Using US Airways Dividend Miles to Book Star Alliance Awards

ok I think I've done enough homework (all 14 pages read) and have a possible routing lined up for next May/June to DPS.

TYS (US/UA) - CLT/ORD/EWR/PHL
CLT/ORD/EWR/PHL (US/LH) - FRA/MUC
FRA/MUC (LH/TG) - BKK
BKK (TG) - DPS

DPS (SQ) - SIN
SIN (NH/SQ/UA) - NRT
NRT (NH) - ORD
ORD (UA) - TYS

stopover TBD. I have not mapped out timing yet because I just wanted to make sure this routing sounded acceptable. I'm correct with assuming I cannot be booked into F (or whatever the award code is) on SQ, yes?

I do have another possibilty I have considered. Since I don't think I can get F on SQ, I could fly to HKG as my "destination" and definitely only be in the 120k redemption range. I could then spend 25k RT on CX (using Avios) from HKG-DPS. I could possibly save 15k US miles this way and technically have two stopovers (one from US award and HKG being the first destination).

TYS-USA-Germany-HKG (*A)
HKG-DPS-HKG (OW)
HKG-***-USA-TYS (*A)

There would be more risk in the 2nd option, but seems logical

edit........

ah heck. i'm possibly throwing away 16k Avios in that example. I could route to ORD from TYS for only 9k Avios and add in two more foreign cities. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

I have been told that this is very difficult to do unless it's last minute. I'm assuming you're chasing the product rather than the route, and I've been doing the same for a while now, but my understanding is that LH/LX is very hard to come by unless you're really, really flexible.

If you're not committed to the product you can also aim for UA to get out of the country. EWR-HKG-SIN-DPS or EWR-PVG-DPS.

I think a lot of people aim for Germany as the stopover then carry on to SIN on the way to DPS.

yes, chasing the product. Who knows what would happen, but I do think I have the time, patience, and charm to work over an Agent on the phone I've been looking at flights recently on days that I would probably flying this time next year and there is availability up front. It's just a matter of being able to play the game, right?

Is their product any good from EWR-HKG? that's one loooong flight on a domestic bird! i was trying to go in a RTW manner, but I guess I could go across the Pacific, first, and come back the Euro-way?[/quote]

What would be the advantage to doing this? TG will have the updated F cabin between Germany and BKK starting in August, right?

(emphasis added)

So, you're using the ANA tool and seeing lots of TATL LH F availability for May/June 2013? Or for June 2012? Biiiiig difference; LH is not making F available to partners except for two weeks out. So you'd need to wait for a year to book the award, or book the award now (in either LH C, some other C cabin, or possibly UA F) and hope you can change the TATL segments to LH F at T-14 days.

(I'm pretty sure if LH had opened up F to advance bookings again, every travel blogger in the universe would be all over that news.)

Also, if you're seeing this on UA or AC, be careful in assuming LH F space is there; there's all kinds of reports of "phantom availability".

Oh, and while you could spend 25K Avios for CX Y for your HKG-DPS segments, if you have sufficient UA miles, you could spend 35K UA miles and get a combination of SQ/TG C to DPS from HKG, plus a stopover and two open-jaws.

I would avoid UA on any HKG-SIN segment, given that you're going to be flying a 737 in domestic config. SQ C is an easy get on HKG-SIN- SQ regional flights in SE Asia are not hard to come by at all, and while it's not the opulent luxury of SQ F, they still blow most American carriers on comparable stage lengths out of the water.

Indeed. Just because you can see it now it means nothing for next year.

And if there is availability now he should just jump on it.

I'm looking at what is available for this year in F. I know next year's schedule isn't even bookable, yet. I wouldn't wait a year to book this.... that's why I said I'd take the gamble and ask for the F upgrade if I was only in C but on an F partner award tik.

I'm using expert flyer

i wouldn't be flying UA out there. I would assume that UA would be the worst possible choice on a flight across the pacific, too?

no, but it gives me a good idea of what might be there at this time next year if I'm in C on an F award.

If flying directly from NA to Asia, I'd choose ANA, SQ, Asiana over UA. Don't know about TG LAX-ICN-BKK but I'd only choose that if SQ/ANA/Asiana isn't available.

Be prepared to fork over some change fees to US, then, because it's reasonably likely that you'll have to change flights to get a C->F upgrade when you've paid F mileage for an F ticket but are in C for availability reasons.

You are not getting accurate award availability data, then.

http://hackmytrip.com/resources/flight-data/

Use the ANA tool, or KVS set to use ANA as the *A inventory source. This will give you a reasonably accurate idea of *A award inventory.

For the dates you've picked, you may not have a lot of choices TPAC. OZ blacks out from mid-May to end of June, and NH F is a very hard get outside of low season (and May-June is shoulder to high season). That leaves you with UA and CA for F choices TPAC (no, you're probably not getting SQ F TPAC). CA F's nice 77W F product means you probably have to connect in PEK and fly to LAX for the TPAC segment.


If the goal of your trip is to be fêted with Dom and caviar, no, UA isn't going to give you that. If your goal is to actually get to and from your destination in an F seat, UA can give you that.

As mentioned, OZ blacks out a lot of the OP's dates. SQ is not going to be easy to get in advance, neither is NH.
I've flown TG C a number of times in their slanty seats in the 777/747, as well as UA F, and unless you have a pathological aversion to UA, UA F is the superior hard product, and UA would have to give me stale crusts of bread and beatings for soft product to make me take TG C on a not-so-nonstop route over UA with less stops and actual lie flat seats. I think the b****ing and moaning about UA F is overdone when it comes to F awards (where you're not exactly paying 4-5 digits in cash for the flight). Sure, if you have better options, take them, but a 20 hour flight on inferior hard product is not a better option IMO.

