Gold or PLat?

[Lord Mud]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all your help on this one.

I have booked my flights as follows
LHR - JFK AA class L
JFK - LAS AA class Q
LAS - LAX AA class M
LAX - LHR AA class L

I am assuming that the two L class and the M class fares will count towards the challege at 1.0 and the q at 0.5 I am trying to figure out If I would 1. qualify for plat on this or if I should just be happy with the gold as I can go for the platinum next year using the gold bonuses.

Some opinions woul d be nice

Cheers

 

[Dave Noble]

It should just make Platinum. Do check with the AA site on the exact miles, but using Great Circle mapper

LHR-JFK = 3451 miles . In L class => 3451 qpoints
JFK-LAS = 2248 miles . In Q class => 1124 qpoints
LAS-LAX = 236 miles. Since < 500 miles, the min of 500 will apply
LAX-LHR = 5456 miles. In L class => 5456 qpoints

Total earned = 3451 + 1124 + 500 + 5456 = 10531 qpoints

Should give Platinum status via the challenge

Spending miles earned would be 3451 + 2248 + 500 + (2 * 5456 ) = 17,111

Dave

 

[simongr]

Darn - Dave just posted as I was finishing

Just for clarification, if you don't get Platinum on this trip or this year then the "Gold Bonuses" won't help with qualification next year. Status is only earned based on the class of travel - not on your current status.

 

[Lord Mud]

Thanks for your replies.
I should have clarified what I was on about. I am pretty sure I can get Plat from this trip, but I was thinking from a more long term point where I could do gold this year and then attempt Plat from Gold Next year thus using all of 2010 to requal for Plat or get soft landing to Gold for 2011. I only do a handful of long haul flights a year (2 to usa and 2 back home to Aust as I live in Uk) and a handful of internal flights when I am there.
I just wanted to find out some opinions.

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks for your replies.
I should have clarified what I was on about. I am pretty sure I can get Plat from this trip, but I was thinking from a more long term point where I could do gold this year and then attempt Plat from Gold Next year thus using all of 2010 to requal for Plat or get soft landing to Gold for 2011. I only do a handful of long haul flights a year (2 to usa and 2 back home to Aust as I live in Uk) and a handful of internal flights when I am there.
I just wanted to find out some opinions.

If you take the plat challenge this year, you will have Platinum for all of 2009 . You have all of 2009 to requalify normally for platinum before dropping to gold

Dave

 

[Lord Mud]

Thanks dave,
I have one other question and it may be unrelated
I have a bucketload of QFF points to cash in and I want to book an upgrade from Econ to premEcon for a trip from UK to Aust in Feb. Is it possible to use my points to upgrade the flight then change the FF number to AA in order to get the basic Econ points attached to AA. I had hoped to do this a few times over the coming year to help my requal with AA, but spend my QFF points at the same time.
Cheers

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks dave,
I have one other question and it may be unrelated
I have a bucketload of QFF points to cash in and I want to book an upgrade from Econ to premEcon for a trip from UK to Aust in Feb. Is it possible to use my points to upgrade the flight then change the FF number to AA in order to get the basic Econ points attached to AA. I had hoped to do this a few times over the coming year to help my requal with AA, but spend my QFF points at the same time.
Cheers

You don't need to have the Qantas frequent flyer number in a booking to upgrade by phone iirc

You can indeed put a QF number in and then swap to an AA one, however I wouldn't recommend doing it unless absolutely necessary. Get the AA number in properly and leave it in is my recommendation. You should still be able to request the upgrade . If needed, then you can do as you suggested

Dave

 

[NM]

You don't need to have the Qantas frequent flyer number in a booking to upgrade by phone iirc

You can indeed put a QF number in and then swap to an AA one, however I wouldn't recommend doing it unless absolutely necessary. Get the AA number in properly and leave it in is my recommendation. You should still be able to request the upgrade . If needed, then you can do as you suggested

you can even request an upgrade on-line without putting the QF FF number into the reservation. Just sign in to your QF FF account and select "Using Points" then "Flight Upgrades" then "Upgrade with points" then "request an upgrade using your points". Then enter the Amadeus booking reference number and surname into the fields and click "go". This will retrieve the booking without altering the FF details in the booking. Then request the upgrades desired. You will be asked to select the relationship of the eligible family member you are upgrading. Since "self" does not exist in the list, select one that makes most sense.

