US Dividend Miles - Award Booking Questions and General Discussion

[zoom&boom]

Have just purchased my first USDMs, checked the Awards Travel Chart and tried to do a few dummy bookings.
My interpretation is that it requires 120K miles for a South Pacific-Europe redemption. I then tried to book SYD-LHR but kept getting error messages. I have read most of the forums but is there Dummies Guide to USDMs or could someone please point me in the right direction to hopefully secure my first award booking .

 

[Craigie]

Those bookings cannot be done online

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Have just purchased my first USDMs, checked the Awards Travel Chart and tried to do a few dummy bookings.
My interpretation is that it requires 120K miles for a South Pacific-Europe redemption. I then tried to book SYD-LHR but kept getting error messages. I have read most of the forums but is there Dummies Guide to USDMs or could someone please point me in the right direction to hopefully secure my first award booking .

you will need to find availability, then call US Airways to make the booking.

use: Qantas, BA or Japan Airlines frequent flyer award search engines to identify flights
search: sector by sector, so AU-Asia, then Asia-Europe.
call: US airways, skype is free
feed: US agents the flights you have found

 

[zoom&boom]

Wow thanks for the speedy reply. I see an extended keyboard session coming up. Finally would SYD-HKG-LHR miles be the total of the two sectors or the 120K miles as per the Award Chart?

 

[Alanslegal]

Wow thanks for the speedy reply. I see an extended keyboard session coming up. Finally would SYD-HKG-LHR miles be the total of the two sectors or the 120K miles as per the Award Chart?

It's 120K round trip, you can also build one stopover OR an open jaw.

 

[Limewood]

Wow thanks for the speedy reply. I see an extended keyboard session coming up. Finally would SYD-HKG-LHR miles be the total of the two sectors or the 120K miles as per the Award Chart?

Yes, also before calling look up various Airline flight numbers and destinations, like, sin, bkk, kul, not in case HKG is not available, write it all down and spoon feed the operator. etc.

 

[Glider_]

Yes, you will need a few back-up plans as the USDM call centre staff regularly can't see the same availability you have found elsewhere. I try to have a plan A, B and C ready to go with a variety of flight numbers, destinations and times all written down. And sometimes I still end up with something different.

It is a lot of work, but it is worth it.

Also remember the old HUACA (Hang Up And Call Again) method if you aren't getting anywhere useful with the operator you're speaking with. Some are more skilled/lenient than others.

 

[zoom&boom]

Thanks everyone for the info. Very much appreciated. Just one one final question I'm assuming I can book an award just for my wife who has not joined USDM.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks everyone for the info. Very much appreciated. Just one one final question I'm assuming I can book an award just for my wife who has not joined USDM.

yes you can.

 

[gwaipor]

Question: Is USDM like LM where you can adjust slider to use less points and use more $

Thanks

 

[netgrom]

Question: Is USDM like LM where you can adjust slider to use less points and use more $

Thanks

No you have to have the required points, although you can place them onhold for up to 72 hours, more like 2 days

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Question: Is USDM like LM where you can adjust slider to use less points and use more $

Thanks

if you haven't already done so you should spend a few minutes to read the US Airways Membership guide. It is very short (nothing like the QF version). It will give you routing restrictions and stopover restrictions. And explain the fees and charges.

 

[coolkid101]

hi guys, any suggestions on possible routings using USDM from HKG or TPE to Adelaide or melbourne end of Jan? We've got tickets ADL-HKG in mid jan using AS. We're going HKG to TPE and planning to come back from there. I've been looking daily on LM for flights with no success and been trying USDM as well but not experienced enough to know which more complex routings but be worth trying too?
Thanks guys

 

[Limewood]

Using USDM and going one way Y and return in J are the miles required then all classed as J flights?.

 

[thehound]

hi guys, any suggestions on possible routings using USDM from HKG or TPE to Adelaide or melbourne end of Jan? We've got tickets ADL-HKG in mid jan using AS. We're going HKG to TPE and planning to come back from there. I've been looking daily on LM for flights with no success and been trying USDM as well but not experienced enough to know which more complex routings but be worth trying too?
Thanks guys

Just be aware that a one way will cost the same as a return with USDM, so not the best value for money. Have you looked for HKG-ADL direct availability? You'd be better off using AA or AS miles for a oneworld one way.

