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Star Alliance Award Bookings Using US Airways Miles - FAQ and Help Thread [MERGED]

Old Oct 14, 2013, 4:55 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: NewbieRunner
Update 08APR2014: Star Alliance Awards must have been booked by March 30, 2014. They are no longer available through US. This thread is mostly useful for historic purposes, and discussing issues such as schedule changes/route changes that affect FTers existing *A awards booked before 3/31/2014.

Discussion on using US miles to book oneworld awards is available here.

If you are looking for discussion on US's new partner awards that use various partners not in oneworld (many of whom are former *A partners), see the devoted thread on using US miles to book NON-oneworld partners here.

------------------------

Update 07JAN14: American Airlines award tickets bookable online on usairways.com or through reservation.

  • Award travel must be wholly on American Airlines or a combination of American Airlines and US Airways.
  • American Airlines awards cannot be combined with any of our current partner.
  • American Airlines award travel chart (PDF)

Please see the devoted thread on using US miles to book AA here.
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Star Alliance Award Bookings Using US Airways Miles - FAQ and Help Thread [MERGED]

 
Old Sep 2, 2013, 3:29 am
  #17851  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Here today, gone tomorrow
Programs: Nothing shiny :-(
Posts: 2,491
Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
woohoo!! that is great news and I'm guessing a huge relief for everyone!

I know this is a minor consequence but if your aunt is on the TG flight to CPH it will be on the new 777ER with full flat seats.
Absolutely an enormous relief, I thought she was up the creek without a paddle. Taking into account prepaid hotels, car hire, etc, it would have been a very expensive (and distressing) mistake. Kudos to US Airways, obviously they had no obligation to sort things out; I am really grateful to them.

Good news re the flat seats too.

Originally Posted by wheresmybagba
Wow louie that's amazing, what a relief! Now, make sure she's totally organised!
Lord only knows how we got into this mess - we had to book Rydges at SYD for Sunday night because we couldn't get her on to a flight from Adelaide that connected with the earlier Thai flight this morning, so how it slipped her mind that she'd been put on the earlier flight, I have no idea. Hubby thinks she must have printed out the original schedule and just followed that. No point having a post mortem now, but I've never thought of her as forgetful or confused before.

Anyway, she was bridesmaid to my in-laws whose diamond wedding anniversary is on Thursday. Assuming nothing else goes wrong, she'll be a surprise visitor to the celebration lunch that day (although somewhat tired no doubt!) - let's hope all goes OK and neither of the in-laws have a heart attack when they see her!!

Last edited by louie-m; Sep 2, 2013 at 4:10 am Reason: Spotted a typo and added a comment about US!
louie-m is offline  
Old Sep 2, 2013, 11:22 am
  #17852  
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: San Antonio
Programs: AS MVP
Posts: 2,276
Stupid question alert - I changed a held *A booking to get a fresh 3 day hold, but had to drop one short domestic segment from business to coach to do so. Will I have any problems calling back a few hours later and changing back to my original itinerary?
KennyBSAT is offline  
Old Sep 2, 2013, 4:35 pm
  #17853  
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: BNA
Programs: US Silver, DL Silver
Posts: 4
RTW Using US Dividend Miles

Booked this flight last summer, flew this summer:

BOS-ORD-NRT (2 week stopover)-MUC-KRK-MUC-BOS for 60,000.

Tips: Start planning early. Don't make anything overly complicated. Keep calling if the agent isn't helpful on the phone. Get the KVS Tool 1 month subscription.
Snuffleupagus is offline  
Old Sep 3, 2013, 12:48 am
  #17854  
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 399
Sorry one more quick question ... Would this be valid as an open jaw?

PVG-ICN-JFK-CLT-ATL//LAX-NRT-PVG

Reading the rules the open jaw has to be shorter than the outbound and return segments, which it is. But it is longer than the domestic segments (JFK-CLT). Does is only have to be shorter than the major hops, or the shortest leg? Cheers!
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 1:06 am
  #17855  
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,399
Originally Posted by faithwins
Sorry one more quick question ... Would this be valid as an open jaw?

PVG-ICN-JFK-CLT-ATL//LAX-NRT-PVG

Reading the rules the open jaw has to be shorter than the outbound and return segments, which it is. But it is longer than the domestic segments (JFK-CLT). Does is only have to be shorter than the major hops, or the shortest leg? Cheers!
the open jaw needs to be shorter than either the outbound or return flight series.... so that would be PVG-ATL and LAX-PVG. on that basis the open jaw is ok.
LHR/MEL/Europe FF is offline  
Old Sep 3, 2013, 8:08 am
  #17856  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 709
I recently logged into my reservation on USAirways.com for a *A award trip scheduled in November. I received the "Schedule change" page, asking me to accept or reject. It appears the only change is about a 10 minute shift in my positioning flight on UA, but that's not a problem because I still have a 3.5 hour layover before the next flight.

