US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[bcworld]

Well, they don't have enough for F, so 120k each for J return sounds like your option.

They don't have enough for F but if they really wanted F they'd only have to stump up another $200 or so on the additional 5k miles.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Ok, reply from friend.

They are hoping to go from Sydney to TLL (and stop), return to SYD in September.

They now have 145k US Div Miles in their account (after a 'gift' top-up)

Method anyone?

in terms of available routings, UA.com has the options. the sq option however was mixed class, economy only for one sector.

 

[spudwa]

Well here are my two latest reports. My wife and one of her oldest friends have been talking about New York for 40 years and her friend was going to a medical conference in Toronto so she asked Mrs Spudwa if her magic miles could get them there in style. Anyway its great that someone finally believed us and bought some US Airways DM and using our good mate PointsPros it was all organised.
Mrs Spudwa's friend is from Adelaide and she scored a Singapore Airlines flight out of Adelaide and then a 1st cabin with Asiana from Seoul to Chicago. Sounds great but after the Krug and foie gras they lost her luggage. Meanwhile Mrs Spudwa had to overnight in Bangkok (going and coming) and she is over the Pacific in F with ANA as I type. I didn't receive the worst telephone call of my life so that means she managed the 55 minute transfer in Narita between Thai and ANA so if you have to do it... its doable

I'll update the trip report later

Well my wife's friends luggage turned up after 10 days but for some unknown reason they sent it back to Adelaide, not on the NY! The quick change over in Narita was aided by not one, but two Thai FA's who escorted her to the ANA checkin. Mrs Spudwa thought ANA 1st was better than Thai and was really touched on the way home when the FA's made her an origami swan. She prefers the ANA PJ's and is getting so used to 1st, she was in them before takeoff. God forbid she's ever in a crash but it will make it easy to identify the 1st passenger ;-) Only bad thing was being bumped from 1st to coach from NY to Chicago after the early flight was cancelled, but it was only for a few hours. So all in all another successful USDM trip

 

[jgm]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Got one as well, but not really interested until I see the whole 1World earn/burn tables.

 

[markis10]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Got one as well, but not really interested until I see the whole 1World earn/burn tables.

When was the last time you saw AA offer 100% bonuses, given they will be equivalent points after merger, its food for thought!

 

[hummel]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

No offers here for either my account or the other half.

However I logged into her account, and there is 22,000 miles I forgot were there! Annoyed I didn't transfer them in the last promo!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Got one as well, but not really interested until I see the whole 1World earn/burn tables.

i would think the aa burn rate will stay roughly the same as is. too many USDM members would jump ship over to united if they pull too far away from what they have now.

 

[kamchatsky]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

i would think the aa burn rate will stay roughly the same as is. too many USDM members would jump ship over to united if they pull too far away from what they have now.

There is definitely going to be changes, look at DL and UA after merger. Especially DL the miles required significantly increases. I don't think they would care too much about people leaving AA as they will have so many members after merger anyway.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

There is definitely going to be changes, look at DL and UA after merger. Especially DL the miles required significantly increases. I don't think they would care too much about people leaving AA as they will have so many members after merger anyway.

UA still has pretty low mileage levels no?

 

[kamchatsky]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

UA still has pretty low mileage levels no?

Definitely not as low as pre merger. DL is definitely ridiculously high. Yet people still fly DL.

 

[anat0l]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

UA still has pretty low mileage levels no?

It's probably one of the most reasonable left. They don't often have mileage purchase specials, right? Except maybe Christmas...

Advantage of UA is that they are virtually unblocked across the alliance, albeit with some tricks in some cases.

 

[lmere12]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Wow Imere12 and Coathanger I have been reading about the Thai A380 !

Was definitely awesome Cove, Thai's service & attention were 10/10. "Mrs M the plane has loaded now & we can board you and Mrs B. By the way you are the only passengers travelling tonite in the first cabin" I'm going to put up some pics on the 0S25 J flight with chef on board.

 

[cove]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

My sons have 250,000 US Dividend Miles each so I think they will get to try it before me Imere12.
Yes post the pictures !

 

[bcworld]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Do LH and UA still not allow bookings with USDMs???

Not sure what you mean. I think there was some temporary issue with LH but there is certainly no blanket ban...many successful 2014 LH redemptions reported on FT.

 

[robcuk]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

It was...but a mile was also $0.025 (they've increased 40% since then!).

I guess when you look at that mile cost it has changed a great deal but as Casanovawa states its still a pretty decent deal. Along with Lifemiles and a FF credit card that I use for everything I won't be flying down the back for a few years!

 

[bcworld]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

I guess when you look at that mile cost it has changed a great deal but as Casanovawa states its still a pretty decent deal.

Oh absolutely, I totally agree...it just keeps getting that little bit harder to pull the trigger. Maybe I should do the kangaroo route in Y just once more to help the process along!

 

[robcuk]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Oh absolutely, I totally agree...it just keeps getting that little bit harder to pull the trigger. Maybe I should do the kangaroo route in Y just once more to help the process along!

I plan to use USDM to fly to PPT, although in Y, it's still a great deal and Lifemiles has some great options which I hope to be in a position to use in Dec/Jan although I already have one booking with them with SQ in J on the 380.

 

[davem]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

Once again if someone is not planning to use their bonus I would happily take.

 

[kamchatsky]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

I plan to use USDM to fly to PPT, although in Y, it's still a great deal and Lifemiles has some great options which I hope to be in a position to use in Dec/Jan although I already have one booking with them with SQ in J on the 380.

If you are flying from Australia to PPT then you should also consider to use SQ Krisflyer 25K miles for Y (you can transfer it from Amex MR points if you have them). Whilst 5K more miles than US Airways, actually the taxes for charges for both schemes are the same but you need to pay $50USD per person for booking fee when booking on US Dividend Miles. However you don't have to pay for this when booking using Krisflyer miles. Another thing is the SQ Krisflyer allows 1 stopover (in NZ) for redemption, whereas US won't allow you to do this due to flying within the same zone.

Also if you later want to change the ticket (even simple date changes) then for US you need to pay $150USD per person, but for KF only $30USD per person.

I know all this as I made booking on SYD-AKL-PPT Y last week and called up both on SQ and US, and SQ whilst needing slightly more miles, the cash component is cheaper than US and also allows for stopover and much cheaper change fees.

Unfortunately NZ J award seats are almost non-existent these days. But it is still a bargain even in Y.

 

[hummel]

Re: US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

]I plan to use USDM to fly to PPT[/B], although in Y, it's still a great deal and Lifemiles has some great options which I hope to be in a position to use in Dec/Jan although I already have one booking with them with SQ in J on the 380.

Good luck finding availability on AirNZ.

I have 100k+ USDM, 100k KF Miles etc etc but looks like I have to pay to get to PPT in January.

Hasn't been award space since I started looking 4+ months ago.