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 29, 2014, 1:31 pm
#1561
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
HUACA.
Jul 29, 2014, 1:34 pm
#1562
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,924
+1: Japanese flights do not book directly outside the 60 day window, but as connecting international flights, you can book them until EOS, usually. Looking them up can be a bit tough sometimes, as for instance with ANA, directly looking them up tends to show no availability, but if you can find a feeder international flight, then they open up. I always request agents to direct-book them with Aeroplan, because they simply can't get them otherwise.
Jul 29, 2014, 2:57 pm
#1563
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: CLT
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,551
So here is an interesting issues, has anyone else encountered something like this?
HKG - CMB on Tuesday June 30, 2015 CX703 business class. 20:00 - 00:30 +1
The flight actually goes from HKG - BKK - CMB, so it is a direct flight. The stop in BKK on the way is about 1.5 hours. It is available in business class per Qantas and British Airways.
When trying to book with USDM I did a few HUACA as the agents were not that competent, once I got a good one it perplexed her because she couldn't book it. When she typed in HKG - CMB flight CX703 wouldn't show up at all. When she did HKG - BKK and BKK - CMB separately the flights did show up, but the system wouldn't let her book it. She escalated it to a supervisor and a supervisor's supervisor while I was on hold for about 45 minutes. They agreed this was weird but they said it couldn't be sold as HKG - BKK and BKK - CMB segments separately. I then asked for them to open up a help desk ticket and contact Cathay directly about this specific flight, she took down some notes and after a couple minutes said she had submitted the ticket. So I will wait to hear what they say.
Has anyone else come across situations like this?
HKG - CMB on Tuesday June 30, 2015 CX703 business class. 20:00 - 00:30 +1
The flight actually goes from HKG - BKK - CMB, so it is a direct flight. The stop in BKK on the way is about 1.5 hours. It is available in business class per Qantas and British Airways.
When trying to book with USDM I did a few HUACA as the agents were not that competent, once I got a good one it perplexed her because she couldn't book it. When she typed in HKG - CMB flight CX703 wouldn't show up at all. When she did HKG - BKK and BKK - CMB separately the flights did show up, but the system wouldn't let her book it. She escalated it to a supervisor and a supervisor's supervisor while I was on hold for about 45 minutes. They agreed this was weird but they said it couldn't be sold as HKG - BKK and BKK - CMB segments separately. I then asked for them to open up a help desk ticket and contact Cathay directly about this specific flight, she took down some notes and after a couple minutes said she had submitted the ticket. So I will wait to hear what they say.
Has anyone else come across situations like this?
Jul 29, 2014, 3:22 pm
#1564
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,760
So here is an interesting issues, has anyone else encountered something like this?
HKG - CMB on Tuesday June 30, 2015 CX703 business class. 20:00 - 00:30 +1
The flight actually goes from HKG - BKK - CMB, so it is a direct flight. The stop in BKK on the way is about 1.5 hours. It is available in business class per Qantas and British Airways.
When trying to book with USDM I did a few HUACA as the agents were not that competent, once I got a good one it perplexed her because she couldn't book it. When she typed in HKG - CMB flight CX703 wouldn't show up at all. When she did HKG - BKK and BKK - CMB separately the flights did show up, but the system wouldn't let her book it. She escalated it to a supervisor and a supervisor's supervisor while I was on hold for about 45 minutes. They agreed this was weird but they said it couldn't be sold as HKG - BKK and BKK - CMB segments separately. I then asked for them to open up a help desk ticket and contact Cathay directly about this specific flight, she took down some notes and after a couple minutes said she had submitted the ticket. So I will wait to hear what they say.
Has anyone else come across situations like this?
HKG - CMB on Tuesday June 30, 2015 CX703 business class. 20:00 - 00:30 +1
The flight actually goes from HKG - BKK - CMB, so it is a direct flight. The stop in BKK on the way is about 1.5 hours. It is available in business class per Qantas and British Airways.
When trying to book with USDM I did a few HUACA as the agents were not that competent, once I got a good one it perplexed her because she couldn't book it. When she typed in HKG - CMB flight CX703 wouldn't show up at all. When she did HKG - BKK and BKK - CMB separately the flights did show up, but the system wouldn't let her book it. She escalated it to a supervisor and a supervisor's supervisor while I was on hold for about 45 minutes. They agreed this was weird but they said it couldn't be sold as HKG - BKK and BKK - CMB segments separately. I then asked for them to open up a help desk ticket and contact Cathay directly about this specific flight, she took down some notes and after a couple minutes said she had submitted the ticket. So I will wait to hear what they say.
Has anyone else come across situations like this?
At the end I gave up and just settled for a DOH-JNB (different flight number) instead and bridge the JNB-XXX, CPT-JNB with BA avios. We would drive between XXX-CPT instead. One-way rental is not too costly in that part of the world.
