Mar 30, 2014, 12:53 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
WIKI POST: Using US Dividend Miles for oneworld Award Flights
As further details become available, please fill in this wikipost.
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 program’s 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.
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)
- 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 <
LUS: USDM oneworld Award Bookings - (Closed to new bookings) [Master FAQ and Help]
Sep 17, 2014, 5:01 pm
#2086
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 171
Hey guys, newbie here on USDM so go easy on me.
Would I be allowed to book an award from GRU to SYD via Europe? There is a directly link between SCL and SYD/AKL but those flights are impossible to get an award seat on.
I actually was thinking GRU-MIA-LHR-DXB-SYD in F.
Would I be allowed to book an award from GRU to SYD via Europe? There is a directly link between SCL and SYD/AKL but those flights are impossible to get an award seat on.
I actually was thinking GRU-MIA-LHR-DXB-SYD in F.
Sep 17, 2014, 5:44 pm
#2087
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
I don't think you will have issues going via North America since that is listed as a route from GRU-SYD , but wouldn't bet on being able to do North America and Europe to get there
Sep 18, 2014, 6:55 am
#2088
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Don't think via Europe will be allowed. There are shorter routes as via DOH i.ex.
Sep 18, 2014, 10:43 pm
#2089
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 184
Recently I just booked a GRU to HND (Tokyo) RT in F using DM. I will be doing over Europe.
1-) GRU - LHR - (stopover) - HND, using BA and JL in F.
The return will be HND - HKG - DOH using CX in F and C and DOH - GRU using QR in C.
My stopover will actually have more days than the the rest of the journey.
I don't think you will be allowed to do South America - North America, Europe, Middle East to Australia. But you never know!
I think there will be many HUACA in this route of yours . Mine surely did!
Sep 19, 2014, 12:55 pm
#2090
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Southern California
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Spire, National ExecElite
Posts: 16
OneWorld pariah?
I am lost.
When we were part of Star Alliance I used to go on the ANA tool, find what I wanted, called the US airways desk, spoon feed flight numbers and date, and all was good.
Now even if there is a lot of available rewards on AA or BA website, the agent on the phone says they are not released to US.
Is US being cheap or is OneWorld treating us as pariah?
On top of it, the lady at the chairman desk had no desire whatsoever to look for availability. What do you guys do to see OneWorld award available to dividend Miles redemption?
When we were part of Star Alliance I used to go on the ANA tool, find what I wanted, called the US airways desk, spoon feed flight numbers and date, and all was good.
Now even if there is a lot of available rewards on AA or BA website, the agent on the phone says they are not released to US.
Is US being cheap or is OneWorld treating us as pariah?
On top of it, the lady at the chairman desk had no desire whatsoever to look for availability. What do you guys do to see OneWorld award available to dividend Miles redemption?
Sep 19, 2014, 1:07 pm
#2091
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
I am lost.
When we were part of Star Alliance I used to go on the ANA tool, find what I wanted, called the US airways desk, spoon feed flight numbers and date, and all was good.
Now even if there is a lot of available rewards on AA or BA website, the agent on the phone says they are not released to US.
Is US being cheap or is OneWorld treating us as pariah?
On top of it, the lady at the chairman desk had no desire whatsoever to look for availability. What do you guys do to see OneWorld award available to dividend Miles redemption?
When we were part of Star Alliance I used to go on the ANA tool, find what I wanted, called the US airways desk, spoon feed flight numbers and date, and all was good.
Now even if there is a lot of available rewards on AA or BA website, the agent on the phone says they are not released to US.
Is US being cheap or is OneWorld treating us as pariah?
On top of it, the lady at the chairman desk had no desire whatsoever to look for availability. What do you guys do to see OneWorld award available to dividend Miles redemption?
To be clear, when you check AA you are looking at the low priced saver awards, correct?
