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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Nov 5, 2013, 8:42 am

#18601

wordsew

Join Date: Mar 2007

Posts: 208

Quote:

Originally Posted by eponymous_coward

If you do the SA JNB-PER flight on one leg and ICN, SIN or BKK on the other, I would think that it might work, but it's not a common itinerary. Why not ring up and see? Worst case is you spend an hour or three on HUACA.

Kind of hard to suggest a routing when you don't specify an origin...

You'll have better luck if you split up your party in 2/3.

sorry leaving from bos or pvd

Nov 5, 2013, 9:14 am

#18602

eponymous_coward

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Aug 2007

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

Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite

Posts: 20,395

Quote:

Originally Posted by wordsew

sorry leaving from bos or pvd

The problem is going to be finding 5 low award seats on ONE domestic flight during peak travel season (let alone 5 on ONE international flight, also during a peak season), since you will have to connect from BOS or PVD to an international gateway (there is no *A nonstop service from BOS to NRT). June is not exactly a time where US or UA have problems selling seats on domestic flights out of BOS or PVD.

I would strongly suggest splitting your party up and/or consider buying cash tickets to get you to a gateway.

Nov 5, 2013, 10:34 am

#18603

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

Quote:

Originally Posted by wordsew

IS THIS A HELPLESS SITUATION??

I have approx. 600k US air miles and would like to go bos or pvd Tokyo Biz class in June 2014 with 4 other people. Is it even possible to get 5 people together on biz award ticket to that destination??

If so what would likely be routing that may have a better chance of successful results.

thanks in advance for your replies

I found 5 business class tickets to NRT in 2011 all on the same flight.... ORD-NRT.....

The key was, however, that it was Thanksgiving week... not all 5 people originated from the same US destination and some had to settle for economy seats for the origin to Chicago flights...

FDW

Nov 5, 2013, 10:37 am

#18604

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

Quote:

Originally Posted by eethan

If you book an international partner award: Leg 1 in First, Leg 2 in Business, then you get charged for a First class roundtrip award.

If Leg 2 opens up in First, can you switch from Biz to First without incurring any fees?

(AA allows you to do so w/o fees.--In fact, this two-step approach is usually the best way to secure two FC awards on the same flight.)

It used to be that if the leg opened up then sometimes they would change your ticket without fee. The official party line is that a fee must be paid for this change and the agents are getting better (or is it worse?) about charging this fee... of course you could HUACA a bunch and see what happens.. never hurts to ask...

FDW

Nov 5, 2013, 10:37 am

#18605

wordsew

Join Date: Mar 2007

Posts: 208

any gateway will do

I'm open to suggestions as to what gateway may give me a shot at getting 5 biz award tix

Last edited by wordsew; Nov 5, 2013 at 10:37 am Reason: spelling

Nov 5, 2013, 11:15 am

#18606

gwar69

Join Date: Aug 2011

Location: STL

Programs: US Silver, AA Gold

Posts: 509

Quote:

Originally Posted by wordsew

I'm open to suggestions as to what gateway may give me a shot at getting 5 biz award tix

Just start playing on UA.com. In just a brief search, I found 5 C seats on flights out of YYZ and SFO. Both on June 9, which is a Monday, but you'll likely have to fly during the week.

Nov 5, 2013, 1:03 pm

#18607

JamesBond_ppk

Join Date: Dec 2009

Posts: 600

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesBond_ppk

New trip booked and ticketed:

OSL-FRA: LH C A319
FRA-ICN: OZ F 744 layover
Park Hyatt Seoul
ICN-NRT: UA F 777 destination
Hyatt Regency booked so far, but I'm open to suggestions.
HND-TSA: BR C A330 layover
Novotel Taipei Taoyuan Airport
TPE-HKG: BR C 77N
HKG-BKK: TG F A380 stopover
Loy La Long Hotel
BKK-CDG: TG F A380
CDG-OSL: SK C 737

Overall happy with the booking, only 1 of the segment I wanted was not available (HND-TSA on ANA NH1185 with a B788 in C). It showed as available on the ANA tool but US could not see it. Frustrating but that's the way it is. 100000 miles + tax.

