US Dividend Miles - Oneworld Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[baggyred]

You can select your BA seat when you check in online, 24 hrs before the flight. With their 767 you never know - you may end up on one of older long haul configs with older style J seats (those with fan partitions). Happened to me in September on LHR-ARN, we were pleasantly surprised though the IFE was not working

I'm not too fussed - it is an hour flight.

Looking at the lounges - it looks like Amsterdam doesn't have showers - which is a pain. I note T5 at LHR has an arrival lounge, however it is only for longhaul travellers - I'm wondering whether they will consider me longhaul coming via AMS from HKG

 

[anat0l]

I know I have asked this before - but this time the USDM staff said - you will need to check baggage allowance for this award booking... I assume i'll get the standard J allowances.

You'll get J allowances but they can vary from journey to journey depending on the MSC. For your outbound journey, you must be on CX for the leg HKG/AMS which will be the MSC. Your allowance is therefore the CX J allowance of 30 kg.

I did find it interesting that BA charge nearly $50 for seat selection in advance. For their ****ty Euro 767 - i won't bother.

You can select your BA seat when you check in online, 24 hrs before the flight. With their 767 you never know - you may end up on one of older long haul configs with older style J seats (those with fan partitions). Happened to me in September on LHR-ARN, we were pleasantly surprised though the IFE was not working

The "fan partition" seats are the old Club World seats, IIRC. Also set in ying-yang pattern, but the whole cabin looks a lot more "open".

BA charges for all seat selection unless you are on a flexible fare or have any sort of status (then it is free for certain time periods). Check the BA website. Otherwise, if you really aren't too fussed then that's OK too given the flight length.

Looking at the lounges - it looks like Amsterdam doesn't have showers - which is a pain. I note T5 at LHR has an arrival lounge, however it is only for longhaul travellers - I'm wondering whether they will consider me longhaul coming via AMS from HKG

The BA T5 Lounge is only for longhaul arrivals travelling on BA operated services. So you wouldn't get in anyway if you tried to plead your previous sector.

You could try to slip into the T3 AA arrivals lounge with your plead. No idea of it will work, though I guess you can try appealing by saying all you want literally is a quick shower then you'll be pi**ing off.

Frankly you might have a better chance pleading for your room at your hotel in London - email ahead for early check-in if need be.

 

[baggyred]

^^^ - thanks!

I think if between the wife and I we are carrying 60kgs of luggage... something is very wrong

Can't wait for my flights now! Bit of a pity I couldn't get into LHR direct, however happy with the overnight flight which allows me to sleep most of the way anyway. Hell I fell asleep for 9 hours in Qantas Y flying to LAX a few years back... I might set a record in the CX J seats

 

[d.diddy_13]

Had a good one today...

Rang US to change my return flight for a existing booking (had a dummy return date) basically same flight just 6 weeks apart and from a Tuesday to a Friday.

The agents response was; "its higher miles to fly on a Friday so I would have to cancel you booking and start again" ummm NO, so did the old HUCA.

 

[sergeyvzn]

Had a good one today...

Rang US to change my return flight for a existing booking (had a dummy return date) basically same flight just 6 weeks apart and from a Tuesday to a Friday.

The agents response was; "its higher miles to fly on a Friday so I would have to cancel you booking and start again" ummm NO, so did the old HUCA.

It's a good one! I never liked Fridays -)

 

[gpl007]

Morning all. I've tried searching for this but can't find a definitive answer.

Is it possible to do a stopover in HNL on a return SYD-SAT (San Antonio) redemption?

I was looking for award availability through AA and the return journey happened to be via LAX and HNL, which got me thinking it'd be nice to stop there.

Thanks!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Morning all. I've tried searching for this but can't find a definitive answer.

Is it possible to do a stopover in HNL on a return SYD-SAT (San Antonio) redemption?

I was looking for award availability through AA and the return journey happened to be via LAX and HNL, which got me thinking it'd be nice to stop there.

Thanks!

yes. if you can find QF availability SYD-HNL, or if you can find a routing within MPM via Tokyo. I don't think HA extends as far as SYD for redemptions (the table says south pacific, rather than SWP)?

 

[sergeyvzn]

yes. if you can find QF availability SYD-HNL, or if you can find a routing within MPM via Tokyo. I don't think HA extends as far as SYD for redemptions (the table says south pacific, rather than SWP)?

