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]
Apr 1, 2014, 3:40 pm
#106
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 2
Has anyone had any luck using DM to book on LAN. Having been trying to book JFK - CUZ via LIM since the switch over and keep getting told that the system hasn't updated yet. Wondering if this was just bad reps (since one tried to tell me they left LAN) or if its legit?
Apr 1, 2014, 4:03 pm
#107
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Florida
Programs: Hhonors Lifetime Diamond, AA EXP, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 508
Has anyone booked a Oneworld ticket with Dividend miles yet?
Has anyone done this yet, if so, where are you searching US site or AA Site? Also, what are the tricks for finding what I need on One World. I was pretty good at using ANA for Star Alliance Bookings on points.
TT
TT
Apr 1, 2014, 4:17 pm
#108
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest
Posts: 296
I'd note that unless the USAirways site gets a drastic change, you will not be able to book a Oneworld ticket online from their site. They simply do not support any Dividend Miles bookings not using their metal.
They do a decent job for bookings on their metal, *provided* it is a simple round trip ticket. Aside from that -- the site doesn't support things.
They do a decent job for bookings on their metal, *provided* it is a simple round trip ticket. Aside from that -- the site doesn't support things.
Apr 1, 2014, 4:32 pm
#109
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
Fail. It's an April Fool's joke, he even highlighted it in red.
In all seriousness, am I correct in reading that only published routings are valid for OW bookings? I am coming from the *A world where everything is based on MPM5 - is this not the case here?
Thanks,
Mark
In all seriousness, am I correct in reading that only published routings are valid for OW bookings? I am coming from the *A world where everything is based on MPM5 - is this not the case here?
Thanks,
Mark
Similarly there is no *A rule there...US allows MPM25 (and yes, often a lot more!), not MPM5.
Apr 1, 2014, 5:08 pm
#110
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
The forum's hard-working Mods are way ahead in establishing a wiki/master thread.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...lp-thread.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...lp-thread.html
Apr 1, 2014, 7:17 pm
#111
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 288
I use KVS (on Mac which has many limitations) - it's the best/easiest tool I have found so far but there seem to be many gaps - you also need to be a member of each program you select KVS to search with as it is just doing screen scraping of some sort.
So I use the following:- KVS augmented by AA, CX, JL, LA and QF - depending which route / airline I am seeking awards on.
So I use the following:- KVS augmented by AA, CX, JL, LA and QF - depending which route / airline I am seeking awards on.
Apr 1, 2014, 7:20 pm
#112
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Programs: UA, QF, VS, AA, US, HH, SPG
Posts: 974
Thanks for the reminder - I have tried AwardNexus - will have another shot at it. In the end, both KVS and AwardNexus have the same limitations as using BA or QF - neither seem to find all options on a route - and do not even recognise some airport codes.
Apr 1, 2014, 10:18 pm
#113
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: AA Exec Plat, Hyatt LT Global Elitist, Bonvyoed LT Titanium, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 479
Anyone else having trouble getting agents to see JAL segments?
Apr 1, 2014, 10:23 pm
#114
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Melbourne
Programs: Velocity Gold
Posts: 1,069
Anyone had any success getting the agents to see MH segments? Flights show on BA.com so would assume they should be available.
Apr 2, 2014, 2:27 am
#115
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: LX, BA, SQ, MH
Posts: 333
Is it me or is award availability on OW much worse than on *A? I have been specifically looking at Europe - Asia and have found scarce availability on the BA website. I guess you also have less options as you can "only" use BA, CX, MH, JL if you want to redeem in F. Even C is difficult to find on these airlines. I am not really a fan of RJ and AY so that makes it a bit more difficult. However I do think I might still be redeeming on SQ and TK if I find something as you can still redeem on those airlines even after US has left *A.
Any tips ppl can share for award travel?
Any tips ppl can share for award travel?
Apr 2, 2014, 3:31 am
#116
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: RIP
Posts: 506
Is it me or is award availability on OW much worse than on *A? I have been specifically looking at Europe - Asia and have found scarce availability on the BA website. I guess you also have less options as you can "only" use BA, CX, MH, JL if you want to redeem in F. Even C is difficult to find on these airlines. I am not really a fan of RJ and AY so that makes it a bit more difficult. However I do think I might still be redeeming on SQ and TK if I find something as you can still redeem on those airlines even after US has left *A.
Any tips ppl can share for award travel?
Any tips ppl can share for award travel?
Apr 2, 2014, 4:31 am
#117
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: VA WP, NZ *A SG
Posts: 529
Has anyone successfully booked CX flights? Ive tried calling 5 times and each agent has said they cant see any CX flights because they are not loaded yet.
Apr 2, 2014, 4:44 am
#118
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 319
Hey all!
Just wanted to get some quick advice ... Just ticketed an award in which they charged the wrong award rate when manually pricing. And it makes it in my favor considerably .... I won't go into details, but it was ticketed and the miles did deduct and the taxes taken out. The only thing I am worried about is when the confirmation email come, it mentioned the taxes but not the miles deducted (even though they were taken out) or method of payment (which it normally does) ... The other thing is the account had the miles taken out but nothing under "account activity" Should I be nervous? If it sticks in the next couple of days I will let it be.
Just wanted to get some quick advice ... Just ticketed an award in which they charged the wrong award rate when manually pricing. And it makes it in my favor considerably .... I won't go into details, but it was ticketed and the miles did deduct and the taxes taken out. The only thing I am worried about is when the confirmation email come, it mentioned the taxes but not the miles deducted (even though they were taken out) or method of payment (which it normally does) ... The other thing is the account had the miles taken out but nothing under "account activity" Should I be nervous? If it sticks in the next couple of days I will let it be.
Apr 2, 2014, 7:13 am
#119
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
F-cl with C-cl ticket on OW - Policy?
Whats the policy of OW, if you've a C-cl ticket an a flight only has Y-cl or F-cl (i.ex. AA or QR DOH-DXB) on a 2 cabin aircraft?
Can the award ticket be booked in F-cl for the C-cl rate or is only Y-cl possible on such a flight?
A dummy booking on BA/Avios only offers Y-cl on the US connecting flight, even as F-cl available...
Can the award ticket be booked in F-cl for the C-cl rate or is only Y-cl possible on such a flight?
A dummy booking on BA/Avios only offers Y-cl on the US connecting flight, even as F-cl available...
Apr 2, 2014, 7:16 am
#120
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Hey all!
Just wanted to get some quick advice ... Just ticketed an award in which they charged the wrong award rate when manually pricing. And it makes it in my favor considerably .... I won't go into details, but it was ticketed and the miles did deduct and the taxes taken out. The only thing I am worried about is when the confirmation email come, it mentioned the taxes but not the miles deducted (even though they were taken out) or method of payment (which it normally does) ... The other thing is the account had the miles taken out but nothing under "account activity" Should I be nervous? If it sticks in the next couple of days I will let it be.
Just wanted to get some quick advice ... Just ticketed an award in which they charged the wrong award rate when manually pricing. And it makes it in my favor considerably .... I won't go into details, but it was ticketed and the miles did deduct and the taxes taken out. The only thing I am worried about is when the confirmation email come, it mentioned the taxes but not the miles deducted (even though they were taken out) or method of payment (which it normally does) ... The other thing is the account had the miles taken out but nothing under "account activity" Should I be nervous? If it sticks in the next couple of days I will let it be.