US Dividend Miles Buy/Gift Miles 100% bonus - Cheap way for F/J *A Awards

[Shanye2233]

The yanks seems to think its worth it

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-airways-dividend-miles/1378111-us-miles-low-1-1cpm.html

 

[bcworld]

The yanks seems to think its worth it

US miles as low as 1.1cpm - FlyerTalk Forums

This has all been discussed before...nothing has changed...you can get the 3x multiplier if you're game...you'll only get the 50% bonus if you fly.

 

[smit0847]

I'm not even going to pretend I understand this.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I'm not even going to pretend I understand this.

This is one of the best threads on the internetz...who needs Sudoku when you have this thread?

 

[sr81]

Hey guys, been a little while but I need a route validated.

MEL-BKK-FRA//FRA-BRU-JFK//JFK-BRU-FRA-BKK-MEL

Destination is JFK and FRA is the stopover. In J for 110,000. Are they still cool with USA via EU?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hey guys, been a little while but I need a route validated.

MEL-BKK-FRA//FRA-BRU-JFK//JFK-BRU-FRA-BKK-MEL

Destination is JFK and FRA is the stopover. In J for 110,000. Are they still cool with USA via EU?

yes that should be fine provided you can get an agent willing to do it for you. They may want to route you direct FRA-JFK is there is availability. (The 747-800 will have the new full flat beds in J).

There has been some talk recently that agents have been charging for the highest transit point - so you may get charged 120k. If they advise that you might be stuck with it unfortunately - too late to hang up and call again.

 

[burmans]

If they advise that you might be stuck with it unfortunately - too late to hang up and call again.

Why is that, I thought you could always put on hold and after 48 hours the hold expires. So yea you might have to wait but surely you can try again, you don't have to book it there and then.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Why is that, I thought you could always put on hold and after 48 hours the hold expires. So yea you might have to wait but surely you can try again, you don't have to book it there and then.

i said 'might' get stuck with it because if you are quote the higher level, then question it, they can put a note in the booking saying they've quoted you the higher level. too late then to pull out unless they cancel the whole thing, and likely when you call back the next day the same quote will be in the booking.

best way around it would be to get the quote, and not challenge it. then try again the next day when you go to ticket.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

LX J of course trumps TK J because LX J is all full flat beds. TK J only offers that on their 777s. A330s and 340s have angled lie flats, and friends that have travelled on that were less than complimentary about the seats (service was good).

TK flies their 777 to PVG.

I thought the A330s had full flats?

You might be right... it's hard to tell from the seat map. They have 5 rows between doors 1 and 2, BUT no WCs... QF has five rows with a WC behind the last row between door 1 and 2. Is one WC worth of space enough to make 5 rows go full flat? (You'd need at least 75 inches for full lie flat...)

i contacted TK to ask the question following is their response:

Yes on A333 will have flat bed for Business class.

The confiquration is 2/2/2

This trip report on FT shows pictures for a TK A332 ex BKK in August 2012 and the seats are not full flat - not even angled lie flat. Rather they are something less:

Turkish Airlines BKK-IST-LAX Business August 2012 - FlyerTalk Forums

So just a heads up that if the A333 is truly full flat - try and ensure you book on that rather than the A332 (or beware of aircraft substitution!). It seems exBKK is A340 on the selected dates i checked - again not full flat. (So if you're looking to put together am award ex AU I think it is still just PVG offering the full beds)

 

[bcworld]

This trip report on FT shows pictures for a TK A332 ex BKK in August 2012 and the seats are not full flat - not even angled lie flat. Rather they are something less:

Turkish Airlines BKK-IST-LAX Business August 2012 - FlyerTalk Forums

These are the same seats as TG's 773 & 772ER in a different colour scheme.

 

[bcworld]

I'm starting to plan next years travels. I'm looking to travel from MEL to NYC and unlike a lot of people im totally OK with travelling in UA C as opposed to plotting some route via Asia or Europe. UA can get me from MEL to JFK in a little over 22 hours and I think by the time I travel the ps flights between LAX & JFK will have the full lie flat beds in BusinessFirst - so full flat bed the whole way.

Only thing that surprises me is that connection in LAX is 70 mins...according to KVS this is the MCT for UA-UA Int to Dom.

I haven't been through the US for years but in this time wouldn't I have to collect a bag for re security checking and clear immigration and presumably change terminals? Any ideas what the success rate might be with this connection? It seems like a risky one to me! I have a feeling getting accommodated on a later flight could be tricky as well as resulting in an anti social arrival time into New York.

