How many award miles are you now getting?

Both UA and AA have now changed over to awarding program miles based on the price of the ticket not miles flown (omitting credit card awards).

I have cruise air that I'm planning for. Oceania typically includes air in their pricing, but we typically opt out, take the discount, and do our own air. However, for our next cruise, no on airline alliance does a good job on both legs of the multi-city flights. Attempting to book two one ways is far too expensive. It appears that O's offers are going to be far more economical and convenient since they can book the one ways on bulk plans.

I spoke with AA and asked them how my mileage awards would be calculated under the new program. They told me my award points would be based on what Oceania pays for the ticket on their Group Plan.

Does anyone have any experience with how many points one should now expect buying one's ticket through the cruise line instead of direct? Guess the question is how cheap are those tickets for them?

Shall we guess where you're going and what class of service (coach, business, first) you're buying?

Bottom line, negotiated/bulk fares like cruise air are almost always at the bottom of the barrel in terms of mileage earning. Many, in fact, are in fare classes that don't earn any miles at all.

Look here for American - https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-program/aadvantage-program-updates.jsp

Under the new system, as a base (non-elite) member you'll get 5 redeemable miles per dollar spent on the ticket (if it's eligible.) So if you're flying from New York to Barcelona and the ticket costs $1000, you'll earn 5,000 miles, which is roughly 2/3 what you would have earned for the same trip last year.

20,000 miles

Hypothetical answer to a hypothetical question

Shall we guess where you're going and what class of service (coach, business, first) you're buying?

 

Bottom line, negotiated/bulk fares like cruise air are almost always at the bottom of the barrel in terms of mileage earning. Many, in fact, are in fare classes that don't earn any miles at all.

 

Look here for American - https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-program/aadvantage-program-updates.jsp

 

Under the new system, as a base (non-elite) member you'll get 5 redeemable miles per dollar spent on the ticket (if it's eligible.) So if you're flying from New York to Barcelona and the ticket costs $1000, you'll earn 5,000 miles, which is roughly 2/3 what you would have earned for the same trip last year.

This is better than I earned on Delta using Oceania air DTW to AMS to BCN, for which I received 3533. My mileage statement has it coded as giving actual miles. On return from LIN, using FF, did get a surprise 500 for buying up to premium economy.

The DL website describes how some tickets get miles based on distance rather than dollars:

Some exception fares (sometimes referred to as “specialty” or “unpublished” fares) earn miles at a modified rate based on a percentage of distance flown* as determined by the fare class paid. Exception fares are often purchased through a specialized agent, third party or as part of a package including air transportation and lodging.

With the 2015 SkyMiles program, we are introducing changes to the fares classified as exceptions, as well as changes to the miles, Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) these fares will earn. See the chart below to learn more.

Examples of exception fares for travel include:

 

• Bulk fares
  
• Consolidator fares
  
• Cruise fares
  
• Vacation packages, including Delta Vacations® packages
  
• Discounted or inclusive tour packages
  
• Other tickets where the fare is not disclosed, excluding bookings made through priceline.com or hotwire.com where the carrier is not disclosed prior to purchase
  

Each carrier is different, each program has its own special rules. So without a lot more information from the OP....

The number of miles you will get is......42.

(well, it IS the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything)

I should also add my Oceania Air on Delta was a deviation, at an added cost for the specific flights I selected. Originally we had a LIN return through O, but FF's opened up, so I took air $550 air compensation on the return.

(well, it IS the Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything)

Oh wow, I didn't see your towel there...

Depending on the airline, you might actually earn none. It is a growing trend, especially among European airlines, to not give miles on the consolidator/bulk fares. The US airlines with the miles based on dollar value should pay something. You can usually find out an estimate when looking at an itinerary if you are able to book something that gives a confirmation booking code for the airline. Sometimes you will simply see it listed as bulk and not get any miles. Tour package bookings often don't give any airline miles or hotel reward points. This is one way where they save you money. You save a couple hundred dollars by not earning any reward miles on more expensive bookings. Most airlines value miles at about 1 cent per mile on the open market for credit card companies, hotel companies, etc who buy and trade miles. They'll pay 5 to 11 miles per dollar, which means 5-11% of the fare depending on your status, in the form of award miles. Tour group or bulk fares often can give discounts in this range, so it is clear what you are sacrificing.

While earning miles from flying is nice and I see it is as ancillary to my mileage account. I earn the majority of the airline miles from churning credit cards and spend on credit cards.

While earning miles from flying is nice and I see it is as ancillary to my mileage account. I earn the majority of the airline miles from churning credit cards and spend on credit cards.

Yes. I was at a conference a couple of years ago where an airline representative (in an unguarded moment) described "butt in seat" miles as "bad" miles, since the airline doesn't receive any cash payment for them, which they do (and how) by selling them to credit card companies to pass through to credit card users. Credit card mileage programs are huge cash cows to the airlines.

Often when flying domestic US airlines it is better to credit miles to another airline's frequent flyer program. I have flown Delta and credited to Alaska Air (got lots more miles). I am planning on flying United on an international ticket and will probably credit Singapore Airlines - I will earn about 8 times more miles that way. It pays to explore your options.

Often when flying domestic US airlines it is better to credit miles to another airline's frequent flyer program. I have flown Delta and credited to Alaska Air (got lots more miles). I am planning on flying United on an international ticket and will probably credit Singapore Airlines - I will earn about 8 times more miles that way. It pays to explore your options.

The answer cannot be 42, that number was retired by MLB many years ago......beyond that you need to know the fare class, not the seating class and read the rules of the program you belong to. Every program has different rules. We used Air New Zealand last year for our Australia/New Zealand cruise and while they are a Star Alliance member and a UA partner, not all fares earned UA miles. Even agents on the phone often don't know. I think I spent more time sorting the the mileage earning details than I did on the actual booking. In the end we had fare class A all the way over and back so we earn a a ton of UA miles and enjoyed Air NZ's great service.