Getting AA EXP on largely Australian Domestic Travel

[beardoc]

This is one of my schemes for determining the cheapest and easiest way to OWE in any airline. Not necessarily that I'm going to do it, but it's fun working out how these things work.

Has anyone done status runs for AA between SYD/CBR multiple times in one day? I had an idea of booking a pile of sale red-Edeal flights next time they come up (getting to EXP on segments would be 100 flights - and at the sale fares of $65-80 that's AA EXP for just $6500-8000). Looking at the timetables I seem to be able to get at least 8 segments, and possibly 9 or 10 on a single weekday, just returning back and forth SYD-CBR-SYD-CBR-etc. I can work/play on a plane with my computer, so it wouldn't be completely wasted time, either. I am already QP Life so would have access to the QP until such a time as I got access to the QP J Lounges.

I'm figuring with the risk of flight delays on red-Edeals, domestic travel insurance would be a must, so an annual multi-trip insurance policy would be essential if I was to do this regularly.

The other thing is, what's the minimum time between turnarounds you should leave - is half an hour from scheduled arrival to scheduled depature at CBR too little?

I realise that to get any Elite Status you need a mininum of 4 AA flights - it looks like I'd have to start doing this with a Platinum Challenge, and then continue the process from there to move from Gold to Platinum.

One of the questions I had though was what are the QANTAS Domestic benefits like as an AA EXP? Do you get the "Business" baggage tags when flying QF Domestic as an AA EXP? And do you get the on departure upgrades in the QP on QF domestic, or is this just for the benefit of QFF WP members only?

 

[Dave Noble]

I realise that to get any Elite Status you need a mininum of 4 AA flights - it looks like I'd have to start doing this with a Platinum Challenge, and then continue the process from there to move from Gold to Platinum.

One of the questions I had though was what are the QANTAS Domestic benefits like as an AA EXP? Do you get the "Business" baggage tags when flying QF Domestic as an AA EXP? And do you get the on departure upgrades in the QP on QF domestic, or is this just for the benefit of QFF WP members only?

AA doesn't enforce the 4 sector rule
Although not entitled to them, domestically they do seem to tend to attach the tags
If you are entitled to lounge access ( which as an EXP you are ) you can do ODUs

Dave

 

[drron]

I dont travel QF domestically frequently-3 or 4 sectors in economy last year.I checkin at Business counter and always had business tags.One at the gate ODU(not requested).Tend to be seated towards front of Y.So i felt recognition was good.
Back to Plat this year so I will see how it goes,sigh.

 

[serfty]

Note that if starting with no status on AAdvantage a SYD-CBR O class flight would earn ~74EQM's and ~39 EQP's. (there is no longer any minimum earn for non status members).

Note that after 30 flights one would be gold and the minimum EQM earning is 500 and 250 for EQP's.

 

[beardoc]

AA doesn't enforce the 4 sector rule
Although not entitled to them, domestically they do seem to tend to attach the tags
If you are entitled to lounge access ( which as an EXP you are ) you can do ODUs

Dave

So no need for a run to the US even - yay!

I still think the most effective way is a Platinum Challenge first, because that gets you Platinum with a trip to the US and back and then you get the Elite minimum mileage guarantees etc. and then the points earning is substantially better - but it is nice to know that you don't HAVE to in order to fly 4 AA sectors to get it.

Interestingly, once you are PLT/EXP, then a $75 sale flight earns you 1000 AA points (500 minimum plus 100% bonus), which means that 100 flights ($7500) earns you 100,000 AA miles. Given I also have 200,000 AA miles already, I'd have Lifetime AA Gold (OW Ruby) in less than 8 years. My favoured reward is the OW J class 35,000 RTW award - I would only have to fly 190 flights or spend AUD14250 (at an average sale price of $75) to get one - given they're about $10000 for the J fares alone, I think this is a bargain.

Oh, and I'd get 10 500-mile upgrades a year, and 8 AA Systemwide Upgrades per year (good for buying an LONE4 and upgrading the long haul segments, I guess!).

The more I think about this, the more I think it might be worthwhile doing.

 

[beardoc]

Note that if starting with no status on AAdvantage a SYD-CBR O class flight would earn ~74EQM's and ~39 EQP's. (there is no longer any minimum earn for non status members).

Note that after 30 flights one would be gold and the minimum EQM earning is 500 and 250 for EQP's.

Yes, I'm aware of this, and that's why I'm thinking I might start the process with a Platinum challenge. I need a trip to the US, so it might be the plan!

I plan to qualify on segments, rather than points or miles. I realise I might eventually hate flying SYD-CBR, but it would be interesting to try.

