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]
May 1, 2015, 1:54 pm
#4186
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
In the USA? Or do you mean something else by "domestic"? How does one get a "short domestic segment" on AA (or any OW carrier) that's 3 or 4-class? A BA, CX or QF segment in F (like CX HKG-TPE or BA LHR-DME) would be international...
May 1, 2015, 2:16 pm
#4187
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,724
DCA-BOS is such a short hop that I don't mind the downgrade, but just curious.
Last edited by iluvdoco; May 1, 2015 at 2:28 pm
May 1, 2015, 4:42 pm
#4188
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Sorry, it was a DCA-BOS flight that was changed from F to Y (typo on my part). In the old days of USDM, an involuntary change would have allowed us to re-book, but it seems now that either I need to accept the changes or call in and risk endangering the rest of the itinerary?
DCA-BOS is such a short hop that I don't mind the downgrade, but just curious.
DCA-BOS is such a short hop that I don't mind the downgrade, but just curious.
So what would you want to do with the itinerary other than settle for the F->Y downgrade? I could imagine a reasonable request might work, but redoing lots of things not so much.
May 11, 2015, 6:42 pm
#4189
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: YYC, SFO, OAK
Programs: AS MVP 75K, AA Platinum, IHG Platinum, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 734
A quick update. My SO was able to change our awards today, by pushing them into the future, with a change in routing, but otherwise same stopover and destination. No change fee or difference in taxes.
I suspect the taxes should have changed as we're transiting fewer airports, but with the US booking process being a dinosaur-age relic, I don't expect them to do any recalculations without a lot of fuss.
We're both EXP, which is probably why no fee was involved, although in theory it shouldn't be required even if you don't have status.
I suspect the taxes should have changed as we're transiting fewer airports, but with the US booking process being a dinosaur-age relic, I don't expect them to do any recalculations without a lot of fuss.
We're both EXP, which is probably why no fee was involved, although in theory it shouldn't be required even if you don't have status.
May 12, 2015, 1:25 am
#4190
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: LHR
Programs: Ex-NWA Plat
Posts: 1,480
Is it possible to change a US Airways One World award ticket?
I have flown the outbound flights already and wish to make a change on the return flights on an award ticket.
US DM rules state no changes allowed once travel has originated.
AA AAdvantage rules allow changes after travel has originated.
I have a partner airline award on One World carriers issued by US Airways that AAdvantage insists can be changed and must be handled by calling Dividend Miles - however, Dividend Miles refuses to change, citing original DM rules that according to them, still apply.
I am keeping the origin and destination the same. The routing will change, however (to a more direct one). And instead of using two different carriers on the return, I will stick to just one.
US DM has already noted my reservation with a comment to say that no changes are allowed and this has been communicated to me over the phone.
Is there a way out?
US DM rules state no changes allowed once travel has originated.
AA AAdvantage rules allow changes after travel has originated.
I have a partner airline award on One World carriers issued by US Airways that AAdvantage insists can be changed and must be handled by calling Dividend Miles - however, Dividend Miles refuses to change, citing original DM rules that according to them, still apply.
I am keeping the origin and destination the same. The routing will change, however (to a more direct one). And instead of using two different carriers on the return, I will stick to just one.
US DM has already noted my reservation with a comment to say that no changes are allowed and this has been communicated to me over the phone.
Is there a way out?
May 12, 2015, 4:45 am
#4191
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: BA Gold, AA Platinum, SQ Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,582
I don't think there is a way out. If you look at ow award booking thread in US Airways forum, you will find that no one has been able to change award after travel has started (even after merger).
May 12, 2015, 5:02 pm
#4192
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,203
Hello experts,
I am booked on a full F award in August (USDM). It includes DPS-KUL-CDG on MH. It appears that the KUL-CDG segment will now be on a 772 in J, rather than a 380 in F.
I certainly do not want to make that trip in J. And I am not stuck on having to go to CDG. In fact one option is to check out F availability on the MH KUL-LHR flight. But I really not too interested in visiting London right now.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to alternate OW routings in F, DPS-Europe?
Also, since this is a downgrade, do you think that US/AA will charge a change fee to get me back into a F product?
Thanks very much!
I am booked on a full F award in August (USDM). It includes DPS-KUL-CDG on MH. It appears that the KUL-CDG segment will now be on a 772 in J, rather than a 380 in F.
