US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

[exceladdict]

I had AA 12 at 1100 now I see on the AA site - there has never been a copy of the bkg on the USDM site, and they are not taking calls at the moment. Now, looking up the record locator on AA, it has been changed to AA 4 departing 1.20 hrs later. I tried to look up the schedule for 1100 on AA and that threw me out too. I can't even see a phone number on the AA site so that I can skype AA and see why/if they'd change it back. Does anyone have a useful phone number and or what do you suggest please?

I had the same issue in recent weather troubles. Flight cancelled, locator broken, couldn't get in touch so had no idea when i was rebooked (at least you know when you've been rebooked to). I managed to hit them up on twitter and eventually when the call centre was less busy, I was able to change the flight to a more preferable time.

Also, in my case, the AA and USDM record locators were different - do you have different record locators for each system?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I had AA 12 at 1100 now I see on the AA site, as there has never been a copy of the bkg on the USDM site, and they are not taking calls at the moment.

On the record locator on AA, it has been changed to AA 4 departing 1.20 hrs later. I tried to look up the schedule for 1100 on AA and that threw me out too. I can't even see a phone number on the AA site so that I can skype AA and see why/if they'd change it back. Does anyone have a useful phone number and or what do you suggest please?

EDIT, now I see that AA 12 is extinct.

you can call any of the AA reservations numbers, world wide, if you need to change or aren't happy with the offered alternative.

You should accept the changes if they are suitable - there are a couple of ways to access the booking on the USDM site and once in, there should be a button to 'accept'.

 

[get me outta here]

Yes, different record locators; on USDM it has always been invisible to me though. Not much I can do if AA actually cancel the flt a month in advance. I'll just have to keep a close eye on it.

I had the same issue in recent weather troubles. Flight cancelled, locator broken, couldn't get in touch so had no idea when i was rebooked (at least you know when you've been rebooked to). I managed to hit them up on twitter and eventually when the call centre was less busy, I was able to change the flight to a more preferable time.

Also, in my case, the AA and USDM record locators were different - do you have different record locators for each system?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes, different record locators; on USDM it has always been invisible to me though.

Is that through both the 'manage booking' from the drop down menu and via the 'your bookings' (or whatever it is) in the main membership page? The former should in theory work...

 

[get me outta here]

Ok I have found the reservation on USDM, and it says to call to accept changes and there is no 'accept' button. I'll call at a quiet time. Has anyone actually found a quiet time!

you can call any of the AA reservations numbers, world wide, if you need to change or aren't happy with the offered alternative.

You should accept the changes if they are suitable - there are a couple of ways to access the booking on the USDM site and once in, there should be a button to 'accept'.

 

[get me outta here]

I phoned the SYD USDM number 02-9101-1948 and was put through to AA in the US. I explained I couldn't get through to USDM and AA confirmed the changes and said that she'd let USDM know that I was accepting the changes. I said I was a bit nervous about that as I didn't want to arr in LAX and find all my other flights were cancelled. She assured me that she would call USDM and let them know. Geesh, this hand over period is a bit fraught.

Ok I have found the reservation on USDM, and it says to call to accept changes and there is no 'accept' button. I'll call at a quiet time. Has anyone actually found a quiet time!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I phoned the SYD USDM number 02-9101-1948 and was put through to AA in the US. I explained I couldn't get through to USDM and AA confirmed the changes and said that she'd let USDM know that I was accepting the changes. I said I was a bit nervous about that as I didn't want to arr in LAX and find all my other flights were cancelled. She assured me that she would call USDM and let them know. Geesh, this hand over period is a bit fraught.

For peace of mind you can call the USDM UK number if you want during the week. Flights pending 'acceptance' won't be auto-cancelled in the same way as flights on hold.

 

[get me outta here]

Ok, thanks for all the advice, I'll try the UK during the week.

For peace of mind you can call the USDM UK number if you want during the week. Flights pending 'acceptance' won't be auto-cancelled in the same way as flights on hold.

 

[kevinyhli]

The agents at USDM have been kind for the last remaining hours of the program! Managed to issue the following:

QF J SYD-HND / JL J HND-GMP (Open Jaw) CX J HND-HKG-SYD - 90k miles + US$121.13 tax + $50 booking fee

My friend managed to get the 2 of us booked on the GUM run - got through in one call and no questions asked at all! (Time to buy lotto? :shock
JL J SYD-NRT (overnight) JL J NRT-GUM (4 days stay) // JL J GUM-NRT (7 night "stopover" ) JL J NRT-SYD - 30k miles per pax x 2 pax + US$144 per person tax + $50 booking fee

Helped a friend to issue the following on Tuesday night:
CX J SYD-HKG-JFK (stopover) // AA Y JFK-CUN (destination) // AA Y CUN-MIA-JFK (overnight) CX J JFK-HKG-SYD - 120k per pax miles x 2 pax

Certainly a very good run and I am already starting to miss USDM! The only good thing moving over to AAdvantage is that it is going to cost less to South East Asia in J than USDM minus the stopovers!

 

[coolkid101]

you might be the last person ever to get that GUM run! congrats!
when you going?

