US Dividend Miles - Oneworld Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[_TheTraveller_]

It'd certainly look a bit obscure. Try your luck - I wouldn't rate it on success, but you never know. Methinks it'd push out the MPM.

Thanks for that. I was reading on flyertalk that SJU is placed in an interesting spot on the award charts. 120k F from SJU-Asia1/2 and it goes via the US/EU (depending where). Anyone considered booking something similar to that?

Question: Where is the definitive source for AA/US seats? US, AA, QF and BA all tell different stories... I'm not too sure who I should be looking at?

 

[Beta4Me]

Thanks for that. I was reading on flyertalk that SJU is placed in an interesting spot on the award charts. 120k F from SJU-Asia1/2 and it goes via the US/EU (depending where). Anyone considered booking something similar to that?

Yep. Been there done that. HKG-yvr-jfk-SJU-clt-LAX-HKG. The first half to SJU in F and the return in J. Travelled that in Nov/Dec '14.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Yep. Been there done that. HKG-yvr-jfk-SJU-clt-LAX-HKG. The first half to SJU in F and the return in J. Travelled that in Nov/Dec '14.

Was thinking about SIN/SGN to SJU via AT. I'm trying to get a stopover in DUB but I'm not too sure how I can get from DUB to any other port that has a CX F flight without exceeding my segments. (I need to position in DUB for another flight.)

SGN-HKG-DXB-LHR-PHL-SJU-PHL-DUB-LHR-ZRH-HKG-SGN(11)

Should I skip DUB and book an internal fight from either LHR/CDG to DUB?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for that. I was reading on flyertalk that SJU is placed in an interesting spot on the award charts. 120k F from SJU-Asia1/2 and it goes via the US/EU (depending where). Anyone considered booking something similar to that?

Question: Where is the definitive source for AA/US seats? US, AA, QF and BA all tell different stories... I'm not too sure who I should be looking at?

If you are looking to book US or AA metal, the US site will have the definitive answer, you must look for off-peak awards. I use the BA site as this simply returns seats available to partners (which is the category of seat you need when booking in conjunction with international flights.)

Was thinking about SIN/SGN to SJU via AT. I'm trying to get a stopover in DUB but I'm not too sure how I can get from DUB to any other port that has a CX F flight without exceeding my segments. (I need to position in DUB for another flight.)

SGN-HKG-DXB-LHR-PHL-SJU-PHL-DUB-LHR-ZRH-HKG-SGN(11)

Should I skip DUB and book an internal fight from either LHR/CDG to DUB?

you may find yourself restricted to as little as 8 segments total - 4 inbound and 4 outbound. 10 segments is most commonly seen where there are domestic USA connections which can't be avoided.

 

[Beta4Me]

Yep. Been there done that. HKG-yvr-jfk-SJU-clt-LAX-HKG. The first half to SJU in F and the return in J. Travelled that in Nov/Dec '14.

I should note that this breaks MPM so I originally had SIN-HKG//HKG-SIN in there and dropped those start and end segments as a change to the booking. Cost me $150 but made the booking a success!

 

[_TheTraveller_]

you may find yourself restricted to as little as 8 segments total - 4 inbound and 4 outbound. 10 segments is most commonly seen where there are domestic USA connections which can't be avoided.

Good to know. I guess that SJU-Domestic city-lhr/dub/zrh is unavoidable?

 

[Beta4Me]

Good to know. I guess that SJU-Domestic city is unavoidable?

Pretty much!

 

[_TheTraveller_]

How does this look?

SIN-HKG-ZRH-PHL-SJU-PHL-DUB-LHR-DXB-DOH-SIN

4/6 Seg.. I saw someone on FT do 3/7 with a stop during 5th seg. So maybe they'll give this a pass?

Edit: If QF and BA both say that there is availability on US ZRH-PHL, should I trust it?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

How does this look?

SIN-HKG-ZRH-PHL-SJU-PHL-DUB-LHR-DXB-DOH-SIN

4/6 Seg.. I saw someone on FT do 3/7 with a stop during 5th seg. So maybe they'll give this a pass?

Edit: If QF and BA both say that there is availability on US ZRH-PHL, should I trust it?

Of course there are always exceptions to the general rules. I'd certainly give the itinerary a go and see if they approve. Many others have had a 4/5 itinerary rejected.

For ZRH-PHL I'd be cross referencing with the US Airways site, look for their saver award space (or whatever the equivalent 'non-premium' category is. The off-peak awards are a different category again. You don't need to have space available on those.)

 

[Beta4Me]

How does this look?

SIN-HKG-ZRH-PHL-SJU-PHL-DUB-LHR-DXB-DOH-SIN

4/6 Seg.. I saw someone on FT do 3/7 with a stop during 5th seg. So maybe they'll give this a pass?

Edit: If QF and BA both say that there is availability on US ZRH-PHL, should I trust it?

That looks OK.