I certainly do not want to make that trip in J. And I am not stuck on having to go to CDG. In fact one option is to check out F availability on the MH KUL-LHR flight. But I really not too interested in visiting London right now.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to alternate OW routings in F, DPS-Europe?
Also, since this is a downgrade, do you think that US/AA will charge a change fee to get me back into a F product?
Thanks very much!
May 12, 2015, 5:15 pm
#4193
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Hello experts,
I am booked on a full F award in August (USDM). It includes DPS-KUL-CDG on MH. It appears that the KUL-CDG segment will now be on a 772 in J, rather than a 380 in F.
I certainly do not want to make that trip in J. And I am not stuck on having to go to CDG. In fact one option is to check out F availability on the MH KUL-LHR flight. But I really not too interested in visiting London right now.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to alternate OW routings in F, DPS-Europe?
Also, since this is a downgrade, do you think that US/AA will charge a change fee to get me back into a F product?
I am booked on a full F award in August (USDM). It includes DPS-KUL-CDG on MH. It appears that the KUL-CDG segment will now be on a 772 in J, rather than a 380 in F.
I certainly do not want to make that trip in J. And I am not stuck on having to go to CDG. In fact one option is to check out F availability on the MH KUL-LHR flight. But I really not too interested in visiting London right now.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to alternate OW routings in F, DPS-Europe?
Also, since this is a downgrade, do you think that US/AA will charge a change fee to get me back into a F product?
If yes, you can check available F-cl flights and let you rebook free of charge. If not, you can change your booking against a fee of USD 150 / ticket.
There are CX, JL, QR, QF and BA that are offering F-cl to Europe, some only from the Middle East...
May 12, 2015, 5:26 pm
#4194
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Is this the award you already made changes on?
MH is trying to sell their A380s and is removing them from the KUL-CDG-KUL route. Thus, the OP will be in 772 slanty C.
May 12, 2015, 6:38 pm
#4195
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Please also mind, that only 2 of the 6 A380 should be available to buy or lease from now, the other 4 should be availabe only from the year 2016 on, if the following article is right:
http://leehamnews.com/2015/04/30/mal...restructuring/
May 12, 2015, 7:43 pm
#4196
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
Yes. But there hasn't been any official communication yet about an aircraft change to Europe...
Please also mind, that only 2 of the 6 A380 should be available to buy or lease from now, the other 4 should be availabe only from the year 2016 on, if the following article is right:
http://leehamnews.com/2015/04/30/mal...restructuring/
Please also mind, that only 2 of the 6 A380 should be available to buy or lease from now, the other 4 should be availabe only from the year 2016 on, if the following article is right:
http://leehamnews.com/2015/04/30/mal...restructuring/
May 13, 2015, 5:22 am
#4197
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 19
Rebooking part of my ticket - BOOKED on US Originally
Hi,
Newbee here, so don't be too harsh!
First my story:
We booked our award ticked on USAir back in march in business class the entire way. The return flight is a little convoluted, but the departure flight is perfect. Anyway, my wife found out she doesn't have to be back at work for a week longer then we expected, so we wanted to rebook our return flight.
To do this no one really knows what to do since the programs have now merged.
However my questions are:
1) If I see flights in the BA system that show availability through JAL (more or less the same flights I have booked just 5 days later), shouldn't those be available for me to rebook? Agents can't seem to find these flights. Is there a reason for this or is it just ineptitude (I say this because i get different answers every time I try). If these aren't available to book, why? is there a more accurate source?
2. If I book business class with USAir, would I be eligible for the business saver reward flights via the AA portal for this class as well? They seem to be denying me this as well.
I'm just trying to understand what I am and am not allowed to do.
Thanks,
Brandon
Newbee here, so don't be too harsh!
First my story:
We booked our award ticked on USAir back in march in business class the entire way. The return flight is a little convoluted, but the departure flight is perfect. Anyway, my wife found out she doesn't have to be back at work for a week longer then we expected, so we wanted to rebook our return flight.
To do this no one really knows what to do since the programs have now merged.
However my questions are:
1) If I see flights in the BA system that show availability through JAL (more or less the same flights I have booked just 5 days later), shouldn't those be available for me to rebook? Agents can't seem to find these flights. Is there a reason for this or is it just ineptitude (I say this because i get different answers every time I try). If these aren't available to book, why? is there a more accurate source?
