DONE4 suggestions ex South Korea

[js]

Hi,

I've got a DONE4 taking shape and am seeking any suggestions on how I can squeeze the most out of it.

Current plan is as follows:

PUS-NRT-JFK-DFW-ANC-DFW-JFK-SFO-LHR-MCT-LHR-IST-LHR-NRT-SYD-NRT-PUS

Points/SC accruing to QF, so I'm mostly looking to maximise QF status credits. Currently a lowly bronze but will be QF Gold before starting the DONE4 (due to other flights already booked).

Planning to travel May/June '09, and my QF year rolls over end May, so I'm was assuming the best bet would be to aim to hit 1400 SCs by the end of May and schedule the rest of the flights for June for the next year. I think I would hit Plat at the SFO segment (but maybe sooner as my understanding of SC earn on the DONE4 with AA is far from complete).

I'll be in NRT already around the intended start time time, so positioning is good to originate from South Korea and take advantage of the current low effective fare from there (cheap flights from Japan to PUS or ICN).

At the other end of the DONE4, I'll make use of NRT-SYD to get home and defer the SYD-NRT for another trip later in '09 (so keeping NRT-SYD-NRT is a requirement - those legs will have Mrs js and baby in tow and diverting via far-flung places is not really an option!)

So.. in the middle, I do need to be in SFO at some point, and also in Western Europe (assuming I'd just do that by Eurostar from London and keep the flight legs for something that earns more SCs).

MCT looks like it might be interesting, from what others have said here. IST I have already seen, so would probably not intend to spend any time there - but I couldn't see any similar distance alternative flights.

As it stands, Mileage Monkey says 1720 SCs. I'm assuming the way to go is to try and book this via AA to minimise fuel fines. I understand Korea AA doesn't welcome credit cards, which would mean foregoing 20,000 AMEX Earth points but I think the tradeoff is worth it, given points aren't the main aim here.

Main things I am unsure about are:

1. Am I right that I can I earn F status credits on the 2-class AA flights on DONE4? If so I assume the aim is to try and get onto AA flights with 2-class service for the US legs.

2. Any thoughts on alternatives to IST (and maybe also MCT) that are similar for SC earn (I don't mind too much foregoing a few SCs here and there for a safer or more enjoyable experience).

(As a side note, I was originally rather hoping to do SIN-LHR on a QF A380 in J (and maybe try my luck with points upgrade to F) but looking at the number of segments etc already that may not be practical.)

If I can figure out the SCs earn issue for AA domestic flights, it will hopefully mean I can tweak the timing so I get Platinum just before 31 May and roll over the "excess" SCs to the next year.

 

[Danger]

1. Am I right that I can I earn F status credits on the 2-class AA flights on DONE4? If so I assume the aim is to try and get onto AA flights with 2-class service for the US legs.

Basically, yes. However, I believe there are some two class AA flights that are actually coach and business (not coach and first). For example, as far as I can work out my flight from Dallas to Vancouver next May is a two class flight but the booking code is D (business), unlike my other two class (domestic) flights that have booked into A.

2. Any thoughts on alternatives to IST (and maybe also MCT) that are similar for SC earn (I don't mind too much foregoing a few SCs here and there for a safer or more enjoyable experience).

I'm flying Heathrow to Dubai to Istanbul so maybe consider LHR-DXB-LHR. BA operate 747s and 777s on this route (the 747s have their new business seating, as do some of the 777s).

 

[NM]

Basically, yes. However, I believe there are some two class AA flights that are actually coach and business (not coach and first). For example, as far as I can work out my flight from Dallas to Vancouver next May is a two class flight but the booking code is D (business), unlike my other two class (domestic) flights that have booked into A.

All AA 2-class domestic flights are First and Coach. All AA 2-class international flights are Business and Coach.

Dallas to Vancouver is in fact an international flight, and hence the front cabin is business class.

Do be sure to book the AA flight number and not the QF codeshare since QF does in fact offer both A and D for the front cabin on 2-class AA domestic flights, and if booked into D on the QF codeshare you will only earn business class SCs and cabin bonus.

