US Dividend Miles - post your SUCCESSFUL award bookings here.

[appaz]

while it can be a case of YMMV - it is more the norm rather than the exception that a change of class - even where the higher miles have been paid (but a member accepted a lower class at the time of booking), will attract the change fee.

i was lucky enough to get a flight changed - just the date only... same flight number and route without a change fee

she told me "you understand it is $150 per person per change" i said "yep no problem at all" then we went through the changes and she forgot to charge me. I never received a confirmation of the change via email but check my itin and sure enough the date had changed.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I didn't want to miss out on the Guam experience so booked tonight...
2 x pax departing November:

SYD-BKK TGF (o/n)
BKK-HKG TGF
HKG-TPE-GUM BRJ (destination - 3 nights)
GUM-TPE-HKG BRJ (stopover - 3 nights)
HKG-BKK TGF (o/n)
BKK-SYD TGF

40,000 miles each
$131.29 taxes plus $50 fee

Total time on Skype - 20 minutes and confirmation was emailed within 5 minutes

What happens when you make a booking, try & ticket pnr straight away then the CSA goes to the rates desk who say it's over on miles?

Unless you happen to start in CNS & get the non-stop CNS/GUM flight, every itin through Asia will bust the 25M surcharge rule.

Eg tpm's are as follows:

BNE BR TPE 4196 BR CTS 1682 NH NGO 614 UA GUM 1559 total tpm is 8051 (mpm 6243) so way in excess of the max 25M.

GUM UA NRT 1561 NH PEK 1313 TG 2057 BKK TG BNE 4520 total tpm is 9451 (mpm 6243) which again smashes it out of the ball park.

Even if it was GUM/NRT/BKK/BNE it's still over a 25M.

 

[bcworld]

Unless you happen to start in CNS & get the non-stop CNS/GUM flight, every itin through Asia will bust the 25M surcharge rule.

That's not actually true. Plenty of the GUM itins people have booked ex MEL and SYD via BKK then elsewhere are under 25M. Some of them have been over as well.

e.g. Great Circle Mapper = 7712 miles

[KVS Availability Tool 7.3.4 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: GUM-MEL/US]

         GI       M      5M     10M     15M     20M     25M     
MPM      EH    6633    6964    7296    7627    7959    [B]8291[/B]

 

[smit0847]

That's not actually true. Plenty of the GUM itins people have booked ex MEL and SYD via BKK then elsewhere are under 25M. Some of them have been over as well.

e.g. Great Circle Mapper = 7712 miles

[KVS Availability Tool 7.3.4 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: GUM-MEL/US]

         GI       M      5M     10M     15M     20M     25M     
MPM      EH    6633    6964    7296    7627    7959    [B]8291[/B]

I don't know what the MPM for my USDM flights are and I don't care. In 4 bookings it's never been an issue (or even mentioned). GUM bookings break so many of the rules that the agent will probably either let you get away with murder or not allow any breaches at all - there doesn't seem to be much in-between. I would recommend hanging up and calling again. There are plenty of agents who will allow just about anything - you just need to spin the wheel until you find one.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

That's not actually true. Plenty of the GUM itins people have booked ex MEL and SYD via BKK then elsewhere are under 25M. Some of them have been over as well.

e.g. Great Circle Mapper = 7712 miles

[KVS Availability Tool 7.3.4 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: GUM-MEL/US]

         GI       M      5M     10M     15M     20M     25M     
MPM      EH    6633    6964    7296    7627    7959    [B]8291[/B]

Thanks for that. Just realised ex BNE you can do BNE/TPE/GUM however not same day which is 5,916 miles - not even a 5M! it's just that all the other routings I was trying based on *A availability on Award Travelr where showing over 25M. Looks like I'll need to go down the road of finding one of these agents who allow everything.

 

[Fifa]

What happens when you make a booking, try & ticket pnr straight away then the CSA goes to the rates desk who say it's over on miles?

GUM was the first booking (out of four over the last 2 years) that hasn't gone to the rates desk for pricing.

HUACA and you may have better luck if you don't succeed the first time.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

GUM was the first booking (out of four over the last 2 years) that hasn't gone to the rates desk for pricing.

HUACA and you may have better luck if you don't succeed the first time.

Do you know where US DM source their availability from ie which GDS? I've checked KVS, Award Travelr & United.com - all of whom say theres J award availability for the flight I want then when I call US to book it they say there's only whY.

 

[bcworld]

Do you know where US DM source their availability from ie which GDS? I've checked KVS, Award Travelr & United.com - all of whom say theres J award availability for the flight I want then when I call US to book it they say there's only whY.

US uses Shares...and whatever tool they give their agents has all sorts of issues. What are the flights?

 

[Fifa]

Do you know where US DM source their availability from ie which GDS? I've checked KVS, Award Travelr & United.com - all of whom say theres J award availability for the flight I want then when I call US to book it they say there's only whY.

I have no idea.
I use AwardTravelr exclusively to do my research and USDM has always found exactly the same flights I am looking at .