I find this safer since the QF FF telephone agents often try to be very helpful and change the FF details since they assume you will want to be earning to your QF FF account.

 

[Lord Mud]

Thanks NM, I was actually just thinking that yesterday when I logged on to check my account. I thought i should change over now and then credit the points accross. My question to you is the amount still the same? they are quoting 55K for the upgrade to PremEcon from LHR-MEL would that be the same if they are 'gifted'?

 

[NM]

Thanks NM, I was actually just thinking that yesterday when I logged on to check my account. I thought i should change over now and then credit the points accross. My question to you is the amount still the same? they are quoting 55K for the upgrade to PremEcon from LHR-MEL would that be the same if they are 'gifted'?

Yes, the same points cost.

 

[straitman]

Thanks NM, I was actually just thinking that yesterday when I logged on to check my account. I thought i should change over now and then credit the points accross. My question to you is the amount still the same? they are quoting 55K for the upgrade to PremEcon from LHR-MEL would that be the same if they are 'gifted'?

.... and the gifting of points is instantaneous which often helps.

 

[Lord Mud]

I gotta say all you guys are helpful. I have been pretty well soprted out out. while I am on this topic I have 1 more small question that I couldnt find any info on.
I have a ticket booked in S on a QF flight back to MEL for next feb. As I have already mentioned I will 'family' upgrading myself to Prem Econ when the window opens in november. Will this modify the booking class at all? Ie make it T or W? secondly When I buy the return flight to the UK (hopefully in Prem Econ this time) on Q what does AA award T and W for EQM or EQP? I notice S is not good. but T and W are not listed on AA's site.
Any ideas?
Cheers

 

[Sprucegoose]

Hey guys,
Thanks for all your help on this one.

I have booked my flights as follows
LHR - JFK AA class L
JFK - LAS AA class Q
LAS - LAX AA class M
LAX - LHR AA class L

I am assuming that the two L class and the M class fares will count towards the challege at 1.0 and the q at 0.5 I am trying to figure out If I would 1. qualify for plat on this or if I should just be happy with the gold as I can go for the platinum next year using the gold bonuses.

Some opinions woul d be nice

Cheers

Kind Sir, what was the cost of the exersise?

Happy Landings

SPRUCE

 

[Lord Mud]

you want the cost of the AA flight you listed? it was about £750 all up + a £15 phone booking fee. The website kept spitting up N fares so i called and got L.

 

[Sprucegoose]

you want the cost of the AA flight you listed? it was about £750 all up + a £15 phone booking fee. The website kept spitting up N fares so i called and got L.

seems like a good deal - and you get plats!!!!


Cheers SPRUCE

 

[Dave Noble]

I gotta say all you guys are helpful. I have been pretty well soprted out out. while I am on this topic I have 1 more small question that I couldnt find any info on.
I have a ticket booked in S on a QF flight back to MEL for next feb. As I have already mentioned I will 'family' upgrading myself to Prem Econ when the window opens in november. Will this modify the booking class at all? Ie make it T or W? secondly When I buy the return flight to the UK (hopefully in Prem Econ this time) on Q what does AA award T and W for EQM or EQP? I notice S is not good. but T and W are not listed on AA's site.
Any ideas?
Cheers

The upgrade should credit based on the paid S class

If you buy a premium economy MEL-LHR it is an unknown

At the moment T&W are not listed as eligble for earning miles however this conflicts with AAs promo offering bonus miles in Premium Economy

by the time you travel it should all be resolved but I would expect it to be the same as BA World Traveller Plus

Full Qualifying miles ( on LHR-MEL = 10,500 approx )
150% Qualifying points which would be approx 15,750

For spending miles , 10,500 base plus 10,500 plat bonus plus 10% class of service bonus of 1050 = 22,050

Dave

 

[NM]

Note that it is not uncommon for upgraded QF flights to post to an AAdvantage account as the flown cabin rather than as the paid fare class.

 

[NM]

In my experience the paid fare posts, but you also get the cabin bonus on top of that.

I have found the results to be inconsistent.

 

[NM]

Excellent, here's hoping my upgraded PER-BNE-PER posts as it has in your experiences

Your noted experience is about as good as it gets (paid base miles plus upgraded cabin bonus). Other times its just been credited as paid.

 

[JohnK]

NM, why are you quoting non existent posts?