Sep 19, 2014, 1:14 pm
#2092
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Southern California
Programs: AA EXP, IHG Spire, National ExecElite
Posts: 16
I was looking at LAX-JNB in October and November. AA has plenty of options, mostly on the lower miles side, and few in business.
Sep 20, 2014, 1:35 pm
#2093
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: TK Elite
Posts: 1,611
So if I understand correctly, are the following scenarios correct if I wanted to buy a CX or MH flight with US Airways miles?
- One way SIN-HKG in J: 15,000 miles, 20,000 in F
- Are the taxes exactly the same I'd have to pay here as what the British Airways site is showing?
- One way SIN-HKG in J: 15,000 miles, 20,000 in F
- Are the taxes exactly the same I'd have to pay here as what the British Airways site is showing?
Sep 20, 2014, 1:41 pm
#2094
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Between AMS and BRU
Posts: 8,852
US DM doesn't do one-ways if that's what you mean..... you always pay for a return.
So you're looking at a South&Central Asia to North Asia award for 60/80k or 70k if you book one direction in a different fare class. Not a great use of miles.
So you're looking at a South&Central Asia to North Asia award for 60/80k or 70k if you book one direction in a different fare class. Not a great use of miles.
Sep 20, 2014, 3:12 pm
#2095
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
So if I understand correctly, are the following scenarios correct if I wanted to buy a CX or MH flight with US Airways miles?
- One way SIN-HKG in J: 15,000 miles, 20,000 in F
- Are the taxes exactly the same I'd have to pay here as what the British Airways site is showing?
- One way SIN-HKG in J: 15,000 miles, 20,000 in F
- Are the taxes exactly the same I'd have to pay here as what the British Airways site is showing?
As far as the taxes go, they may be very different to what the BA site shows since BA may be applying surcharges which US will not
Sep 21, 2014, 12:46 am
#2096
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 27
I have recently booked an USDM award travel which I have paid for in full F miles but travelling in F & J. It has already been ticketed.
The segments in J now have F available for redemption - when I called USDM to change the booking, the agent told me that she will need to cancel the existing booking and redo the entire trip as a new booking for me, even though I am just simply upgrading from J to F on some flights. My booking has some interesting routing so I didnt want to risk going through a new booking again.
Is that normal? I would have thought that they could just simply amend the existing ticketed booking (and charge me $150)?
The segments in J now have F available for redemption - when I called USDM to change the booking, the agent told me that she will need to cancel the existing booking and redo the entire trip as a new booking for me, even though I am just simply upgrading from J to F on some flights. My booking has some interesting routing so I didnt want to risk going through a new booking again.
Is that normal? I would have thought that they could just simply amend the existing ticketed booking (and charge me $150)?
Sep 21, 2014, 1:00 am
#2097
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
I have recently booked an USDM award travel which I have paid for in full F miles but travelling in F & J. It has already been ticketed.
The segments in J now have F available for redemption - when I called USDM to change the booking, the agent told me that she will need to cancel the existing booking and redo the entire trip as a new booking for me, even though I am just simply upgrading from J to F on some flights. My booking has some interesting routing so I didnt want to risk going through a new booking again.
Is that normal? I would have thought that they could just simply amend the existing ticketed booking (and charge me $150)?
The segments in J now have F available for redemption - when I called USDM to change the booking, the agent told me that she will need to cancel the existing booking and redo the entire trip as a new booking for me, even though I am just simply upgrading from J to F on some flights. My booking has some interesting routing so I didnt want to risk going through a new booking again.
Is that normal? I would have thought that they could just simply amend the existing ticketed booking (and charge me $150)?
Unfortunately it is becoming more common for agents to want to do this.
Sep 21, 2014, 1:32 am
#2099
Moderator: American AAdvantage & Marriott Bonvoy
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: PHX
Programs: American ExPlat; Marriott/SPG Lifetime Plat; Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 8,116
Sep 21, 2014, 2:09 am
#2100
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
The change seems to be very easy to do in the system. It's just the right words for getting them to revalidate rather than cancel.