I joined AFF this year on suggestion from my father who is a very active member here. I reached QFF PS and was a chunk of the way to SG due to a combination of a family holiday and flying to the USA for work. I did a ‘quick’ status run in March (HNL - SJU) to hit SG and to also test the waters of flying for status.
So, I decided to plan to get WP for a planned upcoming travels to the USA and potentially Japan. Especially after Dad showed me pictures of what’s behind the fabled frosted doors at various lounges around the world.
Flights overview:
Thanks to members here and also on FlyerTalk, I found a great deal on a SFO-PTY run in a mix of F and J in early August. I also had enough points to redeem a reward flight from MEL-SFO, so that was covered.
Flight# - Origin - Destination - Class - Aircraft
QF420 - MEL - SYD - Y - B737 QF73 - SYD - SFO - Y - B747 AA276 - SFO - JFK - J - A321B AA200 - JFK - MIA - F - B767 AA4434 - MIA - PTY - J - E175 AA960 - PTY - MIA - J - B737 AA1048 - MIA - JFK - F - B757 AA83 - JFK - LAX - F - A321B AA350 - LAX - SFO - F - B737 QF74 - SFO - SYD - Y - B747 QF417 - SYD - MEL - Y - A330
For the astute, you’d see this would net me 580 SCs (since reward flights don’t earn SCs), just enough for me to hit WP (with 10 SCs to spare).
This run was slightly more expensive than if I hadn’t been fussy over planes, but I wanted to maximise the number of lie-flat seats I got, and also to fly transcon F on the A321. Day 1 - Positioning
My first flight was out of MEL to SYD at 9:46am. I arrived early and grabbed a coffee and some WiFi in the QP whilst waiting. I’m sure most of you know what the QP looks like, so I didn’t take any photos (yeah, that’s my excuse).
The B737 I flew on was a refurb and was very comfortable in Y. Though being only around an hour flight time, it didn’t really matter.
Arriving into SYD, and the heavens opened. It was pouring rain and the wind was getting worse. I quickly sprinted to the bus to take me to the International terminal, getting my BPs wet in the process (oh well). After clearing customs and security, I made a beeline for the Business Lounge. I’ve never been in this one before, and was greeted warmly by the lounge dragons. They were more than happy to re-issue my now sodden BP.
I grabbed some lunch and a few glasses of sparkling, whilst working (was still on call for some things back in the office). I could really get used to eating, drinking sparkling wine and working all at once in a comfy lounge.
It seems the ever deteriorating weather had caused issues for departures and arrivals, and the announcement came over the PA that QF73 had been delayed, but “please sit back and relax, we’ll let you know when this flight will begin boarding”. Which was very nice of them, I helped myself to some more food and drink.
Finally, it came time to board. I joined the priority queue and made my way to the Y entrance. I was one of the first to board in Y. I was recognised and greeted warmly by the CSM.
I’m not too sure where I read it on this forum, but whomever suggested trying to get row 43 in the 747 was bang on the money. Lots of legroom, and in the forward Y cabin away from the riff raff. There was even a spare seat next to me - score!
The food was actually not too bad, I ordered the online exclusive (as always).
The flight was mostly uneventful, and I got a few hours sleep which was good.
Breakfast was the standard Qantas breakfast. I don’t care for the eggs, so usually always get the fruit.
San Francisco was interesting. They don’t have the automated e-Passport readers and you actually have to talk to someone (my poor millennial heart sank when I found this out).
The CBP agent was suitably perplexed by; 1. Why I was doing this. 2. How I got the flights so cheap.
Thankfully, I’d read that you should keep documentation of why you’re doing the run handy and showed him everything, including status credit calculators, account pages and booking pages. Once I’d bored him enough he let me go, though didn’t seem to be any more the wiser.
I spent my day in San Francisco working in my company’s office there so not too many images. But I did snap a nice one of the Milan tram going down Market Street as I went to sort out my local phone with T-Mobile.
The team took me out for drinks and dinner, which was a lot of fun. But I then had to run to the airport to make my flight to JFK. Uber is a surprisingly good way to get to the airport in San Francisco, they seem to embrace it. Rather than here in Melbourne where it’s not allowed in a 1km radius of the place.
Security was a breeze since there weren’t too many people travelling at 9pm. I made my way to the SFO Admiral’s Club and settled in with something sparkling (though quite sweet). Finished off my work for that day and looked forward to my premium cabin legs.
This was my first time on the A321B transcon, and I was definitely looking forward to it. This leg would be in J, but would use it to suss out the plane for my F leg too.
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The plane was quite full, and I was one of the last to board. The legroom was fantastic and the attendants very friendly. I asked for a glass of bubbles before takeoff but unfortunately there wasn’t any open in business, so I had to make do with the Champagne from First. Poor me.