South Pacific includes Australia for USDM so yes

 

[MEL_Traveller]

South Pacific includes Australia for USDM so yes

for some reason I thought for HA they were limiting service as far as Pago-Pago. so if it extends to sydney that's potentially good news!

has anyone redeemed?

 

[bcworld]

South Pacific includes Australia for USDM so yes

HA wouldn't be possible on an itinerary from SYD-SAT as HA wouldn't be able to be combined with OW partners on a single award. So it could either be a fully HA award to from SYD to one of their US destinations or QF SYD-HNL and onwards with OW partners.

Although I guess an all HA/US redemption to SAT might be possible? HA business class though...no thanks!

 

[sergeyvzn]

for some reason I thought for HA they were limiting service as far as Pago-Pago. so if it extends to sydney that's potentially good news!

has anyone redeemed?

There's no SWP zone in USDM, there's only South Pacific (for both OW and other partners)

 

[gpl007]

Thanks everyone for your comments.

HA wouldn't be possible on an itinerary from SYD-SAT as HA wouldn't be able to be combined with OW partners on a single award. So it could either be a fully HA award to from SYD to one of their US destinations or QF SYD-HNL and onwards with OW partners.

The redemption that came up in the AA search engine was SAT-LAX on AA, LAX-HNL on AA, and then HNL-SYD on HA. Am I understanding from your post that if I were to try and book that on USDM it wouldn't be possible, or just that the stopover wouldn't be possible? Perhaps I'm just ignorant to the ramifications of the AA/US tie up and a booking that is possible on AA is not necessarly possible on US.

Although I guess an all HA/US redemption to SAT might be possible?

Worth a try, I'll see if I can find that routing.

HA business class though...no thanks!

Worse than the alternative which would be flying economy and not spending a week in Hawaii?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks everyone for your comments.



The redemption that came up in the AA search engine was SAT-LAX on AA, LAX-HNL on AA, and then HNL-SYD on HA. Am I understanding from your post that if I were to try and book that on USDM it wouldn't be possible, or just that the stopover wouldn't be possible? Perhaps I'm just ignorant to the ramifications of the AA/US tie up and a booking that is possible on AA is not necessarly possible on US.

The AA/US tie up is not complete with respect of their frequent flyer programs. So the rules/partners for AA don't apply to USDM yet (which is probably a good thing).

For USDM awards bcworld is right - you can't combine airlines from the partner and OW charts.

 

[gpl007]

For USDM awards bcworld is right - you can't combine airlines from the partner and OW charts.

Thanks for clarifying that. Appreciate everyone's help.

 

[sergeyvzn]

The AA/US tie up is not complete with respect of their frequent flyer programs. So the rules/partners for AA don't apply to USDM yet (which is probably a good thing).

For USDM awards bcworld is right - you can't combine airlines from the partner and OW charts.

I wonder if it's still that way. You can redeem a USDM award on AA flights online (and by ringing) on the US Airways website and it shows exactly the same AA availability that you can see on the AA site. In spite of the FF programs being separate still, US Airways and American Airlines are effectively one airline - maybe, you can combine AA and Hawaiian on one award? It's worth trying

Especially considering Hawaiian partners with both AA and US Airways

 

[drron]

I am not finding the same availability on DM as on AA.trying to book an award NRT-DFW next year.AA don't have milesAAver in J or f but every day in Y.On DM I only get a couple of days availability NRT-DFW in Y and nothing else.
So do DM only have AA milesAAver availability and if so why don't they have the same Y availability as AA.

 

[anat0l]

I am not finding the same availability on DM as on AA.trying to book an award NRT-DFW next year.AA don't have milesAAver in J or f but every day in Y.On DM I only get a couple of days availability NRT-DFW in Y and nothing else.
So do DM only have AA milesAAver availability and if so why don't they have the same Y availability as AA.

Is that availability through DM by going online or calling reservations?

In any case, I have no idea. Does your AA status bias your results? If it does, I imagine there is no recognition of it on the US side (but no idea if US bias similarly anyway).

 

[drron]

This was online.I get the same Y AA results using mrsdrron's account who now has no status.

 

[sergeyvzn]

not in my experience. I was looking at Dallas-Shanghai on AA in J and the US DM showed the same availability as AA milesAAver. I was not looking at Y awards though

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So do DM only have AA milesAAver availability and if so why don't they have the same Y availability as AA.

USDM would only have access to milesAAver. It doesn't have the ability to charge extra for additional award space in higher categories.