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 26, 2014, 5:10 pm
#1051
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: BCN-BUE-PSA-GRU
Programs: BA Gold - A3 Gold - FB Gold - IHG Plat - SPG Gold -Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 1,581
Hello everyone, Im wondering if this is a valid itinerary. Thank you for helping, Im kinda new to DM. It's basicaly Europe to southamerica via Asia.
BCN-LON BA
LON-TYO BA (stop)
TYO-NYC JL
NYC-GRU AA (destination)
GRU-LON BA
LON-BCN BA
BCN-LON BA
LON-TYO BA (stop)
TYO-NYC JL
NYC-GRU AA (destination)
GRU-LON BA
LON-BCN BA
May 26, 2014, 5:11 pm
#1052
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NY
Programs: AA Plat Pro, KrisFlyer Elite Gold
Posts: 578
ugh this is so typical of US agents. don't know if lazy or just don't know how to search.
May 26, 2014, 5:17 pm
#1053
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,465
I am interested in Comair flights JNB-LVI. I read upthread that someone was successful redeeming USDM for Comair flights by telling the agent to look at a different place after the agent initially said the flights are not available. Others are reporting that they were not successful.
Here is the question. Are Comair flights supposed to be available, as per the rules, for USDM booking? I think the answer is YES, due to the following:
1. Comair is listed as a Oneworld member affiliate here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneworld
and here:
http://www.oneworld.com/member-airlines/british-airways
2. Comair flights show as available for an award looking on these websites: BA, CX, JL and AA. Did not check others.
So what's the script when I need to book Comair flights and the agent says not available, besides telling the agent to look somewhere else?
And, while we are here, do you think this outbound YVR-LVI is valid for 110k in business class?
YVR-JFK CX
JFK-DUS AB
DUS-DME S7
stop at DME
DME-DOH QR
DOH-JNB QR
JNB-LVI BA
http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=YVR-JFK...ME-DOH-JNB-LVI
Or too many segments?
And, where to look up S7 availability?
Here is the question. Are Comair flights supposed to be available, as per the rules, for USDM booking? I think the answer is YES, due to the following:
1. Comair is listed as a Oneworld member affiliate here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneworld
and here:
http://www.oneworld.com/member-airlines/british-airways
2. Comair flights show as available for an award looking on these websites: BA, CX, JL and AA. Did not check others.
So what's the script when I need to book Comair flights and the agent says not available, besides telling the agent to look somewhere else?
And, while we are here, do you think this outbound YVR-LVI is valid for 110k in business class?
YVR-JFK CX
JFK-DUS AB
DUS-DME S7
stop at DME
DME-DOH QR
DOH-JNB QR
JNB-LVI BA
http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=YVR-JFK...ME-DOH-JNB-LVI
Or too many segments?
And, where to look up S7 availability?
May 26, 2014, 5:28 pm
#1054
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
May 26, 2014, 5:43 pm
#1055
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,465
Looks like it's comfortably under MPM25, which is 15,514 (?) for YVR-JNB, while my routing is 14,152 for YVR-LVI. I don't know what the MPM25 for YVR-LVI though, but I guess it's at least not smaller than YVR-JNB.
Number of segments is what bothering me most, apart from Comair availability for USDM. I could spin it as:
3 segments - STOP - 3 segment - STOP - 3 segments - STOP
The whole routing would be something like
YVR-JFK-DUS-DME
stop
DME-DOH-JNB-LVI
stop
LVI-JNB-HKG-YVR
Do you think it's a no go because of the number of segments?
Number of segments is what bothering me most, apart from Comair availability for USDM. I could spin it as:
3 segments - STOP - 3 segment - STOP - 3 segments - STOP
The whole routing would be something like
YVR-JFK-DUS-DME
stop
DME-DOH-JNB-LVI
stop
LVI-JNB-HKG-YVR
Do you think it's a no go because of the number of segments?
May 26, 2014, 6:21 pm
#1056
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
Looks like it's comfortably under MPM25, which is 15,514 (?) for YVR-JNB, while my routing is 14,152 for YVR-LVI. I don't know what the MPM25 for YVR-LVI though, but I guess it's at least not smaller than YVR-JNB.