 

[ozbeachbabe]

US uses Shares...and whatever tool they give their agents has all sorts of issues. What are the flights?

I was looking at UA873 09Mar GUM/NRT which was showing okay in J on Award Travelr, KVS & United (Expert Flyer no longer shows upgrade classes for UA). Unless the CSR just had a 'boys look'?

 

[hummel]

I was looking at UA873 09Mar GUM/NRT which was showing okay in J on Award Travelr, KVS & United (Expert Flyer no longer shows upgrade classes for UA). Unless the CSR just had a 'boys look'?

Just another quirk of the system I suppose...

 

[appaz]

just booked the following for 40,000 points +$150 taxes +$50 booking fee

dec 14/ jan15
PER-BKK TG J
BKK-ICN TG J
ICN-SPN OZ J 4 nights
SPN-ICN OZ J
ICN-NRT OZ F 9 nights
HND-PEK CA Y
PEK-BKK TG F
BKK-PER TG J

hopefully TG has the 787 on the PER-BKK-PER flights by the time i travel

 

[hummel]

just booked the following for 40,000 points +$150 taxes +$50 booking fee

dec 14/ jan15
PER-BKK TG J
BKK-ICN TG J
ICN-SPN OZ J 4 nights
SPN-ICN OZ J
ICN-NRT OZ F 9 nights
HND-PEK CA Y
PEK-BKK TG F
BKK-PER TG J

hopefully TG has the 787 on the PER-BKK-PER flights by the time i travel

Well done nice work!

 

[appaz]

Well done nice work!

thanks mate, got it on the 4th attempt and had to lose routing via HKG with TG F as they couldn't find anything even tho i could

can't be too picky i guess haha

 

[hummel]

thanks mate, got it on the 4th attempt and had to lose routing via HKG with TG F as they couldn't find anything even tho i could

can't be too picky i guess haha

I know the feeling! Made 2 calls last night trying to get something similar without any stopovers though!

Will call later today I think.

 

[get me outta here]

None of this would've been possible without the help and intelligence I have gleaned on AFF - thanks so much.


Just put my first ever booking on hold for the dreaded GUM for Sept. Is there anywhere I can see it as I'm very keen to verify what I think I booked? I'm hoping that an F seat will open up BKK - SYD before I have to pay USD149 before midnight 11 Feb. But, I'm not sure how to check if anyone could help me plse?


SYD - BKK TG 476 F (overnight)
BKK - HKG TG 600 F
HKG - TPE BR 870 J
TPE - GUM BR19 J destination 3 nights
GUM - TPE BR19 J
TPE - HKG TG 601 F (stop over 6 nights)
HKG - BKK TG 601 F (over night)
BKK - SYD TG 475 J

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Just put my first ever booking on hold for the dreaded GUM for Sept. Is there anywhere I can see it as I'm very keen to verify what I think I booked? I'm hoping that an F seat will open up BKK - SYD before I have to pay USD149 before midnight 11 Feb. But, I'm not sure how to check if anyone could help me plse?

SYD - BKK TG 476 F (overnight)
BKK - HKG TG 600 F
HKG - TPE BR 870 J
TPE - GUM BR19 J destination 3 nights
GUM - TPE BR19 J
TPE - HKG TG 601 F (stop over 6 nights)
HKG - BKK TG 601 F (over night)
BKK - SYD TG 475 J

a) Logon to www.usair.com & enter your US DM nbr & password.

b) Once signed in to your account click on the fourth tab across which should say "your trip".

c) Click on the drop down menu & select look up by "confirmation code or tkno". then tab across & enter the US Air pnr number they gave you when you did the booking & your departure date (of first flight).

That should retrieve the booking & as I just found out somehow they've managed to cancel my pnr (but not SO's) that I had on a 72 hour hold.

I would seriously consider getting your bookings ticketed asap, don't wait a moment longer.

Set a 'flight alert' in Expert Flyer if you have full membership or if you don't just keep checking the award availability for "O" class inventory BKK/SYD which is what Star A F awards book into.

If F seats do appear for BKK/SYD, call them up again & see if they'll move you foc & if they won't weight up if paying the USD150.00 change fee per person is worth switching from J to F.

Okay I'm off to call up our US Air friends in Winston-Salem & try & get my pnr reinstated.

 

[get me outta here]

Thanks Oz, best of luck, I'll get on to this asap.

 

[get me outta here]

Just had my first foray into Expert flyer and see this for TG 475 01 Oct, it looks like row 2 in F IS available(?)

EDIT: can't post the EF graphic, but it shows some white seats. Should I call USDM back?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Just had my first foray into Expert flyer and see this for TG 475 01 Oct, it looks like row 2 in F IS available(?)

EDIT: can't post the EF graphic, but it shows some white seats. Should I call USDM back?

I can only see whY award seats in KVS & AwardTravelr - Searching across all possibilities to make your frequent flyer miles work for you. I just looked at E/F but it won't show TG award availability under 'awards & upgrades' tab so I think you might've clicked on the 'Flight Availability' tab which will only show you regular classes for paid fares eg F7 A7 P7.