US Dividend Miles - Oneworld Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[jspeedinc]

New to all this and trying to book BNE -> HKG in J, I can find the seats using the Qantas tool but on the phone there isn't any availability. Am I doing anything wrong or is it something else?

 

[Beta4Me]

New to all this and trying to book BNE -> HKG in J, I can find the seats using the Qantas tool but on the phone there isn't any availability. Am I doing anything wrong or is it something else?

If it's CX try JL search. If it's QF try AA or BA search.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

New to all this and trying to book BNE -> HKG in J, I can find the seats using the Qantas tool but on the phone there isn't any availability. Am I doing anything wrong or is it something else?

US Airways can't always see the same availability as other partner airlines can. Sometimes USDM can see more, sometimes less. JL is not always accurate when it comes to CX (underestimates the actual availability).

 

[anat0l]

US Airways can't always see the same availability as other partner airlines can. Sometimes USDM can see more, sometimes less. JL is not always accurate when it comes to CX (underestimates the actual availability).

So now it's all bets off. Just try anything and if it doesn't work, pull out the backup or try another option!

 

[KVS]

Is there any issues for SYD-ICN/GMP-HND-HKG-MEL-SYD?

[KVS Availability Tool 7.4.2 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: GMP-HND-HKG-MEL-SYD/US]

CTY   DC   TPM   cough   MPM  DC SUR  HGL   LWL   25M  XTRA       
SEL 3                                                           
TYO 3 EH   758   758   909  EH  0M   151     0  1136     0      
HKG 3 EH  1823  2581  [B]1554[/B]  EH [B]EXC[/B]     0   639  [B]1942[/B]     0      
MEL 3 EH  4614  7195  6628  EH 10M    95   236  8285     0      
SYD 3 EH   456  7651  6220  EH 25M   124   187  7775     0

Since HKG isn't a stopover, this shouldn't be a problem right? Another question, ICN/GMP and NRT/HND are co-terminals correct?

As noted in the KVS Tool User Guide at http://Help.KVSTool.com/#MPM:

"When a routing is entered, intermediate MPMs & TPMs are for informational purposes only and should be ignored."​

Also.. is there anywhere to validate JL availability to prevent phantom seats?

There should be no need for further validation, if you are using the [Awards/BA-OneWorld] Method in the KVS Tool.

 

[Beta4Me]

Hello all. I'm usually pretty good on my own but this time I need some help. I'm trying to do a MEL-xx_-NYC-xx_-LHR/CDG-xx_-MEL trip next July for 2 pax in all F (or close to). I've got the LHR-DXB-MEL for the bit home found but I can't find a good routing with good availability for a mid-July 2015 depart from MEL to get to somewhere to head onto NYC. Could someone please lend a hand? Thanks

QFE. If someone could please help that would be great Thanks!

 

[_TheTraveller_]

QFE. If someone could please help that would be great Thanks!

Are you trying to get from MEL-LHR via US? I'm not sure how they'll let you ticket that....

Edit: There have been reports that US isn't seeing the new SYD-NRT F switch. Has anyone tried booking it? Also.. is there any risk associated with the 90 day rule with JL? Any data points that we can go off? I'm thinking about SYD-NRT in March but I'm not sure if they'll let me book it.

 

[Beta4Me]

Are you trying to get from MEL-LHR via US? I'm not sure how they'll let you ticket that....

No. MEL to JFK via CDG (or LHR) If it's MEL-EUR-NYC-EUR-MEL it will be allowable.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

No. MEL to JFK via CDG (or LHR) If it's MEL-EUR-NYC-EUR-MEL it will be allowable.

Well NYC won't be the destination. The distance between MEL-LHR/CDG exceed MEL-JFK. USDM won't allow you to route over to NYC on your return trip. You could BOS which is something I planned.

MEL-DXB-DOH-CDG(stop)-JFK-BOS(dest)-JFK-LHR-HKG-MEL
MEL-DXB-LHR-BOS-LHR-DXB-MEL

Or have I misunderstood you?

 

[alieninperth]

Isn't DXB a QF hub?

I don't think so. I certainly wouldn't classify it as a hub. Happy to be proven wrong though.

Although according to wikipedia DXB is indeed a secondary hub for QF. On the same level as PER, ADL and BNE. In which case give it a crack.

