Oct 14, 2013, 4:55 pm

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

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.

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]

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Oct 31, 2013, 7:14 pm

#18556

dre_techie

Join Date: Oct 2009

Programs: LH SEN, SPG Gold, HH Diamond

Posts: 1,021

Quote:

Originally Posted by deltaflyinglawyer

Just last week my friend could book LH C on second attempt. Outbound on Sat and Inbound on Mon. So LH blocking is an urban legend. LH seats are available when SHARES is not out of order and the agents are not blind.

Not sure what kind of legend it is, but the agent today did find those seats on Saturday (which was my preferred day), however could not see any intra-Europe the following day, I had to add a connection through VIE on OS. I assume the agents yesterday hadn't actually searched segment by segment, however said they did.

The only way I booked LH on other days (not Wed/Sat) was when an agent "tried something", probably a long-sell without me prompting. This was in the summer, and later I needed to book another friend on the same itin, I called another dozen times and couldn't get anyone else to see those intra-EU seats, even when they "sent a request to the partner airline" a few times. Nobody would manually request/long sell.

Nov 1, 2013, 1:40 am

#18557

goodo

Join Date: Nov 1999

Location: SYD

Posts: 2,903

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward

Call and ask. "I don't want to accept the changes to my schedule and I propose an alternate" may work. Yes, they should be able to make changes without trashing the ticket, I've done this, HUACA if they say they can't.

Attempt #1: Can't make such a change without cancelling and starting afresh. Time for HUACA, fingers crossed!
Attempt #2: Couldn't do it without cancelling
Attempt #3: Could do it, but TXL isn't a *A hub

Last edited by goodo; Nov 1, 2013 at 2:10 am

Nov 1, 2013, 9:13 am

#18558

dml105

Join Date: Sep 2010

Location: DCA

Programs: AA Plat, Bonvoy Gold

Posts: 425

So, it's November 1. Are we still in Star Alliance?

Nov 1, 2013, 9:38 am

#18559

eponymous_coward

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2007

Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot

Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite

Posts: 20,394

Quote:

Originally Posted by goodo

Just keep HUACA. I've done routing changes on schedule changes on two US award tickets, in one case going from FRA-YYZ(AC)-ORD-SEA(UA) to FRA-SEA(LH).

Nov 2, 2013, 10:14 pm

#18560

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

So, I had something crummy just happen...
I have two PNRs, same itinerary..
EWR-IAH-PEK
PEK-TPE
TPE-ICN-LAX-JFK
F class, with some sectors of course in C... booked on May 16, 2013....
I check my itineraries about once a month, just to make sure everything is okay...

Earlier this month I get notice of a schedule change... leaving me with a short layover in IAH. I know I want to make some other changes to the itinerary so I research a bit and call them up... we get to chatting when the agent informs me that one of the segments on one of the itineraries is coming back as "unconfirmed"( ICN-LAX) so they have me in Coach...

My itinerary still lists O class, and if I look up my ticket on Saudia's website, it also lists O class... I have sent an email to asiana lax office to get some information....

I'm a little (okay a lot PO'ed) that I didn't receive any notification about this...

Any thoughts about how to proceed? I told the agent I would have to think about things a bit....

FDW

Nov 2, 2013, 11:57 pm

#18561

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2001

Location: AU

Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)

Posts: 14,406

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingDoctorwu

did you call Asiana at the time of the original ticketing and confirm they had ticket numbers against the booking?

Nov 3, 2013, 5:13 am

#18562

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF

did you call Asiana at the time of the original ticketing and confirm they had ticket numbers against the booking?

No but I did access their website and input my ticket number to select a seat so I figured that they had it Unfortunately that is no longer an option on their website.

FDW

Nov 3, 2013, 5:18 am

#18563

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingDoctorwu

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF

did you call Asiana at the time of the original ticketing and confirm they had ticket numbers against the booking?

No but I did access their website and input my ticket number to select a seat so I figured that they had it Unfortunately that is no longer an option on their website.

FDW

Actually I take that back. I emailed asiana and they did indeed tell me that both tickets were confirmed.

FDW

Nov 3, 2013, 5:18 am

#18564

PVDtoDEL

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: 7,763

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingDoctorwu

Per DOT rules, once you have a confirmed ticket, US cannot cancel it. My guess is that the US system dropped the segment, and then added the X class segment to "fix" the problem. OZ is able to reinstate the original segment (based on the original ticket number), but there is no guarantee that they will be willing to do that.

Nov 3, 2013, 6:39 am

#18565

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF

did you call Asiana at the time of the original ticketing and confirm they had ticket numbers against the booking?

So more info has one to light...

I received a reply from ASiana on 5/17. According to USAirways, on 5/18 there was a schedule change of some sort resulting in the downgrade. However, looking at the flight times and etc there is no difference in arrival, departure times or aircraft type or flight number. So I'm to sure what they are referring to. They've talked to Asiana with no avail. Basically they are telling me that I'm SOL for F on this flight. My options are to figure out a new routing or cancel (or take the coach ticket). Given that it's around the asian New Year I'm SOL it seems for new routing....

FDW

Nov 3, 2013, 6:49 am

#18566

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Mar 2001

Location: AU

Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)

Posts: 14,406

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingDoctorwu

sorry to hear that

have you confirmed the flight is now operating without first class? and that business is full?

otherwise I'd try and look for something else on EVA or ana? perhaps even last minute something might open up... I know for UA is extremely hard to get confirmed in advance SYD-LAX but a few days before it can open up. but appreciate you will be flying at a busy time.

Nov 3, 2013, 8:46 am

#18567

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF

sorry to hear that have you confirmed the flight is now operating without first class? and that business is full?

otherwise I'd try and look for something else on EVA or ana? perhaps even last minute something might open up... I know for UA is extremely hard to get confirmed in advance SYD-LAX but a few days before it can open up. but appreciate you will be flying at a busy time.

Definitely still operating with first given that one passenger is in first.

I can get back on Eva in business which isn't a terrible option given how nice Eva's business is. However I would be inclined to change the entire itinerary to business as well so I need to find outbound availability as well.

FDW

Nov 3, 2013, 10:11 am

#18568

Coolers

Join Date: May 2006

Location: YYZ

Posts: 731

Has anyone experienced trouble with getting US agents to see AC Rouge space? YYZ-CUN is wide open but I've only been able to put YYZ-YUL-CUN on hold.

Nov 3, 2013, 10:14 am

#18569

tagavor

Join Date: Oct 2009

Posts: 15

*A Booking "market not being served"

Just got off the phone w/ US trying to book an alliance award on Turkish Airlines.

IAD > ULN

I checked expertflyer and there is good availability, but the agent said that when she tries to put in ULN she gets the error message "market not being served" on her computer.

Has anyone experienced this before?

Nov 3, 2013, 10:24 am

#18570

BoeingBoy

Join Date: Apr 2006

Location: High Point, NC

Programs: None

Posts: 9,171

Quote:

Originally Posted by zink88

Is this correct? I believe if this was a United award it would price out at the Business level of 100K.

International business/first should book in domestic first assuming availability since US has no domestic business class. US allows no mixed-class award pricing so the entire itinerary should be based on business/first mileage requirements, assuming you're booking at least one segment in business/first.
If there is no availability of FC on any domestic segment the miles required should stay the same although you'll have a coach ticket for that segment.

Jim