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

[JohnK]

Those more clued in will correct me if wrong.... but I believe if you're wanting to go through FRA to experience the FCT, it will only happen if you're actually flying on LH F out of FRA, which can be hard to get...

Alanslegal mentioned to me to go to FRA to experience the first class terminal and then have a stopover in BKK on the return.

I would like to take it one step further and make SKG/ATH the final destination and if I can experience the first class terminal as well then so be it.

 

[kamchatsky]

Just bought 100K points for my wife. Now i have to figure out where to go ...... I wonder whether they allow AU - US return via Asia route?!

 

[hummel]

Alanslegal mentioned to me to go to FRA to experience the first class terminal and then have a stopover in BKK on the return.

I would like to take it one step further and make SKG/ATH the final destination and if I can experience the first class terminal as well then so be it.

Can't hurt trying! Just remember the most direct routing rule..although nothing was said when I booked my trip.

As posted a few pages ago I have booked FRA-ICN-BKK-SYD on LH F and TG C to experience the FCT. Found pleny of availabilty but this was for July next year so a long way out.

Good to see a lot of members buying up big in the last few days, I told my folks about my trip booking and they have now purchased 100k.

 

[Alanslegal]

Alanslegal mentioned to me to go to FRA to experience the first class terminal and then have a stopover in BKK on the return.

John, you were going to spend 120K for a F award AUS-ASIA anyway and I explained going to Europe for an extra 30K would have been greater value. At least two extra long haul F segments, lounges etc for an extra, say, $400 was more than worthwhile IMO.

 

[JohnK]

Can't hurt trying! Just remember the most direct routing rule..although nothing was said when I booked my trip.

The most direct routing in class chosen or most direct routing for the destination.

If most direct routing for destination then it would be SYD-BKK-ATH-SKG and I believe first class is only available on the SYD-BKK leg. Won't be spending 150,000 miles on that one.

As posted a few pages ago I have booked FRA-ICN-BKK-SYD on LH F and TG C to experience the FCT. Found pleny of availabilty but this was for July next year so a long way out.

I saw your itinerary earlier and it looks like something I would want to do. And mine will be June or maybe even October next year so again plenty of time.

John, you were going to spend 120K for a F award AUS-ASIA anyway and I explained going to Europe for an extra 30K would have been greater value. At least two extra long haul F segments, lounges etc for an extra, say, $400 was more than worthwhile IMO.

I would tend to agree that it is much better value.

 

[vlado]

Thanks from me also for the fabulous guidance in this thread as well as the one on FT.

I snagged flights to Europe for my wife and I, as well as our 3 kids and my parents for peak season next year. Were able to get 7 x J seats SYD-ICN on OZ, and 5 J and 2 F seats from ICN to MUC on LH. Our flights within Europe include a few J and a few Y seats, but they are only a couple of hours so no biggie. We are returning at different times so I was able to get 5 J seats on the way back with Virgin Atlantic and OZ, as well as 2 F seats on TG for the parents.

A couple of points for those looking for several seats:
- I used separate accounts for each traveller. This became difficult when buying points as the site would only allow me to use each credit card a couple of times before telling me it was declined. Rang the bank who said there was no problem at their end, so I suspect this is a US airways thing.
- For more than 4 seats, Aeroplan was better than the ANA tool as it allows searching for up to 8 seats
- Neither the ANA tool nor the Aeroplan site showed Virgin Atlantic as an option for me. These were visible on the Continental website and accessible to the US airways staff, so provide another option. Moral of the story is that each of these tools has separate value.

Good luck to all. Cant wait for the trip!

 

[Duffa]

Thanks from me also for the fabulous guidance in this thread as well as the one on FT.

I snagged flights to Europe for my wife and I, as well as our 3 kids and my parents for peak season next year. Were able to get 7 x J seats SYD-ICN on OZ, and 5 J and 2 F seats from ICN to MUC on LH. Our flights within Europe include a few J and a few Y seats, but they are only a couple of hours so no biggie. We are returning at different times so I was able to get 5 J seats on the way back with Virgin Atlantic and OZ, as well as 2 F seats on TG for the parents.

