Few questions-- Platinum challenge, booking class, QC access

[auriga]

Have been reading about the AA Platinum challenge, and I am quite excited about it. I am not a frequent flyer, doing one or two international trips, and maybe also one or two domestic trips, on economy.

Say I buy an eligible fare, from Sydney to New York. From my calculations, with platinum bonus, I should earn roughly 30000 miles. And then, while I am still on platinum, I make a trip on QF/BA to Europe, which should earn me another 40000 miles. So that means I will have over 70000 miles, which according to the award table, means I can redeem a return business class trip from Sydney to Singapore. Did I miss anything, because it almost sounds too good to be true!?

Second question, with booking class and eligibility for miles and qualifying points, are there any good websites where I can research and book my tickets? I do not know any friendly travel agents.

Lastly, am I right in thinking (ahead!!) that with AA Platinum, there is no access to Qantas lounges when flying within Australia?

Thanks.

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: Few questions-- Platinum challenge, booking class, QC ac

Have been reading about the AA Platinum challenge, and I am quite excited about it. I am not a frequent flyer, doing one or two international trips, and maybe also one or two domestic trips, on economy.

Say I buy an eligible fare, from Sydney to New York. From my calculations, with platinum bonus, I should earn roughly 30000 miles. And then, while I am still on platinum, I make a trip on QF/BA to Europe, which should earn me another 40000 miles. So that means I will have over 70000 miles, which according to the award table, means I can redeem a return business class trip from Sydney to Singapore. Did I miss anything, because it almost sounds too good to be true!?

Second question, with booking class and eligibility for miles and qualifying points, are there any good websites where I can research and book my tickets? I do not know any friendly travel agents.

Lastly, am I right in thinking (ahead!!) that with AA Platinum, there is no access to Qantas lounges when flying within Australia?

Thanks.

SYD-JFK is 9950 miles; if you book on the AA codeshare and ensure that you are on a 1qpoint per mile booking class, you will earn 9950 qpoints. I would suggest putting a flight such as CBR-SYD before doing this trip, this meands that the 9950pts will ensure that you complete the challenge by SYD. This will mean that you would earn 9950 *2 miles each way = 39,800 , plus the 500 for CBR-SYD

Do SYD-LHR in a booking class which allows for full earning ( e.g. WT+ on BA ) , you would earn 42000+ miles for that trip giving over 80,000 miles total so you will be able to get a business return to Asia or save up top 120k for a business r/t to Europe

You are wrong in that you will not get lounge access in Australia; you are entitled to lounge access on all flights except when travelling domestically within North America , so travel SYD-MEL and you'll have lounge access

Dave

 

[auriga]

Thanks for clearing that one up!

Does anyone have any pointers with regards to my second question?

Thanks again.

.

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks for clearing that one up!

Does anyone have any pointers with regards to my second question?

Thanks again.

.

I use expertflyer myself, but that does have a USD9.99 fee per month

Dave

 

[BlacKnox]

Re: Few questions-- Platinum challenge, booking class, QC ac

Second question, with booking class and eligibility for miles and qualifying points, are there any good websites where I can research and book my tickets? I do not know any friendly travel agents.

Hi auriga and welcome to AFF .

If you go to www.bestflights.com.au and use the International Fare Search function on the top page e.g. SYD-NYC, you can see all the options, booking classes of each carrier, T&C & prices etc. This perhaps is a good free place to start.

 

[auriga]

thank you, that's good to know.

BTW, has anyone booked a SYD-SIN business class award using AA points?
Just wondering about availability, whether the availability correlates in any way with what I can see on the Qantas FF website.

 

[Dave Noble]

thank you, that's good to know.

BTW, has anyone booked a SYD-SIN business class award using AA points?
Just wondering about availability, whether the availability correlates in any way with what I can see on the Qantas FF website.

AA redemptions come out of the same inventory , so what you see on the QF website should be the same

Dave