Using USDM and going one way Y and return in J are the miles required then all classed as J flights?.

Yes, you pay the miles for the highest cabin class you're in. So even if one flight in J and a bunch of other flights are in Y, you'll pay the J miles.

 

[rforromeo]

Is anyone having issues getting Iberia reservations to stick on a Dividend miles oneworld reservation? I booked a oneworld reservation with MH and IB to MAD, then IB and CX for the return leg. First time I attempted this (in November) and put the booking on a 3 day hold, called 24 hours later to ticket and the IB legs had disappeared from the booking. I redid the booking, making sure I ticketed immediately, which worked with no issues after having to wait on the phone for 30 minutes while they worked out the taxes. I checked my reservation this morning and the IB legs of my itinerary have fallen off again, apparently due to my MH leg being moved forward one hour, even though my waiting time in transit is more than enough between the MH and IB legs. Would it be possible to get Iberia to fix this or do I have to go through Dividend Miles? Any way to avoid calling up Dividend miles?

 

[coolkid101]

Just be aware that a one way will cost the same as a return with USDM, so not the best value for money. Have you looked for HKG-ADL direct availability? You'd be better off using AA or AS miles for a oneworld one way

yeah i was going to say i believe there are direct flights available ADL - HKG so i can cancel my outbound and book a return if i can find an inbound back to ADL or even to MEL. happy to also buy any AA miles for a 1 way but i understand the routing restrictions are probably more problematic.

anyone has any ideas on potential routings that might work from HKG or TPE back to MEL or ADL?
already looked at direct flights from HKG or TPE of course
also tried LM on TG through BKK

my understanding is that HKG/TPE - NRT - SYD might not be permitted, but happy to be corrected on this.

thanks heaps guys

 

[Beta4Me]

Using USDM and going one way Y and return in J are the miles required then all classed as J flights?.

No. They are priced as two one ways with the highest class in each direction prevailing and then totalled for the return price. For example, I booked HKG to SJU and back and paid 105K based on F to and J from SJU. This is a relatively recent change.

 

[ferni]

Is anyone having issues getting Iberia reservations to stick on a Dividend miles oneworld reservation? I booked a oneworld reservation with MH and IB to MAD, then IB and CX for the return leg. First time I attempted this (in November) and put the booking on a 3 day hold, called 24 hours later to ticket and the IB legs had disappeared from the booking. I redid the booking, making sure I ticketed immediately, which worked with no issues after having to wait on the phone for 30 minutes while they worked out the taxes. I checked my reservation this morning and the IB legs of my itinerary have fallen off again, apparently due to my MH leg being moved forward one hour, even though my waiting time in transit is more than enough between the MH and IB legs. Would it be possible to get Iberia to fix this or do I have to go through Dividend Miles? Any way to avoid calling up Dividend miles?

Think there are known issues with IB legs being lost... see FT wiki post... one report of it sticking but doesn't surprise me you're having trouble...

Oneworld Award Bookings Using US Dividend Miles [Master FAQ and Help Thread] - FlyerTalk Forums

• IB : Flights will be cancelled after ticket issued. Workaround: None yet... > source <
  > fixed <

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Rumour:[Denied by RR] Qantas to ban JQ SYD-MEL pax from F lounges & send to J lou

yeah i was going to say i believe there are direct flights available ADL - HKG so i can cancel my outbound and book a return if i can find an inbound back to ADL or even to MEL. happy to also buy any AA miles for a 1 way but i understand the routing restrictions are probably more problematic.

anyone has any ideas on potential routings that might work from HKG or TPE back to MEL or ADL?
already looked at direct flights from HKG or TPE of course
also tried LM on TG through BKK

my understanding is that HKG/TPE - NRT - SYD might not be permitted, but happy to be corrected on this.

thanks heaps guys

it depends on the program you are using. iirc (sorry i have really bad internet at the moment) TPE-NRT-SYD would work for MPM using US airways.

it would not work for AA miles because Japan and taiwan are in different asia regions, and you cannot transfer via the higher region on a single award. you'd need two awards.

as for lifemiles... I would search sector by sector... TPE-BKK and BKK-australia. if they are showing individually, but not as a through tickrt, you can write to Lifemiles and have them ticket it manually if they agree.