Oct 14, 2013, 4:55 pm
Last edit by: NewbieRunner
Update 08APR2014: Star Alliance Awards must have been booked by March 30, 2014. They are no longer available through US. This thread is mostly useful for historic purposes, and discussing issues such as schedule changes/route changes that affect FTers existing *A awards booked before 3/31/2014.
Discussion on using US miles to book oneworld awards is available here.
If you are looking for discussion on US's new partner awards that use various partners not in oneworld (many of whom are former *A partners), see the devoted thread on using US miles to book NON-oneworld partners here.
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Update 07JAN14: American Airlines award tickets bookable online on usairways.com or through reservation.
Please see the devoted thread on using US miles to book AA here.
Discussion on using US miles to book oneworld awards is available here.
If you are looking for discussion on US's new partner awards that use various partners not in oneworld (many of whom are former *A partners), see the devoted thread on using US miles to book NON-oneworld partners here.
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Update 07JAN14: American Airlines award tickets bookable online on usairways.com or through reservation.
- Award travel must be wholly on American Airlines or a combination of American Airlines and US Airways.
- American Airlines awards cannot be combined with any of our current partner.
- American Airlines award travel chart (PDF)
Please see the devoted thread on using US miles to book AA here.
Star Alliance Award Bookings Using US Airways Miles - FAQ and Help Thread [MERGED]
Jul 11, 2013, 6:16 am
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,764
Once US leaves, they won't be able to book *A award inventory. However, OW inventory will be available for changes.
Jul 11, 2013, 6:24 am
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA Gold, Fairmont Platinum, Starwood Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 280
Anyone have any luck when US Airways claims to not see any availability for a LH flight?
United.com shows availability, Aeroplan shows availability, and EF shows availability for May 25th. US Airways shows zero zilch availability for that date (they see the flights but no seats) - they have dates available for May 21st and the 28th only.
Even worse because their availability with the connecting/feeder flights is just as spotty but on different dates. For the connecting flights, United/AP/EF show wide open availability.
United.com shows availability, Aeroplan shows availability, and EF shows availability for May 25th. US Airways shows zero zilch availability for that date (they see the flights but no seats) - they have dates available for May 21st and the 28th only.
Even worse because their availability with the connecting/feeder flights is just as spotty but on different dates. For the connecting flights, United/AP/EF show wide open availability.
Jul 11, 2013, 6:42 am
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Europe
Posts: 60
Jul 11, 2013, 9:33 am
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
If availability was not an issue, would it within usdm/*A rules to fly to North Asia using AKL as a free stopover?
Jul 11, 2013, 9:40 am
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 709
Thanks to everyone so far for your answers and insight. I called LO again - English is definitely not their strong suit, but I got out of the agent this time that they are seeing a ticket number for my reservation, but she was confused by the reservation.
My overall trip is CLT-ORD-WAW-BUD; PRG-FRA-IAD-CLT. But when I log into either the LO or LH websites, the only segments that appear are ORD-WAW-BUD; PRG-FRA-IAD...so essentially, the UA flight on the front end, and the US flight on the back end aren't showing.
I feel like I've seen this type of thing before, so I wasn't particularly worried - but just wanted to solicit a few opinions here as well. It sounds like, from the LO agent, that the e-ticket is there for the whole trip, even though she was only seeing the middle segments (the LO/LH segments). So given that, I think I'm okay, but am I missing something?
My overall trip is CLT-ORD-WAW-BUD; PRG-FRA-IAD-CLT. But when I log into either the LO or LH websites, the only segments that appear are ORD-WAW-BUD; PRG-FRA-IAD...so essentially, the UA flight on the front end, and the US flight on the back end aren't showing.
I feel like I've seen this type of thing before, so I wasn't particularly worried - but just wanted to solicit a few opinions here as well. It sounds like, from the LO agent, that the e-ticket is there for the whole trip, even though she was only seeing the middle segments (the LO/LH segments). So given that, I think I'm okay, but am I missing something?