I was very tired after my long day, so slept for most of the flight, but did notice the amenity pack seemed to be in the wrong cabin.
Day 2 - Off to Panama
I woke up to the landing announcement as we approached JFK. I had a few hours sleep so felt pretty good, although I really wanted a shower by this point.
Landed in JFK right outside the Admiral’s Club, so a very short walk. Suffice to say, it was packed. Unfortunately, that also meant the line for showers was quite long. They estimated I’d get mine by the time I was boarding for my flight to MIA in about 90 minutes time.
I grabbed some cereal and the black muck that Americans call coffee and gradually woke up whilst watching the sun rise over JFK.
Finally, it was time to board AA200. I was also looking forward to the 767, even though it’s only a 3 hour flight. Still had a lie flat seat.
F was only about half full on this leg, so the attention from the FAs was good. We were waiting quite a while on the tarmac for takeoff, which let me get some good shots of Manhattan in the distance. I’ll be visiting properly in September, but looking from this distance I couldn’t believe the scale of it. It definitely made me more excited for my upcoming trip there.
Breakfast was nice, the oatmeal actually had a lot of flavour and the fruit was fresh. I got about an hour’s sleep which helped.
The stark difference between New York state and Florida is very apparent from the air.
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Landing in MIA, we were at a very far gate from the AC. I decided to walk there, which was probably a mistake considering that;
1. MIA is very long. 2. No one walking in MIA seems to keep a straight line, so you constantly have to maneuver.
The AC attendants were welcoming, and after asking for a shower they said all were available (yes!). I was escorted to the shower and many times iterated to lock the door. No doubt past experiences leaving multiple people embarassed have contributed to the mantra. The shower was like any other AC shower I’ve been in, but I did laugh at the sign of keeping showers to 20 minutes. Must be nice not to live somewhere without drought.
There were numerous delays with the plane arriving from PTY, so I was around 45 minutes late departing MIA. Unfortunately, they had people going through the gate before the plane was ready. It was very hot in MIA with unrelenting wind and humidity.
The plane finally opened up and I took my seat inside the air conditioned goodness and got myself an iced water and some white wine (hey, it was 2pm by this time). Also pictured my SIM card swap back to my Australian SIM for roaming in Panama.
Legroom was probably the worst of the trip, but it was still comfortable.
Leaving MIA:
Lunch was nice, it was beef with some noodle salad (not sure exactly), and carrot cake. Very nice.
The Carribean was very beautiful, looking at all the reefs and islands we flew over was great scenery.
Coming into Panama, I was treated to a fantastic view of the Canal and the sprawling metropolis that is Panama City. I was actually taken aback at how big and modern the city actually is, so many tall buildings across a large area.
Landing in PTY, we passed the new terminal being built which looks monstrous. Hope they have room for an AA AC in there!
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Getting through PTY customs and security was actually easier than any country I’ve ever entered. The CBP looked at my passport, stamped it without a word and let me go. The security officer who scanned my bag couldn’t have looked less interested in his job. He just motioned me through with a hand wave with a cursory glance at his monitor before resuming conversation with his colleague.
I connected to the Tocumen WiFi and called for an Uber. It’s very easy to do, just connect and say which parking bay you’ll be at. I ordered an Uber English (as my Spanish isn’t great), and called him. Miguel was my driver and he was lovely. As we drove to Panama City, he was explaining history of the city and asked me about Australia.
As you come up the highway to Panama, the city is laid out in front. As someone not too familiar with Panama, the scale astounded me.
What was also interesting is how people drive. Indicators don’t seem to work in any Panamanian cars, and pedestrians are happy to cross the road wherever - including across a 110km/h highway. The total cost of this trip came out to about $20 (most of which was a $14 fee for the airport), for a 25 minute trip. Fantastic.
I arrived at the Waldorf Astoria Panama and checked in. The reception officer was lovely and welcoming, especially after he knew it was my first time in the country. He threw in free WiFi (even though I hadn’t booked with my HHonors membership). The room was amazingly comfortable, and the view was fantastic. I was very impressed with the comfort level for the price I paid.
I got changed and then went to chat with the Concierge about what I could do with my one night in PTY before leaving for MIA the next day at 7am. He was great to talk to about Panama City and also the wider country and what I should do when I come back for a longer stay (I promised!), gave me some guide books and suggested a new restaurant that had opened up just a few doors down for dinner.
La Pampa was the name, which is an Argentinian steak house. Thankfully, my little Spanish got me through the meal and I was actually quite proud that I could talk all in the local language for this occasion. Though, it was probably fairly obvious I was a gringo.
I ordered the New York strip, but wasn’t expecting all of the trimmings it came with.
