LOTFAP, Star Mega Do 2 and Japan - ideas?

[anat0l]

Later this year, I'll be going to Star Mega Do 2 in LOTFAP but there is also a conference in Japan which I've had an abstract accepted for. On top of all of that, there is a chance to travel in the US (as well as meet up with my godmother who I haven't seen for a while), travel a bit more in Japan (and catch up with a colleague who will be moving to Kyoto next month) and perhaps some other places along the way. Unfortunately, there's probably not any time to travel in Europe this time.

How to ticket myself up for this large-ish trip is another matter...

The Essentials:

• I've got 3 weeks of annual leave, but it is possible for me to take leave without pay
• I have to be back by first week December - student conference back at home (and I've been told to be there or be square). Reasonably no restrictions on date to leave Australia.
• Star Mega Do 2 is Nov 1 - Nov 6 inclusive and starts in JFK (for those in the know, yes I am contemplating doing the TATL and the party in FRA). On Nov 6, possible for me to end in PAE/SEA or IAH, possibly JFK or even FRA.
• The conference is in Tokyo and goes from Nov 9 - Nov 12 inclusive

The other stuff:

• Godmother lives in LAS
• Travelling around Nth America, I'm thinking of setting my tourist sights on: LAX, YVR, YYZ, JFK and WAS. Are there any other places that I really should consider (this is my first time to America by myself; last time was when I was 10 years old, we visited SFO, LAS and MCO)
• I'm not adverse to peculiar, wild or woolly routings but prefer full service carriers on oneworld and Star.
• I'm not adverse to mileage or status runs :mrgreen:
• I'm not adverse to travelling Y, even on long haul.
• If I can support my BD account for Gold requalification that would be good. My BD membership year ends 23/11/2010 and I need about 20k more status miles to requalify. My QF account only needs 50 SC to requalify for WP and membership year ends next February, but I don't mind building up my points balance.
• I have about 150k QF points, but trying to build up my balance so avoiding blowing points on awards. On BD, I have about 30k destination miles.
• I'm not completely strapped for cash (might have to tighten the belt and save), but I'm not the type of person who can pay for a DONE4 at the drop of a hat, if that makes any sense.

From all of this, I would probably want to keep the tourist travel in North America to a week or two and not more (not including Star Mega Do 2). Ditto for Japan - probably just over a week. That amounts to about a month of travel - give or take - in total.

So I guess from the community I'm asking for:

• Routing/ticketing ideas. I've considered/considering oneworld Circle Pacific and LONE4 Eastbound ex-AU products... I know *A has similar products, not sure about pricing/favourability. IIRC there are also a couple of mixed alliance products out there. The thought of positioning into SE Asia then flying from there is also worth considering, so I hear. The interesting one will be the flight from US after Star Mega Do (Nov 6) to Tokyo.
• Sightseeing/city/tourism ideas for North America. Considering I have little time in America, I might have to choose a couple of cities and go with that, unless there are a few cities that can be seen in about a day or two (no close by train trips like Europe this time - most of the travel will be flying!). I think LAS will have to make the itinerary somewhere....
• A cheap way to get 20k BD status miles either explicitly or in the process of travelling around

Thanks for all your ideas!

 

[JohnK]

Sorry Anat0l can't help you too much with ideas but it sounds like you are planning another grand trip. Good luck with all the planning and leave some time to rest.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Ok I think I have something for you.

Ticket 1, Singapore Airlines; current sale is $1294.00 to Tokyo.
BNE-SIN-NRT on Singapore Airlines.
NRT-SIN-BNE on Singpoare Airlines.
Hopefully someone can tell you what this would credit to.
14,280 miles

This fare basically gets you to the conference, so should be paid for by the Uni, yes a few weeks earlier but you are going somewhere else.

Ticket 2 Air Canada has some cheap sale to US cities.
NRT-YVR-SEA-YVR-SEA 9602 miles
I heard Air Canada is 1:1 for BD.

Ticket 3 US Airways.
SEA-PHX-LAS US Airways First for those BD Miles. :idea:

Ticket 4 US Airways.
LAS-SFO-PHX-LGA US Airways First for those BD miles.

Ticket 5 Singapore Airlines.
JFK-FRA as part of the first part of the TATL(Trans Atlantic)

Ticket 6 Lufthansa
FRA-IAH as part of StarMegaDo2.

Ticket 7 Continental Airlines(Charter)
IAH-PHX-PAE as part of StarmegaDo2, charter, 4,000 miles.

Maybe others have some ideas; or can shoot down why my plan isn't going to work.

 

[anat0l]

Ticket 1, Singapore Airlines; current sale is $1294.00 to Tokyo.
BNE-SIN-NRT on Singapore Airlines.
NRT-SIN-BNE on Singpoare Airlines.
Hopefully someone can tell you what this would credit to.
14,280 miles

Checked this online and it books into fare basis NLPR35 (so called SQ "Sweet Deals"), which earns no miles at all. (Even KrisFlyer can't earn miles on this fare).

The next fare basis up is HLPR35 and that does earn miles at 1x BIS for BD, which is good; that costs $1585.00.

Interesting itinerary you've created - might not actually need to F runs at all if I do all *A. (But I kinda don't wanna ).

Oh, and the uni isn't paying for any fares. So I'm on my own this time.

 

[Mwenenzi]

DONE3 / LONE3 ex Asia with positioning flights BNE - Asia - BNE

 

[futaris]

London - Blackboard Deals - Flights - Blackboard Deals - Offers - Air New Zealand - New Zealand Site ?

Not sure if you'll get miles in any other program besides NZ Airpoints though.

 

[anat0l]

London - Blackboard Deals - Flights - Blackboard Deals - Offers - Air*New*Zealand - New Zealand Site ?

Not sure if you'll get miles in any other program besides NZ Airpoints though.

Thanks for pointing this out, but travel dates don't work (need late October and early November).

Most sales with NZ only earn for Airpoints and not on other *A carriers. It's very difficult to check with NZ and their booking engine, but that seems to be my experience. This, of course, doesn't apply all the time.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

www.priceline.com have return flight only deals HNL/NRT/HNL from USD723.00 return on JL, USD813.00 return on DL, USD104.00 return on US, USD1240.00 return on NH, USD1264.00 return on UA including taxes.

You could maybe get a cheap fare BNE/HNL/BNE on JQ Star Class for SC potential, then duck over to Japan ex HNL & back before taking a separate ticket HNL/SFO/HNL & do mainland USA first then come back to HNL & do a return to Japan from there.

Alternatively take a cheapie to SIN & back, & enquire via SIN travel agents about packages incl air & accomm ex SIN to USA return on a carrier that allows a stopover in TYO eg NH or AC to YVR return.

Dajop listed on another thread a couple of SIN based online websites for air travel bookings but it might also be worth getting a copy of Straits Times on Saturday & checking out what travel agents are offering.

It doesn't cost much to call SIN using a calling card.

Good luck!

Cheers

Oz