Trip planning DONE4

[simongr]

I have been through HKG twice now - once for 6 hours 7 years ago and I paid to get into a lounge (a taste of things to come perhaps) and then yesterday for about an hour. I do like HKG airport - nice clean and shiny and the WIng was very nice - although I didnt get to fully experience it.

I now have only two confirmed DONE4 trips next year but I think both will route through HKG - just need to leave a little more time there to enjoy it

 

[NM]

I now have only two confirmed DONE4 trips next year but I think both will route through HKG - just need to leave a little more time there to enjoy it

And if you route them right you should make OneWorld Emerald status and then get to experience the F side of The Wing.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

And if you route them right you should make OneWorld Emerald status and then get to experience the F side of The Wing.

Assuming they are both in the same membership year (for QFF) or calendar year (for AAdvantage) it would be difficult not to make OW emerald from 2 DONE4s.

 

[simongr]

The problem with routings to make them more effective is time away from home. My first one is going to be something like:

March 07 - SYD-LAX-JFK-Miami-JFK-LHR-LCA-LHR-HKG-SYD-MEL-SYD-BNE-SYD STill having trouble with the domestic sectors being added by our TA but I have a couple of months to resolve that. Based on just the int'l sectors that is 30K miles

Oct 07 - SYD-LAX-JFK-LHR-LCA-LHR-HKG-SYD..... that is 28K miles

In between I will have a flight to Shanghai and maybe a couple of flights to HKG.

Based on the DONE4 flights being 58K miles that is 87,000 qpoints - so I need another 13K qpoints. Based on a single return to SHA I would hit emerald next year after the second DONE4. I am just wondering what I could do to easily increase the mileage without taking too much time off. I have an issue with the first DONE4 that its two weeks away so I dont want to delay too much on the return (as I will route back via LCA also)

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

If you can spare 24 hours (x2), LHR-MCT (or DXB) will add 7000 odd flown miles each which is enough.

But I get 62k flown miles between the 2 DONE4s (assuming second one also has SYD-MEL-SYD-BNE-SYD at the start/end), so would only need to do one MCT run (and no extra outlay except small amount in taxes).

 

[simongr]

Just wondering if I need to do any additional runs. The SYD-SHA-SYD and the potential SYD-HKG-SYD will be between the two DONE4s so it will only be if they dont happen that I might need to rethink the routing.

Of course I could do a mileage run for the sake of it - but if I am going to do a DONE4, SYD-SHA-SYD and then a DONE4 I will be emerald.

I guess this is the one downside to AAdvantage that its harder to get to Platinum/Emerald. Just on the rtw routing including MIA it would be about 940SCs on QF which is almost all the way to Platinum on one trip alone.

However that would mean I would have to suffer the QF burn rates

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

If I was in your position, and had a day to spare to do MCT/DXB turnaround I'd probably do it. Not just as mileage cough, but as insurance. The first DONE4 by itself, with these flights included, is enough for PLT even if subsequent trips to PVG and second DONE4 are cancelled.

 

[simongr]

Good point - might have a think about that and will definitely add the extra segments domestically (just about to draft an email to TA about that now).

In other news I am just starting to formulate a plan for the second half of next year to get mrsimongr travelling with me. I might put the initial questions out here now.

Context - I should have a meeting in New York or London in October next year. Once budget approval is given (probably late Novmeber/early December this year) I will start to think about booking. What I am maybe going to try to do (assuming the meeting is in NY) is book a DONE4 for me in J all paid by the company. The company might pay for mrsimongr to have a xONE4 in economy or they might pay for nothing. If they pay nothing then I am thinking of maybe somehow booking a oneworld reward through AA.

Currently I am unsure what the most effective approach to doing that will be. I guess once its confirmed and I have enough points I should make the award booking (whilst checking that there is D availability on the same flights) and then make the DONE4 booking. I am not sure of the mechanics of that at the moment and the best way to check availability so that I can phone AA and give them the routing. Do you think this is going to fall into the "too hard" basket to get it to work - with 10 months advance notice? The kicker migt be that some of the flights might have to be in the school holidays in NSW in October - but dates will be flxible to be most effective around that.

I currently have 54K points on AA with 50K points in Amex and about 67K points to post between now and December 15 and 20x500mile upgrade credits to post. I think that gives me access to roughly 150K points which should be enough I hope

I just dont know if its going to be feasible to make the combination DONE4 and award trip work. If we cant be on the same plane in the same class it probably wont happen.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

While a paid (DONE4 for example) business class books into first for AA's 2-class domestic flights, I do not know if the same is true for awards. Certainly with QF, NZ, SQ, etc business award would book into economy on US-domestic 2-class flights.

If you have a QFF account then you can check award availability on some routes using online booking. Unfortunately limited to routes between 253 selected airports so not guaranteed able to check for your entire itinerary (and I'm too lazy to check right now). So in theory you could check out award availability first before calling to make the bookings.

 

[simongr]

I am guessing that the availability of seats wont change with FF account? I.e. if a seat is available on the QF site for say a SYD-LAX flight - then it would be available for my AA program?

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

In business class - sure.

In economy have to watch out for the extra award booking class on QF flights for QF WP. IIRC similarly AA EXP (and PLT?) have extra award availability trans-atlantic on BA economy? Perhaps one of the AAdvantage experts could confirm?

 

[NM]

While a paid (DONE4 for example) business class books into first for AA's 2-class domestic flights, I do not know if the same is true for awards. Certainly with QF, NZ, SQ, etc business award would book into economy on US-domestic 2-class flights.

For QF awards, an business class award will book into economy for AA 2-class flights. But for an AA business class award, it would book into the first class cabin - just another annoyance with QF awards.

 

[simongr]

Thanks - thats great news.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

For QF awards, an business class award will book into economy for AA 2-class flights. But for an AA business class award, it would book into the first class cabin - just another annoyance with QF awards.

Thanks. Another reason to add to the long list of reasons to choose AAdvantage over QFF.

 

[Dave Noble]

In business class - sure.

In economy have to watch out for the extra award booking class on QF flights for QF WP. IIRC similarly AA EXP (and PLT?) have extra award availability trans-atlantic on BA economy? Perhaps one of the AAdvantage experts could confirm?

Unfortunately the ability to book into V on BA has gone. Apparantly AA never had an agreement for V awards . Any already booked in V will be honoured, however new bookings/any changes to existing awards will need to be booked into the normal award classes on BA

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Thanks for the update

 

[garyjohn951]

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I have booked MEL-SYD-BKK-HEL-LED-LHR-HKG-MEL for $7500 plus taxes in June and didn't have to ATW for it.

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