How to Earn Most QFF Points on a USA Trip

[Dave Noble]

We now have an alternative routing, all in V class, as follows:

AA 7295 V 05DEC BNELAX HS4
OPERATED BY QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED
AA 1928 V 05DEC LAXSFO HS4
AA 7366 V 08JAN JFKSYD HS4
OPERATED BY QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED
AA 7354 V 10JAN SYDBNE HS4
OPERATED BY QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED

​

It seems this would satisfy the platinum challenge, though we probably would not reach the milestone until the homeward leg. I don't think BNE-LAX-SFO will quite give us enough miles, so we won't make it until during the JFK-SYD leg on the return. Cost is $900 extra for the family.

How are you getting between SFO and JFK on that routing?

It will be a good platinum challenge option though, but does seem to leave a gap between SFO and JFK that needs plugging

As it stands, BNE-LAX-SFO earns 7662 points and miles; JFK-SYD will complete the challenge and earn 19900 miles ; the leg to BNE will earn a final 1000 ; this gives an earning of 28652

If you do have a SFO-JFK leg included , but just omitted from your listing, you would get 2586 qpoints and so complete the challenge and so earn an extra 5172 giving 33,734 miles. This would also mean ( assuming the flights have credited by the time you start your return ) that you would have platinum status for the inbound journey

If the ordering of your locations is less relevent, then I would suggest doing BNE-SYD-JFK-SFO-LAX-BNE to get a fair extra few miles for the same cost

Dave

 

[Baysider]

Thanks Dave.

It actually began as a full round trip and we changed it to an open jaw. If we drop the open jaw and include SFO-JFK, it costs only $300 more, and the available flights are in fact SFO-ORD-JFK, so it would be more than 2586 miles, and well and truly get us over 10,000 by New York.

All up its $1200 more than our original itinerary, but perhaps its worthwhile. We'll give it some serious thought.

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks Dave.

It actually began as a full round trip and we changed it to an open jaw. If we drop the open jaw and include SFO-JFK, it costs only $300 more, and the available flights are in fact SFO-ORD-JFK, so it would be more than 2586 miles, and well and truly get us over 10,000 by New York.

All up its $1200 more than our original itinerary, but perhaps its worthwhile. We'll give it some serious thought.

Yah. The VLRTAU fare was the fare I was looking at at that sort of price. At $300 each , it is I suggest def worth considering since the 2 * r/t tickets earned from the trip each is , I would say, worth more than $300 plus the PLT bennies are nice to have

Depending on what you want to do, the fare does permit you to travel a max of 11,588 miles in each direction. If you like to stick to daytime travel. the fare will allow travel via HNL

Dave

 

[Baysider]

A couple more questions:
1. The AA site talks about earning years being 1 Jan to 31 Dec. If our platinum challenge crosses the end of year, is it affected or does it override the standard period?
2. Is there any guideline that confirms that children are permitted to take on the platinum challenge?
3. It seems that there is no information on the challenges on the AA website - is that correct?
Thanks.

 

[serfty]

... 1. The AA site talks about earning years being 1 Jan to 31 Dec. If our platinum challenge crosses the end of year, is it affected or does it override the standard period?

Not really override - the periods are independent.

... 2. Is there any guideline that confirms that children are permitted to take on the platinum challenge?

I would check on the AAdvantage FlyerTalk forum.

... 3. It seems that there is no information on the challenges on the AA website - is that correct?

Yes, it is an 'unpublished' feature. There's more on FT here: Unofficial Guide: AAdvantage elite status, gold & platinum challenges, and more - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[NM]

A couple more questions:
1. The AA site talks about earning years being 1 Jan to 31 Dec. If our platinum challenge crosses the end of year, is it affected or does it override the standard period?

You have 3 months to complete the challenge. Challenges can commence on the 1st or 16th of each month. Yes, it can span the end of December as will happen for any challenge commenced between 16th October and 16th December.

2. Is there any guideline that confirms that children are permitted to take on the platinum challenge?

Anyone who is a member of AAdvantage can undertake the challenge. There is no age limit for the challenge.

3. It seems that there is no information on the challenges on the AA website - is that correct?
Thanks.

That is correct. The challenge is an undocumented status fast-track. You will find all the details posted in the sticky thread in the AAdvantage Forum here on AFF.

 

[Baysider]

Thanks guys. We are locking it in as:

AA 7295 V 05DEC BNELAX HS4
OPERATED BY QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED
AA 1928 V 05DEC LAXSFO HS4
AA 12 V 13DEC SFOJFK HS4
AA 7366 V 09JAN JFKLAX HS4
OPERATED BY QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED
AA 7298 V 09JAN LAXBNE HS4
OPERATED BY QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED

​

That should get us over the line by the time we reach New York on 13 December.