I also read through the guidebooks and maps the concierge had provided whilst eating my pan (bread). The steak was very filling, and at $12 with a $4 glass of house wine, you couldn’t go wrong.
I walked back to the Waldorf, very tired by this point. I went to bed early, considering I’d have to be up at 4am the next day to get to PTY in time for the 7am departure. Day 3 - Back to San Francisco
My alarm woke me at 4am. I’d packed all of my things into my one bag the night before, so all I had to do was shower and head down to check out.
Conveniently, there’s plenty of Uber English running around at 4am and the one booked came in less than 5 minutes. Carlos was my driver, very friendly discussing. Somehow we got onto discussing Men At Work, one of his favourite bands.
Arriving at PTY, I checked in at the American desk and proceeded through security. It was quick (probably due to the time). After walking around Tocumen for a bit, I went through the secondary security screening at the gate (by a company called COPS, heh) and sat at the gate waiting.
Whilst it was around 28C outside with 95% humidity. Tocumen was about 10C. I had to put on my wool jumper and down jacket to keep warm whilst waiting, it was absolutely freezing!
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Finally boarded the 737 back to MIA, legroom was OK for a 2.5 hour flight. Breakfast was the potato hash, with bacon and a really sweet piece of garlic bread. The fruit was good too, lots of pineapple. Not bad at all.
Coming into MIA, I was really glad I had 4 hours as a layover. Getting through customs and security was hell. Lots of other South American planes had landed at the same time, and whilst I certainly feel for people who can’t speak or speak very little English, the signs are in Spanish too and most of the security officers are bilingual. People were everywhere, going into the wrong queues, arguing with CBPs, not taking off belts/shoes - the works.
Interestingly, a lot of people on here and FlyerTalk had said that coming back from only a day or less in Panama may raise suspicions with the CBPs and you may be taken for ‘additional screening’. The CBP didn’t even ask me how long I was in Panama and just asked where I was headed. I told him SFO then back to Melbourne. He waved me through. The whole conversation took less than 20 seconds. From the plane landing to getting through took about an hour though :-|
I headed to the MIA AC again to wait for AA1048 to JFK. I grabbed some snacks and a couple of drinks (just ask the lounge dragons for more tokens and be friendly!).
Unfortunately, the plane that I was on was a late arrival by 45 minutes, which was OK. Then it was late by 2.5 hours. This wasn’t OK, and I’d miss my connection to LAX in JFK. I was thinking worst case scenario - missing out on transcon F on an A321! Thankfully, American had re-booked me on AA85: JFK - SFO direct in F and an A321. So I still got to fly on the plane I wanted.
Finally boarding AA1048 very late, I settled in to the 757’s seats. They’re quite strange and lift you up when you go to recline, almost like a dentist’s chair.
This was a short flight, so I just relaxed and watched some cough TV (Big Bang Theory for those wondering).
Landed in JFK, I didn’t have time to go to the AC as my connection was in 35 minutes. However, it may have been a better idea.
The gate originally was B03, which is at the far end of Terminal 8. Myself and most of the plane walked there and were waiting. We were then told by PA the gate had changed to C46 - the exact opposite end of the terminal. So everyone sighed, got up and walked briskly to the new gate, which involves going under the runway to the other part of the terminal and up to concourse C. Upon getting to the new gate, we’re then told that the gate is now B01. Where we just were. At the other end of the terminal. Even the pilots were confused and gathered around a phone trying to confirm which gate the plane was actually going to be at. Turns out B01 was the final gate, and everyone walked back there.
The FAs and gate attendants were extremely apologetic to everyone, but I think most people just laughed it off with them with plenty of “Are you sure this time? Positive?”.
We finally boarded. This was the flight I was most looking forward to. F in a Sharklets. Unfortunately, I was dead tired by this time. I boarded and got to my seat. It’s almost a suite with how enclosed it is.
I also had the bonus of not one, but two amenity packs. Interestingly, these were marked as International Business, so I’m assuming the J passengers had transcon First packs as I did.
I flicked through the menu, but wasn’t really hungry. I did get the Specialty Sundae, which I ate too quickly to photograph, but the caramel and pecans were delicious.
Here’s the menu incase anyone would like to point out where I went wrong in not ordering.
I did get some of the champagne though - very nice.
As an aside, my FA in the First cabin was the spitting image of former Prime Minister, Tony Abbott. Down to the haircut. It was actually kind of unnerving. But he was lovely, and was up for a chat as well when bringing me my sundae and champagne. He’s based out of SFO if anyone is wondering. I watched Captain America: Civil War (a better Avengers movie than Age of Ultron IMO) but then slept some on the flight, making a proper bed for myself in the lie-flat goodness.
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Landed in SFO, then waited for the last airport shuttle of the night to take me to the Best Western Plus Grosvenor Hotel. I unpacked and headed to bed pretty much straight away.
