RTW trip - points with QF or AA platinum challenge?

[brisbull]

Hey Forumites

I'm going on a RTW trip in 7 weeks, and am looking at my point options. Currently, the flights have been booked through QF, and my FF number is registered on the booking.

However, reading this site suggests that the AA points challenge can get elite status damn fast. The biggest problem is that the information on the AA website is not in line with what was said here last time it was discussed, so I am asking for some interpretation.

The flights are booked with the code L, which AA seems to say is ok, but will attract a 50% mile penalty. Does this include a 50% Q-point penalty as well? My first flight is BNE to LAX, about 7500 miles, and then I have 4 sectors in the US before heading to Heathrow. By this stage, I would have gained enough q-points to hit the 10,000 q-points needed, making it all worthwhile, but if its only 50%, I would be falling short. As my flights out of Europe is on Cathay, I get no q-points for that, and so overall I would not get elite until the end of the trip, and would have wasted many miles, making it all a bit pointless (bad pun).

Can anyone help clear this up? Full itinerary is BNE-LAX-San Fran-LAX-Las Vegas-Chicago-Newark-//-JFK-HTH-Inverness-//-Edinburgh-Paris-HTH-TXL-//-Rome-Hong Kong-BNE

US is all on AA, leave NY on BA, leave Rome on Cathay.

Cheers

 

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[Kiwi Flyer]

Welcome to AFF brisbull

... or you could search, or just wait for a more helpful response which I am sure will be forthcoming

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF brisbull

... or you could search, or just wait for a more helpful response which I am sure will be forthcoming

Assuming HTH is Heathrow (LHR) and you head for Inverness (INV) from Gatwick (LGW) then you would have the following routing: BNE-LAX-SFO-LAX-Las-ORD-EWR,JFK-LHR,LGW-INV,EDI-CDG-LHR-TXL,FCO-HKG-BNE. I believe with AAdvantage you score q-miles in L class on QF at the rate of 50% base miles. On AA it's 100%. Zip on BA Transatlantic and any CX. Assuming your Europe travel is on BA, that's all at 25%

That give an AA QMiles total of just over 7,000. Not nearly enough for the AA Plat challenge.

There's more information on the AA platinum challenge here: FewMile's Unofficial Guide to American Airlines' Advantage.

You actually have seven sectors unused, 4 in asia, 4 in SWP and 2 Transcon sectors; had you considered using them.

For example, the following variation would get you there: go HKG-MEL-PER-BNE on QF instead of HKG-BNE on CX.