 

[points]

Have also been trying to book Melb to NYC in C however the problem that I've come up with is that the leg from LAX or SFO is in first (what they call Business/First) and will be charged at the rate for a first class redemption (we are a family of 4 and think that the extra money, even at 100% bonus, make for an expensive trip). Any thoughts as there appears to only have 2 classes on these legs, y or f???

 

[Flashback]

Have also been trying to book Melb to NYC in C however the problem that I've come up with is that the leg from LAX or SFO is in first (what they call Business/First) and will be charged at the rate for a first class redemption (we are a family of 4 and think that the extra money, even at 100% bonus, make for an expensive trip). Any thoughts as there appears to only have 2 classes on these legs, y or f???

Those flights are supposed to be deemed as C. Simply point out it's a 2 class flight as as such a C redemption is fine. Can't remember if it's in the T&C though.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

and will be charged at the rate for a first class redemption

the agent who told you this is incorrect. International business class connecting to two class domestic is permitted to travel in the higher class (which would be first).

I'd hang up and call again.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm starting to plan next years travels. I'm looking to travel from MEL to NYC and unlike a lot of people im totally OK with travelling in UA C as opposed to plotting some route via Asia or Europe. UA can get me from MEL to JFK in a little over 22 hours and I think by the time I travel the ps flights between LAX & JFK will have the full lie flat beds in BusinessFirst - so full flat bed the whole way.

Only thing that surprises me is that connection in LAX is 70 mins...according to KVS this is the MCT for UA-UA Int to Dom.

I haven't been through the US for years but in this time wouldn't I have to collect a bag for re security checking and clear immigration and presumably change terminals? Any ideas what the success rate might be with this connection? It seems like a risky one to me! I have a feeling getting accommodated on a later flight could be tricky as well as resulting in an anti social arrival time into New York.

I'd risk it - simply because you are on a protected connection. You could also choose to fly later that day or the next morning (although you'd have to pay your own accommodation if overnight... but your travel insurance might pay that if the delay is more than 6 hours... which it is likely given the bank of flights are either morning or red-eye).

 

[kpc]

To buy or not to buy.... I have less than 24 hours (with the current 100% promo) to decide whether I want to top up both our accounts to 150000 each...one account needs 30000 and the other needs 75000. Our travel plans are already sorted til October 2013...what to do...what would you do? (worried about award inflation here...:evil:. do US Air give much advance warning of award inflation??)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

To buy or not to buy.... I have less than 24 hours (with the current 100% promo) to decide whether I want to top up both our accounts to 150000 each...one account needs 30000 and the other needs 75000. Our travel plans are already sorted til October 2013...what to do...what would you do? (worried about award inflation here...:evil:. do US Air give much advance warning of award inflation??)

they will give plenty of advance warning about award inflation. They are required to under US law (something about giving people plenty of time to spend what they have been trying to save for etc etc).

I probably wouldn't buy now if you don't need them for some time. The only thing i would buy now for is that a few of the recent promos have been targeted... so if you jump off the bandwagon now no knowing when you'll be able to get back on again

I bought a few thousand now just to keep things ticking over.

If you have time then I'd also be considering buying AA miles at the next pomo they have, then again on 1 January when you can buy again. Nice way to get CX/QF J to Asia for around the same price as USDM, but no stopovers allowed.

 

[bcworld]

Those flights are supposed to be deemed as C. Simply point out it's a 2 class flight as as such a C redemption is fine. Can't remember if it's in the T&C though.

Actually many (or all?) of the ps flights are 3 class. F, C and economy plus. But the F & C are to be merged into a new class over the coming year. I'm looking at LAX-JFK flights for August next year and the UA site is pulling up 3 class seat maps still.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Actually many (or all?) of the ps flights are 3 class. F, C and economy plus. But the F & C are to be merged into a new class over the coming year. I'm looking at LAX-JFK flights for August next year and the UA site is pulling up 3 class seat maps still.

points - if it is in fact three class then you would be charged the higher F rate if travelling in that cabin even if the rest of your travel in in business class. Easy to get around however by connecting via a hub city - which would also then potentially get you in to LGA which can be more convenient.

 

[points]

Okay this all sounds good however I'm not sure what you mean regarding connecting via a hub city (thought SFO was a hub and that's why we made JFK the destination as this is not a United hub??)