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 7, 2014, 3:09 pm
#781
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 7
.....
Last edited by eya041; May 7, 2014 at 3:11 pm Reason: ....
May 7, 2014, 5:12 pm
#782
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
It's an issue of dying quickly vs. dying a slower death.
May 7, 2014, 5:29 pm
#783
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
The correct charging of BA YQ on awards seems to have coincided with the start of selling of BA codeshares by US. I have to say, as soon as I saw the news about the codeshares, my first though was, I wonder if the YQ situation will be fixed at the same time. That looks to be the case. Not in defensive of deal killing bloggers, but I think you're giving TPG too much credit here.
May 7, 2014, 5:32 pm
#784
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
if whoever creates that blog has found out something of value to customers there is no reason why that person should not post it on their blog any more than people post things on FT
May 7, 2014, 5:49 pm
#785
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LAX/BUR
Posts: 525
I will shortly be booking an award ticket to JNB from LAX. Right now I believe I'm up in the air between mostly CX and TK. Which of the following would you prefer and why? I'm curious to others' opinions because I have not flown any international airlines as of yet and I'm curious what others will say.
1. LAX-IST-JNB and return on TK. It's the most direct route there with the exception of BA. However, both ways, the layover in IST is about 7.5 hours. I'll be by myself probably, so I won't have another person to entertain me and I feel like it's a long layover, but not quite long enough to go into IST and not feel constantly worried that I'm not going to make it back in time.
2. LAX-HKG-JNB and return on CX. I've heard CX is an excellent airline, but it's obviously less direct and will involve more actual flying than TK. My thought is that if it's that much nicer than TK, maybe I would rather be flying longer than sitting in an airport? Not sure.
These are my top two choices right now (I think), but here's two more that I've recently thought about.
3. LAX-HKG-JNB-SYD(/MEL?/BNE?)-LAX on CX and QF respectively. Again, I know it's a kind of odd way to get there, but QF on the way back seems to be shorter than CX.
4. LAX-LHR-JNB and return on BA. I know that BA may or may not get a fuel surcharge on US now, but it's possible I could get an agent who doesn't know? Should I go for it? This is by far the shortest option to get there. It's about 5 hours, at least, quicker than all the other options. I'm just weary to go through LHR because I don't want to have to pay a lot in fees. How much do you think the fees would be to just transit through LHR?
Sorry, I know this is a long post. I'm just curious as to what the opinions of others will be because I know you guys probably have a lot more thought to specifics than I do at this point.
Thanks for the help.
1. LAX-IST-JNB and return on TK. It's the most direct route there with the exception of BA. However, both ways, the layover in IST is about 7.5 hours. I'll be by myself probably, so I won't have another person to entertain me and I feel like it's a long layover, but not quite long enough to go into IST and not feel constantly worried that I'm not going to make it back in time.
2. LAX-HKG-JNB and return on CX. I've heard CX is an excellent airline, but it's obviously less direct and will involve more actual flying than TK. My thought is that if it's that much nicer than TK, maybe I would rather be flying longer than sitting in an airport? Not sure.
These are my top two choices right now (I think), but here's two more that I've recently thought about.
3. LAX-HKG-JNB-SYD(/MEL?/BNE?)-LAX on CX and QF respectively. Again, I know it's a kind of odd way to get there, but QF on the way back seems to be shorter than CX.
4. LAX-LHR-JNB and return on BA. I know that BA may or may not get a fuel surcharge on US now, but it's possible I could get an agent who doesn't know? Should I go for it? This is by far the shortest option to get there. It's about 5 hours, at least, quicker than all the other options. I'm just weary to go through LHR because I don't want to have to pay a lot in fees. How much do you think the fees would be to just transit through LHR?
Sorry, I know this is a long post. I'm just curious as to what the opinions of others will be because I know you guys probably have a lot more thought to specifics than I do at this point.
Thanks for the help.
May 7, 2014, 5:58 pm
#786
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
4. LAX-LHR-JNB and return on BA. I know that BA may or may not get a fuel surcharge on US now, but it's possible I could get an agent who doesn't know? Should I go for it? This is by far the shortest option to get there. It's about 5 hours, at least, quicker than all the other options. I'm just weary to go through LHR because I don't want to have to pay a lot in fees. How much do you think the fees would be to just transit through LHR?