A couple of points for those looking for several seats:
- I used separate accounts for each traveller. This became difficult when buying points as the site would only allow me to use each credit card a couple of times before telling me it was declined. Rang the bank who said there was no problem at their end, so I suspect this is a US airways thing.
- For more than 4 seats, Aeroplan was better than the ANA tool as it allows searching for up to 8 seats
- Neither the ANA tool nor the Aeroplan site showed Virgin Atlantic as an option for me. These were visible on the Continental website and accessible to the US airways staff, so provide another option. Moral of the story is that each of these tools has separate value.

Good luck to all. Cant wait for the trip!

Well done, Vlado!!
I joined ANA to use the booking tool but can't access non-ANA flights as I have no ANA points.
Any suggestions, anyone?

 

[arraitch]

Alanslegal mentioned to me to go to FRA to experience the first class terminal and then have a stopover in BKK on the return.

I would like to take it one step further and make SKG/ATH the final destination and if I can experience the first class terminal as well then so be it.

A random thought or two ...

If you're willing to forgo the BKK stopover in favour of a sleepover (or maybe two) then FRA could be your destination, with Greece your stopover.

Note that SKG is only serviced by 4 *Alliance carriers, whereas ATH enjoys the attention of no less than 18, including LH, SQ and TG.

 

[Stephen65]

Well done, Vlado!!
I joined ANA to use the booking tool but can't access non-ANA flights as I have no ANA points.
Any suggestions, anyone?

There is a workaround:

1. click on the ANA International Flight Awards button

2. enter a random ANA international route that is guaranteed to have flights, e.g Tokyo Narita to Beijing, leave the dates and passengers as default

3. when you get the results the Use Star Alliance Member Airlines button right down near the bottom of the page will now be enabled

4. click on that button to search

 

[Stephen65]

:
- I used separate accounts for each traveller. This became difficult when buying points as the site would only allow me to use each credit card a couple of times before telling me it was declined. Rang the bank who said there was no problem at their end, so I suspect this is a US airways thing.

I had exactly the same issue and ended up having to use two cards to buy points on four accounts so it seems to be a USAirways anti-fraud measure.

 

[Duffa]

1. click on the ANA International Flight Awards button

2. enter a random ANA international route that is guaranteed to have flights, e.g Tokyo Narita to Beijing, leave the dates and passengers as default

3. when you get the results the Use Star Alliance Member Airlines button right down near the bottom of the page will now be enabled

4. click on that button to search

Wow, thanks Stephen.
Fished the ANA card out of the bin just in case Firefox forgets my ANA login !!!

 

[Alanslegal]

The girlfriend just bought some points 50K + 50K from her account and I gifted her 10K + 10K, so she's sitting on 120K and going to fly to Europe in C/J class. I didn't buy any points this round, but for her, its going to be a downgrade from our recent F flights. (Well my next long haul flight is in Y but I'll do it for the team!).

 

[JohnK]

If you're willing to forgo the BKK stopover in favour of a sleepover (or maybe two) then FRA could be your destination, with Greece your stopover.

Don't need to visit the first class terminal that badly. First priority would be BKK and then SKG.

Note that SKG is only serviced by 4 *Alliance carriers, whereas ATH enjoys the attention of no less than 18, including LH, SQ and TG.

Final destination would be SKG so if possible avoid transit in ATH unless absolutely necessary.

 

[Shanye2233]

The girlfriend just bought some points 50K + 50K from her account and I gifted her 10K + 10K, so she's sitting on 120K and going to fly to Europe in C/J class. I didn't buy any points this round, but for her, its going to be a downgrade from our recent F flights. (Well my next long haul flight is in Y but I'll do it for the team!).

