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]
Jun 15, 2015, 2:40 pm
#4246
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 437
US/AA messes up Dividend Miles booking, refuses to refund booking fee
Hi all,
Before Dividend Miles merged with AAdvantage, I booked PHL-DOH-IKA; SYZ-DOH-PHL in Business Class for 120K miles, taxes and a $50 booking fee.
Fast forward to last week: The dates were no longer going to work for me, so I called the AA Gold desk to request a change of dates, leaving the city pairs the same. They completed the requested change without incident.
A few minutes later, I noticed that the agent had booked me a 30-minute connection in DOH. I called Qatar Airways and they confirmed that (a) a 30-minute connection is illegal and (b) Qatar Airways couldn't even see my inbound flight, presumably because of this error.
I called the AA Gold desk and explained the situation. When it became clear that no reasonable alternative was available, they offered to refund the miles and taxes, but not the service fee. While I fully believe that the service fee shouldn't be refunded if I were to cancel an itinerary, this particular cancellation was solely due to an error made by a US/AA agent.
Do I have any recourse?
Before Dividend Miles merged with AAdvantage, I booked PHL-DOH-IKA; SYZ-DOH-PHL in Business Class for 120K miles, taxes and a $50 booking fee.
Fast forward to last week: The dates were no longer going to work for me, so I called the AA Gold desk to request a change of dates, leaving the city pairs the same. They completed the requested change without incident.
A few minutes later, I noticed that the agent had booked me a 30-minute connection in DOH. I called Qatar Airways and they confirmed that (a) a 30-minute connection is illegal and (b) Qatar Airways couldn't even see my inbound flight, presumably because of this error.
I called the AA Gold desk and explained the situation. When it became clear that no reasonable alternative was available, they offered to refund the miles and taxes, but not the service fee. While I fully believe that the service fee shouldn't be refunded if I were to cancel an itinerary, this particular cancellation was solely due to an error made by a US/AA agent.
Do I have any recourse?
Jun 15, 2015, 2:43 pm
#4247
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Sure. Agents don't do this stuff over the phone. Send in a webform to customer complaint. Make it 2-3 sentences at the most (what you have above is way more than you need). All you need to do is point out that the agent booked an illegal connection and when there were no alternatives, you took the cancellation for a full refund option, but also believe that the booking fee should be refunded as well."
Bet you they do it.
Bet you they do it.
Jun 15, 2015, 2:47 pm
#4248
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,623
I'm confused as to how the cancellation was due to an agent error.
They correctly booked the flights the first time around, those flights then no longer worked for you.
Then you tried to change the flights, but it sounds like there was no reasonable alternative? The only alternative was a bad 30 minute connection?
Or are you claiming that there was a reasonable and available alternate routing, and the agent booked you on the wrong flights when you called to change, then by the time you noticed it and called back the alternate award flights weren't available?
They correctly booked the flights the first time around, those flights then no longer worked for you.
Then you tried to change the flights, but it sounds like there was no reasonable alternative? The only alternative was a bad 30 minute connection?
Or are you claiming that there was a reasonable and available alternate routing, and the agent booked you on the wrong flights when you called to change, then by the time you noticed it and called back the alternate award flights weren't available?
Jun 15, 2015, 3:11 pm
#4249
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 224
I'm confused as to how the cancellation was due to an agent error.
They correctly booked the flights the first time around, those flights then no longer worked for you.
Then you tried to change the flights, but it sounds like there was no reasonable alternative? The only alternative was a bad 30 minute connection?
Or are you claiming that there was a reasonable and available alternate routing, and the agent booked you on the wrong flights when you called to change, then by the time you noticed it and called back the alternate award flights weren't available?
They correctly booked the flights the first time around, those flights then no longer worked for you.
Then you tried to change the flights, but it sounds like there was no reasonable alternative? The only alternative was a bad 30 minute connection?
Or are you claiming that there was a reasonable and available alternate routing, and the agent booked you on the wrong flights when you called to change, then by the time you noticed it and called back the alternate award flights weren't available?
Jun 15, 2015, 3:22 pm
#4250
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
The $50 fee was for the original booking. This was correctly made and ticketed ; I do not see why this should be refunded since the award was issued correctly
US could probably have rebooked you back on the original flights
US could probably have rebooked you back on the original flights
Jun 15, 2015, 4:57 pm
#4251
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,623
Shouldn't there have been a $150 cancellation/redeposit fee in the OP isn't an elite member?
Jun 15, 2015, 6:40 pm
#4253
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: WORLD
Programs: AS,TK
Posts: 100
If it's a minor schedule change, why do you care? What does it say on usairways.com? Why bother pestering an agent at all? If the US system hasn't yet updated some change on another carrier, why be frustrated with the agents? They can't do anything about it. It'll probably propagate sometime. Why waste their time and yours on something they can't fix that doesn't matter anyhow?
Also if their CRS system can't reflect the correct flight schedule in the crucial timing, it might cause a big problem too.. Since it has been like 7 days already... and I will fly in 2 weeks..
I know my ticket doesn't really need to be reissued since flight number is the same and connection is still legal and I understand they can't fix the problem with their CRS and us airways.com immediately but the agents don't care to cross check on LAN website and they insisted that they are right then problem is always there.. no way to fix it..
