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]
Jul 1, 2015, 6:09 am
#4276
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Norway
Programs: EB*D, Hilton Diamond, Carlson Gold Elite, Amex Plat
Posts: 159
Ok, I did buy a ticket in Y PVG-PEK with China Eastern as well, but would be nice to skip the leg in PVG and 3 hours in eco. I´ll try at check-in and see what happens. Will report back if I succeed.
Jul 1, 2015, 3:14 pm
#4277
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
"Hi, I know this ticket is for Los Angeles to Las Vegas, but can you change the destination to be Bangkok without any charge as a favor to me?"
I've done things like dropped segments on IROPS, but do you think there will be an operational reason you can't fly to PVG and CX would route you to PEK as an alternative? If not, I suspect you will have no luck at all. CX has an obligation to AA/US to get you to PVG. They can't unilaterally change that based on your whim. Change the ticket with US if that three hour segment in Y is unbearable...
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jul 1, 2015 at 3:24 pm
Jul 1, 2015, 8:03 pm
#4278
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 4
US Airways award travel & cancellation of flight
Hello - My wife and I booked Oneworld first class award tickets a few months ago. I was looking at the reservation randomly the other day to find out that our last leg flight was canceled. US Airways put us on a flight but it leaves before my international flight arrives. Early September HND-SFO to arrive at 17:45. They put us on a US Airways flight that leaves at 17:05 from SFO-PHX. I checked and there is no later flights on AA or US Airways. I booked a SWA flight SFO-PHX for back up, but want some ideas and or recourse for US Airways since now I have to pay for that last leg (let alone its not first class). Since were not traveling until September I hope something else opens up.....
Jul 1, 2015, 9:59 pm
#4279
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Hello - My wife and I booked Oneworld first class award tickets a few months ago. I was looking at the reservation randomly the other day to find out that our last leg flight was canceled. US Airways put us on a flight but it leaves before my international flight arrives. Early September HND-SFO to arrive at 17:45. They put us on a US Airways flight that leaves at 17:05 from SFO-PHX. I checked and there is no later flights on AA or US Airways. I booked a SWA flight SFO-PHX for back up, but want some ideas and or recourse for US Airways since now I have to pay for that last leg (let alone its not first class). Since were not traveling until September I hope something else opens up.....
I've stayed at the Hampton Inn, for example, probably the closest. It should cost significantly less than WN, not to mention with WN you're not so protected if you miss your flight due to late arrival, and you'll have to schlep your bags because WN doesn't interline baggage.
Good luck!
Jul 2, 2015, 7:40 am
#4280
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,913
From the tone of what Wassy04 says, sounds like to me he wants options to get home that night and not have to spend another night of Hotel. Does he have any other options?
Jul 2, 2015, 9:09 am
#4281
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Hello - My wife and I booked Oneworld first class award tickets a few months ago. I was looking at the reservation randomly the other day to find out that our last leg flight was canceled. US Airways put us on a flight but it leaves before my international flight arrives. Early September HND-SFO to arrive at 17:45. They put us on a US Airways flight that leaves at 17:05 from SFO-PHX. I checked and there is no later flights on AA or US Airways. I booked a SWA flight SFO-PHX for back up, but want some ideas and or recourse for US Airways since now I have to pay for that last leg (let alone its not first class). Since were not traveling until September I hope something else opens up.....
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jul 2, 2015 at 5:42 pm
Jul 2, 2015, 9:32 am
#4282
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 4
It is through US Airways. They were not too helpful as they could not look up alternate routes on other carriers (not US Airways & AA). Thanks
Jul 2, 2015, 9:34 am
#4283
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 4
I would like to arrive that night. I would be open to leaving on the 6th in the morning and flying a longer distance. Just want to keep the same class since I was charged at the first class rate. Thanks
Jul 2, 2015, 4:30 pm
#4284
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
I cashed in a few miles for an FC reward from IAD-LHR- JNB. The routing is on British Air.
On the return, the JNB-LHR leg didn't have any FC seats. So, I've been calling in once every few weeks to see if anything opened up.
Today, two agents both told me they couldn't even look because it's "against regulations to look at seats on another carrier." When I pressed them, insisting I'd made some changes just two weeks ago, they told me their colleague must have "violated policy".
So am I really up a creek on trying to move from coach to FC?
On the return, the JNB-LHR leg didn't have any FC seats. So, I've been calling in once every few weeks to see if anything opened up.
Today, two agents both told me they couldn't even look because it's "against regulations to look at seats on another carrier." When I pressed them, insisting I'd made some changes just two weeks ago, they told me their colleague must have "violated policy".
So am I really up a creek on trying to move from coach to FC?