 

[serfty]

Be aware that not more than 2 flight segements may be between the UK and ALGERIA, BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA, BULGARIA, CROATIA, CYPRUS, GREECE, ISRAEL, MALTA, MIDDLE EAST , MOROCCO, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, RUSSIA, SERBIA, TUNISIA, UKRAINE.

So you cannot have both MCT and DXB in your route to/from UK for example. IST is fine as Turkey in not on that list.

 

[js]

Thanks for the responses so far. Looks like with some careful choice of which AA flights to use I may be able to gain even more SCs from this exercise than I had hoped, which is great.

Incidentally, only a very minor tweak but after a bit more playing around I have adjusted my plan to:

ICN-HKG-YYZ-DFW-ANC-DFW-JFK-SFO-LHR-MCT-LHR-IST-LHR-NRT-SYD-NRT-ICN

ICN, HKG and YYZ are all possible work interests and it means a few less instances of flying in and out of NRT and JFK so may cut the boredom factor down a bit.

I think either ICN or PUS are near enough to the same cost from Japan, but originating from ICN seems to give an extra 20 SCs and 1519 (flown) miles (must admit though it's a shame to miss out on the PUS luggage tags, was hoping to add them to my childish collection along with cough, HEL etc....)

 

[NM]

Your LHR-NRT-SYD will need to be a transit without stopover in NRT.

 

[js]

Your LHR-NRT-SYD will need to be a transit without stopover in NRT.

Thanks for pointing that out NM. I was rather hoping to re-join Mrs js in Japan for a week or two before returning to SYD, so this seems like it's not going to be so practical done this way after all.

Might be a case for a second DONE4 originating in Korea for the trip home

Or maybe I'll just make it a DONE3 and do the SYD-NRT-SYD bit on points. Seems a bit of a shame though.

 

[js]

With thanks to NM for pointing out that I couldn't stop-over on the returning NRT-SYD flight, I have put some more thought into this.

All looked a bit complicated to do from Korea so I have come up with an alternative that I think looks reasonably good.

It is originating from Australia, so nasty DONE4 fares... But with the current Earth AMEX promo I feel this is somewhat offset by ~ 30,000 pts by being able to pay by card (or ~40,000 if booked with QF, but I'm intending to book via AA to minimise fees).

Best I could come up with for SCs while still getting to where I need to be was this:

syd-nrt-del-nrt-del-nrt-lhr-mct-lhr-sfo-jfk-dfw-anc-dfw-hnl-nrt-syd

Mileage Monkey says 1920 SCs in business, and allowing for the AA domestic flights being in A I make it potentially 2170 SCs (if the A seats are available at the times I need - sounds like I need an expertflyer.com subscription).

Based on the above routing, as I expect to have 750 SCs on the day I depart on the DONE4 I will get plat in this year and have 1420 "spare" SCs carried over to the next year (post 1 June).

(Then it's just a matter of seeing if AMEX do the right thing and come through will all those MYREWARDS promo points :evil

In practice I think doing NRT-DEL-NRT-DEL would be a bit painful for me, and I would probably change it to NRT-DEL-NRT-BKK or some such - a few less SCs and points but perhaps a bit more interesting (and might make more sense to the ticketing and immigration agents!)

 

[js]

syd-nrt-del-nrt-del-nrt-lhr-mct-lhr-sfo-jfk-dfw-anc-dfw-hnl-nrt-syd

Hmmm.. Realised after posting this that it probably falls foul of the same rule with the NRT-SYD at the end and that I would not be able to stop over in NRT... A shame, I thought it was looking pretty good!

 

[NM]

Hmmm.. Realised after posting this that it probably falls foul of the same rule with the NRT-SYD at the end and that I would not be able to stop over in NRT... A shame, I thought it was looking pretty good!

Correct. Only allow one stop in Asia, the other must be transit without stopover.

