US Dividend Miles - Oneworld Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[MEL_Traveller]

Do USDM agents see your award/correspondence history when you call up?

I am rapidly approaching the 335 day window for my outbound next year and quite keen on securing the outbound leg.

One option I thought of was to call up and reserve an outbound for 3 days, let it expire and then call up again - and effectively have it on hold for a couple of weeks.

The other solutions seem to be - sweettalk the USDM rep and see if you can extend longer (as per flyer talk) or alternatively just book a dummy return and pay the $150 fee (each)

There is no guarantee an expired award reservation will return to the general pool. Cathay allows members to waitlist for awards, so I suspect as soon as the hold expires it will be allocated to someone else. Not sure if other airlines have similar arrangements. But in any event, yield management may decide not to replace it.

The extended hold mentioned on Flyertalk concerned US metal flights. US has control over their own metal and can determine how long they want to hold something. They don't have the same control over partner flights. Partner airlines can cancel the award after the agree hold period. Which is a fair outcome and stops people holding award space they may never use.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Rang this arv and the agent was able to see seats avail for earlier departure into ZRH so all problems solved JAL / BA weren't showing the availability for these so I was surprised when the agent found them. Will ring back tomorrow and ticket.
thank you

That seems pretty consistent: while the JL/QF/BA tools are a reasonable indicator, always worth checking with USDM as to what they can see (may be more, may be less).

 

[baggyred]

There is no guarantee an expired award reservation will return to the general pool. Cathay allows members to waitlist for awards, so I suspect as soon as the hold expires it will be allocated to someone else. Not sure if other airlines have similar arrangements. But in any event, yield management may decide not to replace it.

The extended hold mentioned on Flyertalk concerned US metal flights. US has control over their own metal and can determine how long they want to hold something. They don't have the same control over partner flights. Partner airlines can cancel the award after the agree hold period. Which is a fair outcome and stops people holding award space they may never use.

Thanks for that - reckon the dummy return and the $150 change fee seem the best bet then

 

[Flippantflyer]

Has anyone tried to change a mixed class award flight recently (ie trying to change a single business class leg to first when the rest of the itinerary is first) lately? Usdm won't let me... Also it appears they put a notation on your booking when you hug a now . Would appreciate any advice (especially as in this case it was a stuff up at their end, was supposed to be all first class to begin with)

 

[Flippantflyer]

Sorry huaca, "hug" was autocorrect gone mad!

 

[bcworld]

Has anyone tried to change a mixed class award flight recently (ie trying to change a single business class leg to first when the rest of the itinerary is first) lately? Usdm won't let me... Also it appears they put a notation on your booking when you hug a now . Would appreciate any advice (especially as in this case it was a stuff up at their end, was supposed to be all first class to begin with)

I don't think they allow this anymore...not since they introduced average pricing for mixed class awards.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Has anyone tried to change a mixed class award flight recently (ie trying to change a single business class leg to first when the rest of the itinerary is first) lately? Usdm won't let me... Also it appears they put a notation on your booking when you hug a now . Would appreciate any advice (especially as in this case it was a stuff up at their end, was supposed to be all first class to begin with)

Confirming bcworld's reply - it is difficult. You might get an agent to do it, but unlikely these days.

If there is sufficient award space you can cancel and rebook the whole thing.

 

[smit0847]

Trying to help a mate book USDM flight from CDG/MXP-MEL 2 pax J 24, 25 of 26 Sep. Agents saying only MH and BA available. Can anyone see any QR of CX. Tried routings via DOH, HKG, SIN, PER etc but no availability.

He has found CDG-DOH but can't get home from there.

Is he too early or too late?

 

[diningdecadence]

I don't think they allow this anymore...not since they introduced average pricing for mixed class awards.

que? where can I read more about that? couldn't find it at https://www.usairways.com/en-US/Resources/_downloads/dividendmiles/oneworldawardtravel.pdf

 

[MEL_Traveller]

que? where can I read more about that? couldn't find it at https://www.usairways.com/en-US/Resources/_downloads/dividendmiles/oneworldawardtravel.pdf

I don't think it is written anywhere. Anecdotal evidence suggests (confirmed many times now), that USDM is charging the sum of 2 one-ways. If that involves mixed class you will benefit from the reduced mileage.

 

[Limewood]

Is it possible to arrive in one city then pay own way and depart out of another?.

 

[anna2103]

Yes, as long as your originating city is where you fly back to.

Is it possible to arrive in one city then pay own way and depart out of another?.

 

[lmere12]

Is it possible to arrive in one city then pay own way and depart out of another?.

Yes have booked my folks into ZRH and out of MAN .

 

[sioux]

Has anyone tried to change a mixed class award flight recently (ie trying to change a single business class leg to first when the rest of the itinerary is first) lately? Usdm won't let me... Also it appears they put a notation on your booking when you hug a now . Would appreciate any advice (especially as in this case it was a stuff up at their end, was supposed to be all first class to begin with)

Yes - I just did this on the weekend. My daughter had economy from PER-HKG then F from HKG-HND-LHR & I was able to change the PER-HKG leg to J. The 1st person said I had to cancel the whole ticket so said I didn't want to change & left it. Phoned 10 min later & was able to change no problems. I then also changed our flights from LHR-FCO without having to cancel whole itinerary - so it's possible.