May 7, 2014, 7:10 pm
#787
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA EX Plat. Hyatt Glob
Posts: 106
Well that sucks; My booking went from 120k miles and ~$450 taxes/fees yesterday, to 125k miles and ~$1150 taxes/fees today. I knew I should have book it yesterday. Ahh well you live and learn.
May 7, 2014, 7:42 pm
#788
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: New York City
Posts: 801
I was able to get the below booked this afternoon:
JFK-LHR-DXB-HKG // HKG-DXB(stop)-LHR-JFK in BA F, QF F, CX J and reverse for 120K + $198 p/p.
May 7, 2014, 7:51 pm
#789
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA EX Plat. Hyatt Glob
Posts: 106
May 7, 2014, 7:57 pm
#790
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,904
There is a difference. People here share information and are not paid for it. For that reason you'll sometimes get real advice and info about when to be cautious. Bloggers are paid and for that reason they often sensationalize deals to the point that it sounds like an infomercial with titles like "Act Fast!" They encourage overreaction not moderation. Pumping deals and loopholes draws attention and kills deals. It's naive to think no one at credit card companies and airlines notice when something hits blogs. (Note that I'm not necessarily talking about the BA YQ but the blog postings in general.)
May 7, 2014, 8:03 pm
#791
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
There is a difference. People here share information and are not paid for it. For that reason you'll sometimes get real advice and info about when to be cautious. Bloggers are paid and for that reason they often sensationalize deals to the point that it sounds like an infomercial with titles like "Act Fast!" They encourage overreaction not moderation. Pumping deals and loopholes draws attention and kills deals. It's naive to think no one at credit card companies and airlines notice when something hits blogs. (Note that I'm not necessarily talking about the BA YQ but the blog postings in general.)
FT is not some higher place than weblogs
May 7, 2014, 8:05 pm
#792
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,032
It's naive to think that no one at airlines/cc companies do not read fora such as FT. I also doubt that for the situation regarding YQ that the airline was unaware of the issue; the OW award chart indicates that US intended to charge it all along
FT is not some higher place than weblogs
FT is not some higher place than weblogs
And it's stupid to think that the greater attention on blogs doesn't incentivize airlines to fix the loopholes faster.
The airlines might read FT but US clearly doesn't seem to monitor this thread because it would be super-easy to shut down all the ludicrous itineraries posted in this thread.
May 7, 2014, 8:09 pm
#793
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: New York City
Posts: 801
And it's stupid to think that the greater attention on blogs doesn't incentivize airlines to fix the loopholes faster.
The airlines might read FT but US clearly doesn't seem to monitor this thread because it would be super-easy to shut down all the ludicrous itineraries posted in this thread.
The airlines might read FT but US clearly doesn't seem to monitor this thread because it would be super-easy to shut down all the ludicrous itineraries posted in this thread.
To equate FT and TPG is silly. TPG is exponentially larger in the "public eye" than is FT.
May 7, 2014, 8:21 pm
#795
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,578
Yesterday, I found two great JL F seats ORD-TYO on BA, which I called up and intended to book with USDM.
First agent can't see that there even is a possibility to use miles on the route... as in the computer won't let him process a miles award but he could just buy the ticket with cash, so its in the system. Goes to get supervisor, comes back and says, nope, JL is blocking space, something about OW. HU, CA.
Get a very good agent, knows exactly what she is doing. First time booking JAL as a USDM rep... same issue. Goes to supervisor, same thing. JAL is blocking F space for USDM... something about them being new to OW.
Agent was ridiculously good, and we found in 3 minutes an itinerary which went East instead of West, she knew about BA YQ, knew how to handle MH and CX bookings, and had literally no issues associated with USDM bookings, processed two different award res on the same time while on hold with the rate desk, so I don't feel as if this was a case of operator error. Is this a known phenomenon?
First agent can't see that there even is a possibility to use miles on the route... as in the computer won't let him process a miles award but he could just buy the ticket with cash, so its in the system. Goes to get supervisor, comes back and says, nope, JL is blocking space, something about OW. HU, CA.
Get a very good agent, knows exactly what she is doing. First time booking JAL as a USDM rep... same issue. Goes to supervisor, same thing. JAL is blocking F space for USDM... something about them being new to OW.
Agent was ridiculously good, and we found in 3 minutes an itinerary which went East instead of West, she knew about BA YQ, knew how to handle MH and CX bookings, and had literally no issues associated with USDM bookings, processed two different award res on the same time while on hold with the rate desk, so I don't feel as if this was a case of operator error. Is this a known phenomenon?