 

[beardoc]

I dont travel QF domestically frequently-3 or 4 sectors in economy last year.I checkin at Business counter and always had business tags.One at the gate ODU(not requested).Tend to be seated towards front of Y.So i felt recognition was good.
Back to Plat this year so I will see how it goes,sigh.

Thank you, drron. It does suggest that the benefits of EXP are on par with WP on domestic travel. This could be fun to try and do. Need to get the support of the partner for all this travelling, though, I guess.

 

[NM]

I would only have to fly 190 flights or spend AUD14250 (at an average sale price of $75) to get one - given they're about $10000 for the J fares alone, I think this is a bargain.

That is not my type of logic. I would not choose to spend $14,250 to take 190 flights I otherwise did not need to take in order to get an award I have could have purchased for $10,000 (probably more like $11,000 including extras).

But if that appeals to you, then yes it can be done. If those 190 flights were part of the planned travel anyway, then its a different story.

 

[simongr]

I would not be gambling on 8 segments in a day personally. I did 8 in two days to get EXP for this year and it was nail biting stuff as the trip report showed...

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...trip-photos/the-game-is-afoot-race-15761.html

 

[beardoc]

That is not my type of logic. I would not choose to spend $14,250 to take 190 flights I otherwise did not need to take in order to get an award I have could have purchased for $10,000 (probably more like $11,000 including extras).

The appeal in this "game" is that some of the rewards that you obtain as part of the runs defray the initial upfront cost of buying the flights.

I'm using this as a case scenario - sort of as a prototypical concept. I think I would be stir crazy after 50 return SYD-CBR flights in a row. The point of this is that the economics are relatively reasonable for completely superfluous travel.

Now, I'm in a situation where I haven't been able to travel all that much in the last few years, but I'm likely to substantially increase my leisure travel in the coming years (think weekend getaways, etc). It's good to know that I can buy the flights at sale times in advance and then maximise my status and rewards which goes a reasonable way towards the costs of the increased travel. Yes, the flights would be more than the $65-80 I've used above, but I want to go to these places. It might just be worth doing the regular leisure travel after all - that's the point I'm making.

 

[Evan]

Oh do we have some crazy ideas at times around here
Rather interesting way to do it 7 or 8 k seems a bit much for that, 4k and i know people would be stupid enough i think

I think i prefer JohnK's mining town tour as a more scenic route to such crazyness.

E

 

[beardoc]

I would not be gambling on 8 segments in a day personally. I did 8 in two days to get EXP for this year and it was nail biting stuff as the trip report showed...

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...trip-photos/the-game-is-afoot-race-15761.html

I read that with interest - you're right, a short 30 minute turnaround isn't really safe, is it? Might be best to set things up with 90 minute turnarounds, if I were to do it, and have the travel insurance at the ready in case it all falls through.

If I do this, then I'll post about it too.

 

[pblackm]

I can work/play on a plane with my computer, so it wouldn't be completely wasted time, either.

Well sort of. If the flight is on a jet, flight time averages 35 minutes. By the time you get to cruise altitude and wake up you PC, you'll get 10-15 minutes, which is what I got this morning, before you have to shut down for descent. Not much better with a Dash 8.

However, it is amusing to watch the cabin service. Usually they have just finished the service when the pilot announces time to get ready for landing and there's a real rush to do the clean up.

 

[serfty]

I'm in the USA at the moment. As part of my travels, I am doing some MR's earning 540 SC for Apprx. $1350. If I had the time I could have earned over 1400 SC's for ~$3000. No need to as this travel will get me oneworld emerald 'til Nov '10 and set me up for continued PG.

Travelling mainly in OZ, WP is somewhat more potent than EXP.

Of course, YMMV.

 

[JohnK]

I think i prefer JohnK's mining town tour as a more scenic route to such crazyness.

Yes we do come up with some crazy ideas on AFF.

Not sure I would want to fly just for the sake of flying to get status just in case I needed the status when flying occasionally. The domestic business lounges are not that different to the Qantas Club lounges with the food and drink very similar. As for priority luggage it does not appear to matter on domestic flights.

Having said all of that I wish I could have used all 16 sectors of my planned Oneworld RTW award in August/September 2009 instead of the currently planned 11 sectors but I have my father with me and I am trying to limit the number of flights. It would have been nice to visit XNA - Fayetteville and CID - Cedar Rapids even if only at the airport during a transit.

But I may do ATH-SKG-RHO-JTR-ATH instead with LCC Aegean Airlines and Rhodes and Santorini are probably a little more exciting than Fayetteville and Cedar Rapids....