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

[bcworld]

Still ok to use the ANA tool? Seems the aeroplan tool is the one being recommended now.

Aeroplan has the advantages that:

• No logon is necessary
• No workaround to show Star Alliance carriers is necessary
• It shows inventory without adding in any of it's own rules e.g. ANA won't show SYD-SIN on SQ C (A380), whereas Aeroplan does

I think I'd use ANA if I really wanted to play with segments / routes and have more control over what I was seeing in the results - but for novices Aeroplan is probably better.

 

[burmans]

Aeroplan has the advantages that:

• No logon is necessary
• No workaround to show Star Alliance carriers is necessary
• It shows inventory without adding in any of it's own rules e.g. ANA won't show SYD-SIN on SQ C (A380), whereas Aeroplan does

I think I'd use ANA if I really wanted to play with segments / routes and have more control over what I was seeing in the results - but for novices Aeroplan is probably better.

The problems of using ANA are pretty obvious if/when you use it, i.e. it will generally only find flights with 2 (sometimes 3) sectors when searching for flights and you need to look day at a time which can be tedious. Aeroplan is better in my opinion for narrowing down options and availability over a range of dates and in my opinion certainly good for throwing up options you might not become aware of with ANA. So good for a general search (it threw up the option for me of using OZ for example which just wasn't apparent on ANA).

If you are clear on segments/routes and want more control then I tend to agree ANA is better. Guess it depends on whether you want control, I you have a generic idea of what you want to do (I want to go SYD - New York and or around 15th Dept for about 14 days, what are my options) Aeroplan better, if you have a much more specific routing in mind ANA better.

 

[bcworld]

If you are clear on segments/routes and want more control then I tend to agree ANA is better. Guess it depends on whether you want control, I you have a generic idea of what you want to do (I want to go SYD - New York and or around 15th Dept for about 14 days, what are my options) Aeroplan better

The problem with Aeroplan is I still think you have to check day by day...because the availability calendar almost always says yes, but often the results it is indicating are mixed Bus and Eco itineraries, where the Bus / First sector is just a short domestic connection. I certainly haven't seen a way to exclude mixed class itineraries from the search, the only way seems to be to tick the box once the results are displayed. In that scenario I find the ANA site more useable still, less clunky than the Aeroplan calendar.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

Aeroplan has the advantages that:

• No logon is necessary
• No workaround to show Star Alliance carriers is necessary
• It shows inventory without adding in any of it's own rules e.g. ANA won't show SYD-SIN on SQ C (A380), whereas Aeroplan does

I think I'd use ANA if I really wanted to play with segments / routes and have more control over what I was seeing in the results - but for novices Aeroplan is probably better.

If Aeroplan shows C availability on SQ A380 does that mean it is available?

I thought this along with the 77W were off limits?

 

[bcworld]

If Aeroplan shows C availability on SQ A380 does that mean it is available?

I thought this along with the 77W were off limits?

SQ A380 is currently wide open for business redemption between SIN <> SYD only. I'm not sure anyone knows why but it has been this way for some time now.

Aeroplan shows the availability - ANA doesn't as it automatically blocks SQ 380, 345 and 77W.

 

[sr81]

SQ A380 is currently wide open for business redemption between SIN <> SYD only. I'm not sure anyone knows why but it has been this way for some time now.

Aeroplan shows the availability - ANA doesn't as it automatically blocks SQ 380, 345 and 77W.

You cannot book SQ flights via Star Alliance partners on the 380, 77W and 345. Aeroplan may show seats but you will not be able to book them via USAirways, United, BMI, etc......

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You cannot book SQ flights via Star Alliance partners on the 380, 77W and 345. Aeroplan may show seats but you will not be able to book them via USAirways, United, BMI, etc......

A380 SIN-SYD and SIN-MEL is now bookable in business class (I was offered SIN-MEL by BMI just a couple of weeks ago).

The reasoning behind this is that award redemption (for SQs own members would have been virtually impossible ex SYD otherwise (plus I believe the A380 ex SYD is now all business upper beck?)

 

[travelislife]

You cannot book SQ flights via Star Alliance partners on the 380, 77W and 345. Aeroplan may show seats but you will not be able to book them via USAirways, United, BMI, etc......

Is this based on 1st hand experience in the last month?

 

[sr81]

Is this based on 1st hand experience in the last month?

Yep, anything that is classified as a J Standard award or above on SQ is not available to Star Partners. Only J savers are available for redemption via partners.

In some cases you have been able to book 380 flights but SQ are still restricting availability.

 

[bcworld]

Yep, anything that is classified as a J Standard award or above on SQ is not available to Star Partners. Only J savers are available for redemption via partners.

In some cases you have been able to book 380 flights but SQ are still restricting availability.

I'm not sure that is first hand experience. You're reiterating the situation we all understand / understood with the 380, 345 and 77W.

However many people have now reported being able to make business class redemptions via *A partners, including US, on selected (and very limited numbers of) routes operated by these aircraft. Aeroplan doesn't ever show availability for SIN <> LHR for example, but it does SIN <> SYD.

I don't keep up with KF, but on the SQ forum on FT saver inventory was noted on the 77W SIN <> AKL for example.

 

[travelislife]

In some cases you have been able to book 380 flights but SQ are still restricting availability.

