Trip Planning DONE4 2007 - SYD-MIA-LCA-SYD

[Kiwi Flyer]

If the ticket is issued in US (eg US ticket office or travel agent) it will be more expensive than if it is ticketed in Australia. This is because fare is highest of local fare and fare ex-origin.

However ticketing in Australia and paying on US credit card should have same fare as paying on Australia credit card - although your US bank may impose currency fees to make it more expensive.

 

[simongr]

Hmm - that's not great

I have just put together and updated itinerary which should be attached to this. Its not perfect but the times for the HEL and BKK sidetrips didnt quite work...


The routing is now:

syd-lax-ord-dfw-mco-lga,jfk-dfw-jfk-lhr-fco-lgw-pfo-lgw,lhr-hkg-bkk-hkg-syd-bne-syd-mel-syd

Strange to think that I am more inclined to fly to LGW via Rome simply to avoid crossing london

The oneworld planner in the oneworld timetables software doesnt like this trip but mileage monkey does... who to believe....

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I'm guessing it is the surface segments - due to lazy programming. Looks okay to me.

 

[simongr]

Yup - thinking that it is surface segments. I am guessing perhaps that you can do a land sgement somehow on say a Train as part of your overall ticket that forms part of the itinerary?

I just now need to go through the itinerary and check D availability for each flight - I assume that there is no easier way than doing each flight selected in expertflyer?

EDIT

Just a quick question, if I put dates in for the end trips to BNE/MEL - I can change those at any time as long as the routing doesnt change?

And one more - should I specify the AA or QF flight numbers to minimise fuel surcharges - do they have an impact?

 

[NM]

Yup - thinking that it is surface segments. I am guessing perhaps that you can do a land sgement somehow on say a Train as part of your overall ticket that forms part of the itinerary?

Technically there are not any surface segments in that itinerary. LGA/JFK and LGW/LHR are treated as NYC and LON as co-located ports. I suspect the "problem" is that you have not defined which two SWP ports will be the two stopovers. I assume you will use the first SYD and BNE as the stopovers and that the final BNE-SYD-MEL-SYD will be transits.

I just now need to go through the itinerary and check D availability for each flight - I assume that there is no easier way than doing each flight selected in expertflyer?

Yep, that is about the easiest way to do it.

Just a quick question, if I put dates in for the end trips to BNE/MEL - I can change those at any time as long as the routing doesnt change?

Yes, you can change them up to the end validity of the ticket (i.e. 12 months after first flight) and you must preserve the max of 2 stopovers in SWP rule.

And one more - should I specify the AA or QF flight numbers to minimise fuel surcharges - do they have an impact?

Flight number will not affect fuel surcharge. This is set by the carrier that issues the ticket based on the sector not the flight number (i.e. AA will charge a fuel fine for trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic regardless of which flight number is used).

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Just a quick question, if I put dates in for the end trips to BNE/MEL - I can change those at any time as long as the routing doesnt change?

And one more - should I specify the AA or QF flight numbers to minimise fuel surcharges - do they have an impact?

No need to reissue for date changes where routing unchanged, just need availability in the relevant booking class (or voluntarily accept a downgrade) and make sure the dates are changed before the ticketed flight (else you will be a no show).

To minimise fuel surcharge get it ticketed through AA (easiest is to deal directly with AA as most Australian TAs will use QF for ticketing).

 

[NM]

No need to reissue for date changes where routing unchanged, just need availability in the relevant booking class (or voluntarily accept a downgrade) and make sure the dates are changed before the ticketed flight (else you will be a no show).

Certainly no re-issue for just date/time/flight number change, but I would expect a re-issue is needed if the class is changed (i.e. voluntary downgrade to L).

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Technically there are not any surface segments in that itinerary.

Sorry I used the wrong terminology. There are two sets of co-terminals used in the itinerary. As NM points out these are not surface segments. However from the txt file (and past experience) the software doesn't handle surface segments or co-terminals well.

 

[simongr]

To minimise fuel surcharge get it ticketed through AA (easiest is to deal directly with AA as most Australian TAs will use QF for ticketing).

It will be booked through a US TA so I will instruct them to use AA for ticketing.

I suspect the "problem" is that you have not defined which two SWP ports will be the two stopovers. I assume you will use the first SYD and BNE as the stopovers and that the final BNE-SYD-MEL-SYD will be transits.

Just to clarify in terms what I would like to do - which I am not sure is possible:

Arrive SYD after trip on 5 April and have 5 days at home. Fly to BNE for 3 days and then fly home. FLy to MEL about a month later for the day. I thought my stopovers were SYD and BNE ?

 

[NM]

There is your problem:

Arrive SYD after trip on 5 April and have 5 days at home.

That is SWP stopover number 1 in SYD

Fly to BNE for 3 days

That is SWP stopover number 2 in BNE

... and then fly home.