Day 4 - Day in San Francisco before home
I’m so glad the BW has late checkout. I definitely needed the sleep in. I checked out at around mid day. My flight back to Australia was at 11:21pm that evening, so I had plenty of time.
I took the airport shuttle back to SFO, then got on the BART to go downtown. Only $8.70 to get to Market St and Powell, which is pretty damn reasonable. The train was efficient, but a bit dirty. It definitely needs a good clean or an update methinks.
I’ve been to San Francisco for holiday and work a few times, so I know the city quite well. I just walked around, did some light shopping and had lunch at a nice Japanese place just off Powell St. Being Summer (but still pretty cold) the city was packed with tourists. Some happy snaps of Union Square:
The massive Apple Store right next to Union Square:
Cable cars (and the line):
I headed back to SFO, aiming to arrive on the 4 hour mark to ensure that; 1. I got row 43 on the way home (after such a good experience coming over) 2. Get entry to the CX lounge
I got the the airport (again using Uber) and checked in. The agent was very friendly and after asking “Is there anything in row 43?”, I had a new BP with my favourite row on it. I then went to head through security and on to the Cathay lounge (not the AirFrance/KLM lounge that Qantas directs you to).
Entry to the CX lounge in SFO for QF passengers seems to be a hot button issue, with some passengers being denied. I’d posted in the specific thread asking about what other successful members have done, which most seemed that the consensus was arrive early. So I did. So early in fact, there wasn’t even a lounge dragon present to take me in, I walked in to find a staff member to check me in who did so and apologised because it was so early they weren’t expecting anyone.
The CX lounge is very comfortable with very quick WiFi. There were drinks and snacks out, so I capitalised on some chips and a scotch.
As I waited, ate and drank, I watched my plane go to the gate. Interestingly it was just past 9pm and there was basically no one in the lounge. I wonder how many QF pax had been denied at this point?
The kitchen for wonton opened, and I placed my order for the noodles. I like how they give you the little buzzer to let you know when your food is ready.
The noodles were delicious, and I was tempted to go back for seconds.
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Finally, time to board QF74 back home. The CSM greeted me with a friendly “Welcome back, Mr. Sostopher, good to see you again.”, which was certainly nice. Upon sitting down, I realised I had the entire row 43 to myself which was fantastic!
I didn’t need any dinner after filling up on noodles and chips, so just took the drink and fell asleep. But not before the CSM came through and made sure to recognise me and the other Gold pax behind me. Good to see it happening in Y.
Day 5 - Home again
I woke up to the lights going on and breakfast being wheeled out. I calculated 11 hours sleep total, wow!
Coming into SYD was good, though I couldn’t go straight through due to my going through the Caribbean, so I had to talk to a ‘Border Force’ agent. Thankfully, I already had my yellow fever vaccine and brought the certificate. After checking I was allowed through quickly. Quarantine was not an issue either and I was waved through after they did the same check (I went into the “Declare” line, which moved quicker than the “Nothing to Declare” line).
I walked briskly to the domestic bus, Sydney was freezing that morning! It was clear and cold as I boarded the bus.
I made a beeline for the domestic QP (couldn’t get to the Business Lounge due to my SCs not posting yet). Breakfast was toast (with Vegemite ofcourse), baked beans and coffee after lining up (how I missed good coffee).
Boarding QF417, the A330 was very comfortable. I got an exit row seat with no one next to me. Plenty of stretch room on the comfy plane.
Taking off from SYD:
The Kosciuszko mountains had plenty of snow:
As well as Mt Buller in Victoria, which I’d be visiting later that week for a ski trip!
And that was it! I applied for my Original Routing Credits later that week. Qantas were pretty helpful and they were credited quickly! The person on the phone after crediting stated “Welcome to Platinum.” and it felt great!
I went from lamenting this:
To this:
And all my cards over the last 12 months:
If anyone has any feedback or questions about my trip, please feel free to ask! I’m more than happy to answer any questions about what I did or if you want tips for your own Status Run. Big thanks to this community for their help in achieving this!
That comes from many years of practice: flying the kids trans-Pacific in cattle class whilst mum and dad sat upstairs in J.
Of course, with the CSM's permission, we'd bring each one upstairs one at a time to see "how the other half flies" ! I think Amway used to call it "dream building!"
And see what happens: mum and dad go gold, #1 son follows suit with a quick SR through HNL. We are lucky enough to get upgraded to F last time we flew to LOTFAP, then went platinum after our recent trip: once again only a matter of weeks later, he follows suit after an SR to PTY.
He certainly is - however the apprentice has now become the Master and I will be seeking his knowledge/advice/flight-finding skills on SRs when in the LOTFAP in 2018 to keep WP.
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