2. If I book business class with USAir, would I be eligible for the business saver reward flights via the AA portal for this class as well? They seem to be denying me this as well.
I'm just trying to understand what I am and am not allowed to do.
Thanks,
Brandon
May 13, 2015, 7:37 am
#4198
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Hi,
Newbee here, so don't be too harsh!
First my story:
We booked our award ticked on USAir back in march in business class the entire way. The return flight is a little convoluted, but the departure flight is perfect. Anyway, my wife found out she doesn't have to be back at work for a week longer then we expected, so we wanted to rebook our return flight.
To do this no one really knows what to do since the programs have now merged.
However my questions are:
1) If I see flights in the BA system that show availability through JAL (more or less the same flights I have booked just 5 days later), shouldn't those be available for me to rebook? Agents can't seem to find these flights. Is there a reason for this or is it just ineptitude (I say this because i get different answers every time I try). If these aren't available to book, why? is there a more accurate source?
2. If I book business class with USAir, would I be eligible for the business saver reward flights via the AA portal for this class as well? They seem to be denying me this as well.
I'm just trying to understand what I am and am not allowed to do.
Newbee here, so don't be too harsh!
First my story:
We booked our award ticked on USAir back in march in business class the entire way. The return flight is a little convoluted, but the departure flight is perfect. Anyway, my wife found out she doesn't have to be back at work for a week longer then we expected, so we wanted to rebook our return flight.
To do this no one really knows what to do since the programs have now merged.
However my questions are:
1) If I see flights in the BA system that show availability through JAL (more or less the same flights I have booked just 5 days later), shouldn't those be available for me to rebook? Agents can't seem to find these flights. Is there a reason for this or is it just ineptitude (I say this because i get different answers every time I try). If these aren't available to book, why? is there a more accurate source?
2. If I book business class with USAir, would I be eligible for the business saver reward flights via the AA portal for this class as well? They seem to be denying me this as well.
I'm just trying to understand what I am and am not allowed to do.
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.
1) BA tends to show phantom availability. Use the JL site to check JL and CX flights. You need to sign up to JL mileage bank frequent flyer program.
2) If AA Business/First mileSAAver seats are available, they usually should also be bookable with USDM.
May 13, 2015, 12:47 pm
#4199
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
1) If I see flights in the BA system that show availability through JAL (more or less the same flights I have booked just 5 days later), shouldn't those be available for me to rebook? Agents can't seem to find these flights. Is there a reason for this or is it just ineptitude (I say this because i get different answers every time I try).
So, keep calling back and remind the agents that the JL flights they cannot add through the award booking system and that they need to go in the revenue booking system to add them. Also ensure that they pick the right fare class (it's quite likely that the agents will add the JL flights in the wrong fare class, which means that it won't be ticketable). You need the guide the US res. agents all the way through and know more than they do if you want to book and ticket an itinerary using JL flights. (Be glad that you don't have Flybe operated AY flights. If it was so, then you'd be out of luck, as US can't - or won't - ticket those at all, no matter what. JL at least you can still get ticketed, after a gruelling several hours on the phone and constantly educating the US res. agents.)
May 13, 2015, 3:19 pm
#4200
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Little dot in Asia
Programs: AA-EP, TK-*G, HL-DM, HY-GLO, MR-LTP
Posts: 25,932
Hello experts,
I am booked on a full F award in August (USDM). It includes DPS-KUL-CDG on MH. It appears that the KUL-CDG segment will now be on a 772 in J, rather than a 380 in F.
I certainly do not want to make that trip in J. And I am not stuck on having to go to CDG. In fact one option is to check out F availability on the MH KUL-LHR flight. But I really not too interested in visiting London right now.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to alternate OW routings in F, DPS-Europe?
Also, since this is a downgrade, do you think that US/AA will charge a change fee to get me back into a F product?
Thanks very much!
I am booked on a full F award in August (USDM). It includes DPS-KUL-CDG on MH. It appears that the KUL-CDG segment will now be on a 772 in J, rather than a 380 in F.
I certainly do not want to make that trip in J. And I am not stuck on having to go to CDG. In fact one option is to check out F availability on the MH KUL-LHR flight. But I really not too interested in visiting London right now.
Does anyone have any suggestions as to alternate OW routings in F, DPS-Europe?
Also, since this is a downgrade, do you think that US/AA will charge a change fee to get me back into a F product?
Thanks very much!
Or else MH to LHR and then BA to CDG.