The short leg on UA in F was choosen because of the time that worked best. Not as good as OZ, but still timewise, it worked much better. Anyone knows on which side of the aircraft should one seat to have views on Mount Fuji upon arrival (I realize that may vary, but any insights?).

Eva Air is opening plenty of connecting possibilities in Asia these days, it will be exciting to try them. So far it looks we'll be flying both the regional and international C product. Seat booking / assignment with EVA Air can be done here, in case anyone is looking.

A few words, to let you know that I've started the Trip Report for this trip. About half way so far. Hope you enjoy reading it, and that it will inspire some.

Nov 5, 2013, 3:48 pm

#18608

BigRedBears

Join Date: Jul 2011

Posts: 1,114

Hi guys,
Need a help re: rules for *A award ticket with US Airways miles.

1) I booked LGA-YYZ-NRT-YYZ-LGA RT. Can I add a one-way from EWR-CLT-MSY later in the year? I spoke to an agent and she cited a rule that I can't have open-jaw and stop-over on the same ticket. Also, there was an issue re: landing in LGA and taking off from EWR. Was she correct?

2) Is there any one-way I can add? I am looking for either sunny Caribbean destination or Hawaii or a cool domestic city to explore.

3) Initially I was trying to return via NRT-FRA-JFK on LH C. United sees availability, but US Airways doesn't. It would have been on Monday. I assume it's some sort of a glitch?

Thanks in advance.

Last edited by BigRedBears; Nov 5, 2013 at 3:55 pm

Nov 5, 2013, 4:20 pm

#18609

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 BigRedBears

the agent is correct. you can't have a stopover and an open jaw. I believe AA has something akin to what you want ('free one way' or something?) but it's not applicable to USDM bookings.

Nov 5, 2013, 4:28 pm

#18610

jqihe862

Join Date: Jul 2012

Posts: 75

I've been charged higher tax?

I have the following ticket using award miles:

YYZ-LHR-TPE-HKG/SZX-PVG
HKG-TPE-SFO(stop)-LAX-YYZ

I stay in LHR for 24hours50minutes, AC868 arrive in LHR at 8:30PM and BR68 leaving at 9:20PM second day.
I stop in PVG for 2 month and stop in SFO for 5days.

US airways charge me 90k miles with 235.80$ tax and 50$ processing fee.

I doubt the tax amount is wrong since it is just transfer in LHR.

Anyone can helps to analyze it.
Thanks

Last edited by jqihe862; Nov 5, 2013 at 4:33 pm Reason: add more information

Nov 5, 2013, 4:35 pm

#18611

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

Quote:

Originally Posted by jqihe862

> 24 hour stopover= APD payable.... I would not call back to contest because someone might decide that your itinerary is illegal because of the connection in LHR.

Source: Wikipedia

Nov 5, 2013, 4:36 pm

#18612

FlyingDoctorwu

Join Date: Mar 2004

Location: Baltimore MD

Posts: 3,457

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigRedBears

No "free" one ways on US. Shouldn't have an issue with EWR/LGA; they are usually considered co-terminals.

FDW

Nov 5, 2013, 4:40 pm

#18613

flashware

Join Date: Jan 2007

Posts: 4,709

Quote:

Originally Posted by jqihe862

A transit is <24 hours, so that is not a transit. With that being said, given that being the case $235.80 actually seems quite low as the APD is pretty pricey.

Nov 5, 2013, 4:50 pm

#18614

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 wordsew

I'm open to suggestions as to what gateway may give me a shot at getting 5 biz award tix

BOS-IST-NRT has some days of availability, but the route is very long

Nov 5, 2013, 5:00 pm

#18615

jqihe862

Join Date: Jul 2012

Posts: 75

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingDoctorwu

> 24 hour stopover= APD payable.... I would not call back to contest because someone might decide that your itinerary is illegal because of the connection in LHR.

Source: Wikipedia

if it is <24hours and no APD, then I think 235.80$ is not correct, can you estimate how much tax it will be?

Last edited by jqihe862; Nov 5, 2013 at 6:18 pm Reason: add