 

[MelUser]

Could someone please validate this DONE4:

SYD-HKG-LHR-YVR-[SURFACE TO ANC]-ANC-DFW-MCO-DFW-DEN-DFW-LAX-MEL-BNE-CNS-MEL-SYD

 

[NM]

Could someone please validate this DONE4:

SYD-HKG-LHR-YVR-[SURFACE TO ANC]-ANC-DFW-MCO-DFW-DEN-DFW-LAX-MEL-BNE-CNS-MEL-SYD

Only problem is that you have 7 segments in NA. The surface segment counts as a segment.

And note you can only have two stopovers in Australia since that is your continent of origin. So the MEL-BNE-CNS-MEL-SYD will need to be a max of 2 stopovers and at least one will need to be a transit only.

 

[MelUser]

RE NA 7, the rules seem to say a max of 6 flight segments in NA and a max of 16 including surface sectors. That is, the rules make a distinction - they say flight segments, and not total segments which implies that you can have as many segments in NA as you like but if no more than 6 are flight segments you will be OK. Any thoughts?

Mel - bne-cns is a through trip with stop in CNS

cns-mel with stop in mel

mel-syd may well be ditched/never used.

This trip is designed to just reach 1400SCs!

 

[NM]

RE NA 7, the rules seem to say a max of 6 flight segments in NA and a max of 16 including surface sectors. That is, the rules make a distinction - they say flight segments, and not total segments which implies that you can have as many segments in NA as you like but if no more than 6 are flight segments you will be OK. Any thoughts?

Yes, should be ok, but do be prepared to argue it with the airline as interpretations can vary . Surface segments were added to the total segment count since the ticket needs a "slot" for it and the e-ticket systems limit to a max of 16 segments. Until the drop from 20 to 16 segments maximum, surface segments did not count in the tally at all.

 

[MelUser]

my TA will handle ticketing so I'll let you know if there are any issues.

I will ask her to do it through AA, but I suspect she'll use QF as it's easier!

 

[js]

Could someone please validate this DONE4:

SYD-HKG-LHR-YVR-[SURFACE TO ANC]-ANC-DFW-MCO-DFW-DEN-DFW-LAX-MEL-BNE-CNS-MEL-SYD

Looks technically valid to me, but you still have one more segment up your sleeve if you want to try a bit harder for points or status. As others have said, you may have issues with the interpretation of whether the YVR,ANC constitutes a US segment or not for the purposes of the 6-segment rule.

If your cramming in MEL-BNE-CNS-MEL-SYD is intended to get you more points/status you can certainly do better by changing this to include some (longer) Asia segments instead (e.g. something like HKG-NRT-SIN). And perhaps see some interesting places along the way.

 

[MelUser]

The MEL-CNS-MEL is designed to be a trip later, some months after the initial US/Canada trip. There are time and other constraints on doing more travel as part of the initial trip.

I guess if the airlines do say it's 7 NA sectors presumably I can pay for the 7th sector [not sure how much it is]?

 

[serfty]

As far as the AA ATW desk is concerned, Surface segments:

• count against the 16 total segment limit, and
• do not count against the continental limit.

This is also specifically reflected in the xONEx rules:

...
4. FLIGHT APPLICATION/ROUTINGS
...

(h)

A minimum of 3 and maximum of 16 segments, including surface segments between any 2 airports, are permitted for the entire journey. Free flight segments within each continent are limited as follows:

Africa 4
Asia 4
Europe / Middle East 4 ...
North America 6
South America 4
South West Pacific 4
​

...​

Note: "... Free flight segments ..." (bolding included) is exactly as contained within the .pdf.

 

[serfty]

Could someone please validate this DONE4:

SYD-HKG-LHR-YVR-[SURFACE TO ANC]-ANC-DFW-MCO-DFW-DEN-DFW-LAX-MEL-BNE-CNS-MEL-SYD

There is a tool kindly created and maintained by a couple of FTers that can really assist here.

It's called "Mileage Monkey" and (aside from transit/stopover validation) provides a more accurate test on xONEx routings than even the planner available on oneworld - Home.

• Mileage Monkey

 

[JohnK]

So you cannot have both MCT and DXB in your route to/from UK for example. IST is fine as Turkey in not on that list.

Is that a loop hole? I never quite understood why IST is not excluded from that list as it is further than some of the airports/countries already listed.