 

[Flippantflyer]

Yes - I just did this on the weekend. My daughter had economy from PER-HKG then F from HKG-HND-LHR & I was able to change the PER-HKG leg to J. The 1st person said I had to cancel the whole ticket so said I didn't want to change & left it. Phoned 10 min later & was able to change no problems. I then also changed our flights from LHR-FCO without having to cancel whole itinerary - so it's possible.

thanks sioux - I was sure that was the case but I called six different agents and they all argued with me last night! Then one of the buggers put a notation on my record so I may be stuffed yet. Will try to work myself up to trying again later today

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is it possible to arrive in one city then pay own way and depart out of another?.

Yes. If you haven't already done so, it's perhaps worthwhile to spend a couple minutes reading the USDM Membership Guide (it's very short). This will help you to maximise your award to suit your needs.

US Airways | Dividend Miles membership guide

 

[ferni]

Trying to help a mate book USDM flight from CDG/MXP-MEL 2 pax J 24, 25 of 26 Sep. Agents saying only MH and BA available. Can anyone see any QR of CX. Tried routings via DOH, HKG, SIN, PER etc but no availability.

He has found CDG-DOH but can't get home from there.

Is he too early or too late?

F CDG-DOH
J DOH-HKG-MEL


[KVS Availability Tool 7.5.2/Diamond - Awards/BA-OneWorld]

CDG  Paris Charles De Gaulle/Roissy FR [LFPG]
DOH  Doha Hamad Intl QA [OTHH]
THU  24 Sep 2015 | 2 Seats


Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive         St  Award Availability
---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  ------------------
QR         38      CDG   22:30     DOH   05:55 +1           FS2  CS-  WS/  YS9
BA         303     CDG   07:30     LHR   07:40              CS9  YS-
 -> BA     125     LHR   10:40     DOH   21:10              FS+  CS+  WS-  YS-
BA         303     CDG   07:30     LHR   07:40              CS9  WS/  YS-
 -> QR     10      LHR   10:50     DOH   19:35              FS-  CS+  WS/  YS-
BA         319     CDG   16:45     LHR   16:55              CS9  WS/  YS-
 -> QR     2       LHR   21:30     DOH   06:15 +1           FS-  CS+  WS/  YS-
BA         319     CDG   16:45     LHR   16:55              FS/  CS9  WS/  YS/
 -> QR     16      LHR   21:55     DOH   06:40 +1           FS/  CS+  WS/  YS/

[KVS Availability Tool 7.5.2/Diamond - Awards/BA-OneWorld]

DOH  Doha Hamad Intl QA [OTHH]
MEL  Melbourne Metro / Tullamarine VI AU = MEL AVV [YMML]
THU  24 Sep 2015 | 2 Seats


Carrier    Flight  From  Depart    To    Arrive         St  Award Availability
---------  ------  ----  --------  ----  --------  ---  --  ------------------
QR         816     DOH   07:15     HKG   20:50              FS/  CS4  WS/  YS9
 -> CX     105     HKG   00:10 +1  MEL   11:20 +1           FS/  CS+  WS/  YS+

 

[Limewood]

Yes. If you haven't already done so, it's perhaps worthwhile to spend a couple minutes reading the USDM Membership Guide (it's very short). This will help you to maximise your award to suit your needs.

US Airways | Dividend Miles membership guide

I did read it but not sure.

• Open jaw travel (flying to one city and returning from another) is not permitted when an en route stopover is included in the award itinerary. The distance between the 2 open jaw cities cannot exceed the distance of the outbound or return trip. Itinerary restrictions may apply.

Was going to stopover in HKG but now just overnight (less than 24 hours) both ways.

BNE/HKG/CDG stopover then make own way and then MIL/HKG/BNE

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I did read it but not sure.

• Open jaw travel (flying to one city and returning from another) is not permitted when an en route stopover is included in the award itinerary. The distance between the 2 open jaw cities cannot exceed the distance of the outbound or return trip. Itinerary restrictions may apply.

Was going to stopover in HKG but now just overnight (less than 24 hours) both ways.

BNE/HKG/CDG stopover then make own way and then MIL/HKG/BNE

So if no stopover, can have an open jaw

 

[ferni]

I did read it but not sure.

• Open jaw travel (flying to one city and returning from another) is not permitted when an en route stopover is included in the award itinerary. The distance between the 2 open jaw cities cannot exceed the distance of the outbound or return trip. Itinerary restrictions may apply.

Was going to stopover in HKG but now just overnight (less than 24 hours) both ways.

BNE/HKG/CDG stopover then make own way and then MIL/HKG/BNE

If it's <24hours then it isn't a stopover, it's a transit so that means you can openjaw.