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LUS: USDM oneworld Award Bookings - (Closed to new bookings) [Master FAQ and Help]

Old Mar 30, 2014, 12:53 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
WIKI POST: Using US Dividend Miles for oneworld Award Flights
As further details become available, please fill in this wikipost.

N.B. Booking opportunities for new Dividend Miles awards of all kinds ended 11:59 PM Wednesday, 25 March 2015. Please continue using this thread for trips booked or in progress through 24 March 2016.

Changes on USDM oneworld award tickets

This is the only official statement about changing issued USDM award tickets:

If I need to make changes to a Dividend Miles award reservation, which programs rules will apply?


Minor changes such as date/time can be made provided seats are available without requiring a new award to be claimed. More substantive changes such as changes to stopovers or origin/destination may result in the need to reinstate the previously claimed Dividend Miles award, then claiming a new AAdvantage award under the existing AAdvantage program rules.
To make a change on a USDM ticket, you need to get an agent that is trained to use the US reservation system.
The old membership rules do 'generally' still appy to USDM tickets.

For awards ticketed / reticketed on 001- ticket stock, go to the AA Refunds site with your ticket number at hand (unsure if it works with 037- stock at this time)to:
  • Print a receipt with ticket number (instead of Request a refund)
  • See total fees, taxes, etc. attached to your ticket
  • See applicable detailed fare rules
  • Request a refund (may not be useful for awards)
(Go here to print in flight purchase receipts)
Some experiences about changes to tickets, reported by members:
  • Some were able to change their ticket without beeing charged the USD 150.- changing fee.
  • No chance to change a ticket after the first flight segment has been flown.
  • ...


Old stuff

oneworld member airlines - airberlin, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines (Sibir), SriLankan Airlines, TAM Airlines, US Airways and their affiliates.

Award Chart for oneworld awards using US Dividend Miles:
http://shopping.usairways.com/en-US/...wardtravel.pdf

You can use the American Airlines, British Airways, JAL, or Qantas sites to search for oneworld award inventory. AA and QF also allows you to search for award inventory using a handy 30 day calendar view. However, availability on the calendar is dependent on site coverage (e.g. QF does not include JL or MH, AA does not include CX and others). Also, the calendar view may not be completely accurate on all partners, so use it as a guide but do not rely on it fully.

One of the easiest ways to search for oneworld availability is through the use of an outside tool such as Award Nexus, ExpertFlyer, KVS Tool, or The Wandering Aramean oneworld Search.

Award Nexus has a free community membership for flyertalk members, and award email alert with premium membership. ExpertFlyer has email alerts and direct GDS access to select oneworld award inventories, such as AA, QF, and US. ExpertFlyer can also search J class certificate upgrade inventory. With KVS Tool, you can search QF, BA, JL and CX's search engines, in addition to other alliances, on your PC (Mac / Linux with CrossOver). You can also set up an alert via The Wandering Aramean oneworld Search. This tool will automatically search on QF for your alert once per day with a free account and four times per day with a paid account.

N.B. With all of the above tools, it is best to search one segment at a time. Most oneworld search engines have difficulty marrying segments.

For route searching with itinerary information, use the interactive oneworld map and timetable.

For searching Intra-North America availability, the best tool is AA.com. Unlike the other oneworld engines, AA is pretty good at marrying segments, so you can search origin to destination.

Regarding availability, the strategy that has been most effective for people looking to book award travel on oneworld is to start searching right at 330 days prior to departure. This is generally when availability is at its best. After that, availability tends to be sporadic until starting 8 weeks prior to departure where some airlines open up availability, and will vary all the way up until the day of departure.

If you're having trouble finding availability, it may be best to look at alternate airports (JL, for example, serves SAN, YVR, and BOS, in addition to the larger markets of SFO, LAX, YYZ, ORD, and JFK).

(N.B. Although US was not adding fuel surcharges to awards, there are reports that they have started doing this for awards containing BA flights.) With the exception of BA & IB, no oneworld carriers require you to pay a fuel surcharge for awards. With BA, be aware that you may have to pay both a fuel surcharge as well as the UK Air Passenger Duty departure tax for intercontinental J and F flights out of UK. These fees vary with class of service and length of flight and are determined by BA; the Air Passenger Duty (see specific thread) is due for all UK departures not under 24 hour connecting flights. APD applies to coach tickets, too, but at a reduced rate. The fuel /YQ surcharge with IB is generally considered minimal.