I purchased 4 times with the same cc no worries. All one after the other. Also going from F to J is there that much of a difference? From reading only not actually sitting F availability is only on the SYD BKK CDG leg all thai and Thai first and Thai J both lie flat.

I saw availability on F OZ . Wouldn't you say J on TG is better than F on OZ ?

Again I have found some flights SYD BKK CDG ZAG FRA LAX SIN SYD all J for 3 people and two flights in Y for 1 person. I would ticket this but waiting for GS I could push for the extra miles of 140k to go SYD BKK CDG in F but is that worth it just for two flights.

 

[hummel]

I saw availability on F OZ . Wouldn't you say J on TG is better than F on OZ ?

No way. OZ F is one of the best out there. I tried getting OZ F ICN-BKK but nothing showed up so booked TG J.. but will sure keep an eye out closer to date and change if it comes up.

 

[bcworld]

We are returning at different times so I was able to get 5 J seats on the way back with Virgin Atlantic and OZ, as well as 2 F seats on TG for the parents.

Huh? AFAIK this isn't possible. According to US award reservations with VS are economy only.

 

[Alanslegal]

I purchased 4 times with the same cc no worries.

My point is not whether using the same card will work, it will and I have done so. The point was that a person buying the maximum bonus, can also receive bonuses (via gifting) from other persons. But then again this will be all moot given that this current round of promo is about to expire.

So extrapolating this, I could guess a registry may not need to be set up when a person can receive bonus miles above their own purchased maximum.

The girlfriend just bought some points 50K + 50K from her account and I gifted her 10K + 10K, so she's sitting on 120K and going to fly to Europe in C/J class.

 

[burmans]

And dean_AU, i'm no expert on this, but it did sound like you could only get that 50k bonus once this offer not with buy and then gift as well...

That's what the terms say but across the forums there are examples of people trying this and getting both. Too late now but my advice is it seems to allow both buy and gift.

 

[burmans]

The registry may be a valid way to amass plenty of points fast and still within the spirit of the program. Some folks might even use the registry for its purpose, like a proper points registry in lieu of say a David Jones registry. But the potential issue that can arise is when folks start redeeming flights for other passengers who do not share the same surname, or even home address.

So if I, Mr. Legal, accumulates 2M points, and starts redeeming them for Mr. Doctor, Mr. Dentist, and Mr. Product Manager, then potential warning bells might pop up at US. US might even think I'm conducting a business where I buy loads of points under promo, and then on-selling it to those who I am redeeming points for and making a profit. Imagine how simple it could be to say to someone, give me $4K and I'll get you to Europe in First Class, and make $1.5k profit per person. It's possible. Some have even gone further and ripped customers off, see this article here.

Cancellation of accounts may be a rare case, but its possible, so best practice would dictate that you stay within the rules, redeem each passengers flights from their own account, unless you can show you are part of a family, same surname, address etc.

Not sure we are totally disagreeing here. The Terms and conditions specifically don't allow on-selling so cancellation in this circumstance is totally reasonable. But friends and family is a different kettle of fish, if we find a way to do this for some mutual benefit that does not involve exchange of cash difficult to see how US under the T&C's as they stand and the fact that they are advertising the Gift Registry as a way of giving points to friend could then claim you can't. I agree that we should stay within the rules absolutely but just think the rules as they currently stand specifically allow buying flights for friends.

 

[burmans]

nope. some poster on ft reported their account closed after a SINGLE purchase in another name.

can you honestly say you would purchase a ticket for a friend without any form of payment whatsoever? no return of points from some other program... no nothing?

I wouldn't either but legally this should be governed by the Terms and Conditions not what either you or the company think. And if they setup a gift registry where they encourage people to gift points for friends it's going to be very difficult for them to stand up in a court and say we don't think this is reasonable for people to do. So my suggestion to all would be to actually read the T&C's and then stick within these rather than speculate. Equally I believe as a consumer the company will also stick to the T&C's, not try to impose additional conditions.