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]
Oct 18, 2013, 6:10 am
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: LON SIN HKG
Programs: AA, SPG, Hh, Amex MR, Marriott, ICH, VA, CC, LH
Posts: 433
Inventory question
Recently I was looking at a redemption on flights with LH. I see that a seat is available with UAL but when I enquire with Usair thy do not have it.
I wonder is it unusual for the UAL / USAir to have different availability to another operator's awards?
I wonder is it unusual for the UAL / USAir to have different availability to another operator's awards?
Oct 18, 2013, 6:19 am
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: DCA or IAD (originally DUB)
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM, Hertz PC, Marriott Platinum/Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,657
Also, UA has a much closer business relationship with LH than does US and shares revenues on TATL routes.
Oct 18, 2013, 6:23 am
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Formerly BUF but now PHL
Programs: AA Platinum Pro
Posts: 327
If you are looking for LH F awards US Airways does not allow redemption of them (as of the beggining of 2013). If you are looking for Y awards check out the *A award booking thread. You will see that you are not the only one with this issue.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...rged-1228.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...rged-1228.html
Oct 18, 2013, 6:23 am
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
It's absolutely routine. Just because two carriers happen to have a marketing alliance in *A, doesn't make them the same company. UA takes care of its MP members as a priority over other *A and US does the same with its DM. Even UA & LH which actually revenue share on some TATL routes take care of their own first.
Oct 18, 2013, 8:03 pm
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 6,385
no... well...no one that has written about it!
there was discussion a long time ago right after LH F first became unavailable that some people were having success with long sells... then there was an instruction to agents expressly prohibiting long-sells for LH F.
we haven't has a report of LH F since that instruction was issued*
* with one caveat that someone running a points booking service says they were able to get LH F with no problems simply by asking for it... but that was a once off and never explained.
there was discussion a long time ago right after LH F first became unavailable that some people were having success with long sells... then there was an instruction to agents expressly prohibiting long-sells for LH F.
we haven't has a report of LH F since that instruction was issued*
* with one caveat that someone running a points booking service says they were able to get LH F with no problems simply by asking for it... but that was a once off and never explained.
Oct 18, 2013, 10:48 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,405
it's specifically excluded and I don't want to be the one asking an agent to do something they're not allowed to do (don't want them getting into trouble).
LH F is available cheaply via lifemiles if you want it.
that being said... if I was a USDM elite, having out in the hard yards flying for my points I would be upset if someone was able to get LH F while I couldn't.
but as a buyer of USDM miles, I'm happy with the fairly minor inconvenience of not being able to get it.
LH F is available cheaply via lifemiles if you want it.
that being said... if I was a USDM elite, having out in the hard yards flying for my points I would be upset if someone was able to get LH F while I couldn't.
but as a buyer of USDM miles, I'm happy with the fairly minor inconvenience of not being able to get it.
Oct 19, 2013, 8:57 pm
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,690
it's specifically excluded and I don't want to be the one asking an agent to do something they're not allowed to do (don't want them getting into trouble).
LH F is available cheaply via lifemiles if you want it.
that being said... if I was a USDM elite, having out in the hard yards flying for my points I would be upset if someone was able to get LH F while I couldn't.
but as a buyer of USDM miles, I'm happy with the fairly minor inconvenience of not being able to get it.
LH F is available cheaply via lifemiles if you want it.
that being said... if I was a USDM elite, having out in the hard yards flying for my points I would be upset if someone was able to get LH F while I couldn't.
but as a buyer of USDM miles, I'm happy with the fairly minor inconvenience of not being able to get it.
Oct 19, 2013, 9:17 pm
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Gold-MM, AA Gold-MM, F9-Silver, Hyatt Something, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,392
No can do. One agent actually N/N requested the seat, told me it was available, but refused to book it. Made up a bunch of crap about how they've only allocated a specific number of seats to US, and that it would be STEALING from LH to book that seat.
What a crock.