 

[Beta4Me]

Well NYC won't be the destination. The distance between MEL-LHR/CDG exceed MEL-JFK. USDM won't allow you to route over to NYC on your return trip. You could BOS which is something I planned.

MEL-DXB-DOH-CDG(stop)-JFK-BOS(dest)-JFK-LHR-HKG-MEL
MEL-DXB-LHR-BOS-LHR-DXB-MEL

Or have I misunderstood you?

I understand and have been through this before, but it *will* be fine if the it is a symmetrical MEL-CDG/LHR-JFK-CDG/LHR-MEL routing. It would be screwed up, however, by doing a MEL-HKG-JFK-LHR-DXB-MEL or something.

I'm not worried about routing, just struggling with availability :/

 

[MEL_Traveller]

oneworld hubs are listed here at one mile at a time. Qantas is Melbourne and sydney only.

US Airways Award Stopover Rules And OneWorld Hubs - One Mile at a Time

 

[hedge]

Thanks for that MEL_Traveller. When USDM was in *A, I managed to have a stopover in Istanbul which I assume was allowed as it was a hub for TK. If I wanted to do that again, would it be denied since there is no hub at IST for oneworld airlines?

So my question is, are all stopovers limited to Oneworld Hubs?

 

[anat0l]

Thanks for that MEL_Traveller. When USDM was in *A, I managed to have a stopover in Istanbul which I assume was allowed as it was a hub for TK. If I wanted to do that again, would it be denied since there is no hub at IST for oneworld airlines?

So my question is, are all stopovers limited to Oneworld Hubs?

Technically, oneworld hubs and US Airways destinations.

I'd say if you really want a stopover there then try your luck, but have a backup plan. Sometimes it's hard to stopover at a non-hub city without horrendous backtracking anyway, which will definitely make the itinerary look very odd and hard to pass.

 

[hedge]

Technically, oneworld hubs and US Airways destinations.

I'd say if you really want a stopover there then try your luck, but have a backup plan. Sometimes it's hard to stopover at a non-hub city without horrendous backtracking anyway, which will definitely make the itinerary look very odd and hard to pass.

Thanks. And I assume that for destinations, we are limited by the routes offered by oneworld airlines?

I might need to book a funky booking soon, so it will be interesting how many times I will have to call up.

 

[anat0l]

Thanks. And I assume that for destinations, we are limited by the routes offered by oneworld airlines?

For destinations, of course Not going to have much success booking for travel on (let alone flying on) oneworld partner airlines to destinations where they don't fly to! (Just for avoidance of doubt, locations which are marketed by oneworld airlines but operated by non-oneworld airlines cannot be covered in the US DM ticket; for example, even though QF may have their flight numbers on flights which are actually operated by Jetstar or Emirates, you can't select those flights in your US DM ticket).

 

[hedge]

For destinations, of course Not going to have much success booking for travel on (let alone flying on) oneworld partner airlines to destinations where they don't fly to! (Just for avoidance of doubt, locations which are marketed by oneworld airlines but operated by non-oneworld airlines cannot be covered in the US DM ticket; for example, even though QF may have their flight numbers on flights which are actually operated by Jetstar or Emirates, you can't select those flights in your US DM ticket).

Thanks, I am not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that question!

Here is a good oneworld route map for those interested.
oneworld Online Timetable.

 

[boomy]

I'm trying to book one sector SYD-SIN, can see availability on both BA and AA but the USDM agent can't see anything on their system.
Any chance the agent didn't check properly? Should I try HUACA or no point?

 

[Alanslegal]

I'm trying to book one sector SYD-SIN, can see availability on both BA and AA but the USDM agent can't see anything on their system.
Any chance the agent didn't check properly? Should I try HUACA or no point?

No idea but good luck with it.

Spent all of last night and most of this morning searching for flights to Europe for July 2015 with very little reward.

Then realised I had a trip to BKI in March 2015 for a wedding, so I decided I'll tag along a quick trip to the USA ...... lots of searching, very little fruit ... I thought MH would offer more award seats in light of their situation

 

[_TheTraveller_]

I'm trying to book one sector SYD-SIN, can see availability on both BA and AA but the USDM agent can't see anything on their system.
Any chance the agent didn't check properly? Should I try HUACA or no point?

Maybe HUACA? are looking for QF flights? I think it might be related with USDM not being updated or something... USDM can't even see JL aircraft changes.