You'd think i'd know by now...

[thegurio]

Hi all - we are planning another cruise that leaves from Rome in Nov 09 and goes to Miami.. Now obviously booking it is not an option now but i was wondering what the best option is. There will be me, MrsGurio and GrommetGurio plus a few other tag-alongs that will be wanting to go and will want to use QF (or look like it) I was looking at the AA site last night and found a SYD-FCO MIA-SYD for around $8.5k. The same thing with QF is well over 10k event hough you are flying the same metal. Without getting too fancy - as we will have GrommetGurio in tow, and while she was almost raised on a plane, its the parents that are more worried than her! - are there any other options?

I guess the budget is 10k for the best way possible. Obviously we will be leaving from HBA but as no-one realises that you can actually leave in a plane from here lets take all of the options from SYD.

On another note - if i went with "AA" would that be enough to get me Plat or above? Exactly what point of the trip would i get it if i did (the MIA-SYD leg i bet!)? and what would that get me with regard to lounge access?

 

[Travel Guru]

You may be able to book the cruise now, most cruises are on sale, and often in the case of the more popular ones, sold out over a year in advance, i'd certainly be looking into it to ensure you get the best choice of cabins.

TG

 

[thegurio]

Sorry, i didnt think i made myself clear... We have all but booked the cruise - my question was with the flights only. And i guess more to do with the platinum challange then anyhting, will i get it with the intenerary planned?

 

[NM]

On another note - if i went with "AA" would that be enough to get me Plat or above? Exactly what point of the trip would i get it if i did (the MIA-SYD leg i bet!)? and what would that get me with regard to lounge access?

Earning AA status is not dependent upon who you purchase the ticket from. Its all about which airline's flight numbers are shown on the ticket. Note that SYD-FCO (will be via HKG or SIN most likely) will not have an AA flight number, so will not count towards the AA Platinum Challenge.

MIA-SYD will be via LAX or SFO and can be booked with AA flight number all the way, even though the LAX-SYD will be operated by QF. MIA-LAX is 2342 miles and LAX-SYD is 7488 miles according to Great Circle Mapper. So to complete the AA Platinum Challenge you will need to be booked into a class that earns 1.5 qualifying points per mile flown, so that means B, Y, D, J, A, F. Any cheaper fares will not earn enough qualifying points to complete the challenge.

So assuming you are booked into a suitable class, then you complete the challenge on the LAX-SYD leg. That will provide you AA Platinum status until Feb 2011, which will provide lounge access when flying on any OneWorld operated and coded flights except for AA domestic flights that are not same-day connections with international services.

 

[thegurio]

As for the SYD-FCO leg - I can book it through the AA site with an AA number i'm fairly sure...

I can find this one...

[IMG]http://www.aa.com/content/images/carrierLogos/AAL.gif[/IMG] 
AMERICAN AIRLINES OPERATED BY QANTAS AIRWAYS 7365 SYD
Sydney Nov 23, 2008
12:00 PM LAX
Los Angeles Nov 23, 2008
06:30 AM 744Economy
 N/A 32 hr 
55 min [IMG]http://www.aa.com/content/images/carrierLogos/AAL.gif[/IMG] 
AMERICAN AIRLINES OPERATED BY QANTAS AIRWAYS 7365 LAX
Los Angeles Nov 23, 2008
08:50 AM JFK
New York Nov 23, 2008
04:50 PM 744Economy
 N/A [IMG]http://www.aa.com/content/images/carrierLogos/BAW.gif[/IMG] 
BRITISH AIRWAYS 112 JFK
New York Nov 23, 2008
06:25 PM LHR
London Nov 24, 2008
06:25 AM 744Economy
 N/A [IMG]http://www.aa.com/content/images/carrierLogos/BAW.gif[/IMG] 
BRITISH AIRWAYS 548 LHR
London Nov 24, 2008
07:30 AM FCO
Rome Nov 24, 2008
10:55 AM 319Economy
 N/A [B]Alert: [/B]Overnight flight or connection.

Would that be an option as it is an AA flight?

Not sure the rest of them would want to do it but you never know - like anything its all in the presentation!

 

[Dave Noble]

The BA flight JFK-LHR would earn you zero miles and the LHR-FCO would earn 25% miles

Do you really want to go via London since AA now has a non-stop service to FCO which would knock the travel time down, plus of course, you will earn full mileage plus platinum bonus

JFK-LHR-FCO on BA would earn a total of 225 miles
JFK-FCO on AA would earn 4277 plus 4277 platinum bonus = 8554

I would have thought that the BA connection time would be invalid since it is only 65 minutes even though it is a T5-T5 connection, but if it is offering it, then I presume it is ok but it is tighter than I would like to risk

Dave

 

[NM]

That is the long way from SYD to FCO. The quickest way is form SYD to FCO is probably with CX via HKG and will be about 24.5 hours elapsed. Going via LAX and JFK will take that out to over 33 hours. Of course, its your choice.