get access to business class lounges everywhere.

You cannot fly SQ - so rule that one out. But out of TG and LH it's pretty much the same. They are different from each other. Flying LH will give you an extra stop as you will have to transit via either Frankfurt or Munich. Their intra-european business class is just regular economy seating with a a spare seat in the middle. On that basis I would fly Thai direct if you can.

 

[JohnK]

Cost nothing to join and start the 12 days pending while you do think about it.

What are economy redemptions like.

Ecnomy redemptions are extremely poor with SYD-Sth East Asia costing 70,000 miles.

scratching my head at this one... you don't think USD1330 was amazing value to fly business class anywhere in asia from Australia? You're struggling to find economy for that on Qantas to many places...

With taxes it is closer to AUD1,500 and then add on taxes and surcharges for the award and the actual cost is closer to AUD2000. I can get AUD1,500 or less for business class to Asia with BMI so I do not think AUD2,000 business class to Asia is good value.

And if worse comes to worse I would rather spend AUD1,000 on a QF economy airfare and earn 20,000 QFF miles in the process.

 

[travelislife]

John the taxes are a lot less through us airways. They do not charge the fuel surcharges so the taxes are going to be only around $150 all up for a return to asia, but you are right with the bmi miles.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

With taxes it is closer to AUD1,500 and then add on taxes and surcharges for the award and the actual cost is closer to AUD2000. I can get AUD1,500 or less for business class to Asia with BMI so I do not think AUD2,000 business class to Asia is good value.

The USD1330 was including the excise tax of 7.5%, and my last ticket was USD110 in taxes and fees (including the service centre fee).

All up 1440, less about 5% for the ozzie dollar so it came to $1371 (long way from 2000!) QF fares to BKK were running at $1287 or something...

 

[JohnK]

John the taxes are a lot less through us airways. They do not charge the fuel surcharges so the taxes are going to be only around $150 all up for a return to asia, but you are right with the bmi miles.

Hmmm. BMI charged around AUD400 for a mixture of TG & SQ flights to Asia. But on the positive side I can earn decent miles on BMI via car hire and hotel stays so that is a positive benefit.

All up 1440, less about 5% for the ozzie dollar so it came to $1371 (long way from 2000!)

I was going by what someone else posted. I think it USD1475 and the AUD-USD is now 1:1, possibly less taking into consideration the 3.5% credit card foreign currency conversion fee. And obviously I took into account that taxes and surcharges were similar to BMI and othe Star Alliance airlines.

QF fares to BKK were running at $1287 or something...

Not from BKK.

 

[Shanye2233]

On the phone to us airways for 1 hour 40 mins and connection lost after finding flights .