Help with AONE4 Ex-JNB

[mdeggs]

Hi guys,

...Long time reader, first time writer...

Wife says its time for me to make good on a promise to take her and 11 year old son to the U.S. over the July school holidays. I've cracked open my nest egg to do it in style: 4-continent 1st class Oneworld Explorer.

This is made possible by my freak discovery that 1st class AONE ex-JNB is ~ 50% cheaper than ex-SYD. But you veterans no doubt have known this for years.

So let's get to the questions:

1. How can I optimise the routing to possibly achieve platinum status by the end of the trip, while still spending min 2 days in LHR and 7 days in MCO, and returning to SYD no later than 6am 21 July?
   
   Current routing, starts 4 July:
   JNB->CPT-LHR->DCA->(via MIA) MCO->LAX->SYD->JNB (final sector delayed until next year to maybe start it all over again).
   
   
   Current Status: Gold Status reassessment will occur: 31.08.08 Status Credits earned from 01 Sep 2007: 360 Additional Status credits required by 31 Aug 2008 to retain Gold: 240 Additional Status credits required by 31 Aug 2008 to attain Platinum: 1,040
2. What is the best of these 3 credit cards to use to buy the tickets (AUD ~$20K) in order to maximise frequent flyer points:
   • ANZ Qantas Platinum
   • AMEX Qantas Ultimate
   • AMEX Platinum Charge Card
3. What suggestions do you have for hotel/restaurant in JNB? I have to take a cheap QF H-class flight there to kick off the RTW sectors (hope I can upgrade us to biz using my points).
4. Any other tips you can offer to help me maximise this once-in-a-lifetime splurge?

Thanks in advance for your help. The wealth of knowledge & experience in this forum is just amazing!

 

[Mal]

I don't have any real assistance to give, but noticed it's been here for a month or so with no feedback.

Anyone?

 

[Evan]

I have done this....

Easy to make Platinum... but i cant be bothered to look an an optimised route just this minute.

On the credit card side of things, the AA office says no Visa with the plus symbol on the back of the card.... so that ruled out my ANZ visa.
And the Amex worked fine... but $240 AUD fee !!! ouch ! but i needed the ticket issued ASAP so had to be done, and besides i did not know the comission/fee from Amex would be this large until i looked at the statement and i guess i should have expected that. 2.4% approx.

Hotel, i have RA platinum status with PC so i choose the Sandon Intercontinental... very nice and not to far from the airport or anything else, worst case is taxi is not on the meter was 350 ZAR.
Or there is also an Intercontinental at the airport.....

But you will probably love South Africa so go into the city and check it out... If your Wife loves shopping i did not check prices but lots of nice expensive shops at Sandon square.

Other tips... you could try to collect as many different airlines PJ's on the trip for fun... Check the planes you will travel on, make sure you get the newest best F seats and make the most of the trip.

E

 

[clifford]

I have done this....
On the credit card side of things, the AA office says no Visa with the plus symbol on the back of the card.... E

Why is that? Never heard of this rule before.

 

[Evan]

I have no idea, i just pasted the text from the form you fill in an retirn to then with all the details so they can ticket....

In order for the ticketing transaction to take place, we require:
- The following form to be filled in
- A copy of the passport/ID of the card holder
- A copy of the front and back of the credit card (NO DEBIT CARDS)
- Please note that the VISA card with the PLUS logo at the back is NOT accepted.
- International ticket numbers (for US domestic travel only)

At the time i just wanted to ticket, not worried about if it was Visa or Amex.
Note: this is a recent ticket, end of June, using 16 segments and e-tickets.

E