A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

A few friends have asked me what are some 'sweet spots' to burn AA miles on ex-Australia before the deval in March. In terms of Asia, I think it's hard to look past CMB in J for 35k miles each way which I did a few weeks back. CMB is oddly zoned as Asia 2 despite being directly in between India and the Maldives which are both zoned ME.

The routing rules will specifically allow you to connect in either KUL or even better, HKG provided you fly CX on their direct service HKG-CMB. CX operate their long haul product on this route so it's 5 + 9 hours of proper CX long haul J for just 35k miles and hardly any taxes.

If you are looking for bang for your buck before the deval, I'd seriously consider CMB.

 

[get me outta here]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

This sounds good, thanks for posting. Would this allow a stopover in HKG?

A few friends have asked me what are some 'sweet spots' to burn AA miles on ex-Australia before the deval in March. In terms of Asia, I think it's hard to look past CMB in J for 35k miles each way which I did a few weeks back. CMB is oddly zoned as Asia 2 despite being directly in between India and the Maldives which are both zoned ME.

The routing rules will specifically allow you to connect in either KUL or even better, HKG provided you fly CX on their direct service HKG-CMB. CX operate their long haul product on this route so it's 5 + 9 hours of proper CX long haul J for just 35k miles and hardly any taxes.

If you are looking for bang for your buck before the deval, I'd seriously consider CMB.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

This sounds good, thanks for posting. Would this allow a stopover in HKG?

stopovers are not permitted on AA awards. You'll need two awards if you want to stop.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

If you are looking for bang for your buck before the deval, I'd seriously consider CMB.

Particularly if you combine it with fares ex CMB to the usa... QR was around $1400 return in business class.

 

[Kaiser]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Particularly if you combine it with fares ex CMB to the usa... QR was around $1400 return in business class.

Do you recall what date range this was for? Best I can find QR J CMB-JFK is around $2500 pp. Guessing a sale that is finished? Will have to keep an eye out for future sales.

 

[Kaiser]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

A few friends have asked me what are some 'sweet spots' to burn AA miles on ex-Australia before the deval in March. In terms of Asia, I think it's hard to look past CMB in J for 35k miles each way which I did a few weeks back. CMB is oddly zoned as Asia 2 despite being directly in between India and the Maldives which are both zoned ME.

The routing rules will specifically allow you to connect in either KUL or even better, HKG provided you fly CX on their direct service HKG-CMB. CX operate their long haul product on this route so it's 5 + 9 hours of proper CX long haul J for just 35k miles and hardly any taxes.

If you are looking for bang for your buck before the deval, I'd seriously consider CMB.

Good tip. Another option post devaluation is Australia - NRT via HKG on CX for 40,000. Nearly the same amount of time in J - but onward sale fares from there aren't as good as ex CMB for sure.

 

[snabbu]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Good tip. Another option post devaluation is Australia - NRT via HKG on CX for 40,000. Nearly the same amount of time in J - but onward sale fares from there aren't as good as ex CMB for sure.

Yep I for one am waiting for the deval to hit so I can pick up NRT-HKG-SYD for 40k instead of 45.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Do you recall what date range this was for? Best I can find QR J CMB-JFK is around $2500 pp. Guessing a sale that is finished? Will have to keep an eye out for future sales.

Might have just finished. It was still active a day or so ago. There are other options exCMB - many in the same ball-park. Googleflights is good for tracking them down. The QR fare was good for JFK, other US ports around USD100 more.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Is there anyway to find MPM for domestic Australian city pairs? EF only displays MPM for intl pairs

 

[Nizar]

Another sweet spot is QR J class Africa to/from Australia for 50k miles one way. Ridiculous value

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Is there anyway to find MPM for domestic Australian city pairs? EF only displays MPM for intl pairs

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I didn't think MPM applied to domestic tickets? Usually for domestic tickets you need to look at the fare and the allowed routings under that fare.

 

[diningdecadence]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

TIFU by forgetting to ticket an award on hold before the deadline, if it somehow does show back up in inventory - typically how long would it take? i'll set up an EF alert but oops!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Oh happy day!!!!
Just snagged an F Award LHR-MEL-SYD (QF10) for travel in a couple of weeks !!!
Think I'll go and buy a lottery ticket now :mrgreen:

 

[trixydoza]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Any luck seeing the Chauffeur Drive option under your booking on QF? I managed to book it for my mother last month...

Oh happy day!!!!
Just snagged an F Award LHR-MEL-SYD (QF10) for travel in a couple of weeks !!!
Think I'll go and buy a lottery ticket now :mrgreen:

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Any luck seeing the Chauffeur Drive option under your booking on QF? I managed to book it for my mother last month...

Great news. Not ticketed yet but I'll have a look once it is. I need to wash some SPG over to AA to complete the booking.

 

[asg29e]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Any luck seeing the Chauffeur Drive option under your booking on QF? I managed to book it for my mother last month...

Well done. I've got an AA F redemption to LHR on QF9 coming up in a few days. When I originally booked many months ago the Chauffer Drive option was displayed on the QF website. Silly me didn't book it at the time and a few months later when I looked again the option had disappeared. Oh well, hardly the end of the earth.

 

[Nizar]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Well done. I've got an AA F redemption to LHR on QF9 coming up in a few days. When I originally booked many months ago the Chauffer Drive option was displayed on the QF website. Silly me didn't book it at the time and a few months later when I looked again the option had disappeared. Oh well, hardly the end of the earth.

Even if you booked it would it have been honoured ?
QF didn't even honour those on paid tickets when it enhanced the CD out of the US flights...

 

[Pushka]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I think the opportunity to hold flights until you can sort out the points is just the best feature on aa. Makes the whole planning so much easier.

I'm waiting on January flights to open up.

 

[asg29e]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Even if you booked it would it have been honoured ?
QF didn't even honour those on paid tickets when it enhanced the CD out of the US flights...

I don't know. They honoured it for me last year. But it is sort of like a free lottery ticket. I am now no chance, whereas if I had booked when it was "available" it might happen.

 

[serfty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

In December I made a Business class booking on QF9/QF1 to LHR and no CD option appears. I guess they have sorted out the 081-/176- tickets.