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]
Jun 1, 2010, 11:58 am
#2221
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
So, for booking awards, is it possible to use the 3 day hold to piece together an itinerary where you want to grab initial segments at T-330, and then stitch together the itinerary as you go along for the intended length of the trip? Or must the beginning AND the end of the trip be within T-330?
Basically, I'd grab a SEA-SFO(UA)-NRT(NH)-ICN(OZ) leg first, keep tweaking the itinerary for my ICN layover (which is actually going to mostly be me burning 30K CO miles I got for less than $100 flying ICN-BKK-HKG-ICN in J), then grab ICN-Europe-TXL, (destination- it's worth 5K US miles/$75 for me not to have to screw with getting from FRA to TXL by doing it as a US-Europe award instead of US-North Asia with Europe stopover, plus I COULD fly other airlines to Europe if I wanted instead of just LH/LX) then tweak a bit more while keeping the itinerary on hold until it was time to grab TXL-FRA-SEA(LH).
Or will US leave the award open while I wait for the return dates WITHOUT me having to call in every 3 days to "mess" with it?
Basically, I'd grab a SEA-SFO(UA)-NRT(NH)-ICN(OZ) leg first, keep tweaking the itinerary for my ICN layover (which is actually going to mostly be me burning 30K CO miles I got for less than $100 flying ICN-BKK-HKG-ICN in J), then grab ICN-Europe-TXL, (destination- it's worth 5K US miles/$75 for me not to have to screw with getting from FRA to TXL by doing it as a US-Europe award instead of US-North Asia with Europe stopover, plus I COULD fly other airlines to Europe if I wanted instead of just LH/LX) then tweak a bit more while keeping the itinerary on hold until it was time to grab TXL-FRA-SEA(LH).
Or will US leave the award open while I wait for the return dates WITHOUT me having to call in every 3 days to "mess" with it?
Jun 1, 2010, 12:09 pm
#2222
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: SJU
Programs: Amex FHR elite travel agent, Ritz Stars, Hyatt Prive, Four Seasons Preferred Partner and others
Posts: 1,521
So, for booking awards, is it possible to use the 3 day hold to piece together an itinerary where you want to grab initial segments at T-330, and then stitch together the itinerary as you go along for the intended length of the trip? Or must the beginning AND the end of the trip be within T-330?
Basically, I'd grab a SEA-SFO(UA)-NRT(NH)-ICN(OZ) leg first, keep tweaking the itinerary for my ICN layover (which is actually going to mostly be me burning 30K CO miles I got for less than $100 flying ICN-BKK-HKG-ICN in J), then grab ICN-Europe-TXL, (destination- it's worth 5K US miles/$75 for me not to have to screw with getting from FRA to TXL by doing it as a US-Europe award instead of US-North Asia with Europe stopover, plus I COULD fly other airlines to Europe if I wanted instead of just LH/LX) then tweak a bit more while keeping the itinerary on hold until it was time to grab TXL-FRA-SEA(LH).
Or will US leave the award open while I wait for the return dates WITHOUT me having to call in every 3 days to "mess" with it?
Basically, I'd grab a SEA-SFO(UA)-NRT(NH)-ICN(OZ) leg first, keep tweaking the itinerary for my ICN layover (which is actually going to mostly be me burning 30K CO miles I got for less than $100 flying ICN-BKK-HKG-ICN in J), then grab ICN-Europe-TXL, (destination- it's worth 5K US miles/$75 for me not to have to screw with getting from FRA to TXL by doing it as a US-Europe award instead of US-North Asia with Europe stopover, plus I COULD fly other airlines to Europe if I wanted instead of just LH/LX) then tweak a bit more while keeping the itinerary on hold until it was time to grab TXL-FRA-SEA(LH).
Or will US leave the award open while I wait for the return dates WITHOUT me having to call in every 3 days to "mess" with it?
Jun 1, 2010, 12:14 pm
#2223
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Well, I am sort of meaning "Do I have to call back in every 3 days to mess with the itinerary I have so far to keep it alive, or can I just tell US that I'll book the other parts of my itinerary when T-330 becomes valid?"
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jun 1, 2010 at 12:43 pm Reason: dang it, MI is not a *A airline. :(
Jun 1, 2010, 2:57 pm
#2224
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 850
At the stated expiration time, your itinerary expires.
Jun 1, 2010, 3:03 pm
#2225
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 850
Y: 70K
C: 90K
F: 120K
Jun 1, 2010, 4:03 pm
#2226
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
You must call every three days should you want to play the game of re-booking an itinerary repeatedly.
