US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Help me avoid orphan miles, please

I won a contest that will send me and Mrs. Don in LA to PHL from LAX on USAir in October. The winnings provided for two people, but I bought a third seat for our three-year-old, who will accompany us.

Here's the rub, and I apologize in advance. If I knew what to look up, I would. I've checked the last 10 pages of postings, and nothing comes close.

None of us have ever flown USAir before, and I don't know that we will again, so:

1. Can I have our miles credited to one of USAir's partner airlines instead of into a DM account? We have accounts with United, so that would be nice. If not, these miles are destined to be orphans. If so, what do I do?

2. I'm assuming that even though the sponsor is paying for the plane tickets for me and Mrs. Don in LA, that we will get the miles for having our butts in the seats. Certainly my three-year-old, as a paying customer, is entitled to miles, but how about us parents? Am I mistaken?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Without knowing the booking code for your ticket, it's impossible to say definitively whether the ticket will qualify for miles or not on US or any other airline. Most airlines exclude bulk and consolidator fares, but again you'll have to find out if your tickets are classified as such.

You can theoretically accrue on a number of partners, of which United is probably the largest/closest.

http://www.usairways.com/dividendmiles/earningmiles/flystar.htm
http://www.usairways.com/dividendmiles/earningmiles/flyother.htm

Once you have your tickets, call USAirways and ask that the credit be placed in your accounts at the other airline; this could also be done with a USAirways agent at the airport. Make sure the right number is printed on each of the boarding passes.

Thank you so much. I'll do exactly as you suggest.