So, what are you burning your AA miles on?

[anat0l]

As the title says... since there are a number of us accumulating critical masses of AA miles (mostly through purchase), what are we saving up for?

Obviously, there are quite a few one-way F awards within easy reach (typically within 1-2 purchases of miles)... but the oneworld Explorer awards, albeit much more expensive, look like good value (if you can get enough sectors to offset the cost of getting them as individual awards).

I'm tempted by a F oneworld Explorer award right now, though that requires a lot of saving up... the 20k or even 25k mile limit for F is quite a bit compared to getting the flights individually. The 35k mile limit is more comfortable but certainly requires quite a bit of savings. (By that time, would it have been easier / cheaper to book a AONEx?) I could compromise and just do a J oneworld Explorer....

And of course, just as much as anything adverse could happen, it's quite possible that mileage prices could increase in the near future, so hoarding points obviously carries with it indubitable risk.

What's everyone's thoughts on this?

 

[knasty]

Personally I can't go past J on CX to Europe. With a total of AUD2,300 purchasing the 60k + 30k promo and 20k SPG miles = 25k AA miles I only end up 5k miles shy, which a few Amex MR points can make up if necessary. Although I have to say the best bang for buck I've done is J to South America - 100k miles return instead of a $6,800 cash ticket cemented my relationship with AA miles.

 

[trooper]

I use 35K at a time to get me (in comfort) to appropriate Asian ports where I pick up my cheap paid Biz fares onward!

Fly out tomorrow actually!

Hey! I hit 1000 posts!:shock::mrgreen:

 

[burmans]

Although I have to say the best bang for buck I've done is J to South America - 100k miles return instead of a $6,800 cash ticket cemented my relationship with AA miles.

Which route did you take for this, I thought this was the deal for me too but had almost no luck actually finding seats!

 

[paultiffen]

I'm saving up for a 150K redemption of an explorer award in J. Would also consider F to Europe return. Other option is that internal Aus/NZ flights are good value in both Y and J. Especially as you could do something like Queenstown->Broome for 10K miles in Y.

 

[djfuzz]

Plain old one-way F awards for me here - nice opportunity to sample F on the new Kangaroute, and a mixture of CX F and new J on the way back.

I do wish AA made it slightly easier to book awards on CX, but still love those earn and burn rates (more latter than former for me now).

 

[Ewing]

SYD-LHR in F for me (QF1).

80,000 points and USD$80.

Got it on the exact date that I wanted, which is my next (and 30th) birthday! It'll be my first trip to the UK

 

[NM]

2 x J awards flying a combination of QF and MH to Maldives for wedding anniversary get-away.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I've booked F awards on CX/JL/AA HKG-NRT-LAX-MIA and back again on CX JFK-YVR-HKG. Will try at some point when the kitty's built up again to snag an F award to LHR on QF.

 

[hummel]

I use 35K at a time to get me (in comfort) to appropriate Asian ports where I pick up my cheap paid Biz fares onward!

Fly out tomorrow actually!

Hey! I hit 1000 posts!:shock::mrgreen:

I like to think this one of the better uses of points especially if you're not *points* rich.

 

[turtlemichael]

I bought miles to use on BA PRG-LHR-JNB in J. Availability went from excellent later this year to almost none around the dates I wanted (Feb next year). I ended up using miles on VS LHR-JNB. So between us we now have quite a few AA miles sitting there. My plan is to use a swag of them CDG-YYZ again on BA in F or J via LHR or maybe AA via an American port. The taxes and fees of course greatly favour AA but the convenience factor favours BA. Some more might be used getting home from the US around May 2014. There is virtually no QF JASA availability at discount rates from LA at the moment and if that continures the plan is to US AA miles to NRT again probably in F, have a few days there and get QF down from NRT. My intent is to continue using this device while I can.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

Taking my father in J to Ireland / DUB later this year from WLG (he's getting himself home afterwards in Y however!). I'm thinking of getting another 20k points and coming back in F, however I don't think F is for me per se, so will probably stick with J on the return leg.

AA points are quite good value - I can get to WLG from DRW for about $800 AUD with AA points, whereas it's closer to $2k booking outright with QF.

 

[Greggsy]

I'm looking a comfortable trip to the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England for a family of 4. I'm hoping point hoarding now will allow early booking to get the seats we want.

 

[knasty]

Which route did you take for this, I thought this was the deal for me too but had almost no luck actually finding seats!

This was Syd-Scl-Mvd. The trick I've found with these is to check availability separately ie. Syd-Scl, and Scl-Destination. Even if you can't find availability through to your final destination if you can get to Scl onward connections can be bought separately. QF availability viewed through QF Classic awards and LAN availability viewed by signing up for LAN's FF program and checking for the most restrictive award class (which is what AA books into).

 

[Paddy55]

Generally getting Mrs Paddy to/from Europe in J & F on CX/QF & BA, synchronising the returning flight with my DONE4s (only 2, but the pattern is nice).

I think next year I'll use the SYD-CMB for 35K as a starting point for a DONE4 as per the OP... good idea

 

[JohnK]

I have been buying the miles to redeem business class awards to Asia but the QF economy airfares are very well priced at the moment and too good to reject at this stage.

I did try to use AA miles for business class redemption to ATH for my mother but the availability was shocking. Unless you are extremely flexible then I suspect awards to a lot of destinations would need to be booked ~12 months out which is almost impossible.

 

[grussellt]

I managed to book 2 awards to LDH which is good value : 20,000 miles to save a return fare cost of around $1000 (or much more if you book later). Unfortunately no J.

 

[ChasingDaylight]

I take it one needs to phone AA to ascertain CX availability?

I'm thinking of taking CX F back from LHR (well, FCO but with a BA flight to LHR) in early December but am unsure if it's worth it (cost of another 20k points + share cost) so to speak. Otherwise I've got enough points as is (60k) to get me back on J class with QF. Or should I try CX J if points cost is the same?

Somewhat conflicted here!

 

[grussellt]

I take it one needs to phone AA to ascertain CX availability?

I'm thinking of taking CX F back from LHR (well, FCO but with a BA flight to LHR) in early December but am unsure if it's worth it (cost of another 20k points + share cost) so to speak. Otherwise I've got enough points as is (60k) to get me back on J class with QF. Or should I try CX J if points cost is the same?

Somewhat conflicted here!

You can see CX availability on QFF or Awardnexus, or simply join Asiamiles (CX). CX has flights from FCO to South Pacific via HKG which will get you back for 60000 miles in J.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Generally getting Mrs Paddy to/from Europe in J & F on CX/QF & BA, synchronising the returning flight with my DONE4s (only 2, but the pattern is nice).

I think next year I'll use the SYD-CMB for 35K as a starting point for a DONE4 as per the OP... good idea

Isn't South Africa the 'new' CMB when it comes to the most economical cities to start a DONE4?