Jun 15, 2015, 6:56 pm
#4254
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
Well minor schedule change can be a big problem for me since I had experienced very long queue for immigration in JFK before and it took me almost 2 hours (I am not US citizen). And my connection time was 3 hours, now it is 2 hours and 40 minutes
Also if their CRS system can't reflect the correct flight schedule in the crucial timing, it might cause a big problem too.. Since it has been like 7 days already... and I will fly in 2 weeks..
I know my ticket doesn't really need to be reissued since flight number is the same and connection is still legal and I understand they can't fix the problem with their CRS and us airways.com immediately but the agents don't care to cross check on LAN website and they insisted that they are right then problem is always there.. no way to fix it..
Also if their CRS system can't reflect the correct flight schedule in the crucial timing, it might cause a big problem too.. Since it has been like 7 days already... and I will fly in 2 weeks..
I know my ticket doesn't really need to be reissued since flight number is the same and connection is still legal and I understand they can't fix the problem with their CRS and us airways.com immediately but the agents don't care to cross check on LAN website and they insisted that they are right then problem is always there.. no way to fix it..
What is it that you think US has to do to fix the booking?
Jun 16, 2015, 2:31 am
#4255
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: WORLD
Programs: AS,TK
Posts: 100
And I believe there are some flight schedule changes in other reservations too and the passengers didn't know about it since no notice in US system...
Since I got the notice from LA email... I think it is better to fix the problem
I don't worry about it even LA told me that it is better to be reissued...just frustrated when I tried to point the problem..
Thanks for help
Jun 16, 2015, 3:23 am
#4256
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
There is nothing that needs to be reissued. Since the date and flight number has not changed, there isn't any reason to reissue the ticket
160 minutes is not a short connection time and no need to worry about a hypothetical case of a short connection
160 minutes is not a short connection time and no need to worry about a hypothetical case of a short connection
Jun 16, 2015, 6:49 am
#4257
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 437
Have to agree with jphripjah. I don't see how the cancellation was "solely due to the agent's error". Since you initiated the cancellation to begin with, so I don't see why you should have the booking fee waived. If the agent had caught the 30 minute connection problem you would have still cancelled the trip, right?
The problem is that the new itinerary (which I intended to use) was booked with an illegal connection, rendering it useless. Once I recognized this (after I was off the phone), I called back to ask to have the booking shifted back to the original dates, but they were gone. There also weren't any available flights on the dates I'd requested.
Thus, I was forced to cancel the itinerary. Had the December option not been available, I would have travelled in June.
Jun 16, 2015, 6:53 am
#4258
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 437
As per One Mile At A Time:
American doesn’t charge any fees to change award tickets as long as the origin and destination and award type remains the same. You can change the routing, dates, times, airlines, etc.
If you do change the origin, destination, or award type (like switching from a standard award to a saver award, downgrading from a business class award to economy award, etc.), the change fee is the same as it would be to redeposit — $150 for the first passenger and $25 for each additional passenger on the same record.
In order to redeposit an AAdvantage award ticket, American charges $150 for the first passenger, and $25 for each additional passenger on the same record locator. In other words, if you need to redeposit an award ticket and have three people on the same record locator, you’d pay a total of $200 in cancellation fees, which is quite reasonable.
The policy for making a change from one award type to another is that you must reinstate the award ticket, which will cost $150 (though this generally isn’t charged if you’re upgrading the class of service).
Jun 16, 2015, 10:08 am
#4259
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,623
But this was a Dividend Miles booking. Fees would normally apply for date changes.
Jun 16, 2015, 12:50 pm
#4260
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
Originally Posted by grlmopz
American doesn’t charge any fees to change award tickets as long as the origin and destination and award type remains the same. You can change the routing, dates, times, airlines, etc.
As it says in the booking details on the US site
Originally Posted by US
Award tickets booked online are eligible for redeposit into your account when they are cancelled through the AAdvantage Service Center. A redeposit fee of $150 per passenger will apply.
• Award processing fees are non-refundable and are applied to award bookings made on usairways.com as well as via a US Airways call centers.
• Once travel has commenced on an Award ticket, the Award is considered used. Mileage for any unused portion will not be redeposited into your account.
• Any change to this reservation (including flight, dates, award level, or connecting points) is subject to a $150.00 reissue fee per passenger. Changes to originating or destination city or Award level cannot be made once travel has commenced. For travel with our airline partners, no changes of any kind are permitted once travel has commenced. Changes to an Online Award Reservation must be made through the AAdvantage Service Center at 800-428-4322.
• Award processing fees are non-refundable and are applied to award bookings made on usairways.com as well as via a US Airways call centers.
• Once travel has commenced on an Award ticket, the Award is considered used. Mileage for any unused portion will not be redeposited into your account.
• Any change to this reservation (including flight, dates, award level, or connecting points) is subject to a $150.00 reissue fee per passenger. Changes to originating or destination city or Award level cannot be made once travel has commenced. For travel with our airline partners, no changes of any kind are permitted once travel has commenced. Changes to an Online Award Reservation must be made through the AAdvantage Service Center at 800-428-4322.