Does anyone have experience with changing the destination for last leg at check-in desk? I have a booking with Cathay that ends with HKG-PVG, where HKG is a stop over for 3 days. Just wondering about the possibilities to change the last leg til HKG-PEK at check-in, since it´s in business with Cathay. Don´t know how flexible they are?
My wife and I booked Oneworld first class award tickets a few months ago. I was looking at the reservation randomly the other day to find out that our last leg flight was canceled. US Airways put us on a flight but it leaves before my international flight arrives. Early September HND-SFO to arrive at 17:45. They put us on a US Airways flight that leaves at 17:05 from SFO-PHX. I checked and there is no later flights on AA or US Airways. I booked a SWA flight SFO-PHX for back up, but want some ideas and or recourse for US Airways since now I have to pay for that last leg (let alone its not first class). Since were not traveling until September I hope something else opens up.....
JFK on JL). Switching to a different route will require either finding a flight on JL with award space in F, or getting an agent who will work to open space on an AA flight.
Last edited by anabolism; Jul 2, 2015 at 4:36 pm
Jul 2, 2015, 5:48 pm
#4285
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Unfortunately, SFO is an outstation for AA/US, so the connection options to PHX are limited... probably having to reroute the HND-SFO leg is the only realistic option, or taking an overnight at SFO, or flying WN on the short last legs. (The last option might be best, I'd probably take a 90 minute flight in Y over a night in an airport hotel).
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jul 2, 2015 at 5:53 pm
Jul 3, 2015, 1:33 pm
#4286
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,203
Back with a report...
In my case, as I think I had mentioned, my USDM F redemption included a KUL-CDG segment in August. (Many thanks to everyone for following this and letting me know that a change actually occurred.) After some back and forth between AA and US as to who was responsible for assisting me, I was placed with the correct person.
She saw in the record that something had changed with the MH KUL-CDG segment from a MH notification. Once I explained to her the problem (and I had already checked award availability), she quickly changed me to the KUL-LHR and a LHR-ORY flight for the next day. No change fees or taxes.
I'll point out that neither US nor AA had sent me an e-mail regarding a potential change as has occurred with some previous itineraries. If it were not for FT, I'd likely not have know for another few days as I generally reconfirm everything about 30 days out.
While I need to stay in KUL one night, that is not to inconvenient as I'd prefer the daytime long haul segment vs. overnight. I'll be able to enjoy the meals and services.
In my case, as I think I had mentioned, my USDM F redemption included a KUL-CDG segment in August. (Many thanks to everyone for following this and letting me know that a change actually occurred.) After some back and forth between AA and US as to who was responsible for assisting me, I was placed with the correct person.
She saw in the record that something had changed with the MH KUL-CDG segment from a MH notification. Once I explained to her the problem (and I had already checked award availability), she quickly changed me to the KUL-LHR and a LHR-ORY flight for the next day. No change fees or taxes.
I'll point out that neither US nor AA had sent me an e-mail regarding a potential change as has occurred with some previous itineraries. If it were not for FT, I'd likely not have know for another few days as I generally reconfirm everything about 30 days out.
While I need to stay in KUL one night, that is not to inconvenient as I'd prefer the daytime long haul segment vs. overnight. I'll be able to enjoy the meals and services.
Jul 3, 2015, 2:47 pm
#4287
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: HK
Programs: Cathay Silver, Marriott Ambassador, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 664
Just confirmed with an US agent, award tickets can't be changed once first sector is flown.
Jul 10, 2015, 4:34 pm
#4288
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Escondido, CA
Programs: US Chairman no more. AA EXP
Posts: 682
Redeposit protocol
USDM awards had a near-immediate mileage redeposit protocol; I just canceled an 037 award and the record now says "Refund Pending". The agent indicated that the mileage would show up withing 48 hours; it's been 4 days and I'm still waiting. I called back in and they reassured that all was good and this was "stuck in the queue".
Jul 10, 2015, 5:35 pm
#4289
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,166
I have an intra-Europe flight on BA on my USDM ticket I booked earlier this year, and this flight keeps getting dropped from the itinerary.
It happened twice over the past month, and each time I had to call US/AA to get the flight back.
This is pretty annoying since I never know when it is going to happen again and award space may not be available at some point when I try to get back to the flight.
Does anyone else have similar experience?
It happened twice over the past month, and each time I had to call US/AA to get the flight back.
This is pretty annoying since I never know when it is going to happen again and award space may not be available at some point when I try to get back to the flight.
Does anyone else have similar experience?
Jul 10, 2015, 9:09 pm
#4290
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Australia
Programs: QF Platinum
Posts: 361
Have a J flight booked with USDM BNE / CDG / BNE, the return flight is DOH / PER / BNE so long way home and really terrible 2am departure time, have found a few much better flight time returns in J via HKG or SIN or BKK etc, but no flights from these back to BNE, is it allowed to change the CDG return flight and make own way home from ASIA destinations?