Oct 20, 2013, 2:59 pm
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA PLT the rest, Kettle Power
Posts: 667
Any insight on close in ANA J/F opening up US/JP? I'm looking at Dec 20/21/22 and hoping I can amend my current reservation later in Dec. I've looked and can't get a good read on this. Anyone have any insight?
Oct 20, 2013, 5:06 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
There's also the tiny problem that even if NH availability opens up, domestic availability to connect you to your flight is going to be lousy, because everyone and their uncle is flying home for the holidays. I wouldn't count on any availability for domestic segments, so you'd better be flying out of an NH destination. Is there a specific city you are targeting, or are you fine with (since you didn't say, I'm picking cities out of a hat) your EWR-NRT-XXX award turning into a SFO-NRT-XXX award, and having to come up with a way to get across country on short notice?
Oct 20, 2013, 5:09 pm
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: ECP
Programs: DL Diamond
Posts: 1,658
Does US really not refund award ticket fees? Flight change caused an illegal connection and no options exist that I'm currently willing to take. They're happy to refund mileage without a fee, but claim award processing fee is non-refundable?
Oct 20, 2013, 6:14 pm
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA PLT the rest, Kettle Power
Posts: 667
Why would the US forum have great insight into NH award availability patterns?
There's also the tiny problem that even if NH availability opens up, domestic availability to connect you to your flight is going to be lousy, because everyone and their uncle is flying home for the holidays. I wouldn't count on any availability for domestic segments, so you'd better be flying out of an NH destination. Is there a specific city you are targeting, or are you fine with (since you didn't say, I'm picking cities out of a hat) your EWR-NRT-XXX award turning into a SFO-NRT-XXX award, and having to come up with a way to get across country on short notice?
There's also the tiny problem that even if NH availability opens up, domestic availability to connect you to your flight is going to be lousy, because everyone and their uncle is flying home for the holidays. I wouldn't count on any availability for domestic segments, so you'd better be flying out of an NH destination. Is there a specific city you are targeting, or are you fine with (since you didn't say, I'm picking cities out of a hat) your EWR-NRT-XXX award turning into a SFO-NRT-XXX award, and having to come up with a way to get across country on short notice?
Willing to fly from almost any port, willing to buy if needed tixs to that port. Live in NYC. So Ord, NYC, IAd, Bos are all good options. West coats is fine too.
I'm simply wondering if anyone has experience booking ANA j/f tickets on these routes close to departure.
Thanks!
T
Oct 20, 2013, 6:40 pm
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,387
Ok, faire enough. Some more details:
Willing to fly from almost any port, willing to buy if needed tixs to that port. Live in NYC. So Ord, NYC, IAd, Bos are all good options. West coats is fine too.
I'm simply wondering if anyone has experience booking ANA j/f tickets on these routes close to departure.
Thanks!
T
Willing to fly from almost any port, willing to buy if needed tixs to that port. Live in NYC. So Ord, NYC, IAd, Bos are all good options. West coats is fine too.
I'm simply wondering if anyone has experience booking ANA j/f tickets on these routes close to departure.
Thanks!
T
Oct 20, 2013, 7:18 pm
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: AA PLT the rest, Kettle Power
Posts: 667
There may be F/J that opens up late. That being said, you're taking a horrible gamble with a separate ticket in late December during the peak of holiday flying (where you wouldn't be protected if things go bad, and flights will be hard to rebook, even if you have status); bad weather out of NYC (a not uncommon occurrence) or at your destination will **** you unless you pad the schedule by a lot. I'd fly in the day before... and is going from whatever you booked to NH J/F really worth eating up an extra day of travel time?
Oct 21, 2013, 7:05 am
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,151
Is there a better way to estimate taxes/fees than the UA site? It keeps giving me errors.
I'm trying to figure out how much it would cost, simply in taxes and fees, to add VIE (on OS) to a US-FRA-(VIE)-CDG-FRA-US itin, in F.
Thanks!
I'm trying to figure out how much it would cost, simply in taxes and fees, to add VIE (on OS) to a US-FRA-(VIE)-CDG-FRA-US itin, in F.
Thanks!