The next DONE4 planning thread

[d15.in.oz]

...And if connections are good:...

Some students have too much time & too much money on their hands…

Although I do remember once, being on a flight out of SYD many years ago, when an Indonesian; Ms Suharto had “met a friend at the airport”, and decided not to continue her travels that day… the rest of us had to wait while 8 bags were found & unloaded from the hold, and the pilot made no bones telling all of us about it! LOL

 

[garyjohn951]

You have to be kidding out BOM being a nice place !!.

 

[Keith009]

Some students have too much time & too much money on their hands…

It's the disease called procrastination...
Money? Nah... hence the ex-NRT instead of the more legit way ex-MEL. Was going to be ex-CMB until CX canned CMB.

You have to be kidding out BOM being a nice place !!.

Been there for 2 nights - I quite liked it.
Thankfully didn't get tummy aches or other nasties either.

Am hoping to do New Delhi and Agra soonish. Maybe on my own version of Behomoth, the 2nd Incarnate.
(NRT-DEL-HKG-MEL-etc etc) - sorry that's how far I got with it.

 

[JohnK]

Some people have way too much time & too much money on their hands....

 

[simongr]

Actually for me this trip saves money. Given that my boss is ok to pay in the region of US$200-US$400/night for hotels and maybe US$60/night for meals (if its not a team event tyep function) then the fact that I spending 2-3 days travelling saves money on the trip as the lack of hotels offsets the additional taxes. Most of the taxes in fact will be incurred anyway without the "diversions"

 

[littl_flier]

In a thread related to QF now enforcing the 4 segment rule, hauteboy on FT recently posted that one can get QF WP flying in the US for approx. USD1300. The post related to judicial use of YUPP/KUPP fares. Those same fares credited to AA would be unlikely to get AAdvantage Gold.

It is reasonably apparent that in relation to attaining status there is quite a different philosophy with US domestic travel when compared with that of Qantas.

I'm really sorry to hijack you're thread Simongr but this is too good an opportunity to let slide. I have searched on FT but can't see where hauteboy has posted the routing needed for this? The mentioned BWI-HNL fare via DFW and LAX will qualify me for gold, but not WP? The first lounges would really be nice.

 

[JohnK]

I have searched on FT but can't see where hauteboy has posted the routing needed for this?

As far as I know a specific routing was not posted just that it is possible.

Requalify WP for under $1300.

The mentioned BWI-HNL fare via DFW and LAX will qualify me for gold, but not WP?

More than likely you will not be able to do it on one return trip. You will need at least 2 multi segment trips.

I think the whole concept of YUPs/QUPs/KUPs for QF status is to keep the segments short and try to keep the cost down. So you are unlikely to get more than 120 SCs per segment flying first class in the USA. So to requalify Platinum would require at least 10 segments more realistically at least 12 segments. Assume you can do 3 segments a day, anymore and it is very risky, and you should leave a day between trips then it will take you a minimum of 6 days to achieve Platinum just flying in the USA.

Of course there is no point in achieving Platinum with only domestic USA flights, unless you have other motives, as you will get some SCs getting there and coming back and there will be other trips during the year. For example on my upcoming RTW trip I hope to earn 420 SCs from a short status run in the USA which will take me 1/3 of the way to requalifying Platinum. My aim this membership year is to try and reach 1200 SCs but not exceed it if at all possible.

The first lounges would really be nice.

In the US? :shock:

 

[NM]

Checking bags HKG-DFW should be fine. They have to pop out at DFW for customs anyway so I doubt they'd get checked all the way to ANC/JFK/wherever...

He will clear customs at ORD, not DFW. Bags can be tagged to points beyond the customs clearance point, but must still be collected and escorted through customs and then if already tagged beyond that point will just need to be dropped at the appropriate post-customs location.

 

[simongr]

Well when I finally got onto the AA ATW desk (dropped out a couple of times) the booking took 7 mins 45 secs from the time I s started to dial - slightly better than 3 weeks...

I have 45 days to pay so I might even earn points on this

 

[littl_flier]

The first lounges would really be nice.

In the US? :shock:

No, for when I get back. I intend on doing a xONE4 next year where I will be based in the Canada for four months, hence the YUPP/KUPP fares. I'll then spend some time in London before trekking home, hence the access to First Lounges in LHR and HKG/SIN would be nice.

Well when I finally got onto the AA ATW desk (dropped out a couple of times) the booking took 7 mins 45 secs from the time I s started to dial - slightly better than 3 weeks...

