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Star Alliance Award Bookings Using US Airways Miles - FAQ and Help Thread [MERGED]

Old Oct 14, 2013, 4:55 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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.

------------------------

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.
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Star Alliance Award Bookings Using US Airways Miles - FAQ and Help Thread [MERGED]

 
Old Sep 19, 2012, 12:34 pm
  #12616  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: ZRH
Programs: M&M SEN (*G), HH Diamond
Posts: 2,418
Originally Posted by Mariocph
Have recently booked:

CPH-FRA in C SAS
FRA-BKK in F THAI (A380)
BKK-KBV in C THAI
BKK-CDG in F THAI (A380)
CDG-CPH in C SAS

Price 605 DKK = 105 USD = 65 GBP
...and where's the relation to the UK departure tax?
goliath is offline  
Old Sep 19, 2012, 2:12 pm
  #12617  
 
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Naples, Florida
Posts: 7,419
LHR-FRA-LHR

Thanks to all!

I checked BA and LH. Both for two persons are expensive...
BA LHR-FRA: 18,000 AVIOS points + $187 ... LH a little more.
So I used my Citi Thank You Points: BA to LHR-FRA 21,934 points + $102,46

May be next time I'll use our US Airlines Miles ...
Again .... thanks to all!
USAFAN is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2012, 8:29 pm
  #12618  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Melbourne, Florida, USA
Posts: 2,983
Originally Posted by michael_v
A business class award USA-South Pacific, South Asia-USA would be 115,000 miles, is that correct?

Originally Posted by wheresmybagba
No I don't think so.

It sounds like 2 one ways and you are treating them as half the cost of returns.

DM doesn't work like that - one ways cost the same as a return. I don't think you would be allowed to ticket this as an open jaw.

Follow-up:
I just ticketed SLC-SYD, SIN-SLC with no additional stopovers for 110,000 miles in business, so it is YMMV. Very fast and easy. I was shocked.
michael_v is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2012, 6:37 am
  #12619  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 84
Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
take option 3 outbound and option 2 on the return. Unless you want to route them via ICN and get them a hotel or something for the 12 hour lay-over (12 hours is getting a bit long for an airport stay).

If this is their first time in business class they'll have a great flight no matter what

With option 2 on the return the full horizontal bed on UA is just as good as OZ or NH might be, just the service won't be as great.
I thought some variety might make the trip nicer. I am leaning towards OZ's new flat seats on the outbound (SFO-ICN) even with the additional stop. They may even want to do a stopover at SFO for a few days.

Is the PEK-IAD (UA 898) the full horizontal bed? The 2-4-2 config. seems abit tight if they get stuck in the middle seats. I would have liked the coziness in the upper level cabin with the 2-2 config. better, I think. Currently there are no Savers Award for a more direct routingfrom HKG to N.America: HKG-ORD (UA 896) or HKG-SFO (UA 862) or HKG-EWR (UA 116) leg - do they open up late (e.g. LH F @ 2 weeks prior to departure) or once the awards are gone, they are gone forever? When I checked the 'view seats', there seems to be quite a lot of available space left.
mamak04 is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2012, 7:37 am
  #12620  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Alexandria, VA - DCA
Programs: BA Gold, American Airlines, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 5,075
Originally Posted by mamak04
Currently there are no Savers Award for a more direct routingfrom HKG to N.America: HKG-ORD (UA 896) or HKG-SFO (UA 862) or HKG-EWR (UA 116) leg.
I see this as a blessing in disguise. The UA transpac fleet has been a nightmare this summer and the nightmare seems to be continuing in to the fall. There is a VERY long thread about these significant delays and cancellations in the UA forum.

Of these three flights you have mentioned (in business class) I would avoid the 747s to/from ORD and SFO (the seats are fine but the 747 fleet is stretched thin and they have had many delays and cancellations lately) while the best of the bunch IMO is the ex-CO 777 that is on the EWR-HKG route. It has the full lie-flats and what is generally regarded to be better service.

As for PEK-IAD (UA 898), as it is operated by a UA 777, there is still the possibility to get the old-style barca-loungers and not the newer lay-flats on that flight.
geo1005 is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2012, 8:29 am
  #12621  
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 84
Originally Posted by geo1005
I see this as a blessing in disguise. The UA transpac fleet has been a nightmare this summer and the nightmare seems to be continuing in to the fall. There is a VERY long thread about these significant delays and cancellations in the UA forum.