That is SWP stopover number 3 in SYD and hence then end of the itinerary

FLy to MEL about a month later for the day.

Better purchase another toicket to get to MEL

I thought my stopovers were SYD and BNE ?

SYD, BNE, SYD in your desired routing, which makes 3 and hence not allowed under the rules.

 

[simongr]

Apologies - I was being a bit dim.,

So basically if I want to use the 4 SWP flights to good effect after I have arrived home for a few days I can only have one trip away unless its an away day. I guess in this routing I could (but wont due to time available) do:

Hkg-SYD - home for 2 days (STOP1)

SYD-MEL-SYD day trip

SYD-BNE-SYD for 3 days (stop2)

End trip?

S

 

[serfty]

Not unless you go SYD-MEL-SYD-BNE (STOP2) BNE-SYD.

You could do: -HKG-MEL-SYD, <S1>, SYD-MEL-BNE,<S2>, BNE-SYD

or

You could do: -HKG-BNE-MEL-SYD, <S1>, SYD-BNE,<S2>, BNE-SYD (For more miles/qpoints)

At least it gets you home for Easter. At one stage we may have crossed paths at HKG on the 6th ...

 

[serfty]

DONE4 base prices vary and you will be charged the more expensive of the cost from the country of origin and that of the country of purchase.

From Expert Flyer:

MEL: AUD 9,699
LAX: AUD11,207

So the base price is approx AUD1,500 more expensive when purchased in the US.

+++'s will be about the same for AA in US and AA in Oz.

 

[NM]

Hkg-SYD - home for 2 days (STOP1)

SYD-MEL-SYD day trip

SYD-BNE-SYD for 3 days (stop2)

End trip?

S

Nope. that is still 3 stops. Your return to SYD after the MEL daytrip is another stopover unless you connect to BNE within 24 hours of returning from the MEL daytrip.

 

[simongr]

Just a quick one. I have been planning the trip a lot now and due to all sorts of reasons I might simplify it a little - its still around 38K BIS miles which I think is a lot

The plan is now:

Date	Trip	Dep	Arr	Flight number
17-Mar	SYD-HKG	08:35	14:50	cx110
17-Mar	HKG-SFO	16:30	13:25	CX872
17-Mar	SFO-MIA	21:15	05:20	AA392
18-Mar	MIA-MCO	07:45	08:45	AA404
21-Mar	MCA-LGA	20:45	23:20	AA1832
24-Mar	JFK-BGI	10:05	14:40	AA1835
25-Mar	BGI-JFK	16:10	21:20	AA1834
29-Mar	JFK-LHR	18:10	06:25	AA100
30-Mar	LGW-PFO	14:55	21:30	BA6842
2-Apr	LCA-LHR	16:50	19:50	BA663
2-Apr	LHR-HKG	21:50	18:05	CX254
3-Apr	HKG-SYD	21:10	07:55	QF128
12-Apr	SYD-BNE	xx	xx	xx
15-Apr	BNE-SYD	xx	xx	xx

I dont know the BNE dates yet but they should be easy to confirm and I might just book dummy dates at this point.

I know I am wasting 2 euro sectors but this gets me home a day earlier and even has no layovers in LON to deal with.

I would like to be able to switch the LCA-LHR to a LCA-LGW so I can spend time with LON family but its GB airlines - and I dont think that can be used for DONE4 can it?

Cheers
S

 

[Dave Noble]

I would like to be able to switch the LCA-LHR to a LCA-LGW so I can spend time with LON family but its GB airlines - and I dont think that can be used for DONE4 can it?

Cheers
S

GB Airways is perfectly ok for a DONE4 ATW as long as it is a BA flight number

Dave

 

[simongr]

Thanks as always - that might make a difference Just cant plan it on the oneworld explorer software as it seems to only pick up OW metal... the flight info section picks up code shares though ...

Darn - the GB flight goes to MAN first - just as easy to drive to LCA and then have faster conenctions home.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Once you start getting down to those distances the *A RTW (distance based) becomes more cost effective

Of course that doesn't help with OW (re)qualification, but you can easily get *Gold (plus enough points for a decent award) from a single *A RTW in business class. *Gold has more benefits than OW Sapphire, and similar to OW Emerald (some more, some less).

 

[simongr]

Thanks for confusing me now KF! If I was going to go back to QFF rather than AADvantage I would consider it. I could get QF Plat I think from just one trip (almost) and then I would probably be happy to *A - but as I want AA to be my program then to get top tier I need to book all to AA.

The trip is getting more complex - D0 on some segments so just planning a rerouting. The issue now is the US weekend trip. The direct flights to BGI have no D availability - and I am not sure I want to go via MIA (equally not sure if I can go via MIA on this itinerary). It might be easier to just have a day trip to DFW and then have a chilling day in NYC.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Thanks for confusing me now KF!

You are welcome