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 30, 2014, 9:55 pm
#2191
Join Date: Feb 2001
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select, Accor Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 4,228
Sep 30, 2014, 10:17 pm
#2192
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,391
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20071179-post110.html
You'd have to reclaim bags on re-entry to the US anyways, so short checking on the QF/CX side isn't a problem, and according to that post AS will check to final destination...
Oct 1, 2014, 2:35 am
#2193
Join Date: Feb 2001
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select, Accor Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 4,228
You may want to check this post out...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20071179-post110.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20071179-post110.html
Ok, how about ORD and DFW? Might be able to make one of those the destination and then make SEA a stopover.
Oct 1, 2014, 7:55 am
#2194
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,391
Like I said, if you can get your hands on a very modest pile of Avios, it's 9,000 Avios to go SEA-YVR-SEA, 15,000 Avios to go SEA-SFO/LAX-SEA (though cash tickets on SFO/LAX aren't horrible).
Oct 1, 2014, 9:24 am
#2195
Join Date: Jul 2012
Programs: AA EXP, BAEC Gold, *Gold, Skyteam E+
Posts: 62
............
Last edited by LAXR202W; Feb 3, 2016 at 3:01 pm
Oct 1, 2014, 11:14 am
#2196
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 876
Hi,
Trying to burn my ~140k dividend miles in the longest possible routing in F. Wanted to try the Qantas A380, JAL sky suite and CX F product.
I tried to book the below itinerary but the US rep said routing on the return isn't valid. When I pressed her for more info, she said you cannot route via Asia. My understanding is you can? and I have seen quite a few posts here stating that.
JKF - LHR - MEL (destination) - SYD(stopover <24hrs) - NRT (stopover <24hrs) // HND - HKG (stopover <24hrs) - ORD (stopover <24hrs) - LGA
My concerns:
1) Too many segments: 7 segments possibly raised an alarm?
2) ORD stopover: There is no award availability on the day I arrive in ORD. The next available flight is the following day; still less than 24 hours
Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
Trying to burn my ~140k dividend miles in the longest possible routing in F. Wanted to try the Qantas A380, JAL sky suite and CX F product.
I tried to book the below itinerary but the US rep said routing on the return isn't valid. When I pressed her for more info, she said you cannot route via Asia. My understanding is you can? and I have seen quite a few posts here stating that.
JKF - LHR - MEL (destination) - SYD(stopover <24hrs) - NRT (stopover <24hrs) // HND - HKG (stopover <24hrs) - ORD (stopover <24hrs) - LGA
My concerns:
1) Too many segments: 7 segments possibly raised an alarm?
2) ORD stopover: There is no award availability on the day I arrive in ORD. The next available flight is the following day; still less than 24 hours
Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
Oct 1, 2014, 12:38 pm
#2197
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Oct 1, 2014, 1:45 pm
#2198
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
Hi,
Trying to burn my ~140k dividend miles in the longest possible routing in F. Wanted to try the Qantas A380, JAL sky suite and CX F product.
I tried to book the below itinerary but the US rep said routing on the return isn't valid. When I pressed her for more info, she said you cannot route via Asia. My understanding is you can? and I have seen quite a few posts here stating that.
JKF - LHR - MEL (destination) - SYD(stopover <24hrs) - NRT (stopover <24hrs) // HND - HKG (stopover <24hrs) - ORD (stopover <24hrs) - LGA
If the ATW type routing is allowed, then I would suggest considering dropping HKG or NRT to bring the mileage down
My concerns:
1) Too many segments: 7 segments possibly raised an alarm?
2) ORD stopover: There is no award availability on the day I arrive in ORD. The next available flight is the following day; still less than 24 hours
Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
Trying to burn my ~140k dividend miles in the longest possible routing in F. Wanted to try the Qantas A380, JAL sky suite and CX F product.
I tried to book the below itinerary but the US rep said routing on the return isn't valid. When I pressed her for more info, she said you cannot route via Asia. My understanding is you can? and I have seen quite a few posts here stating that.
JKF - LHR - MEL (destination) - SYD(stopover <24hrs) - NRT (stopover <24hrs) // HND - HKG (stopover <24hrs) - ORD (stopover <24hrs) - LGA
If the ATW type routing is allowed, then I would suggest considering dropping HKG or NRT to bring the mileage down
My concerns:
1) Too many segments: 7 segments possibly raised an alarm?
2) ORD stopover: There is no award availability on the day I arrive in ORD. The next available flight is the following day; still less than 24 hours
Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
If the ATW tyoe routing is not an issue, then I would suggest dropping either HKG or NRT to bring mileage down
Oct 1, 2014, 3:03 pm
#2199
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Southern California
Programs: Alaska MVP 75K, Delta Plat, Bonvoy Ambasador, Hilton diamond.
Posts: 527
No issue booking JL F
blakeflyer,
I successfully booked a JL F segment NRT-LAX a few days ago via US Airways chairman line...something about a different search window being needed?
...downside is that I can't get any US agents to see MH inventory. The agents say the schedules are not even loaded. "long sale not possible, and they even can't sell a revenue ticket on MH.
I successfully booked a JL F segment NRT-LAX a few days ago via US Airways chairman line...something about a different search window being needed?
...downside is that I can't get any US agents to see MH inventory. The agents say the schedules are not even loaded. "long sale not possible, and they even can't sell a revenue ticket on MH.
Oct 1, 2014, 6:25 pm
#2200
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 36
Any ideas on using Dividend miles to go from IAD-JNB-SYD-IAD using Dividend miles without having to route back through JNB from SYD? I understand that Dividend Miles can only be booked by round-trips (IAD-JNB & JNB-SYD) 100k roundtrip each.
Oct 1, 2014, 7:39 pm
#2201
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
Even IAD-JNB-SYD, which is purely hypothetical, as neither OW or US other partner flights exist for that routing (without being combined) comes in at 14997 mi...so I would say this one goes in the not possible basket.
If on the other hand you went to PER you would find MPM much more generous. You might be able to do IAD-JNB-PER-JNB-IAD all on SAA. I understand there are currently issues (for all *A partners) seeing SA award space however?
Oct 1, 2014, 10:06 pm
#2202
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,391
Are you connecting in DXB?SYD-NRT//HND-HKG is a big ol' backtrack adding over 3K miles. Either drop Tokyo or Hong Kong.
Yes, I know, OP, you're trying to get QF F, JL F and CX F. You probably need to rethink this.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Oct 1, 2014 at 10:12 pm
Oct 1, 2014, 10:30 pm
#2203
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AS MVP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 803
Has anyone tried to call them today? I was told the system is down all day so they have no way to issue an award ticket. Is that true?
Oct 1, 2014, 10:45 pm
#2204
Join Date: Feb 2001
Programs: IHG Diamond, HH Diamond, BW Diamond Select, Accor Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 4,228
Good point. I assume you mean the one about stopovers only being at OW hubs? Ironic, since if SEA was a hub, there would be some OW service there and the problem wouldn't exist.
(Also, it's easy to forget, as last time I booked a US DM ticket, I had a stopover in a non-alliance hub. That was in Europe though and I guess they are more likely to notice when it's a city in the USA.)
(Also, it's easy to forget, as last time I booked a US DM ticket, I had a stopover in a non-alliance hub. That was in Europe though and I guess they are more likely to notice when it's a city in the USA.)
Last edited by Kremmen; Oct 1, 2014 at 11:51 pm