Of these three flights you have mentioned (in business class) I would avoid the 747s to/from ORD and SFO (the seats are fine but the 747 fleet is stretched thin and they have had many delays and cancellations lately) while the best of the bunch IMO is the ex-CO 777 that is on the EWR-HKG route. It has the full lie-flats and what is generally regarded to be better service.
As for PEK-IAD (UA 898), as it is operated by a UA 777, there is still the possibility to get the old-style barca-loungers and not the newer lay-flats on that flight.
I was not paying attention to the cancellations in the UA forum - thanks for the heads' up! But wouldn't that affect the HKG-EWR route as well? I scanned briefly and saw majority of the cancellations are to/from Asia... Also, I had initially thought the B777-200 on both PEK-IAD and HKG-EWR are the same type of planes - silly me, until I clicked 'view seats' on the later and found the 2-2-2 config. Nice! But I still can't book HKG-EWR since no Saver Awards available! Is there no hope waiting for it to open up more available seats?
mamak04 is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2012, 5:02 pm
  #12622  
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: LAX
Programs: DL,US, UA, AA,HP
Posts: 16
Booked for mid-January, 2 passengers:

LAX-> ICN (OZ F)
ICN-> BKK (TG J, 773)
BKK-> SYD (TG F, Destination)
SYD-> BKK (TG F, Stopover)
BKK-> ICN (TG J, 772)
ICN-> LAX (OZ F)

140,000 miles per person (North America -> South Pacific, F)

$172 tax + $50 US Ticketing fee = $222 fees per ticket

I consider the North America -> South Pacific route an especially good value in F -- 140,000 miles vs North America -> South & Central Asia, which is 160,000 miles in F.

Used ANA tool to identify all flights and was ticketed in less than 15 minutes.

A previous post had raised the question about the number of seats on the ANA tool one must search for when booking more than one passenger.

For both OZ and TG flights, when ANA tool showed availability of 2 F seats, US was also able to see availability of 2 seats.

Last year I flew LAX -> ICN in the Quadra Smartium, and enjoyed the hard/soft product, especially the QS. In my opinion, Asiana earns its top rating, and I'm looking forward to trying OZ F.
WeHoVoyageur is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2012, 11:04 pm
  #12623  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,121
Originally Posted by WeHoVoyageur
A previous post had raised the question about the number of seats on the ANA tool one must search for when booking more than one passenger.

.
I think that is specifically for LX.
aurigakb is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2012, 9:40 am
  #12624  
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: CT
Programs: HHonors Silver
Posts: 429
Sorry for a noob question:

I'd like to book JFK->PVG in coach, then PVG->JFK in business. Will that require 90K or 75K? TIA.
allanfan is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2012, 9:51 am
  #12625  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 273
Originally Posted by allanfan
Sorry for a noob question:

I'd like to book JFK->PVG in coach, then PVG->JFK in business. Will that require 90K or 75K? TIA.
Even you would only have one segment in Business or First then you are charged with that class for the whole booking! In your case, you will be charged miles as though the trip is in Business.
longnguk is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2012, 8:38 pm
  #12626  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 530
Would this itin. be allowed?

I'm trying to go from YYZ to HKG. I want to visit family in YVR and LAX, so I'll pay for own ticket to go from YVR to LAX.

YYZ-YVR (open jaw)
LAX-HKG (dest.)
HKG-YYZ
savekenny is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2012, 8:48 pm
  #12627  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,401
Originally Posted by savekenny
Would this itin. be allowed?

I'm trying to go from YYZ to HKG. I want to visit family in YVR and LAX, so I'll pay for own ticket to go from YVR to LAX.

YYZ-YVR (open jaw)
LAX-HKG (dest.)
HKG-YYZ
my initial thought is that this might get treated as both a stopover and an open jaw because it is in the middle of your itinerary, not at either the start or finish. Therefore it might not be allowed. As always - YMMV. You can call and ask.
LHR/MEL/Europe FF is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2012, 9:04 pm
  #12628  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: PHL
Programs: Former long-time US GP; now AA dirt
Posts: 4,904
Originally Posted by WeHoVoyageur
Booked for mid-January, 2 passengers:

LAX-> ICN (OZ F)
ICN-> BKK (TG J, 773)
BKK-> SYD (TG F, Destination)
SYD-> BKK (TG F, Stopover)
BKK-> ICN (TG J, 772)
ICN-> LAX (OZ F)
That, my friend, is a serious score for two passengers! ^ ^ ^

For a sneak peak of what to expect in TG and OZ F, see my trip report below!
tommyleo is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2012, 9:08 pm
  #12629  
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 530
Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
my initial thought is that this might get treated as both a stopover and an open jaw because it is in the middle of your itinerary, not at either the start or finish. Therefore it might not be allowed. As always - YMMV. You can call and ask.
Yeah, I called twice... both times denied. Thanks though!
savekenny is offline  
Old Sep 22, 2012, 9:15 pm
  #12630  
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: PHL
Programs: Former long-time US GP; now AA dirt
Posts: 4,904
Originally Posted by LHR/MEL/Europe FF
With option 2 on the return the full horizontal bed on UA is just as good as OZ or NH might be, just the service won't be as great.
That's a serious understatement. The service and food on OZ will BLOW AWAY UA's. Take OZ ANY time you can over UA. There is no comparison, especially if you get the the Quadra Smartium seats SFO-ICN.
tommyleo is offline  

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