Jul 30, 2014, 6:56 am
#1565
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Scandinavia
Programs: Eurobonus EBD, BW Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, IHG Plat Amb, HH Diamond
Posts: 352
Jul 30, 2014, 9:01 am
#1566
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Germany / Thailand
Programs: M&M/S SPG livetime gold, but not running behind status & points anymore! Now only book value for $
Posts: 3,090
quesion about the oneworld award chart
The award chart shows a small 2 under Europe, and in the foodprint it's noted
http://shopping.usairways.com/en-US/...wardtravel.pdf
2) Travel to/from Europe, Middle East, and Africa must operate via the Atlantic ocean
Does this mean any travel to/from Eurpe or only between theese origins and USA as destination ?
Any would be very unlogic FRA-HKG should not be via Atlantic, it should be direct on CX, or not ?
http://shopping.usairways.com/en-US/...wardtravel.pdf
2) Travel to/from Europe, Middle East, and Africa must operate via the Atlantic ocean
Does this mean any travel to/from Eurpe or only between theese origins and USA as destination ?
Any would be very unlogic FRA-HKG should not be via Atlantic, it should be direct on CX, or not ?
Jul 30, 2014, 11:34 am
#1567
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
As you suspected, it means that travel between the USA and any of those regions must be via the Atlantic. Not travel between those regions. It's not well-written. 
Jul 30, 2014, 4:40 pm
#1569
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: ZRH, MNL
Programs: FB Gold
Posts: 974
Especially the backtracking rule is very annoying: I'm having a hard time to put an award together from ZRH to MNL. There's good CX availability from FRA but ZRH to FRA is routed via TXL which means backtracking… Looking for departure dates between December 8 and 13, return dates between January 4 and 11 for two seats in business. It doesn't look good. If anybody could share some help/advice it'd be very much appreciated!
Jul 30, 2014, 5:47 pm
#1570
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
Especially the backtracking rule is very annoying: I'm having a hard time to put an award together from ZRH to MNL. There's good CX availability from FRA but ZRH to FRA is routed via TXL which means backtracking… Looking for departure dates between December 8 and 13, return dates between January 4 and 11 for two seats in business. It doesn't look good. If anybody could share some help/advice it'd be very much appreciated!
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jul 30, 2014 at 5:53 pm
Jul 30, 2014, 6:10 pm
#1571
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
Jul 30, 2014, 7:20 pm
#1572
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: CA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 129
I have two award flight tickets to hkg on CX and back through HND on JAL all in business. One was booked with aadvantage miles and the other with Us air miles. I wanted to upgrade the JAL leg to first class since it's only a 10k point difference for us air and 12.5k for aadvantage . I called us air and the agent said it would be $150 to change the ticket plus the extra 10k points and they can't guarantee that the flights I want to keep would be available, since they have to cancel the whole booking and rebook it.
I don't have much experience with us air awards but this seems crazy. I have the same ticket booked with aadvantage miles, and to upgrade to first class on that segment, I just pay the difference in mileage and it's done. Am I missing something?
I don't have much experience with us air awards but this seems crazy. I have the same ticket booked with aadvantage miles, and to upgrade to first class on that segment, I just pay the difference in mileage and it's done. Am I missing something?
Jul 30, 2014, 7:59 pm
#1573
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Programs: Flying: VA; Buying: AA, AS, AV, BA, UA!
Posts: 2,349
I have two award flight tickets to hkg on CX and back through HND on JAL all in business. One was booked with aadvantage miles and the other with Us air miles. I wanted to upgrade the JAL leg to first class since it's only a 10k point difference for us air and 12.5k for aadvantage . I called us air and the agent said it would be $150 to change the ticket plus the extra 10k points and they can't guarantee that the flights I want to keep would be available, since they have to cancel the whole booking and rebook it.
I don't have much experience with us air awards but this seems crazy. I have the same ticket booked with aadvantage miles, and to upgrade to first class on that segment, I just pay the difference in mileage and it's done. Am I missing something?
I don't have much experience with us air awards but this seems crazy. I have the same ticket booked with aadvantage miles, and to upgrade to first class on that segment, I just pay the difference in mileage and it's done. Am I missing something?
As far cancelling the itinerary and starting again, it's common practice among US agents, but not necessary. You need to keep calling back until you find one that doesn't want to cancel and start again. But you'll still have to pay $150...unless you are a US CP who gets the change fee waived.
Jul 30, 2014, 8:05 pm
#1574
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: CA
Programs: Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 129
The charge of $150 is valid, that is the Dividend Miles rule...if you've spent DMs, you make changes according to their rules.
As far cancelling the itinerary and starting again, it's common practice among US agents, but not necessary. You need to keep calling back until you find one that doesn't want to cancel and start again. But you'll still have to pay $150...unless you are a US CP who gets the change fee waived.
As far cancelling the itinerary and starting again, it's common practice among US agents, but not necessary. You need to keep calling back until you find one that doesn't want to cancel and start again. But you'll still have to pay $150...unless you are a US CP who gets the change fee waived.
Jul 30, 2014, 8:35 pm
#1575
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: SFO
Posts: 210
Did you manage to book SFO-HND? Spoke to a couple of agents today and they had space in Y but couldn't see space in F though BA site was showing it and AA agents can see it. Also, apparently the flight time for JL 1 is coming up in their system at the old time of 6pm instead of 12.45am. Ran into the same issue for HND-SFO.