Known Problems / Workaround:
  • Dep 00:00AM : Some agents have difficulty finding flights leaving between midnight and 2 AM. This is because the US systems show it leaving the day before. If the agent cannot find it, please ask to look at the day before. > source <
  • LA : Flights put on hold will be cancelled after 24h. Workaround: Issue the ticket immediately. > source <
  • JL : US Rep cannot find available seats. Workaround: "Always have to remind Rep to open JL reservations on a new screen". > source <
  • MH : US Rep cannot find awards in First Class. Workaround: First class needs to be booked in P-cl instead of Z-cl (as on most other OW carriers). > source < booking classes: > KVS <
  • All : If you are booking outbound flights at the US Air 335 day window US Air will often allow you to put your reservation on a longer than 3 day hold to capture the return seats once they open up at T+335. There is a report of this for 30 days here, and FT user beofotch was successful in getting a 13 day hold here. Workaround: Huaca until you get an agent who is competent enough to do this. It may help to act naive and ask for your return flight on your preferred date even if it is after T+335 days. Once they get an error from the computer may be a good time to bring it up.
  • ...

Fixed Problems:
  • CX : US Rep cannot find seats on flight CX 645 HKG-DOH. Workaround: none so far, search for different routing/carrier (CMB/DXB/...?)... > source < > fixed <
    > fixed <
  • CX : US Rep cannot find seats on flight CX 640 DOH-HKG. They admit, the flight exists, but are unable to book <source>. Workaround: none so far, search for different routing/carrier
    > fixed <
  • BA/Comair : US rep could not see / or unable to book intra-South Africa flights in BA flight number operated by Comair despite AA treats Comair a full fledged oneworld member under BA, in the same context as KA under CX. Only one reported success booking - poster reported agent had trouble at first but on consulting a supervisor was told "where to look"; the agent did not give any further information. Most everyone else reported unable to book Comair flights.
    > fixed <
  • IB : Flights will be cancelled after ticket issued. Workaround: None yet... > source <
    > fixed <
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LUS: USDM oneworld Award Bookings - (Closed to new bookings) [Master FAQ and Help]

Old Feb 20, 2015, 12:06 am
  #3526  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: LAS
Posts: 133
Originally Posted by wheresmybagba
Well it sort of is, as per the MPM numbers. Both SYD and BNE sit in an MPM blackspot when it comes to west coast US cities.

However...LAX-HKG-MEL is fine...so come visit us instead!
Did I do my math wrong? How is LAX-HKG-MEL fine? It's further (11850) than LAX-HKG-SYD (11841).

Originally Posted by Kremmen
So many people like being mysterious, esp. those who've paid for EF. Usually, MPM is simply 20% over the direct distance. Therefore, MPM25 is 50% over. There are exceptions (e.g. a Pacific vs Atlantic option) that make it higher, but if you can get what you want in under 1.5x the direct distance, you're done.



It's a shame agents are so ill-informed, when it's simply over MPM.



It depends how early in 2016. The first award seat from USA to Australia on QF is QF16 LAX-BNE in J on 27 Jan and then there's QF94 LAX-MEL in F on 31 Jan. One easier possibility would be to fly LAX-HKG-PER;PER-SYD-LAX with a stopover in SYD.
Thanks for the idea about PER.
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 12:10 am
  #3527  
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Originally Posted by TravelBug1314
Did I do my math wrong? How is LAX-HKG-MEL fine? It's further (11850) than LAX-HKG-SYD (11841).
LAX-MEL 25M is higher at 11915 miles
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 12:25 am
  #3528  
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: LAS
Posts: 133
Originally Posted by Dave Noble
LAX-MEL 25M is higher at 11915 miles
D'oh! Thanks for the quick reply and correction. Good to know I can plan for LAX-HKG-MEL.
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 1:05 am
  #3529  
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Originally Posted by glennaa11
I tried calling the UK office but they were closed so I'll try them again in the morning.
Try calling any other country.... some unfortunately get you to AA already (that's a pretty smart move ) but for most you will get the option for an English speaker anyway.
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 1:14 am
  #3530  
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Originally Posted by Dave Noble
In your example it would appear that the agent didn't pick up on it but from reports it seems that US has put work into the system post star to avoid it being down to agents to validate the itinerary but having the system pick up on it
That happened to me the last time as well.... the agent determining an incorrect amount of miles, but the system picking that up, and a second time for a stop at a non-hub which the agent also accepted at first.
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 3:52 am
  #3531  
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USDM biz booking on CX/QF/UL datapoint

A data point on booking QF/CX using USDM.

