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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 Dec 25, 2014, 4:42 pm
  #2881  
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Originally Posted by tylerc
Any way to figure out the mpm? I called US but their agent didn't seem well versed in one world redemptions. I won't move the points until I find j for sure, but since I'm peicing it together using multiple search engines I can't validate if it is actually legal.

I read through the guide, and called but still not confident in mpm.
With US airways you can make a booking without miles (as long as you have an account). You can ask for it to be put on a three-day hold.

Ask the agent to send it to the rate desk if they don't at the time of booking - the rate desk will confirm the itinerary.

If the itinerary is approved, transfer your miles.
LHR/MEL/Europe FF is online now  
Old Dec 25, 2014, 11:22 pm
  #2882  
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Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF

If the itinerary is approved, transfer your miles.
Careful... SPG transfers are not instant, nor are they guaranteed to go through in 3 days you're allowed to hold. Neither are Wyndham. Don't know about Marriott.

US isn't a Chase or AMEX partner, so not sure if there's an "instant" way to pad an account that doesn't involve buying miles from points.com...
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Old Dec 25, 2014, 11:24 pm
  #2883  
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Originally Posted by eponymous_coward
Careful... SPG transfers are not instant, nor are they guaranteed to go through in 3 days you're allowed to hold. Neither are Wyndham. Don't know about Marriott.

US isn't a Chase or AMEX partner, so not sure if there's an "instant" way to pad an account that doesn't involve buying miles from points.com...
good point. Thanks.
LHR/MEL/Europe FF is online now  
Old Dec 26, 2014, 6:57 am
  #2884  
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Is there still a lot of flexibility when it comes to routing? Can I fly to SE Asia via Europe and be charged the same miles to SE Asia? Can I book my return flights so that my entire trip becomes a RTW?
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Old Dec 26, 2014, 6:58 am
  #2885  
 
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Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
good point. Thanks.
Thanks guys - was planning to transfer in from Aeroplan via Points.com. I need to do some now, and some after Jan 1 to get the number of them that I will need.
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Old Dec 26, 2014, 2:16 pm
  #2886  
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Originally Posted by tylerc
Thanks guys - was planning to transfer in from Aeroplan via Points.com. I need to do some now, and some after Jan 1 to get the number of them that I will need.
You know, AA has a partnership with TN, so you have a backup plan once US miles become AA miles, assuming your goal is getting to Tahiti, not some wacky routing that tries to break the rules and score hard to get inventory through Santiago and Easter Island.

I'd still try to determine if this is an allowed routing and if there's actual award inventory FIRST, though.
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Old Dec 27, 2014, 6:00 am
  #2887  
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
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Quick question, and I apologize for not being able to find the answer through the search. I'm sure it's been asked.

US Air Platinum booking an award on AA for my mother. Any way for me to use my oneworld sapphire status to get her access to Main Cabin Extra?

I'm not the one traveling, but the miles are coming from my account.
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Old Dec 27, 2014, 9:38 am
  #2888  
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Originally Posted by SMFlagg
Quick question, and I apologize for not being able to find the answer through the search. I'm sure it's been asked.

US Air Platinum booking an award on AA for my mother. Any way for me to use my oneworld sapphire status to get her access to Main Cabin Extra?

I'm not the one traveling, but the miles are coming from my account.
No. It is the status of the passenger that matters. Without status, no free-free selection of MCE seats is permitted and purchase of MCE seating on award tickets is not permitted
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Old Dec 27, 2014, 5:41 pm
  #2889  
 
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Originally Posted by Dave Noble
No. It is the status of the passenger that matters. Without status, no free-free selection of MCE seats is permitted and purchase of MCE seating on award tickets is not permitted
Thank you sir, appreciate the help!
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Old Dec 28, 2014, 5:04 pm
  #2890  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Id like to switch two legs in an existing booking. I understand that they need to reissue and I pay $150, but can they make the change without canceling the whole booking? It is a bit unclear since there are conflicting reports here. Do I only need an ok agent ,or are they enforcing some new rules now towards the merger?
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Old Dec 28, 2014, 6:24 pm
  #2891  
 
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Just over a week ago I switched the outbound portion of an award without affecting the inbound, except that the agent managed to lose the booking on one leg of the inbound & it took several days for them to liaise with the other carrier to get it released.
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Old Dec 28, 2014, 6:25 pm
  #2892  
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Originally Posted by Insomnia4u
Id like to switch two legs in an existing booking. I understand that they need to reissue and I pay $150, but can they make the change without canceling the whole booking? It is a bit unclear since there are conflicting reports here. Do I only need an ok agent ,or are they enforcing some new rules now towards the merger?
As long as the agent is willing to do it for you, they shouldn't need to cancel the whole booking. you might need to make a couple calls to find the right agent.

Change of class now requires a complete cancellation for some reason. But if you're staying in the same class, you should be able to manage it.
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Old Dec 28, 2014, 7:14 pm
  #2893  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
Change of class now requires a complete cancellation for some reason. But if you're staying in the same class, you should be able to manage it.
It is charged at first class, but need to switch to different legs so I can get first and not only business, so its both a change of legs in the middle, and class. Will try in a couple of hours when UK office opens up and update on the progress.
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Old Dec 28, 2014, 8:07 pm
  #2894  
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Originally Posted by Insomnia4u
It is charged at first class, but need to switch to different legs so I can get first and not only business, so its both a change of legs in the middle, and class. Will try in a couple of hours when UK office opens up and update on the progress.
I had something similar with CX. Charged at F but one sector out of 4 in biz class. 5 agents refused to change without cancelling the whole thing. (One agent actually made the change, but then went to the rate desk to ticket it and they said 'no')

Hopefully you might get lucky.
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Old Dec 29, 2014, 4:43 am
  #2895  
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
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Originally Posted by Insomnia4u
It is charged at first class, but need to switch to different legs so I can get first and not only business, so its both a change of legs in the middle, and class. Will try in a couple of hours when UK office opens up and update on the progress.
Quick update, it was no problem switching a couple of legs. I find the UK/Europe-agents to be quite good. But altho they saw availability in the last segment, JAL HND-KIX, it was not possible to book it. Mentioned the "new screen" tip here, but no go.

The agent said that it was random with JL, and another agent told me that sometimes they were able to book, but the seat came back unconfirmed a couple of days later. Whats the deal with JL?
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