Number of segments is what bothering me most, apart from Comair availability for USDM. I could spin it as:
3 segments - STOP - 3 segment - STOP - 3 segments - STOP
The whole routing would be something like
YVR-JFK-DUS-DME
stop
DME-DOH-JNB-LVI
stop
LVI-JNB-HKG-YVR
Do you think it's a no go because of the number of segments?
Number of segments is what bothering me most, apart from Comair availability for USDM. I could spin it as:
3 segments - STOP - 3 segment - STOP - 3 segments - STOP
The whole routing would be something like
YVR-JFK-DUS-DME
stop
DME-DOH-JNB-LVI
stop
LVI-JNB-HKG-YVR
Do you think it's a no go because of the number of segments?
May 27, 2014, 12:26 am
#1057
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,623
I thought the rule was 5 segments each way. I don't know.
May 27, 2014, 12:41 am
#1058
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: YVR
Posts: 1,465
Any idea where to look up S7 award availability?
May 27, 2014, 12:42 am
#1059
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
There is no hard and fast rule. 4+4 is generally considered comfortable. 5 in one direction is a maybe, 6 in one direction is unlikely...yes I know, it's happened.
You also have to consider on what planet Moscow is a stopover point on a reasonably direct route of travel to southern Africa. Regardless of MPM.
You also have to consider on what planet Moscow is a stopover point on a reasonably direct route of travel to southern Africa. Regardless of MPM.
May 27, 2014, 12:45 am
#1060
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
May 27, 2014, 3:19 pm
#1061
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Sydney
Programs: Star Alliance, Velocity Rewards, Dividend Miles, Priority Club RA
Posts: 15
May 27, 2014, 3:56 pm
#1062
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
You cannot choose the destination. It's given, it's the furthst point of your routing where you make a stop. In your case it's TYO. Your return, TYO - BCN via JFK/GRU is not permitted because:
Travel from North America to Europe is not allowed via Asia, and travel between Europe and Japan/North Asia/South Asia/Australia/New Zealand is not permitted via North America.
Even if GRU would be your destination, the MPM would be exceeded by light years via TYO/JFK...
Another rule against your routing:
Stopovers are allowed only for the most direct route of travel.
Maybe you better should start to read the USDM membership guide first ...
May 27, 2014, 11:27 pm
#1063
Join Date: May 2012
Location: NY
Programs: AA Plat Pro, KrisFlyer Elite Gold
Posts: 578
also as pointed out they tell you what your dest and stopover is.
May 28, 2014, 6:10 am
#1064
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Boston MA
Programs: US SP, JetBlue Mosaic, AMEX Plat
Posts: 101
Any initial or preliminary thoughts on something like this?
BOS-JFK-DOH-JNB(stop)
JNB-SYD (dest)
SYD-LAX-JFK-BOS
I haven't even begun to look at availability or dates, but I am wide open from Oct 2014 through mid-2015. I'm trying to cross South Africa off my list somehow and notice that Qantas has a JNB flight to SYD also.
120K in J, South Pacific award, right? What's the MPM limit here?
BOS-JFK-DOH-JNB(stop)
JNB-SYD (dest)
SYD-LAX-JFK-BOS
I haven't even begun to look at availability or dates, but I am wide open from Oct 2014 through mid-2015. I'm trying to cross South Africa off my list somehow and notice that Qantas has a JNB flight to SYD also.
120K in J, South Pacific award, right? What's the MPM limit here?
May 28, 2014, 6:18 am
#1065
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Any initial or preliminary thoughts on something like this?
BOS-JFK-DOH-JNB(stop)
JNB-SYD (dest)
SYD-LAX-JFK-BOS
I haven't even begun to look at availability or dates, but I am wide open from Oct 2014 through mid-2015. I'm trying to cross South Africa off my list somehow and notice that Qantas has a JNB flight to SYD also.
120K in J, South Pacific award, right? What's the MPM limit here?
BOS-JFK-DOH-JNB(stop)
JNB-SYD (dest)
SYD-LAX-JFK-BOS
I haven't even begun to look at availability or dates, but I am wide open from Oct 2014 through mid-2015. I'm trying to cross South Africa off my list somehow and notice that Qantas has a JNB flight to SYD also.
120K in J, South Pacific award, right? What's the MPM limit here?