I have 45 days to pay so I might even earn points on this

Congrats Simon, after all the stuffing around with QF, CX and FCm, AA seems to be the easiest. Definitely will remember this for future reference.

 

[Keith009]

He will clear customs at ORD, not DFW. Bags can be tagged to points beyond the customs clearance point, but must still be collected and escorted through customs and then if already tagged beyond that point will just need to be dropped at the appropriate post-customs location.

For some reason I read his itinerary as 'NRT-DFW.'

Well when I finally got onto the AA ATW desk (dropped out a couple of times) the booking took 7 mins 45 secs from the time I s started to dial - slightly better than 3 weeks...

I have 45 days to pay so I might even earn points on this

Congrats on getting SOB booked!

 

[simongr]

For some reason I read his itinerary as 'NRT-DFW.'

It is now It was NRT-ORD-DFW-ANC but is now NRTs-DFW-LAX-JFk - it was just too hard to make the ANC run work (no availability from ANC to DFW without an overnight in DFW or ANC) - I think NM read one of the itins but didnt see the multitude of other changes that I had made 9easy to miss given the frequency of change )

Its already recorded in my reservations on AA - and I have the seats available for selection.

I just now need to see if I can upgrade any segments to F (QF points of eVIPs when I get them).

Is it hard to use eVIPS? DO I just call the EXP Line?

 

[Dave Noble]

It is now It was NRT-ORD-DFW-ANC but is now NRTs-DFW-LAX-JFk - it was just too hard to make the ANC run work (no availability from ANC to DFW without an overnight in DFW or ANC) - I think NM read one of the itins but didnt see the multitude of other changes that I had made 9easy to miss given the frequency of change )

Its already recorded in my reservations on AA - and I have the seats available for selection.

I just now need to see if I can upgrade any segments to F (QF points of eVIPs when I get them).

Is it hard to use eVIPS? DO I just call the EXP Line?

eVIPs to F are quite easy to use, just look for A inventory. On your itinerary, there doesn't seem to be many flights where you can eVIP . only LAX-JFK. You might like to consider AA for transatlantic sector ( such as DFW-LGW or RDU-LGW ) to get best value

Dave

 

[Keith009]

When do you hit EXP?

You can also use an evip if you're booked on AA for NRT-DFW. And remember evips can be used on 3 segments if there aren't stopovers in between. I don't know if it's possible as you will already be in the highest cabin for ur 2nd segment (DFW-LAX) and hence that segment doesn't count for eviping but perhaps you could try upgrading LAX-JFK on the same evip as NRT-DFW since you aren't stopping over till JFK?

 

[NM]

I have 45 days to pay so I might even earn points on this

But if you had booked and paid a week ago you could have saved $490 by beating the price rise.

 

[simongr]

When do you hit EXP?

You can also use an evip if you're booked on AA for NRT-DFW. And remember evips can be used on 3 segments if there aren't stopovers in between. I don't know if it's possible as you will already be in the highest cabin for ur 2nd segment (DFW-LAX) and hence that segment doesn't count for eviping but perhaps you could try upgrading LAX-JFK on the same evip as NRT-DFW since you aren't stopping over till JFK?

I will make EXP after my LHR-DXB-LHR Harry Potter reading/Mileage Run on the BEHEMOTH in July. I dont have any three class AA flights on that trip either . I did think about AA for the NRT-DFW flight but the flight times didnt work. I am actually on JAL on that flight. I might do the LAX-JFK in F if I can as I that i is an overnight flight so could be good ot get some sleep

But if you had booked and paid a week ago you could have saved $490 by beating the price rise.

Let us never mention this again

You might like to consider AA for transatlantic sector ( such as DFW-LGW or RDU-LGW ) to get best value

I might look at those flights (although not sure where RDU is ) as I have quite a long layover in LGW so a later flight in might be good if I can do it in F (and more miles )

 

[IainF]

Hey Simon,
As a matter of interest, if you need to "borrow" an EVip to make sure you get an F seat.. there are ways and means....
Cheers
IainF

 

[simongr]

Thanks for the heads up - sadly my problem wont be a lack of eVIPs - just a lack of somehwere to use them

 

[IainF]

Thanks for the heads up - sadly my problem wont be a lack of eVIPs - just a lack of somehwere to use them

That is my current problem.

I am thinking of an run later this year to USA just to make use of them.

 

[simongr]

I think for next year's trips I will be booking AA NRT-USA and USA-UK as long as I can get into F. Hopefully not coffins
I might see how I am travelling with the eVIPS and give them away - maybe to colleagues in the US - so my boss could book whY to the UK and upgrade to F - might offset some of my travel costs