Maximising SCs [but time limited] for QF Plat run

[kpc]

Hi Guys,

Just need a little help and suggestions please...I have maintained QF Gold and SQ PPS for the last couple of years. With the draconian changes to SQ PPS, and the advent of the new QF F lounge at Syd, and the impending new QF domestic business lounges, I thought I might have a go at getting QF Plat next year (I know there are rumours that the threshold might be changing).

I need to attend a meeting in Glasgow (4 days) in late April, followed by a meeting in Washington (5 days) in early May. This trip is for work and will be in J class. Time is very limited for me so I really need to travel the most direct route, as opposed to backtracking / indirect routes as per the usual DONE4. Given these restraints, I would like to maximise the SCs I can get from this trip.

Syd-Hkg-Lhr-Gla with CX, CX and BA will get me 120+160+40=320 SCs vs
Syd-(Bkk or Sin)-Lhr-Gla with QF (or BA) and Ba which will get me 240+40=280 SCs

....so travelling to Lhr via Hkg on CX gets me 40 more SCs as I will be travelling on 2 flight numbers as opposed to 1 flight number from Syd to LHR with either Qf (or Ba).

From Glasgow to Washington, it is pretty staright forward: Gla-Lhr-Bwi (or Iad) with BA and BA will get me 40+120=160 SCs. I can't see how I can maximise SCs more for this route.

Flying back from Washinton to Sydney is a little more tricky as there a few options, and I'm not to familiar with this route:

Options: IAD (or BWI)- LAX will get me 80 SCs on AA but does AA have J class?; Lax-Syd with QF will net 180 SCs; alternatively, IAD (or BWI) - JFK will get me 40 SCs (Is this right??) with AA if they have J class, and then JFK-Syd with QF will get 240 SCs, I think, so overall 40 SCs more with the second option.

Is it worth flying from Washington to JFK (short flight) cf directly to LAX (removing 1 stop) for an additional 40 SCs and change at LAX for the flight to Syd? Maximising SCs, followed by shorter travelling time and then minimising $costs would be the preferences in that order.

Any thoughts/ commments/ suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Mal]

Hi kpc

I'm sensing you want a straightforward DONE4 for this trip.

There are still some tricks you can use.

Domestic (US) flights will be in F class on a DONE4 (unless a 3 class plane which are used for some intercontinental routes). So you still have ways to maximise US SC earning.

How about tacking on some Australian touring at the end of the trip?

Slightly indirect routing through Asia - SYD-SIN-HKG etc.

There are ways

 

[dajop]

As DONE4's book into A class (first) in the US where seats are available in this fare bucket (except for a transcontinentals that have business & first class seats), that is where the best opportunity to pick up SC's comes from. If you have the time on the day you depart, I'd suggest trying to hop across the US rather than take a direct flight. eg, DCA-MIA (12:35/15:05) MIA-DFW (16:20/18:20) on a 777 with real first, DFW-LAX (19:40/20:55) will net you 300 SC's, then you get another 180 on SYD-LAX. DCA-ORD-DFW-LAX would also work.

Whatever you do, DO NOT let your TA book you into QF code for a domestic US flight, unless there are no seats available in the A fare bucket on AA.

 

[serfty]

As posted by MAL and dajop, with a DONEx when travelling in a 2 class domestic US flight on AA, you book into A class and get First Class status credits.

If you can take all day to get to LAX you could do something like IAD-MIA-BOS-DFW-LAX for 450SC (departing 6am, arriving 10:15pm, well in time for the ~11:50pm flights (QF108, QF150) back to SYD).

If you can get a spare day, a YUP is your friend; you can easily get at least 300 SC's for AUD1K.

 

[alect]

AA's DCA/BWI-JFK flights are shuttles on ER3s and thus no F (nor A) - no a good inclusion for your needs.

 

[Danger]

If you can get a spare day, a YUP is your friend; you can easily get at least 300 SC's for AUD1K.

Serfty, are you able to explain this in a little more detail for the laymen amongst us?

 

[JohnK]

This has been discussed many times on AFF recently. Search for QUP/YUP to get a feel of what is involved.

I think this thread would be a good start.

 

[serfty]

Yup!

And in that thread there are links to this informative thread. Good SC earning value ex HNL travelling AA First.

(For Nov I've booked a 450SC route for AUD875[booked when AUD was ~0.87USD])

 

[Bundy Bear]

To get out of Australia think of transiting either Brisbane or better still Melbourne.

From the UK maybe suggest heading to Chicago ORD before flying to Washington. Avoid American Eagle as its economy only. AA First is your friend. Heading home consider flying via Miami and or Dallas. You don't want 3 class and there is one of LAX-IAD so avoid. Coming back into Australia consider going via Melbourne if you don't have the time for a side trip to Perth or Adelaide.

DONE4 allows 16 segments on E-Ticket;
4 Southwest Pacific/Australia
4 Europe
6 North America
plus the transfers between areas.