Agent from Phoenix took about 1 hours, but was a gem and pulled it all together in the end. It did take about 6 calls to the Seoul number, which went to an AA Agent, who transferred me to US (with 5 failures to get a person from the 6 goes).

Needed BKK-AKL//WLG-BKK via ???? in Business, in about 2 months time. I knew availability was sketchy on CX/QF, and preferred not to fly MH.

Previously found desired sectors using my QF account and also EF and JAL on JAL MB. And also had some back-up routings on MH if needed.

There was no biz availability BKK-HKG, so I asked to route BKK-SIN-HKG, and then to AKL. However, this was rejected as 'too many miles in a region'. Interesting as BKK-SIN-HKG-AKL is (just) within the MPM, although obviously not very direct. Ended up in coach on UL but for 2:50 it's fine and I can cope with no lounge or additional baggage (...or can I?). I'll keep an eye out to see if any CX flights open up. Quite surprised that on a Monday, there is no availability at all BKK-HKG on CX.

I encountered CX biz availability on the QF website for HKG-AKL, but DM agent couldn't see it - I understand that this 'happens' from time to time, and so slid things by a day.

The return was booked easily enough, but is albeit somewhat indirect WLG-SYD(QF)-PER(QF)-HKG(CX)-BKK(CX) with a long connection in PER requiring an overnight.

So booked, and USD 125 all up for taxes and processing. I have the US PNR and etix number, but I need the QF/CX/UL PNRs so I can select seats. The confirmatory email has yet to arrive, but it the booking shows in my account just fine. Just waiting now for the email to arrive.

It seems I can't pull up the itinerary on any of checkmytrip, virtuallythere or viewtrip so a bit stumped at present. The AA system and web in my limited experience seems much better.

Cheers, TK
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:05 am
  #3532  
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Next time ask for the confirmation numbers with the other airlines when you are still on the phone, they have them when it gets ticketed.
It's becoming a pain to get a trip overview now more and more airlines don't display on sites like checkmytrip anymore, but you need the PNR's for your seat reservations anyway.

A good agent will offer them them you, but most don't :-)

CX availability in Asia is fairly restricted even though there's plenty of flights. Couldn't get anything either for HKG-BKK/KIX/DAD when I was trying for my dates, just others....
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:06 am
  #3533  
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The AA site wouldn't have allowed booking of that itinerary - plus with AA it is unlikely that it would have been a valid routing

If you want to look at the reservations on other systems ( e,g, the cathay site to do seat assignments for Cathay ) you need the Amadeus reference. If you look at the reservation on the US site, it may show the QF/CX reference ( they will be the same ) ; otherwise call US, QF or CX and can get the reference and then do seat assignments on the QF and CX sites
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:08 am
  #3534  
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Originally Posted by RTW1
Next time ask for the confirmation numbers with the other airlines when you are still on the phone, they have them when it gets ticketed.
It's becoming a pain to get a trip overview now more and more airlines don't display on sites like checkmytrip anymore, but you need the PNR's for your seat reservations anyway.

A good agent will offer them them you, but most don't :-)
Check my trip is specifically for Amadeus booking - for any booking made on Amadeus it will be visible using the Amadeus reference on the Checkmytrip site.
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:10 am
  #3535  
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I know, but some (more and more) airlines seem to have stopped the use of the site even when they are on Amadeus.
It's a shame US has left *A.
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:18 am
  #3536  
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Originally Posted by RTW1
I know, but some (more and more) airlines seem to have stopped the use of the site even when they are on Amadeus.
It's a shame US has left *A.
I don't know which ones have stopped access, but the CX,QF and BA are all ones that are no issue to see there
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:31 am
  #3537  
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Originally Posted by RTW1
Next time ask for the confirmation numbers with the other airlines when you are still on the phone, they have them when it gets ticketed.
Of course I did ask for all three PNRs for CX/QF/UL - but she said that the system was slow in populating the fields....perhaps I should have stayed on the line!
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:35 am
  #3538  
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Mmmm, that and not receiving the e-mail yet. Maybe give them another call?
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:40 am
  #3539  
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Originally Posted by RTW1
Mmmm, that and not receiving the e-mail yet. Maybe give them another call?
It is quite normal not to receive an email from USDM... even if they confirm your email address and say they're going to send it. I think I've had one email from them since 2009.
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Old Feb 20, 2015, 4:42 am
  #3540  
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Not for me.... received an email every time I made an award booking, the last one was yesterday :-).
But they never contain the PNR's for the other airlines anyway.... But I can see that in the details of my award booking now, if I remember correctly that didn't happen before with *A.
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