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 programs 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]
Apr 17, 2014, 4:44 am
#466
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NCL and LBA
Programs: BD*G, BAGold, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 3,271
Last edited by pogonation; Apr 17, 2014 at 4:50 am
Apr 17, 2014, 4:52 am
#467
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 4
the agent said the award ticket for this route is not loaded into the system, both award availability system and regular availability system.
She also told me she had made a request for other deptarment to load it to the system, but had no idea how long I should wait until it came out.
Apr 17, 2014, 5:02 am
#468
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NCL and LBA
Programs: BD*G, BAGold, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 3,271
I have same problem at BA88 from CTU to LHR.
the agent said the award ticket for this route is not loaded into the system, both award availability system and regular availability system.
She also told me she had made a request for other deptarment to load it to the system, but had no idea how long I should wait until it came out.
the agent said the award ticket for this route is not loaded into the system, both award availability system and regular availability system.
She also told me she had made a request for other deptarment to load it to the system, but had no idea how long I should wait until it came out.
Another thing that makes me think it is less likely that this is the case is that the following member has managed to book this route:
Didn't want to jinx my true routing in an earlier post, but ticketed the following this morning:
SYD-SIN (BA/F)
SIN-HKG (CX/J)
HKG-LHR (CX/F)
LHR-FCO (BA/J) ---> DESTINATION
FCO-LHR (BA/J)
LHR-IAH (BA/F)
IAH-DFW (AA/F) ---> STOPOVER
DFW-BNE (QF/J)
BNE-SYD (QF/J)
150,000 Dividend Miles and $267 in fees/taxes. Going to monitor A380 F award space from LAX/SYD or MEL - all in all I'm a happy camper
SYD-SIN (BA/F)
SIN-HKG (CX/J)
HKG-LHR (CX/F)
LHR-FCO (BA/J) ---> DESTINATION
FCO-LHR (BA/J)
LHR-IAH (BA/F)
IAH-DFW (AA/F) ---> STOPOVER
DFW-BNE (QF/J)
BNE-SYD (QF/J)
150,000 Dividend Miles and $267 in fees/taxes. Going to monitor A380 F award space from LAX/SYD or MEL - all in all I'm a happy camper
Last edited by pogonation; Apr 17, 2014 at 5:07 am
Apr 17, 2014, 6:44 am
#469
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Kingdom of Norway
Programs: BA Gold, SK Gold
Posts: 340
What's the date? I was having the same issue with a flight next year, but was able to hold two seats on another flight just a week earlier.
Apr 17, 2014, 7:17 am
#470
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NCL and LBA
Programs: BD*G, BAGold, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 3,271
It's towards the beginning of July this year so mustn't be too early if you were able to get a seat for next year.. Are you booking on HKG-LHR as well?
Apr 17, 2014, 11:25 am
#471
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Trenton, NJ (PHL, EWR)
Programs: A3 Gold, BA Bronze
Posts: 1,633
Had a lovely 2 hour call last night with the Winston Salem line trying to battle my way to an award itinerary. The agent and I had lots of fun trying to find flights on new airlines to her, new routes, etc. Some availability mismatch between KVS, but it generally aligned.
We did run into the issue of the dates being incorrect on flights departing prior to 02:00, and found out that Openskies is not a partner that is able to be booked. Finally reserved the following routing for $95 in taxes:
PHL-DOH on QR
DOH-HKG on QR
HKG-PEK on CX
(open jaw)
HKG-BKK on CX
BKK-DOH on QR
DOH-PHL on QR
We did run into the issue of the dates being incorrect on flights departing prior to 02:00, and found out that Openskies is not a partner that is able to be booked. Finally reserved the following routing for $95 in taxes:
PHL-DOH on QR
DOH-HKG on QR
HKG-PEK on CX
(open jaw)
HKG-BKK on CX
BKK-DOH on QR
DOH-PHL on QR
Apr 17, 2014, 1:16 pm
#472
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NCL and LBA
Programs: BD*G, BAGold, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 3,271
Apr 17, 2014, 3:38 pm
#473
Suspended
Join Date: May 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold
Posts: 2,863
Award routing on CX
Hi,
would US allow LAX-HKG-JNB in F as a way to get to Africa?
Thanks!
would US allow LAX-HKG-JNB in F as a way to get to Africa?
Thanks!
Apr 17, 2014, 3:58 pm
#474
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NCL and LBA
Programs: BD*G, BAGold, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 3,271
CX is getting rid of F on the JNB route soon I think though so watch out for that.
Apr 17, 2014, 6:06 pm
#475
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,421
Had a lovely 2 hour call last night with the Winston Salem line trying to battle my way to an award itinerary. The agent and I had lots of fun trying to find flights on new airlines to her, new routes, etc. Some availability mismatch between KVS, but it generally aligned.
We did run into the issue of the dates being incorrect on flights departing prior to 02:00, and found out that Openskies is not a partner that is able to be booked. Finally reserved the following routing for $95 in taxes:
PHL-DOH on QR
DOH-HKG on QR
HKG-PEK on CX
(open jaw)
HKG-BKK on CX
BKK-DOH on QR
DOH-PHL on QR
We did run into the issue of the dates being incorrect on flights departing prior to 02:00, and found out that Openskies is not a partner that is able to be booked. Finally reserved the following routing for $95 in taxes:
PHL-DOH on QR
DOH-HKG on QR
HKG-PEK on CX
(open jaw)
HKG-BKK on CX
BKK-DOH on QR
DOH-PHL on QR
Apr 17, 2014, 9:01 pm
#476
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Trenton, NJ (PHL, EWR)
Programs: A3 Gold, BA Bronze
Posts: 1,633
Apr 17, 2014, 10:02 pm
#477
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Programs: Landry's President's Club, Marriott Silver, Awesomeness EXPLT
Posts: 20,563
Cheers
Howie
Apr 18, 2014, 2:47 am
#478
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 250
Anyone had luck with stopovers or open jaws in the same region?
Last edited by nomorecoach; Apr 18, 2014 at 11:06 pm
Apr 18, 2014, 6:06 am
#479
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NY
Programs: AA Plat Pro, KrisFlyer Elite Gold
Posts: 578
Apr 18, 2014, 6:10 am
#480
Join Date: May 2006
Location: nyc
Posts: 297
Outbound: HND-HKG-MXP in F (CX)
Inbound: CDG-HND in F (JL)