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

[Shanye2233]

Why would You start out of SIN. Isnt MLE a part of the south pacific so there direct
Out of SYD to MLE ? I though anything Asia redemption miles are 90k+ in J .

Is it possible to get a cheap flight to NRT or HND then you can go anywhere in Asia for the lower redemption?

You can also register for the US DM
GS 2011 now

 

[sr81]

Why would You start out of SIN. Isnt MLE a part of the south pacific so there direct

Wrong. MLE is part of Asia. It is in the Indian Ocean.

Back OT - quick Aeroplan search doesn't provide anything interesting with route. Shame that you can't head via ICN/NRT. SQ is the only option.

 

[Shanye2233]

Your right i was thinking of bora bora.Maybe it is a good idea to get cheap flights to Asia and then redeem the miles. I saw JQ flights $200 one way to Japan then flight around Asia for cheaper redemption then coming out if SYD.
I been trying to go ZAG via MCO I did it once but the ticket expired I couldn't get thru to US because of hirrican Irene

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Your right i was thinking of bora bora.Maybe it is a good idea to get cheap flights to Asia and then redeem the miles. I saw JQ flights $200 one way to Japan then flight around Asia for cheaper redemption then coming out if SYD.
I been trying to go ZAG via MCO I did it once but the ticket expired I couldn't get thru to US because of hirrican Irene

it very much depends on where in Asia you want to go. if you are going to china, Korea or Japan, ok. you can get an Asia zone 1 award for 30k in business.

but anywhere else in Asia is 60k from Japan. so you might as well buy the 90k from australia than waste $200 each way on a jetstar airfare.

 

[sr81]

Off to Boracay for the Honeymoon next April. MEL-BKK-MNL rt on Thai in J. Great flights with everything overnight so very minimal beach time lost.

90,000 each with taxes of USD84.97.

Easy. I had 26,000 miles and the partner 0. Bought 64000 for me and 100,000 for parnter. Total cost about AUD2500. Great value for two people.

As a point of comparison I had wanted to go to Broome. But at nearly AUD1000 for return economy and AUD150+ per night in a motel Boracay is the budget (!) option. Obviously the term budget here is relative but we went to Noosa in Nov last year so wanted something a little different.

 

[travelislife]

Nice sr81, I think people forget how using this method is just great value. I know everyone seems to try and max it out through crazy routings, etc. but it is hardly worth your time. Nice and simple and an extremely cheap J ticket!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[markis10]

Off to Boracay for the Honeymoon next April.

OT - Different trip purpose to this trip report but I am sure you will find some valuable tips amongst the laughs if you have not already read it.

The Eightblack Family Holiday... - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[sr81]

OT - Different trip purpose to this trip report but I am sure you will find some valuable tips amongst the laughs if you have not already read it.

The Eightblack Family Holiday... - FlyerTalk Forums

Where do you think the idea came from.......

 

[neon_crossing]

Thank you legends of this website/forum.

Booked:

BNE > AKL J NZ
AKL > LAX J NZ
LAX > ORD F UA
ORD > SEA F UA
SEA > ICN J OS
ICN > SYD J OS

 

[Shanye2233]

90k in J should be 110k .

That's what I'm talking about good work . Where do they think your going north Asia ?

 

[neon_crossing]

90k in J should be 110k .

That's what I'm talking about good work . Where do they think your going north Asia ?

Yeah I think I just lucked out with a ridiculously nice call centre employee, had a good 45 min yarn on the phone finding applicable flights and they'll get a shlt-ton of my business in the future, already got 3 other people to load up on points! I expect the aussie accent may have helped!


What did kind of piss me off though is that United first class passengers don't get comp access to the red carpet club (which lets face it pretty much blows compared to other domestic lounges) in hindsight I would have booked the LAX>ORD and ORD>SEA routes with a stopover and gone US Airways F class.

