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

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simongr

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Hi all

Its that time again. I am just starting to plan for my (potentially) first trip in 2007. I need to be in Orlando on 19/20 March for 3 days and possibly in NY 26 March for 3 days. I want to route back via LCA (doing the "usual" JFK-LHR-LCA-LHR" trip).

I am just looking for some idea on maximising the points earning. The trip is going to be in business the whole way. I am thinking again a DONE4.

Now I had this wacky idea of going to MIA via Santiago to maximise the miles - I am not sure if this makes it a DONE4 or DONE5 - but as I am only transiting through there or transiting through Asia I think it can still be a DONE4 (is there a way to save money and make it a DONE3??). I have no interest in staying in any one place overnight and want to minimise the time away in total.

So I am just looking for some ideas on how to maximise mileage. If the Santiago (SCL?) trip works I think I could go something like this:

SYD-SCL-MIA-DFW-LAX-JFK-ORD-DFW-JFK-LHR-LCA-LHR-HKG-SYD-MEL-SYD-BNE-SYD to give me:

38853 miles, 87422 points and 58279qpoints

I know that the Asia part is a bit wasted but by then I might need to get home. Although I could add in some work in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong if necessary - but that would have me away for 3-4 weeks which is too long and would runinto Easter...

Any thoughts?

Oh and departure date has to be late morning of Saturday 17 March or later...

Cheers

S
 
simongr said:
... Now I had this wacky idea of going to MIA via Santiago to maximise the miles - I am not sure if this makes it a DONE4 or DONE5 - but as I am only transiting through there or transiting through Asia I think it can still be a DONE4 (is there a way to save money and make it a DONE3??). ...
As soon as you touch SA you have visited there, even on a transit, so it becomes a DONE5.

You may save money by starting a DONE3 from Asia, say BKK. Fly to BKK in JQ StarClass for ~AUD2200 return ex SYD. An ex BKK DONE3 has a base fare of just under AUD8000.

Contrast this to an ex SYD DONE4 at AUD9700 and a DONE5 at 10800.
 
Here's an EX BKK DONE3 routing that will earn about 55500 qpoints and 74,000 Aadvantage miles:

BKK-HKG-JFK-DFW-MIA-DFW-LAX-ORD-JFK-LHR-LCA-LHR-HEL-LHR-HKG-NRT-HKG-BKK

I've thrown in additional side trip to HEL & NRT ...
 
OK - so after a little tweaking I think this might be the start of a plan:

SYD-HKG-TPE-NRT-LAX-SFO-DFW-MIA-LAX-DFW-JFK-LHR-LCA-LHR-FRA-LHR-HKG-NRT-HKG-SYD

WHich I believe is about 41K miles flown. I have 4 segments to add - two in europe and 2 in SWP or 4 in SWP. I cant work out from a mileage perspective what would be better :/

I just now need to get the flights themselves to work out - maybe a little project this evening :)

I think maybe the LAX-SFO is a bit of a waste :/ ANd I havent visited ORD yet - I wonder if they will still have the 25K bonus for ORD.

The big question will be whether I get tgtwwm to tag along for this mileage run - should easily make him QF WP (or AA plat if I can pursuade him to switch)...


Updated

New itinerary 19 segments :)

SYD-HKG-TPE-NRT-LAX-ord-DFW-MIA-LAX-ord-JFK-LHR-LCA-LHR-hel-LHR-hkg-nrt-hkg-SYD
 
Ok - this is the potential itinerary - I dont think its practical at this stage - too many overnight stay whilst I am on detours - which wont be approved by my boss.

Its only the first cut though :)
 

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  • DONE4 - Itinerary March 2007.txt
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simongr said:
Ok - this is the potential itinerary - I dont think its practical at this stage - too many overnight stay whilst I am on detours - which wont be approved by my boss.

Its only the first cut though :)

What happened to MCO on 19/20 March for 3 days :?:
 
Oops - I had mistaken MCO for MIA - are they close?

the intent is to be in Orlando for three days 19-21 March.
 
simongr said:
Oops - I had mistaken MCO for MIA - are they close?

the intent is to be in Orlando for three days 19-21 March.

Click on Maps.com :: World's largest map store :: wall maps, travel maps, atlases, digital maps and more. and click on directions. Then insert Start and Destination (city and state is sufficient). Distance from Miami to Orlando shows up as 233.6 miles with 4 hours as the time.

Getting out of Miami airport is the ultimate challenge. Once moving the trip is fast though I'd recommend the Florida Turnpike (read toll road) as I95 gets very choked up on occasions.

I'll be in the area just before you and leave MCO on 4th March.
 
Assuming you want to maximise AA miles earning rather than QF status credits, try something like this:

SYD-HKG-JFK-LAX-DFW-MCO-DFW-LAX-LHR-LCA-LHR-DXB-LHR-HKG-SYD-PER-ADL-BNE-SYD

Note the second HKG will need to be a transit as the first HKG will be considered your Asia stop even if it is less than 24 hours. Keep the LHRs to transits to avoid the 80 quit taxes. You could maximise the Asia component on the outbound if you like by adding something like HKG-BOM-HKG or HKG-NRT-HKG (the latter being more passenger-friendly routing).