Doesn't that contradict yourself there, sorry I am getting a bit confused. What I meant by 1st hand experience is in the last month when you have seen A380 availability (only seen it between SYD-SIN, MEL-SIN rarely) on the Aeroplan search engine, have you attempted to book these seats and been told they are not available?

 

[sr81]

Doesn't that contradict yourself there, sorry I am getting a bit confused. What I meant by 1st hand experience is in the last month when you have seen A380 availability (only seen it between SYD-SIN, MEL-SIN rarely) on the Aeroplan search engine, have you attempted to book these seats and been told they are not available?

Tried to book and got rejected. Both through BMI and USAirways as according to availability on Aeropolan. Doubled checked the SQ site and whilst the seat was available (Saver) the agents keep having the booking come up as waitlist when trying to confirm. This was on a few days over a week in April next year. This was for the late night SIN-SYD.

Aberrations, ie. things that are not normal, have occurred with SQ on various services but they are not planned nor are they announced changes to SQ policy. This is what I mean by sometimes you have been able to book.

Have you booked one?

 

[travelislife]

That's cool, no haven't tried to book but was looking into it, so not really what I wanted to hear, I know you can't take the searches as gospel but is good to have a base. Will just have to have a crack with the CSA's and see how I go.

 

[bcworld]

That's cool, no haven't tried to book but was looking into it, so not really what I wanted to hear, I know you can't take the searches as gospel but is good to have a base. Will just have to have a crack with the CSA's and see how I go.

To be honest I think you take your chances with SQ anyway. They seem to change the operating aircraft on SYD & MEL flights so often that who knows what will be flying by the time you take your flight!

I'm sure some people have got lucky before, booked onto 747 or 773 and ended up on something better...and v/v of course.

 

[sr81]

That's cool, no haven't tried to book but was looking into it, so not really what I wanted to hear, I know you can't take the searches as gospel but is good to have a base. Will just have to have a crack with the CSA's and see how I go.

Traditionally SQ releases seats to Star partners that are available at the Saver level when booking through SQ. The A380 and the 77W usually are only available for redemption at standard and above.

Case study: 20 April 2012. Aeroplan shows that a seat is available for the A380 SIN-SYD. SQ has it as a standard award level not saver. Tried to book this and got the weird waitlist changing thing.

That said, have a crack. Nothing to lose and getting out of Asia to Syd you have OZ and TG to fall back on so I wouldn’t imagine you will be short of options.

 

[hummel]

Traditionally SQ releases seats to Star partners that are available at the Saver level when booking through SQ. The A380 and the 77W usually are only available for redemption at standard and above.

Case study: 20 April 2012. Aeroplan shows that a seat is available for the A380 SIN-SYD. SQ has it as a standard award level not saver. Tried to book this and got the weird waitlist changing thing.

That said, have a crack. Nothing to lose and getting out of Asia to Syd you have OZ and TG to fall back on so I wouldn’t imagine you will be short of options.

And from what I've seen OZ J looks pretty good!

 

[anat0l]

Nothing to lose and getting out of Asia to Syd you have OZ and TG to fall back on so I wouldn’t imagine you will be short of options.

OZ has been a funny beast for me. When I search for availability in ANA, I often turn up RQ most of the time. This, according to ANA, is an indication that members willing to try and get at these seats must call ANA to request them. Other times (usually closer to the date of departure) it will return the standard symbols for availability, but in any case when I tried to book these through BD I've been unsuccessful.

I'm not sure if Aeroplan shows availability better, and/or US can book these seats easier.

In any case, does anyone know if OZ use aircraft equipped with F for their SYD/ICN flights? That would be nice since at least that gives 2 options for *A F from Australia (assuming that getting SQ F is nigh if absolutely impossible).



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

 

[Alanslegal]

Just to follow anat0l's view that OZ is a funny beast ... yes I agree. Sometimes on ANA it says RQ and then you flick through the dates, and then flick back to that original date and it may change to OK. In any case when ANA said OK, I rang up and booked onto OZ - so no issues for that one sample there.

AFAIK there are no OZ F services to/from Australia

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Traditionally SQ releases seats to Star partners that are available at the Saver level when booking through SQ. The A380 and the 77W usually are only available for redemption at standard and above.

Case study: 20 April 2012. Aeroplan shows that a seat is available for the A380 SIN-SYD. SQ has it as a standard award level not saver. Tried to book this and got the weird waitlist changing thing.

That said, have a crack. Nothing to lose and getting out of Asia to Syd you have OZ and TG to fall back on so I wouldn’t imagine you will be short of options.

BMI offering me the A380 SIN-MEL was a result of their suggestion - the seat did not show on ANA (as we know). In the end I opted for PEK-AKL-MEL on NZ with a flat bed the whole way rather than having to sit in a regular seat on SQ PEK-SIN before connecting to the A380.

 

[Shanye2233]

I now have on hold again SYD -BKK - nar(stopover) -Zurich -Milan . Return Milan BKK SYD .

Again with the taxes for infant $2,119. The CSR said for me to go to the airline and get a separate price for the infant will be a lot cheaper.

Is the possible for me to book for award flights and then go up to flight centre and book a ticket for infant alone wont that ask to buy a ticket for adult so she not flying alone?

Also the agent told me they have a current promotion running the flight is 120k I can go into us DM buy 40k get 40k free log out then go back in buy another 20k get 20k for free and should costs me about $1,600 before taxes. I asked CSR if I could record this information because I'm not quiet following she approved and I did record it. Probably worthless but if it works I save buying 30k miles.