At the stated expiration time, your itinerary expires.
At the stated expiration time, your itinerary expires.
Jun 1, 2010, 7:12 pm
#2227
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,787
Sorry -- a real rookie question. Can I call US to check and hold a *A award if my account doesn't have adequate miles at the time I call for the award? I'm considering taking advantage of the new US gift/buy promo, but don't want to pull the trigger until I know what I want is available.
Jun 1, 2010, 7:37 pm
#2228
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: PWM, BOS
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Plat, Accor Plat+++
Posts: 850
Sorry -- a real rookie question. Can I call US to check and hold a *A award if my account doesn't have adequate miles at the time I call for the award? I'm considering taking advantage of the new US gift/buy promo, but don't want to pull the trigger until I know what I want is available.
Jun 1, 2010, 7:52 pm
#2229
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: LNK
Programs: US,PC
Posts: 743
Hi,
Could some expert clarify how to keep taxes down. I have recently paid 300$ taxes for ROA-DEL(connecting through CLT-FRA). The combination was mix of LH and US. I think 300$ is pretty high.
Thanks for help,
Dracs
Could some expert clarify how to keep taxes down. I have recently paid 300$ taxes for ROA-DEL(connecting through CLT-FRA). The combination was mix of LH and US. I think 300$ is pretty high.
Thanks for help,
Dracs
Jun 1, 2010, 10:25 pm
#2230
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 850
Wirelessly posted (Verizon BlackBerry 9630: BlackBerry9630/5.0.0.591 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)
Be aware that bought miles don't post until the next week, so you may lose a held itinerary waiting for the miles.
Originally Posted by lkar
Sorry -- a real rookie question. Can I call US to check and hold a *A award if my account doesn't have adequate miles at the time I call for the award? I'm considering taking advantage of the new US gift/buy promo, but don't want to pull the trigger until I know what I want is available.
Jun 1, 2010, 10:27 pm
#2231
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
Programs: Too many to list. Status is a half dozen.
Posts: 9,235
They post instantly for the vast majority of purchasers.
Jun 2, 2010, 1:21 am
#2232
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: LHR
Programs: Ex-NWA Plat
Posts: 1,480
That's the only way to do it. But then again, your first class seats may not reappear in the award bucket, if the rest of the cabin has filled up!
Jun 2, 2010, 7:39 am
#2233
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,397
Well, I'll have some parts of the itinerary I don't care about so much (for instance, SEA-SFO seems to be nearly impossible to get in F, but who cares, it's a 90 minute flight, I'll tough it out in coach to fly NH F instead of taking UA F to NRT out of SEA- and I can pick from several flights).
Jun 2, 2010, 11:37 am
#2234
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: DCA
Programs: US CP, CO PE, Avis First, National EE
Posts: 232
I just booked 2 first award tickets...
7/3 IAD>FRA - LH 747 - 2 First Seats
7/4 FRA>IST - LH A321 - 2 Business Seats (no First)
7/6 IST>NRT - TK 777 - 2 First Suites
7/8 NRT>PVG - CA 777 - 2 coach seats (will watch for better)
7/11 PVG>FRA - CA A340 - 2 First Seats
7/11 FRA>DUS - LH 737 - 2 Business Seats
7/12 DUS>YYZ - LH A333 - 2 First Seats
7/12 YYZ>IAD - UA CRJ - Coach ;(
I was charged 120,000 miles each plus taxes just over $150 each and $50 fee each - booked on two separate bookings. I'm excited to try the Turkish 777 First Suite (as long as they don't switch equipment).
7/3 IAD>FRA - LH 747 - 2 First Seats
7/4 FRA>IST - LH A321 - 2 Business Seats (no First)
7/6 IST>NRT - TK 777 - 2 First Suites
7/8 NRT>PVG - CA 777 - 2 coach seats (will watch for better)
7/11 PVG>FRA - CA A340 - 2 First Seats
7/11 FRA>DUS - LH 737 - 2 Business Seats
7/12 DUS>YYZ - LH A333 - 2 First Seats
7/12 YYZ>IAD - UA CRJ - Coach ;(
I was charged 120,000 miles each plus taxes just over $150 each and $50 fee each - booked on two separate bookings. I'm excited to try the Turkish 777 First Suite (as long as they don't switch equipment).
Jun 2, 2010, 12:27 pm
#2235
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: PHX
Posts: 4,787
On NZ 747 with 3 classes -- economy, premium economy, and lie flat premier business -- what US *A reward level is required to book premier business? Is it business or first?