This prompts another question:
If we chose Oct 16 - Jan 16, and achieve platinum by Dec 13, will the return journey on Jan 9-11 count towards retaining platinum, or is it disqualified because its part of the 3 month challenge period?? So I guess the question now is, should we take the challenge as Oct16 - Jan 16 to include our return journey, just in case for some reason we don't reach the mark on the outbound? Or should we make it Oct 1 - Jan 1, or even Sept 16 - Dec 16?

Cheers.

​

 

[Dave Noble]

On attaining status in december, you will have Platinum for 2008 ; the miles which you earn during january will count towards maintaining platinum for 2009; the fact that there is a challenge has no effect on the regular renewal qualification. I would start the challenge on Dec 1 , just in time for the 1st flight.

With JFK-LAX-BNE in january, that will give you 9636 qmiles and qpoints towards your renewal

You should earn 31,605 miles from the flying, 1000 for joining AAdvantage and you can get another 2000 by converting the electronic upgrades you earn from flying 10000 miles as platinum into miles giving a total earning of 34,605 miles. with the 500 overdraft allowance as platinum, you have enough for a business class return to anywhere in Australia/New Zealand

Dave

 

[Baysider]

Well, I have done the deed. We depart 5 December, and all of my family members are now registered for a Platinum Challenge commencing 1 December. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Baysider]

Well, the good news is that we all got to New York (and now Toronto) and all of the family now have Platinum status when we check on AA.com. The bads news is that when I called AA reservations to try to get us better seats allocated for our JFK-LAX-BNE return trip, they mucked it up and moved us to even worse seats, and then said "sorry all the seats are locked by Qantas, we can't move you back to where you were!" Qantas simply say "sorry you'll have to talk to AA". So we are now stuck in the middle of row 68 for the trans-Pacific flight. Our only hope is that someone can help us out when we arrive at check-in on January 9th. Very disappointing.

 

[Dave Noble]

Well, the good news is that we all got to New York (and now Toronto) and all of the family now have Platinum status when we check on AA.com. The bads news is that when I called AA reservations to try to get us better seats allocated for our JFK-LAX-BNE return trip, they mucked it up and moved us to even worse seats, and then said "sorry all the seats are locked by Qantas, we can't move you back to where you were!" Qantas simply say "sorry you'll have to talk to AA". So we are now stuck in the middle of row 68 for the trans-Pacific flight. Our only hope is that someone can help us out when we arrive at check-in on January 9th. Very disappointing.

Did you have the numbers removed and re-added to the booking to ensure that your status is correctly inserted. Hopefully when you check in , they'll get you decent seats

Dave

 

[trooper]

Just wanted to say I have followed this one with interest... and am very impressed with the willing and able assistance the OP received!!!

 

[Baysider]

Hi Dave - I have not felt confident to ask them to remove and re-add the AA numbers, particularly after losing our two pairs of seats, one pair behind the other, with a window in each pair, after phoning AA to try to get better seats. I think we might be best to just try our luck at check-in. Presumably if we all now appear as Platinum on the AA.com site, the same must occur on their database?

 

[straitman]

Hi Dave - I have not felt confident to ask them to remove and re-add the AA numbers, particularly after losing our two pairs of seats, one pair behind the other, with a window in each pair, after phoning AA to try to get better seats. I think we might be best to just try our luck at check-in. Presumably if we all now appear as Platinum on the AA.com site, the same must occur on their database?

Baysider,

What Dave is saying with this is if you have your AA numbers removed from the booking then reinserted it will ensure that your new status is correctly inserted also. This will ensure (as best as possible) that you get the treatment that goes with the Platinum Status. I would certainly go with this idea.

Good luck :!:

 

[Baysider]

Thanks straitman. Do you know if I can take out the AAdvantage numbers on AA.com, or would I have to phone them?

 

[Dave Noble]

Thanks straitman. Do you know if I can take out the AAdvantage numbers on AA.com, or would I have to phone them?

You have to phone them. Also, with QF flights , if your status is reflected in the booking it may open up more seats for assignment than ya non-status level and so you may be able to get seated together.

Dave

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thanks straitman. Do you know if I can take out the AAdvantage numbers on AA.com, or would I have to phone them?

how did it all end up, was following this with some interest, albeit a few years old!!!!

cheers SPRUCE

 

[Baysider]

I phoned AA and the person I spoke with claimed to have taken out our AAdvantage numbers and re-entered them. However when we rolled up to check-in at JFK the system still only had us as basic members (i.e. not even gold) so we did not qualify for any lounge access or other priveledges. We were also stuck in crummy seats with limited recline in front of the toilets.

I sent a complaint letter to AA after we returned home and received a standard form apology and a token 5,000 miles each as compensation. All in all a very disappointing experience. Needless to say we did not go out of our way to retain AA status.