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 26, 2015, 2:30 pm
#4306
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
I booked a US-Australia-US award using USDM. I've been trying to change some flights, and was unable to do so until the ticket was reissued as an AA ticket due to the SHARES drain-down. However, it took some doing, as the AA people insisted on doing a reinstate and reclaim, which would cost be an extra 5k miles (the difference between the old US rate and the AA rate). I was finally successful after getting a US agent, but it took 90 minutes, four agents, and three transfers.
Jul 26, 2015, 3:15 pm
#4307
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
What kind of change did you make?
Jul 26, 2015, 4:22 pm
#4308
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: BNE
Programs: QF,US,ANA
Posts: 323
Does it involve travel on US flights after October? Was the ticket reissued as an AA ticket?
In my experience, if you now have an AA ticket (ticket number starts with 001), then you may succeed in getting an AA agent to make the change for you. If you still have only a US ticket, then AA agents will insist a US agent handle it.
If there were recent time changes, even by a few minutes, then AA might have reissued the ticket. Best to check.
In my experience, if you now have an AA ticket (ticket number starts with 001), then you may succeed in getting an AA agent to make the change for you. If you still have only a US ticket, then AA agents will insist a US agent handle it.
If there were recent time changes, even by a few minutes, then AA might have reissued the ticket. Best to check.
BUT I am unable to see the 001 ticket on Saudia.com , could you please check your ticket number on there to see if yours shows up ?
Thanks
Jul 27, 2015, 12:09 pm
#4309
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Jul 27, 2015, 4:06 pm
#4311
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Just trust AA, they will do their job well!
Jul 27, 2015, 4:31 pm
#4312
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
I had a US ticket reissued as AA 001 recently. The e-mail receipt I got on that (along with the text at top that it was reissued now as AA/001 ticket) on that was missing two BA segments. Can't see it on usairways.com at all anymore - nothing there. On aa.com cannot view it either (for two days now): always "we are experiencing technical difficulties" when I try to bring it up (it shows on the list of my trips, but can't actually view it when I click on it).
I found a workaround to view it by not logging in and entering name and PNR, then it shows and the BA segments seem to be there, and on the BA site it shows up also still under the BA PNR, so it's hopefully fine... but the process is anything but smooth here, though! And with the AA/001 reticketed receipts having random dropped segments, sure is the opposite of reassuring.
I wonder how many others are getting the dropped segments in their US->AA reissued ticket receipts?
BTW, the SV site shows all airline issued tickets. It is the one tool that can be used to see the ticket details, fare calculation, etc., regardless of the airline it is issued by. It's a highly useful tool, esp. to see the fare calculation for ticketing airlines that withhold that information from their web site and e-mail receipts.
Jul 27, 2015, 7:21 pm
#4313
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
BTW, the SV site shows all airline issued tickets. It is the one tool that can be used to see the ticket details, fare calculation, etc., regardless of the airline it is issued by. It's a highly useful tool, esp. to see the fare calculation for ticketing airlines that withhold that information from their web site and e-mail receipts.
Jul 27, 2015, 10:33 pm
#4314
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
You're right, it doens't seem to work for 001 tickets. At least the ones I have upcoming and that I tried. Every other airline ticket I've tried has worked, though (DL, KE, VS, JL, UA, OZ, AS I think, and a few more). So it works for most airline tickets, but not all, apparently.
Jul 28, 2015, 1:08 am
#4315
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: BNE
Programs: QF,US,ANA
Posts: 323
Thanks , thats good to know .
The reason I get worried is I had a ticket problem on a dividend miles award a couple of years ago. flew BNE-BKK-MUC-LHR. Boarded flight ok at BNE but when I got to BKK I was told they couldnt issue my MUC-LHR boarding pass as there was a problem , so I spent a hour on my cell phone calling US airways from BKK (cost me $40 ) to be told there were no problems and my ticket was good.
Of course when I got to MUC LH told me that I had a reservation but it had not been ticketed by US.
LH were very helpful and took me to the back office in the terminal and called US who re issued the ticket , it took a couple of hours and I was fortunate that I had a overnight in MUC so I did not miss my onward flight .
Ever since I have always checked my tickets on saudia.com to make sure what is actually ticketed ...
The reason I get worried is I had a ticket problem on a dividend miles award a couple of years ago. flew BNE-BKK-MUC-LHR. Boarded flight ok at BNE but when I got to BKK I was told they couldnt issue my MUC-LHR boarding pass as there was a problem , so I spent a hour on my cell phone calling US airways from BKK (cost me $40 ) to be told there were no problems and my ticket was good.
Of course when I got to MUC LH told me that I had a reservation but it had not been ticketed by US.
LH were very helpful and took me to the back office in the terminal and called US who re issued the ticket , it took a couple of hours and I was fortunate that I had a overnight in MUC so I did not miss my onward flight .
Ever since I have always checked my tickets on saudia.com to make sure what is actually ticketed ...
Jul 28, 2015, 3:12 am
#4316
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
I use the app 'tripcase' and there I can download the AA E-Ticket that does not work on AA.com
Jul 28, 2015, 11:17 am
#4317
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
Jul 28, 2015, 12:56 pm
#4318
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
The document looks like the same as e-tickets from SU or F7 and they're also using sabre as GDS.
Jul 28, 2015, 3:52 pm
#4319
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,408
The workaround is to call each operating carrier and ask them if they have a ticket number against the booking.
Jul 28, 2015, 4:02 pm
#4320
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: HNL
Programs: DL PM/1MM, BW DE (lifetime), HH DE, Marriott PE (lifetime), National Emerald Executive
Posts: 7,205
I got set-up for TripCase. It seems to show my upcoming AA booked itin, but just itineary view. No ticket receipt/info anywhere. Even itinerary view is not very useful, as the seatmap is broken for all airlines (AA, BA, AY, JL in my case), and the confirmation # it only shows the AA one for all flights, not the other airlines' ones. I guess I should give it some time to see if it can pull the actual info from Sabre, may be it's not real time..