The agents at USDM have been kind for the last remaining hours of the program! Managed to issue the following:

QF J SYD-HND / JL J HND-GMP (Open Jaw) CX J HND-HKG-SYD - 90k miles + US$121.13 tax + $50 booking fee

My friend managed to get the 2 of us booked on the GUM run - got through in one call and no questions asked at all! (Time to buy lotto? :shock
JL J SYD-NRT (overnight) JL J NRT-GUM (4 days stay) // JL J GUM-NRT (7 night "stopover" ) JL J NRT-SYD - 30k miles per pax x 2 pax + US$144 per person tax + $50 booking fee

Helped a friend to issue the following on Tuesday night:
CX J SYD-HKG-JFK (stopover) // AA Y JFK-CUN (destination) // AA Y CUN-MIA-JFK (overnight) CX J JFK-HKG-SYD - 120k per pax miles x 2 pax

Certainly a very good run and I am already starting to miss USDM! The only good thing moving over to AAdvantage is that it is going to cost less to South East Asia in J than USDM minus the stopovers!

 

[Pele]

Gday

I would like to call this post - 'the ecstasy and the agony'.

Background- got back from Japan and Guam Tuesday. Great trip and keen to do it again at the right price. Realized that last night was my only chance so raced home from work and got to work. Checked availability, all good, bought the points, done, then hit the phones. Second call went all the way through to rates desk but then said it was 90k pp. Next few calls were getting worse ie 110k pp, no stopovers allowed, Tokyo is your destination as it you are there for the bulk of the time etc. Getting towards midnight now. Another call lady keen for me to feed her the flights. Decide to mix it up and head straight to Guam from Tokyo on the way in(previously i was trying to stopover in Tokyo for a week on the way to Guam). She puts the flights in quickly, all available, no rates desk, says that's 30k pp plus taxes and booking fee, i say book it now please. Done in less than 15 minutes including all the prerecorded bs at the start. Woohoo.

SYD-NRT-GUM-NRT-SYD for September. 3 nights Guam, 7 nights Tokyo. All JAL, all Business class. 30k pp plus ~$150 tax plus $50 booking fee.

Call the wife to tell her the good news. She says its great except we cant go as she has unavoidable work commitments in September. Bugger.

I know its early days but anyone know what the policy is for date changes on these kind of itineraries. Looking to push it back to April 2016. Will leave it in the system for now.

Thank you everyone for your inspiration and a reminder that there is still 8h18m left to get one past the keeper.

Pele.

 

[get me outta here]

Is there any way of doing a GUM run through HKG?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Is there any way of doing a GUM run through HKG?

Under AA rules, provided there's a published fare, the cost will be 70K return anyway. I can't think of an airline that will have a valid fare... JAL might have one, but it's going to be via Tokyo and AA rules won't allow the transit in the higher zone.

 

[get me outta here]

Sad. I really would like to use up my 30K left over USDM points and would love a HKG visit, and AA doesn't seem cooperative.

Under AA rules, provided there's a published fare, the cost will be 70K return anyway. I can't think of an airline that will have a valid fare... JAL might have one, but it's going to be via Tokyo and AA rules won't allow the transit in the higher zone.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sad. I really would like to use up my 30K left over USDM points and would love a HKG visit, and AA doesn't seem cooperative.

Noumea? Longreach to see the Qantas museum?

Otherwise a small top up will get you CX/QF one way to Hong Kong, own arrangements either there or back.

 

[get me outta here]

Interesting, What is the mechanism to do the small top up? EDIT, sorry, bit slow, it means buy a few more US miles.

What's the cheapest points use to get back, eg buying/ using which loyalty points once in HKG?

Noumea? Longreach to see the Qantas museum?

Otherwise a small top up will get you CX/QF one way to Hong Kong, own arrangements either there or back.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Interesting, What is the mechanism to do the small top up? EDIT, sorry, bit slow, it means buy a few more US miles.

What's the cheapest points use to get back, eg buying/ using which loyalty points once in HKG?

youd need to buy another 5k miles to get the asia award via AA... 35k one way.

googleflights will give you ideas for a one way return ticket... there was a bargain last month from vietnam airlines, AUD800 one way in business class. but you could also do coach!

lifemiles works out to $750 to get home one way, that'd get you home on TG (I'd rather take VN) or SQ (if LM ever gets around to fixing the 'glitch')

 

[smit0847]

Good to hear some last minute successes! Perhaps they were getting soft on the rules on the last day?

Why did you wait until literally the last day to call though? I'm surprised the wait times were manageable.

 

[anat0l]

Good to hear some last minute successes! Perhaps they were getting soft on the rules on the last day?

Why did you wait until literally the last day to call though? I'm surprised the wait times were manageable.

Even though people knew the changeover was going to happen this year - and may have narrowed it down to this season/quarter - no one really predicted when it would happen.

Also, unlike, say, the merger of CO and UA, the time difference between the announcement of the day when it will happen and the day itself is pretty damn short in this case!

I would also harbour that if people were given a date, say, September this year instead, they would be putting together more timed goals (due to availability opening at different times); now, people might just be "forced" to burn it on something because they won't have that opportunity any more, even if that means it wasn't in their plans in the first place.


I don't know about "going easy" on the last days, though I guess that could happen since it's not worth wasting too much time turning down customers and plugging up the rates desk with the lines going absolutely full. My impression is that not all of the US DM staff in the call centres will lose their jobs, although suffice to say it will be interesting whether they are taken on for the AA call centre, especially given the geographical knowledge of some of them is...questionable... (thankfully the AA award computers they have are slightly smarter than their old US systems)

 

[chrisbris]

Ticketed Last Night:
QF SYD-MEL
MH MEL-KUL
MH KUL-LHR
AA LHR-JFK

and return

BA BOS-LHR
O/Night London
BA LHR-ZRH
CX ZRH-HKG
CX HKG-BNE
CX BNE-SYD

I actually only needed to get back to BNE but doing the trip ex BNE was exceeding MPM. May not make the BNE-SYD flight the next morning.