US Dividend Miles - Oneworld Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[bismarck]

They've been pretty strict lately, but just give it a try and see.

As always, have a backup.

 

[anat0l]

How strict are USDM with the 24 hour transit rule? I'm looking at a potential connection that is 24 hours and 10 minutes. To be honest, I'd probably not even bother with the transit if I could go straight through - but 10 minutes doesn't work...

Pretty strict, but try anyway. Just have a backup plan.

People have been known to get away with "transits" of 26 hours, though recent history tells us that strictness all around is increasing. That said, 10 minutes is merely 10 minutes...

Also - anyone else finding issues with using BA.com to find Qatar flights? I have a number of dates for next year where it shows on the Qantas tool, but not BA

No issues in general. I have not used QF for a long time to search for seats, so can't comment on the discrepancy, though surprised to show it seems to lean towards the QF tool, when I would have thought it would tend to be the other way around.

 

[Questor]

If its the 100% promo for buy and gift, I normally just buy 30+30 and gift 30+30. You will need a second account though.

Would you not miss out on some of the bonus doing it this way?

 

[burmans]

Would you not miss out on some of the bonus doing it this way?

You would but I think his aim is only to get the points he needs (120K) rather than maximise the bonus. Not everyone wants a stockpile of points they have no plans to use.

 

[tm.smile]

Most of the time the promo has 30,000 as the minimum for 100% bonus. So no, you don't miss out

eg the September promo:

• 1,000-9,000 miles = 25% Bonus
• 10,000-19,000 miles = 50% Bonus
• 20,000-29,000 miles = 75% Bonus
• 30,000-50,000 miles = 100% Bonus

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Ok, called again and got same answer. The agent said she can only see award availability on QF (in Y) but nothing on JL. I didn't give up this time and insisted that it doesn't make sense there is no availability at all. Then she checked again and said she can see availability for purchase and asked me to hold. 10 minutes later it was all sorted.
I think I was not assertive enough before and simply accepting what the agents said. I just hate to arguing with them but lucky I got a reasonable agent this time who managed to sort things out.

so did you actually end up getting NRT-SYD in JL F?

 

[Questor]

Most of the time the promo has 30,000 as the minimum for 100% bonus. So no, you don't miss out

eg the September promo:

• 1,000-9,000 miles = 25% Bonus
• 10,000-19,000 miles = 50% Bonus
• 20,000-29,000 miles = 75% Bonus
• 30,000-50,000 miles = 100% Bonus

Yeah, I got that much, but with 2x 30k Bonus wouldn't you lose 10k of the bonus miles, as the max you're supposed to be able to get is 50k?

 

[tm.smile]

Not from my previous purchases... I got both sets of 100%. Not sure if the T&Cs have changed in the last couple of months. My last purchase was back in May.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Not from my previous purchases... I got both sets of 100%. Not sure if the T&Cs have changed in the last couple of months. My last purchase was back in May.

Interesting... Anyone have any data points on this?

 

[tm.smile]

Just went through my emails and it worked for July '14, April '14 and December '13.

They were all Purchase 30+30k and Gift 30+30k

 

[smit0847]

Is MEL-HKG-LHR-ATH considered too much backtracking on the final flight? Any MPM issues?

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Is MEL-HKG-LHR-ATH considered too much backtracking on the final flight? Any MPM issues?

No MPM issues but it does seem like backtracking...

 

[Wozz]

Is MEL-HKG-LHR-ATH considered too much backtracking on the final flight? Any MPM issues?

I would just call USDM and give that a go - you never know what is possible.

 

[boomy]

so did you actually end up getting NRT-SYD in JL F?

Yes, and it appears they can see exactly what is shown on JL. The only tricky thing is to get them to look at the right place because the default in their system only shows award availability on QF.

 

[jgm]

Is MEL-HKG-LHR-ATH considered too much backtracking on the final flight? Any MPM issues?

I got PER-HKG-JFK-YVR & ret the same route. The agent didn't even mention backtracking. I was trying to add MEL-PER & back, but that broke mpm. When she said that there was a problem, I just said that I thought MEL-PER may be an issue so I said to drop that leg, & she just ticketed the remainder straight away.

 

[smit0847]

I got PER-HKG-JFK-YVR & ret the same route. The agent didn't even mention backtracking. I was trying to add MEL-PER & back, but that broke mpm. When she said that there was a problem, I just said that I thought MEL-PER may be an issue so I said to drop that leg, & she just ticketed the remainder straight away.

Thanks.

Does anyone know how many days out QR first release award seats to US? 330 days?

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Does anyone know HKG-ADL with CX is bookable? BA doesn't show anything and JL say's its an invalid route. Only QF shows CX going from HKG-ADL. Any experiences with this?

 

[bcworld]

Does anyone know HKG-ADL with CX is bookable? BA doesn't show anything and JL say's its an invalid route. Only QF shows CX going from HKG-ADL. Any experiences with this?

KVS returns results using the JL method. I think JL may show invalid route if you pick a day when the service doesn't operate. It's not a daily service.

[KVS Availability Tool 7.4.2/Diamond - Awards/JL-OneWorld/AU]

HKG  Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok Intl HK [VHHH]
ADL  Adelaide SA AU [YPAD]
SUN  26 Jul 2015


Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive    A/C  St  Availability
---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  ------------
CX         173     HKG   19:00     ADL   05:10 +1  333  0   CS0  YS4

 

[_TheTraveller_]

KVS returns results using the JL method. I think JL may show invalid route if you pick a day when the service doesn't operate. It's not a daily service.

Odd.. I'm checking the exact same dates on QF and JL on KVS and its still saying its an invalid route.. =\ I might give them a call

Any issues my flight from GMP-HND-HKG(23h stop)-ADL-SYD?

Edit: The date I'm checking for is on a Saturday so I'm not sure whats wrong with my KVS

 

[bcworld]

Any issues my flight from GMP-HND-HKG(23h stop)-ADL-SYD?

While it's under MPM I find GMP-HND-HKG a bit crazy, cluey agent might not like it.