US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

[ferni]

I've found DM to be awesome - This year I've got - all in Business:

PER-AKL-PER (x2) ~US$100 tax each
AKL-BKK-BRU / CDG-BKK-AKL (x2) ~US$100 tax each
AKL-BKK-BRU-LHR / LHR-ZRH-PVG-AKL (Booked 2 days out) US$596 in tax

I'm not sure if it was the UK Duty or what - but its a pretty sizable difference for a similar routing.

Kind

188GBP per person for tax when you fly into/out of UK in premium classes.

 

[bcworld]

188GBP per person for tax when you fly into/out of UK in premium classes.

Not into - It's a departure tax.

The total UK tax for LHR-AKL would be about GBP230 with the service charge too.

US$596 sounds quite high but perhaps the $75 close in fee is being included in that number?

 

[ferni]

Not into - It's a departure tax.

The total UK tax for LHR-AKL would be about GBP230 with the service charge too.

US$596 sounds quite high but perhaps the $75 close in fee is being included in that number?

$520 inc booking fee was charged for a booking I made recently for family coming out from UK.

See this post for a breakdown in fees: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....dend-miles-post-your-33057-58.html#post759257

 

[anat0l]

Not into - It's a departure tax.

The total UK tax for LHR-AKL would be about GBP230 with the service charge too.

US$596 sounds quite high but perhaps the $75 close in fee is being included in that number?

The charges from UK are split into two: one is the Air Passenger Duty, paid on all departures from the UK except for international transits and priced based on distance to final destination; the second one is the Passenger Service Charge, which IIRC cannot be sidestepped.

Highest band APD in standard plus the passenger service charge would be closer to GBP 260 I think.

With a UK stopover, total charges of around USD 500-600 is not unusual. Getting closer to USD 600 would probably imply the ticketing fee has been included, though.

The next highest charges would be the APD equivalent or noise taxes in Germany or Switzerland, followed by, ironically enough, the Australian departure tax!

 

[bcworld]

Highest band APD in standard plus the passenger service charge would be closer to GBP 260 I think.

The number I gave was GBP188 (APD Highest Band) + LHR Service charge GBP40ish. I'm not sure it ever gets as high as 260. EK lists a grand total of GBP237 for an LHR-AKL in J.

 

[anat0l]

The number I gave was GBP188 (APD Highest Band) + LHR Service charge GBP40ish. I'm not sure it ever gets as high as 260. EK lists a grand total of GBP237 for an LHR-AKL in J.

My mistake in estimation. I just pulled out my folks' itinerary I just booked and the rough amount of the service charge (after converting from USD) is about GBP 60. Not sure how it's calculated or what not (and I think I picked up the correct tax).

Now that I re-read Knid's post, you're all probably right - the USD 75 fee (expedited ticketing) is likely included in that total, and possibly even the USD 50 standard ticketing fee.

 

[FrankC]

Just booked a ticket for my Dad - a simple WLG to HKG return in business

WLG-CHC NZ (X)
CHC-SIN-HKG SQ (I)

HKG-SIN-CHC SQ (I)
CHC-WLG NZ (X)

Cost: 90000 points + USD64 Tax + USD50 Fee

Amanda was great, took <30 min

 

[Alanslegal]

Just booked a ticket for my Dad - a simple WLG to HKG return in business

WLG-CHC NZ (X)
CHC-SIN-HKG SQ (I)

HKG-SIN-CHC SQ (I)
CHC-WLG NZ (X)

Cost: 90000 points + USD64 Tax + USD50 Fee

Amanda was great, took <30 min

Are the SIN-HKG-SIN legs on the SQ 388?

 

[FrankC]

Are the SIN-HKG-SIN legs on the SQ 388?

Sadly no - but believe my dad will still be happy with that

 

[burmans]

Just booked a ticket for my Dad - a simple WLG to HKG return in business

WLG-CHC NZ (X)
CHC-SIN-HKG SQ (I)

HKG-SIN-CHC SQ (I)
CHC-WLG NZ (X)

Cost: 90000 points + USD64 Tax + USD50 Fee

Amanda was great, took <30 min

When I rang up recently to book my sister a flight from Wellington to join us in Europe the agent told me he had booked 3 flights out of Wellington that week, clearly someone has let the cat out of the bag. For the record here flights are

WLG - AKL (NZ)
AKL - BKK (TF) - overnight
BKK - IST - SJJ (TK)
open jaw
PRG - IST - SIN (TK)
SIN - CHC (SQ)
CHC - WLG (NZ)

NZ fights and IST-SJJ in Y (the 4 on my booking took all the J seats), all else in J. Taxes were really cheap ~ $80

 

[65ravenblack]

Just booked our first USDM award flight to Europe in September for two. Nothing fancy. All in business. All miles bought with 100% offers. Total 120,000 points each.