If I click "accept changes," is US going to have to re-issue the ticket? I'm assuming not for something like this, but I'm just wondering what the scenarios are in which you need to follow up and make sure a ticket needs to be reissued based on a change.
DCdeacon is offline  
Old Sep 3, 2013, 1:29 pm
  #17857  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Originally Posted by DCdeacon
I recently logged into my reservation on USAirways.com for a *A award trip scheduled in November. I received the "Schedule change" page, asking me to accept or reject. It appears the only change is about a 10 minute shift in my positioning flight on UA, but that's not a problem because I still have a 3.5 hour layover before the next flight.

If I click "accept changes," is US going to have to re-issue the ticket? I'm assuming not for something like this, but I'm just wondering what the scenarios are in which you need to follow up and make sure a ticket needs to be reissued based on a change.
no.
PVDtoDEL is offline  
Old Sep 3, 2013, 6:59 pm
  #17858  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,691
I have a quick question re: luggage allowance. Is the whole itinerary (regardless of carrier) based on the first carrier you start on?

Reason I ask is we started on Thai F (so 40kg), however have a leg in C PER-SIN (as no F out of PER) which is only 30kg on SQ.

Should I still be entitled to my 40kg? (after SIN doing UA F SIN-HKG, then TG F HKG-BKK-CDG. On the TG site it states "4.In case of travel on combined services for through journeys where the passenger travels partly on F-class and partly on C-, U-, or Y-class, the free baggage allowance applicable on each sector of the trip shall be that applicable to the class of service for which the fare is paid. In case the passenger who has paid F-class fare travels on C-, U- or Y-class, the free baggage allowance shall be that applicable to F-class." however it doesn't mention multiple carriers.

I want to take my golf clubs back to London with me and if I'm stuck with just 30kg on SQ then it's going to be a problem...!
flashware is offline  
Old Sep 3, 2013, 7:32 pm
  #17859  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Originally Posted by flashware
I have a quick question re: luggage allowance. Is the whole itinerary (regardless of carrier) based on the first carrier you start on?

Reason I ask is we started on Thai F (so 40kg), however have a leg in C PER-SIN (as no F out of PER) which is only 30kg on SQ.

Should I still be entitled to my 40kg? (after SIN doing UA F SIN-HKG, then TG F HKG-BKK-CDG. On the TG site it states "4.In case of travel on combined services for through journeys where the passenger travels partly on F-class and partly on C-, U-, or Y-class, the free baggage allowance applicable on each sector of the trip shall be that applicable to the class of service for which the fare is paid. In case the passenger who has paid F-class fare travels on C-, U- or Y-class, the free baggage allowance shall be that applicable to F-class." however it doesn't mention multiple carriers.

I want to take my golf clubs back to London with me and if I'm stuck with just 30kg on SQ then it's going to be a problem...!
Depends on what the ticketed baggage allowance is. Pulling it up on SV is the best bet, if it is registered (only sometimes works).
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 7:46 pm
  #17860  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,691
Originally Posted by PVDtoDEL
Depends on what the ticketed baggage allowance is. Pulling it up on SV is the best bet, if it is registered (only sometimes works).
In the baggage column it just says KG for every flight....
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 8:04 pm
  #17861  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
Originally Posted by flashware
In the baggage column it just says KG for every flight....
That's unfortunate.

Assuming that this itinerary does not touch the US, baggage allowance will be dictated by the IATA MSC rule. Excess baggage allowance due to status will be granted by each airline for its own segment(s) only.

Have fun calculating
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 8:08 pm
  #17862  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,691
Originally Posted by PVDtoDEL
That's unfortunate.

Assuming that this itinerary does not touch the US, baggage allowance will be dictated by the IATA MSC rule. Excess baggage allowance due to status will be granted by each airline for its own segment(s) only.

Have fun calculating
I guess worst case scenario when I go to check in the bags, if SQ enforces 30kg then I'll just put the golf clubs back in the car and send them back home!
flashware is offline  
Old Sep 3, 2013, 8:10 pm
  #17863  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,691
Interestingly... if I punch in my PNR + Surname to the UA website's baggage calculator it says:
In compliance with U.S. Department of Transportation regulations, checked baggage policies for your entire itinerary are determined by Thai Airways. Visit united.com/baggage for more information.

So that's what applies to the UA flight, so now just need to work out the SQ flight.
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 8:18 pm
  #17864  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,763
If the itinerary touches the US, the first carrier's allowance applies for all segments.
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Old Sep 3, 2013, 8:21 pm
  #17865  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,691
Originally Posted by PVDtoDEL
If the itinerary touches the US, the first carrier's allowance applies for all segments.
It doesn't touch the US however we're using a US carrier for SIN-HKG (UA Global First).
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