Here's some MPMs:

[KVS Tool 7.7.4 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: SIN-SJU/US]

         GI       M      5M     10M     15M     20M     25M
MPM      AT   13574   14252   14931   15610   16288   16967

[KVS Tool 7.7.4 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: SGN-SJU/US]

         GI       M      5M     10M     15M     20M     25M
MPM      PA   12644   13276   13908   14540   15172   15805
MPM      AT   13232   13893   14555   15216   15878   16540

[KVS Tool 7.7.4 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: HKG-SJU]

         GI       M      5M     10M     15M     20M     25M
MPM      PA   11594   12173   12753   13333   13912   14492
MPM      AT   13003   13653   14303   14953   15603   16253

Yours fits within the MPM so that's OK and you may just get away with the number of segments.

Is there a particular reason you've chosen the routing you have? Some of the segments seem rather obscure. Is it due to availability? If so, what are your dates of travel? I'm assuming you're trying to stopover in Dublin?

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Is there a particular reason you've chosen the routing you have? Some of the segments seem rather obscure. Is it due to availability? If so, what are your dates of travel? I'm assuming you're trying to stopover in Dublin?

Yea I'm trying to get a stop in DUB on the return leg as I might try nest another set of fights that are xDUB. My main goals were to get on CX F and QF F. I'm looking at early July for 2 pax LHR/CDG/FRA have no availability.

My SO and I currently have 100k each, and we're thinking whether or not its worth purchasing the 20k miles each (450USD~) to go all the way to SJU and back to DUB then back to HNL. My plan was to have a xDUB rev fare (DUB-HNL-PHL(stop)-DUB) nested into my award ticket but the time constraints for the trip is a bit tight. I was hoping to hop out of ZRH to meet someone but with a 4 hour transit that's not happening.

If I booked A1->EU I could plan a longer stop in ZRH and still have my xDUB fare nested in. Plus 900USD could be spent on some rev fares which earned me more miles and help re-qualify for AA Plat and I could still get to SJU albeit not in J/F. Decisions decisions!

 

[alieninperth]

are you doing and ex DUB run? If so, I would question the need to go to SJU at all. If you are using the EX DUB BA fare I class (DUB-LCY-JFK-PHX-HNL and return) then that would generate about half the EQM for AA plat, and almost BEAC Gold. I think if you routed via HEL on the way out, you would get BEAC gold.

Alternatively you could nest a ex OSL BA run back to Australia and save the return trip for next year.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

are you doing and ex DUB run? If so, I would question the need to go to SJU at all. If you are using the EX DUB BA fare I class (DUB-LCY-JFK-PHX-HNL and return) then that would generate about half the EQM for AA plat, and almost BEAC Gold. I think if you routed via HEL on the way out, you would get BEAC gold.

Alternatively you could nest a ex OSL BA run back to Australia and save the return trip for next year.

Indeed, I was actually hoping to do xDUB run based the AA/US fare with stopovers so I was planning a stopover at PHL and return to SYD from the US while continuing back to DUB and back to A1 on the award later this year. We actually want to visit HNL and friends in PHL.

You're advice will be taken onboard! Very insightful, actually opened my eyes about BEAC and how close it would be from OWE!

 

[alieninperth]

Has anyone any experience with MH on USDM bookings. I have an itin on hold but the last leg, KUL-PER, has not been confirmed and US had to email MH to confirm availability, Is this normal? Should I look at alternatives?

 

[hummel]

Has anyone any experience with MH on USDM bookings. I have an itin on hold but the last leg, KUL-PER, has not been confirmed and US had to email MH to confirm availability, Is this normal? Should I look at alternatives?

My last USDM booking/trip was three weeks ago and while it doesn't answer your question directly, I did find USDM couldn't see what I could see on BA.com

I told them there is two PER-KUL MH flights per day but they said could only see one? I think it was the 2pm dep? not the 2am? Anyway in the end I came back KUL-ADL-MEL.

 

[alieninperth]

My last USDM booking/trip was three weeks ago and while it doesn't answer your question directly, I did find USDM couldn't see what I could see on BA.com

I told them there is two PER-KUL MH flights per day but they said could only see one? I think it was the 2pm dep? not the 2am? Anyway in the end I came back KUL-ADL-MEL.

Thanks,

the 24hrs is almost up so I'll report back on the update.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks,

the 24hrs is almost up so I'll report back on the update.

let us know how it goes. At the back of my mind I recall something similar - although I'm not immediately sure if it concerned MH. The answer came back in the negative (ie unconfirmed).

 

[tm.smile]

let us know how it goes. At the back of my mind I recall something similar - although I'm not immediately sure if it concerned MH. The answer came back in the negative (ie unconfirmed).

I booked a ticket SYD-CDG for a friend and the outbound flight (SYD-KUL-BKK) wouldn't stay confirmed. No amount of calling both US or MH could get it confirmed. Ended up switching a few days earlier on CX. The end part of the itinerary (CDG-KUL-SYD) was confirmed the whole time and he didn't have any problems on that flight.

 

[smit0847]

Is there any easy way to retrieve my QF PNR from the USDM booking without calling QF? It wasn't provided with the reservation and the US PNR doesnt work on the QF site.

Thanks

 

[hummel]

Is there any easy way to retrieve my QF PNR from the USDM booking without calling QF? It wasn't provided with the reservation and the US PNR doesnt work on the QF site.

Thanks

My advice in the past has been to call QF as that was the only way...