SYD-BKK TG472 (744)
BKK-BRU TG934 (773)
BRU-BHX SN2045 (ARJ100)

CDG-BKK TG931 (388)
BKK-SYD TG471 (744)

Total cost each USD:

Miles: $2257.50
Taxes: $253.81
Booking Fee: $50.00

Total: $2561.31

Booked this trip back in Jan and was advised by the operator that it was 120,000 points each. I got my statement this morning via email and it looks like they have only charged me 100,000 points. Any advice as to what I should do.

Cheers.

 

[bcworld]

Booked this trip back in Jan and was advised by the operator that it was 120,000 points each. I got my statement this morning via email and it looks like they have only charged me 100,000 points. Any advice as to what I should do.

Cheers.

Given that you've already said that you have seats selected in business class then from here on in you should do nothing! Nada! Zilch! That includes changes to your reservation etc.

 

[Alanslegal]

Booked this trip back in Jan and was advised by the operator that it was 120,000 points each. I got my statement this morning via email and it looks like they have only charged me 100,000 points. Any advice as to what I should do.

Sit tight, enjoy the flights, come back with 20K spare in your accounts. USDM make mistakes quite frequently so nothing to worry about it. You can try calling them and advising them of the error, they might rectify it or sometimes they won't. My friend called them three times to tell them they had undercharged her, and three times they came back and said don't worry about it. She worried till the day she travelled because was concerned she would not be let on the plane. Anyway, another friend has her AUS-EUR F return points deduction at only 35k per person

 

[Flashback]

Sit tight, enjoy the flights, come back with 20K spare in your accounts. USDM make mistakes quite frequently so nothing to worry about it. You can try calling them and advising them of the error, they might rectify it or sometimes they won't. My friend called them three times to tell them they had undercharged her, and three times they came back and said don't worry about it. She worried till the day she travelled because was concerned she would not be let on the plane. Anyway, another friend has her AUS-EUR F return points deduction at only 35k per person

It could be in those cases that the agent hates US Airways and wants to make them pay

 

[Solid]

I am really happy I found this forum tonight. Just booked for a friends 50th party in the states later this year for the bride and I:

BNE-SIN on SG
SIN-ICN on OZ
ICN-ORD on OZ

ORD-ICN on OZ
ICN-BKK on OZ
BKK-BNE on TG

All in J, 100,000 miles and $163.80 in taxes each. All miles bought during 100% bonus promotions.

Edit to say 110,000 taken out of account.

 

[robcuk]

I am really happy I found this forum tonight. Just booked for a friends 50th party in the states later this year for the bride and I:

BNE-SIN on SG
SIN-ICN on OZ
ICN-ORD on OZ

ORD-ICN on OZ
ICN-BKK on OZ
BKK-BNE on TG

All in J, 100,000 miles and $163.80 in taxes each. All miles bought during 100% bonus promotions.

Solid work Solid - looks a decent reward booking on decent products and how good are those taxes!!

 

[bcworld]

I am really happy I found this forum tonight. Just booked for a friends 50th party in the states later this year for the bride and I:

BNE-SIN on SG
SIN-ICN on OZ
ICN-ORD on OZ

ORD-ICN on OZ
ICN-BKK on OZ
BKK-BNE on TG

All in J, 100,000 miles and $163.80 in taxes each. All miles bought during 100% bonus promotions.

Should be 110k miles.

 

[burmans]

Anyway, another friend has her AUS-EUR F return points deduction at only 35k per person

That's a big WOW, wouldn't that be nice!

 

[Solid]

Should be 110k miles.

Should be and is, the agent told me 100,000 on the phone which I wrote down but I have checked the accounts and 110,000 has come out. Taxes figure is the same.

I had a few runs at this with one call dropping out on skype as we got to ticketing, I did get a few variations on the mileage from the different agents that got to that point.

Also got two beauties who I excused myself from, one who told me there was no availability out of BNE on any airline or class, and another who kept trying to start me off at Houston, rather than Brisbane.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

a lot of people seem to have issues with skype. Another option is a calling card - gotalk for example. Their call rates are like .025c a minute or something crazy. i have never had a call drop out once, or a bad quality line.