 

[Shanye2233]

Hahah I agree with the Aussie accent . One agent told me I'm flying F in domestic US my whole trip is redeemed as F I hung up two mins later

 

[lmere12]

worked out to be $1625 AUD all up incl taxes etc. and got 10,000 pts left over.

Someone give me a hell yeah!

Hell YEAH !!!! - good stuff

Hahah I agree with the Aussie accent . One agent told me I'm flying F in domestic US my whole trip is redeemed as F I hung up two mins later

Shanye2233, have you sorted your bookings yet ?

 

[serfty]

...

What did kind of piss me off though is that United first class passengers don't get comp access to the red carpet club (which lets face it pretty much blows compared to other domestic lounges) in hindsight I would have booked the LAX>ORD and ORD>SEA routes with a stopover and gone US Airways F class.

US would make no difference - except for some defined routes/services, typically legacy USA airlines do not give lounge access to their First Class passengers flying domestically.

 

[neon_crossing]

Yeah I think it is bizarre and assumed it would be a given.
Got a good deal overall so I can't complain, I will have. 30 day delta sky club pass running anyway (also a great deal).
The only thing I didn't like about the Star Alliance deal was the lack of options from Adelaide, I have to fork out Y fares to&from ADL but with short notice the deal is still exceptional. When I book one later next year I'll have to make sure I get the ADL>AKL included, even if it is whY.
Does anyone know what time frame Air NZ release their reward flights for Star Alliance partners to snap up?

 

[Stephen65]

Concerning expiry of miles, the terms and conditions say:

Miles are subject to forfeiture if no miles have been earned or redeemed within a consecutive 18-month period.

I take it buying more miles counts as earning miles?

EDIT: I just signed myself, the wife and two kids up for memberships each. It's 11.45pm in New York so I figure I just scraped into joining on 2 September and should be good to buy miles on either the 14th or 15th.

 

[Shanye2233]

I have put a few different intinaries on hold haven't paid for any yet. I'm goin to wait until after I do the GS 2011 I should be able to save a few thou doing it for the whole family with 4 different accounts . I think I shpuld be able to get 24-28 hits on my account the rest wife and kids hoping for about 16 hits

My big question is when do I purchase miles and share miles as the dates are different . The promo starts on the 14th and the bonus double miles ends on the 15th so what's that our time ?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Regarding the deduction of the incorrect number of miles... 90K for a north US itinerary instead of 110K... my suggestion is that you call US airways back and correct the error.

US does periodically audit accounts and itineraries, if they find the error you may find your flights cancelled.

For the difference in cost (a couple hundred dollars) I would make sure that everything is in order. It could be almost impossible to resurrect the booking at a later stage due to availability.

Shanye... I still do not understand why you are putting itineraries on hold? They expire after 3 days. Is it not wasting your time to continuously ring and make these bookings for which you have no intention of completing? The only availabillity that matters is at the time you are going to be able to complete the itinerary and pay for it...

 

[travelislife]

Shanye... I still do not understand why you are putting itineraries on hold? They expire after 3 days. Is it not wasting your time to continuously ring and make these bookings for which you have no intention of completing? The only availabillity that matters is at the time you are going to be able to complete the itinerary and pay for it...

I have asked Shanye this and he hasn't really said why unfortunately. It isn't just a crazy waste of time but is a bit annoying for those who would actually be trying to book itineraries with the seats being held then released again, also the agents time!

The trip I booked took 2 calls of about 15 mins each. Itinerary on hold, bought miles, called back and paid, all done and dusted.

 

[casanovawa]

Flying out of Perth to Europe, and wanting to fly in J, do you think they would let you use any other options than Thai or maybe SIA???

Obviously flying out of Sydney would give you more options eg Asiana etc, but would probably require flying via NZ first and then to Sydney and then a greater choice of airlines to fly longer routes and enjoy J for longer... But would they insist pretty strictly that the shortest route must be used via BKK or SIA...

And does anyone know where some good example itineraries might be using these tickets, I would like to book my dad a return J fare to Europe somewhere with a stop over to the US...