MCO-MIA is quite a drive! MCO is much smaller airport and quicker to get in and out. In my experience, baggage collection at MIA is a real pain with regular long waits and a long walk from arrival gates to baggage belts. If you need to at Orlando, fly in and out of MCO.
 
NM said:
Assuming you want to maximise AA miles earning rather than QF status credits, try something like this:

SYD-HKG-JFK-LAX-DFW-MCO-DFW-LAX-LHR-LCA-LHR-DXB-LHR-HKG-SYD-PER-ADL-BNE-SYD

MCO-MIA is quite a drive! MCO is much smaller airport and quicker to get in and out. In my experience, baggage collection at MIA is a real pain with regular long waits and a long walk from arrival gates to baggage belts. If you need to at Orlando, fly in and out of MCO.

Thanks for the info - will definitely fly to MCO I think. I do need to be bakc in JFK the next week so need to tweak that. I tried that itinerary through mileage monkey and it didnt like the second eur-mid east (1st bein LHR-LCA-LHR and the second being LHR-DXB-LHR).

I would love to try the HKG -JFK - thats a massive flight! I cant seem to get a decent flight time though. I want to leave SYD on the saturday morning (earliest HKG flight is 8:30AM) mand that gets in to HKG at about 3PM - and the flight out to JFK is 4PM - not sure if that is a legal transfer at HKG. Obviously I would check bags through to JFK...
 
simongr said:
I tried that itinerary through mileage monkey and it didnt like the second eur-mid east (1st bein LHR-LCA-LHR and the second being LHR-DXB-LHR).
Oops, yes I had not realised Cyprus is included in the restriction or 2 long flights from UK. perhaps add a LHR-HEL-LHR turnaround if you really want to maximise mileage. That used to be a good one to add for QF SC earning, being over 1000 miles, but the current zones don't make it quite as attractive as it used to be.
simongr said:
I would love to try the HKG -JFK - thats a massive flight! I cant seem to get a decent flight time though. I want to leave SYD on the saturday morning (earliest HKG flight is 8:30AM) mand that gets in to HKG at about 3PM - and the flight out to JFK is 4PM - not sure if that is a legal transfer at HKG. Obviously I would check bags through to JFK...
Check with the airline, but I do think 60 mins is legal connection at HKG. Note that CX operates 2 flights HKG-NRT, being CX830 as a non-stop A340-600, and CX888 with a transit at YVR using 747-400 aircraft. The latter is the afternoon departure.
 
Even though 60 minutes may meet MCT in HKG; if one has CX lounge access it comes nowhere near MWPET*! :p

(*Minimum Wing/Pier Enjoyment time)
 
serfty said:
Even though 60 minutes may meet MCT in HKG; if one has CX lounge access it comes nowhere near MWPET*! :p

(*Minimum Wing/Pier Enjoyment time)

Sadly I wont have F lounge access this time :mad: so no BBQ pork buns for me!
 
simongr said:
Well the trips have been confirmed :DD Time to start planning!
Also, a SYD-PER-DRW-ADL-SYD will give you an extra 1201 miles compared to a SYD-PER-ADL-BNE-SYD..
 
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Just a quick update. Due to D0 on LH R-LCA I have now got the route below:

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

This locks in a trip to BNE for a wedding that we are going to (mind you I then need to get mrssimongr into J on the same flight...)

IMles earning roughly:

Code:
econ	biz	first	Airlines	Distance	Description
7502	16880	18755	~swp-~nam	7502	SYD-LAX
1743	3922	4358	~nam-~nam	1743	LAX-ORD
791	1780	1978	~nam-~nam	791	ORD-DFW
974	2192	2435	~nam-~nam	974	DFW-MCO
952	2142	2380	~nam-~nam	952	MCO-LGA
1377	3098	3443	~nam-~nam	1377	JFK-DFW
1377	3098	3443	~nam-~nam	1377	DFW-JFK
4110	9248	10275	~nam-~eur	4110	JFK-HEL
1388	3123	3470	~eur-~eur	1388	HEL-FCO
874	1967	2185	~eur-~eur	874	FCO-LGW
1981	4457	4953	~eur-~eur	1981	LGW-PFO
1981	4457	4953	~eur-~eur	1981	PFO-LGW
5990	13478	14975	~eur-~asa	5990	LHR-HKG
1049	2360	2623	~asa-~asa	1049	HKG-BKK
1049	2360	2623	~asa-~asa	1049	BKK-HKG
4599	10348	11498	~asa-~swp	4599	HKG-SYD
468	1053	1170	~swp-~swp	468	SYD-BNE
468	1053	1170	~swp-~swp	468	BNE-SYD
438	986	1095	~swp-~swp	438	SYD-MEL
438	986	1095	~swp-~swp	438	MEL-SYD
39549	88988	98877	 	39549


EDIT

Just a quick one - if this is being booked and paid for in the US on a US credit card is that any cheaper? Do I need to to give instructions to the purchaser to make it cheaper? My boss will pay on his card for the travel.

S
 
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