Maximising flexibility of a DONE4

[simongr]

Hi all

I currently have a nice little DONE4 planned for September:

syd-lax-dfw-sat-dfw-jf-lhr-hkg-akl-mel-adl-per-syd

The business sops are in JFK and AKL with side trips to SAT and PER to visit friends - both of which can be dumped if required - in fact AKL could be dumped as well for the reasons below.

For business reasons I might now need to go to one or two additional locations in Asia either before or after the US (the dates for the US are fixed at 8 Sep for 4 days) and I wont know this until sometime between now and August 4

If the Asia trips happen in August I will be trying for a DAS17 but if they push out to the end of August it might be sensible to make them part of the DONE4 (which would become a bit of a monster).

I know that DONEs are pretty flexible but the key limit is the no changes to the first international flight.

My current DONE4 is not yet ticketed so I am thinking of trying to work out how I can insert most flexibility to the trip. I think if I switch my first flights to be syd-hkg-lax/jfk if Then need to bring forward my trip to HKG in advance of the US trip and potentially insert BOM into the itin - I can.

Can anyone think of a better way to increase/maximise flexibility?

The reason for the vagueness on timing is that we are just commencing a major project and the timelines are written in very light pencil so they are easy to change and I have The Big Personal Trip starting at the beginning of July.

My ideal outcome is a DAS17 being booked for me leaving a week after I get home from the BPT but I have a horrid feeling my DONE is going to be broken or I will be on a flight back to HKG the day I get back from BPT...

Cheers and sorry for the ramble

S

 

[serfty]

... The business sops are in JFK and AKL ...

Does this refer to work associates or clients?

 

[simongr]

I would probably refer to my colleagues as sots rather than sops

As an FYI due to my inglorious position all my meetings are internal when travelling - unless meeting external auditors - the greyness of their puts even mine to shame...

Oh and the reason for routing via HKG was I think that it will give me greatest flexibility to get to the potential locations whilst ensuring I can still get to the US if the detours are not required... if that wasnt clear before

 

[serfty]

One way to maximise flexibility make your first international trip 'early' and somewhere close to Oz and return on a separate booking. The xONEx then becomes as flexible as it going to get.

You could consider AKL or SIN for this. J return SIN-SYD-SIN can be had for < SGD4,930 inclusive (~AUD3,910). ex AKL NZD2,174 (~AUD1,760)

 

[simongr]

Interesting - almost thought for a second there that I could use my orphaned SYD-SIN flight but that wouldn't really help unless I got the company to pay for a SIN-SIN flight. I think as always I might be over complicating this...

 

[sr81]

Similar to Serfty why don't you actually start your DONE4 overseas?

AKL can be done with a day return and D availability is pretty good to MEL/SYD even at short notice. Cheap Y out and D back. Even if you have to use your own hard earned :shock: you still shouldn't be out of pocket much. You could do this relatively soon if required.

Another idea is a JQi run. JQ to your start point then backwards to Oz with oneworld. I realise that this one is a little out there.

 

[simongr]

From a $ perspective if I link the DONE4 with the visits to BOM/HKG then I will be saving the cost of a Circle Asia fare so I wont be paying extra.

The "problem" that I am probably not communicating well enough is that I have to pay for my DONE4 by early/mid July. I might not know at that point if i need to go to BOM/HKG or if it can be linked to the DONE4.

So my idea is to have a first flight that can be bought and paid for that will give me maximum flexibility if I need to change the rest of the routing.

The only way this will be required will be if the BOM/HKG happens in the first week of Sep or the third week of Sep.

So my thought process is book a DONE4 with the first flight SYD-HKG following then my other routing and changing that if I I need to hit up BOM.

The question is whether I should reroute on the off chance that I might need to reroute further on...