Good plan... even though availability will obviously vary, if there's availability this June there should be some next June?

Well you're chasing the product, so I would imagine that limits your choices. I would assume you're looking for the impossible Lufthansa A380, Swiss A340, the new Thai 747, or ANA 777 as first choices, then if THAT doesn't open up start looking at US/UA.

Probably the best bet for "chasing the product" when it comes to something like NH F or LH F is going to a Northern Hemisphere location during low season: say, FRA-NRT around Christmastime or February. TG also has good availability if you can pick your spots.

I mentioned this earlier, but I'd stress that CA's new 77Ws on LAX-PEK (and soon in other markets) look very nice for hard F product, and my guess is the "halo effect" probably means they may give a good try on soft product as well. The problem may be that PEK might not be a place to do a tight connection...

I'd say the Thai A380 and 77W (until they give that back to 9W) are better than their 747.

And while the LH A380 is nice, I'd say that the newer 747s (that have new F) are even nice ... bed AND a seat.

if i had the option of going during a low season, i probably would, but i don't think the fiancee is too keen on the idea of a February wedding in the Tennessee Valley

what is everyone's opinion on flying to this region with regards to flying East towards Euro first or West over the Pacific. En route to Bali, of course. Would it be easier on the human clock to fly US-Asia and then return Asia-Euro-US?

It's going to be brutal either way.

I basically did what you are attempting to do about a year ago (minus the fiancee). I had to "settle" for UA F going TPAC. And I booked the LH/LX F segments well before flight time (back when there was advance LH/LX F availability, and US agents weren't being told to never, ever, EVER long sell).

does Thai load their schedules later than than most? I've checked late April and see nothing from BKK-DPS. March displays it. Only thing I see for most of April right now is SQ

Possibly. When I booked my DPS segments it was closer in.

Made my first call to US Airways last night to make my redemptions. After reading online how bad their agents can be I was expecting the worse. However, after waiting over an hour to be connected to an agent I got rewarded with Carol who was absolutely fabulous.

First redemption I did was a vanilla LAX-SYD-LAX in J on United. I thought the 110k + $168 per person was a steal as last redemption we did on Qantas one way from SYD-DFW was 112k points plus money.

Second redemption, which is currently on hold for 120k miles plus $261 in J, is as follows:

Aug 10 SYD-BKK on TG (overnight) - on the 747
Aug 11 BKK-MUC on TG - Destination - on the 747
Oct 1 MUC-IST-BKK on TK - Stop - Airbus
Dec 4 BKK-SYD on TG

I need to try and improve this one as I was hoping to get some segments on Singapore or LH. I made the rookie mistake of basing availablity off the United website which obviously now I read more is showing phantom availability. I am totally flexible on dates so hopefully I can get on something other than TG.

One question I do ask is I can not have a stop in IST in addition to the stop in BKK on the way back can I?

Congratulations, well worthwhile!

Only one stopover in addition to your destination, not two.

I always find the US airways staff really great as long as you treat them with respect. Sometimes you don't always get what you want but in my experience, they will try and help you as much as they can and it is always better when you ring them after you have done some research yourself. By the way, while the LAX-SYD-LAX might be vanilla, it can be hard to get especially in holiday season. We are doing the opposite in our high season (Dec/Jan), got amazingly lucky and got 3 Js all the way to ORD and can't wait.

I am having a similar situation at the moment. I am trying to book a trip from Sydney, Australia to Managua, Nicaragua and the availibility 6 months out is terrible. I've been making almost daily calls to the US Airways office and i have had great service and i have had attrocious service (i was placed on hold... seemingly indefinitely and then i hung up after 11 mins on hold). I am wanting to fly first class with any Star Alliance partner to Nicaragua in December and return from Argentina to Sydney in February either via AKL, JNB or the US. I have had NO luck with the return leg and would love some advice as to options i should bring up. Ive looked into GIG, GRU, JNB, The US and AKL with no luck.

Route through Asia. North America-Australia can be a difficult route for awards. TG through BKK usually has decent availability.

Hi,
I am planning a Southeast Asia trip for next spring (base in BOS). I plan to fly UA, ANA and LH. When will ANA release their 77W/787 business class award spaces to US? Thanks.

Just booked for november:
BRU-ZRH-PVG-AKL (LX C/LX C on A340, NZ C on 777) stopover
AKL-SYD (NZ C on 777) destination
SYD-BKK (TG C on 747-400) one night in Bangkok (<24 hour)
BKK-HKG-FRA-BRU (TG C on A330/LH, C on 747-400/LH C)

120K miles and 204 EUR in taxes.

6 hour layover in PVG & HKG. While it's long, not sure if long enough to get out and see something.
I'm seeing mixed reviews on the C on the 747 on TG and LH, did anyone take these flights recently? (SYD-BKK / HKG-FRA)

Hi all,

I was just discussing my routing in UA forum and turned out it probably would not fly. so can somebody help me with this: SEA-FRA-JNB-MRU (stop)-JNB-BKK-NRT(dest.)-LAX-SEA, does it look like a valid routing for US Airways?

If this doesn't work, how about just crossing the Pacific, SEA-NRT (STOP)-HKG-JNB-MRU (DEST.)-JNB-BKK-ICN-SEA?

MRU is not your stop. MRU is your destination.

US is fine with RTW routings. The trick is going to be availability...