A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thanks for your great advice - I've booked in CMB for this years' big holiday Going CX156 arriving 7:30am, got all day in HKG, then onto CMB on CX611 at 8pm. Surprisingly QF97 was also available, but didn't want to chance getting an old A330 config.

Sadly couldn't pay the taxes (~$67 USD pp) with my Oz CC, so will call the Australian call centre in business hours tomorrow.

Then to figure out a way home. And use up another 120k points before the deval. Hmm... back to the drawing board!

When are you travelling? The A330 refurb program is largely complete- you'd be very unlucky to get a non refurb especially if you are travelling in more than 3 months time?

PS if you take a short flight to MLE you can route back via AUH on EY for only 10K more miles.

 

[netgrom]

Do they allow AU to Africa via Doha as a single award?

Speaking from experience, no. They charge an additional 17,500 for the DOH-Africa leg as it is considered a 3rd region so I can't see you getting QR for 50,000. QF on the other hand all good except for the taxes!

 

[Pushka]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I see what you mean about that blasted phantom.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Speaking from experience, no. They charge an additional 17,500 for the DOH-Africa leg as it is considered a 3rd region so I can't see you getting QR for 50,000. QF on the other hand all good except for the taxes!

This is my understanding - there's no 'doha exception' for Africa to South Pacific (there is for Asia 2 IIRC)

 

[get me outta here]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Good idea, esp if you could get an MLE stopover, even 23 hours maybe.

When are you travelling? The A330 refurb program is largely complete- you'd be very unlucky to get a non refurb especially if you are travelling in more than 3 months time?

PS if you take a short flight to MLE you can route back via AUH on EY for only 10K more miles.

 

[hummel]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thoughts on best way JFK - LAS ? I know there is direct flights but it appears to be in 737 and 5hrs is a lot?? I was thinking to try and find JFK-LAX/SFO-LAS but that's just going to add extra hours. My other option was to fly to LAX and drive but we will be only going for 2 nights so didn't want to spend that many hours driving.

 

[sergeyvzn]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thoughts on best way JFK - LAS ? I know there is direct flights but it appears to be in 737 and 5hrs is a lot?? I was thinking to try and find JFK-LAX/SFO-LAS but that's just going to add extra hours. My other option was to fly to LAX and drive but we will be only going for 2 nights so didn't want to spend that many hours driving.

JFK-LAX in AA First on the A321 transcontinental service - it's as good as it gets in the USA. Google it. And then either catch a short connecting flight to Vegas or drive

 

[Nizar]

This is my understanding - there's no 'doha exception' for Africa to South Pacific (there is for Asia 2 IIRC)

From my experience Africa to AU is bookable through DOH at 50k miles per person in J. I've booked it twice and so has a mate.

But who knows maybe we got lucky with the agent ?

 

[DC3]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

... I was thinking to try and find JFK-LAX/SFO-LAS ...

Not a status run, that's for sure.

With SFO-LAS, AA doesn't fly direct, but via LAX (or PHX), so that option won't be any good for you.

JFK-LAS, direct, will be by far the quickest option.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

From my experience Africa to AU is bookable through DOH at 50k miles per person in J. I've booked it twice and so has a mate.

But who knows maybe we got lucky with the agent ?

Good to hear. It's not officially listed, but obviously worth asking for!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thoughts on best way JFK - LAS ? I know there is direct flights but it appears to be in 737 and 5hrs is a lot?? I was thinking to try and find JFK-LAX/SFO-LAS but that's just going to add extra hours. My other option was to fly to LAX and drive but we will be only going for 2 nights so didn't want to spend that many hours driving.

5 hours ain't that bad on a 737 if you can get a non-stop. You'll get a meal and there's usually some good scenery on the flight.

 

[hummel]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

5 hours ain't that bad on a 737 if you can get a non-stop. You'll get a meal and there's usually some good scenery on the flight.

Yeah I think I'm just struggling to look past F on the A321 to LAX and driving to LAS for the same points cost. But that adds 5hours at least to the whole trip. Plenty of time to decide, maybe the normal brain will win over the FF brain.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Yeah I think I'm just struggling to look past F on the A321 to LAX and driving to LAS for the same points cost. But that adds 5hours at least to the whole trip. Plenty of time to decide, maybe the normal brain will win over the FF brain.

Why not fly LAX-LAS on the same ticket? Wouldn't that be allowed under the same points? In any event, AA tickets LAX-LAS start as low as USD40 in coach, and AA guarantee connections, even for separate tickets.

 

[k_sheep]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

When are you travelling? The A330 refurb program is largely complete- you'd be very unlucky to get a non refurb especially if you are travelling in more than 3 months time?

PS if you take a short flight to MLE you can route back via AUH on EY for only 10K more miles.

Not til the end of the year so yeah, hopefully they're all gone! What was surprising is when I asked Mr sheep what he'd prefer, he elected to take CX and hang around HKG for the day - normally he just wants to get to the destination as quickly as possible! I'm spoiling him with these F/J flights clearly.

Hmm good hint on MLE - I'll have to see how we spend our time. I was planning on hopping across to SIN to meet up with a relative who wants to go there and sort of figured I'd go home from there. Never flown EY though ...

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Oh happy day !!!
Lovin' the FOREX rates at AA
I posted earlier this week about the F redemption I booked from LHR-SYD.
No joy with the ticketing more than 24 hours after putting in my CC details.
Called the AA Australian number to enquire and apparently AA.com can't process $US to a foreign CC ??
Anyway the agent advises me that instead of paying $xx_ US I will need to pay $xx_ Australian. Exactly the same amount in AUD
I nearly fell off my chair :mrgreen:
The icing on the cake was me having added a cheeky little BA connector CDG-LHR before QF10 reducing the APD !!
I love American !!

 

[serfty]

... I think while the calendar works on the local time the seats aren't released into the inventory until its the time in the USA

Absolutely... the time is the actual later of DFW time or local time of the departure port- which ever comes last. I've referred to this upthread some time ago

These days it's somewhere betwixt the hour and maybe 45 minutes later.

 

[JessicaTam]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Oh happy day !!!
Lovin' the FOREX rates at AA
I posted earlier this week about the F redemption I booked from LHR-SYD.
No joy with the ticketing more than 24 hours after putting in my CC details.
Called the AA Australian number to enquire and apparently AA.com can't process $US to a foreign CC ??
Anyway the agent advises me that instead of paying $xx_ US I will need to pay $xx_ Australian. Exactly the same amount in AUD
I nearly fell off my chair :mrgreen:
The icing on the cake was me having added a cheeky little BA connector CDG-LHR before QF10 reducing the APD !!
I love American !!

That's amazeballs! Well done.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

That's amazeballs! Well done.

Thank you !!
Someone on Facebook put it like this
"Holy s$!t. 42% Discount!"

 

[DC3]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

... Called the AA Australian number to enquire and apparently AA.com can't process $US to a foreign CC ??
Anyway the agent advises me that instead of paying $xx_ US I will need to pay $xx_ Australian. Exactly the same amount in AUD ...

Bonus.

Must be something new as my recent AA.com on-line bookings were charged in $US, and my cc provider converted those amounts to $AU, as usual.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Bonus.

Must be something new as my recent AA.com on-line bookings were charged in $US, and my cc provider converted those amounts to $AU, as usual.

I've heard of two in the last week. Separate to mine. I think one was on here. It could just be that I was a bit sloppy entering the details (did it on AA.com/mobile) but definitely not a CC related issue as it was on my Plat charge and nothing ever gets blocked by them.