Jul 11, 2013, 10:01 am
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SEA/ORD/ADB
Programs: TK ELPL (*G), AS 100K (OWE), BA Gold (OWE), Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 7,764
I feel like I've seen this type of thing before, so I wasn't particularly worried - but just wanted to solicit a few opinions here as well. It sounds like, from the LO agent, that the e-ticket is there for the whole trip, even though she was only seeing the middle segments (the LO/LH segments). So given that, I think I'm okay, but am I missing something?
Jul 11, 2013, 10:12 am
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ZRH/SFO
Programs: A3*G - AZ CFP- HH DIA
Posts: 3,666
Jul 11, 2013, 11:06 am
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 709
Jul 11, 2013, 11:27 am
Join Date: Aug 2008
Programs: HHonors Gold, Marriott Lifetime Gold, IHG Gold, OZ*G, AA Gold, AS MVP
Posts: 1,874
I just found out about a schedule change on my outbound flight (now 1 hour later). It's not going to affect the rest of my itinerary, but any chance I can use that as an excuse to change my return leg without being charged a change fee? Am currently routing MEL-BKK-ICN-SFO on the way back, and was hoping to try BR via TPE.
Which brings me to my issue:
BR to/from YVR won't show up in their systems or something. I've tried three different times, not a single agent could see the BR YVR-TPE flight despite wide-open availability according to the ANA tool. Does the ANA tool ever show phantom availability?
Jul 11, 2013, 11:35 am
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,426
I had something similar occur, and was told to drop the whole booking, refund the miles, and re-do it for no fee.
Which brings me to my issue:
BR to/from YVR won't show up in their systems or something. I've tried three different times, not a single agent could see the BR YVR-TPE flight despite wide-open availability according to the ANA tool. Does the ANA tool ever show phantom availability?
Which brings me to my issue:
BR to/from YVR won't show up in their systems or something. I've tried three different times, not a single agent could see the BR YVR-TPE flight despite wide-open availability according to the ANA tool. Does the ANA tool ever show phantom availability?
Jul 11, 2013, 12:00 pm
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ, UA, Delta, BMI(RIP), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond (Thanks Amex) Hyatt Discov
Posts: 1,943
Jul 11, 2013, 12:38 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,426
It might work structured as USA-AKL(stop)-HKG(dest)-Europe-USA. The problem is going to be finding the Pacific USA-NZ availability. In theory, US should be charging you the South Pacific rate since you're stopping over in that region... but in practice they might not.
Jul 11, 2013, 12:58 pm
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Philadelphia
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Plat, SPG & Marriott Gold, CC Silver
Posts: 541
Anyone have any luck when US Airways claims to not see any availability for a LH flight?
United.com shows availability, Aeroplan shows availability, and EF shows availability for May 25th. US Airways shows zero zilch availability for that date (they see the flights but no seats) - they have dates available for May 21st and the 28th only.
Even worse because their availability with the connecting/feeder flights is just as spotty but on different dates. For the connecting flights, United/AP/EF show wide open availability.
United.com shows availability, Aeroplan shows availability, and EF shows availability for May 25th. US Airways shows zero zilch availability for that date (they see the flights but no seats) - they have dates available for May 21st and the 28th only.
Even worse because their availability with the connecting/feeder flights is just as spotty but on different dates. For the connecting flights, United/AP/EF show wide open availability.
Jul 11, 2013, 3:09 pm
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 4,396
You might have a problem keeping it within 125% of MPM, given that at least one leg could need to be a Pacific routing. Also, you'd probably want to use someplace like HKG as your North Asia stop (someplace as far away from the USA as possible- NRT won't work for some parts of the USA, for instance).
It might work structured as USA-AKL(stop)-HKG(dest)-Europe-USA. The problem is going to be finding the Pacific USA-NZ availability. In theory, US should be charging you the South Pacific rate since you're stopping over in that region... but in practice they might not.
It might work structured as USA-AKL(stop)-HKG(dest)-Europe-USA. The problem is going to be finding the Pacific USA-NZ availability. In theory, US should be charging you the South Pacific rate since you're stopping over in that region... but in practice they might not.
Jul 11, 2013, 5:55 pm
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: UA Gold, Fairmont Platinum, Starwood Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 280