US Optimised Route for First Class

[Chucksta]

Could someone please post their optimised route they used in the USA to earn First (A class) status credits?

Still planning my DONE4, hopefully starting from Jakarta (CGK). Still trying to work out how to actually book a DONE4 ex CGK. I know there is a QF office in Jakarta. Not sure about AA (so maybe not be able to use the AA RTW Desk).

The plan so far is:
CGK-JFK (transit in HKG with CX)
Then depart LAX to LHR with BA or AA

I need to fill in the 6 flights in North America starting from JFK and ending in LAX.

Do most flights between the major cities have a First Class cabin?

Is AA First domestic similar to QF domestic biz in Australia?

Is it more difficult having a paper ticket? I would prefer to use all 20 flight segments if possible, instead of the 16 for an eticket.

 

[simongr]

When you say optimised - I assume you mean you are happy to kill a few days in the US flying anywhere to maz out some SCs?

Personally I would rate the US domestic F (MD80 or 757) slightly above the millenium seats on QF but behind the dreamtime seats you sometimes get.

Most non-trasncon AA flights (not american eagle who only have whY) have 2 class whY/F configs.

The easiest routing is something like:

jfk-dfw-anc-dfw-jfk-lax

Obviously there is limited availablility dfw-anc-dfw and it's not for the luggage carriers

 

[Chucksta]

Thanks Simongr.

I forgot about Alaska! Is there actually anything to see and do in Anchorage??

Is there a way to include SFO with ANC, JFK, LAX?

I think when i'm in the USA, i will just book online economy fares to get from LAX to Las Vegas and maybe New York to Washington.

No real point using up my DONE4 segments on those flights is there??

thanks

Chucksta

 

[simongr]

There are heaps of flights DFW-SFO and JFK-SFO

So...

jfk-sfo-dfw-anc-dfw-lax

Timings might be tricky so you might need to overnight places...

In terms of wasting segments from a DONE4 - that is up to you. On my last simple DONE4 I hardly used my US segments due to time pressures so its only a waste if you have time to use the other up for max SC earning.

 

[Evan]

I think this is about the absolute max F SC's you can earn on this sort of ticket.... (just waiting for somebody to post a higher SC earn now?) Thats a summer route only with ANC, i know you said arrive JFK and depart SFO so just reverse the route below.

SFO-MIA-BOS-DFW-ANC-DFW-JFK

E

 

[Chucksta]

I think this is about the absolute max F SC's you can earn on this sort of ticket.... (just waiting for somebody to post a higher SC earn now?) Thats a summer route only with ANC, i know you said arrive JFK and depart SFO so just reverse the route below.

SFO-MIA-BOS-DFW-ANC-DFW-JFK

E

Is DFW a special city that lets you max out SC earn?

 

[moa999]

No. It's just the only place to get to ANC from
and is AAs main hub sitting smack bang near the middle of the US

 

[simongr]

Following on from that - it means that you can fly from DFW to pretty much anywhere without it counting as a transcon flight.

There is large numbers of flights as well. The downside being that due to the time zone you need to get out of DFW early afternoon if heading east.

 

[serfty]

... SFO-MIA-BOS-DFW-ANC-DFW-JFK ...

That's 810 SC's with 3x120 & 3x150 SC segments. Tough to get more ...

One way is to use HNL, but this is difficult to do without sacrificing SC's elsewhere.

e.g. -HNL-ORD-MIA-SFO-DFW-ANC-DFW-LHR- earns 870 SC's

However, the SYD-JFK is 240 SC's for a start ..., maybe SYD-NRT-HNL?

 

[simongr]

That would involve flyiong long haul on JL (maybe avoid the lack of status bonus by using the AA flight number).

Personally I would be avoiding long haul on JL unless it was their new product NRT-JFK.

 

[Evan]

That's 810 SC's with 3x120 & 3x150 SC segments. Tough to get more ...

One way is to use HNL, but this is difficult to do without sacrificing SC's elsewhere.

e.g. -HNL-ORD-MIA-SFO-DFW-ANC-DFW-LHR- earns 870 SC's

However, the SYD-JFK is 240 SC's for a start ..., maybe SYD-NRT-HNL?

If you fly ...DFW-LHR doesn't this burn a segment with you having to get to LHR via MIA,ORD,LAX etc and it being a different flight number so being an extra segment ?

And i am with simongr about avoiding JL long haul.

E

 

[serfty]

BA and AA have a direct flights DFW to LHR.

In all honesty, I was just trying to max out SC's for the 6 NA segments. By going via HNL the SC's for that can be increased. However, it's impractical for most situations as one loses more SC's than the 60 gained.

e.g. SYD-JFK in J earns 240 SC's, SYD-HNL in J earns 140 SC's. LAX-LHR in J earns 140 SC's, DFW-LHR in J earns 120 SC's.

Routing ex SYD via Asia has it's own implications such as: it uses up a segment, restricts further travel to Asia etc.

 

[Chucksta]

Thanks everyone for your help.

This is my route so far...

CGK-JFK (via HKG transit on CX)

JFK-DFW-ANC-DFW-BOS-MIA-SFO (or possibly LAX instead of SFO, but LAX is 30 SC less)

SC Tally so far is 1070.

My wife and I are thinking of taking a break in SFO/LAX and then flying back to PER and then continuing the DONE4 in OCT after the SCs reset. But this means a 15 hour long haul flight in QF Y to get to SYD or MEL and then another 4 hour flight to PER.

Also, the Y flights ex USA on QF seem more expensive than ex AUS!

Decisions decisions....

 

[Chucksta]

What's wrong with this routing?

CGK-JFK-DFW-ANC-DFW-BOS-MIA-LAX-LHR-DXB-LHR-HEL-LHR-SYD-NRT-HKG-CGK

CGK-JFK (on CX with a transit in HKG)
LHR-SYD (on QF with a transit in SIN)

I get the following error message when I add the SYD-NRT segment on the oneworld explorer planner on the oneworld website:
Your second visit to this continent must be a transit without stopover, i.e. less than 24 hours. This tool applies average connection times. At time of booking please ensure you meet this airport's Minimum Connect Time.

I thought the first visit to ASIA was only a transit in HKG??

thanks

Chucksta

 

[NM]

BA and AA have a direct flights DFW to LHR.

As of tomorrow (28th March) that is the case. Has been DFW-LGW up until then.


Also note that AA flights to ANC are seasonal in the summer only.

 

[serfty]

I generally look at the next few months for routes rather than today ...

 

[NM]

I generally look at the next few month for routes rather than today ...

I did have to look it up. I knew DFW-LON has been to LGW for many years, but had read it was changing to LHR sometime soon.

 

[serfty]

What's wrong with this routing? ...

Is there a oneworld service SIN-CGK? This tool may be useful: oneworld Online Timetable. , but tells me there isnot.

Don't worry about the "second visit", it more of a bug in that planner. As you commence in Asia you have "already" visited, in reality once you do SYD-NRT you cannot leave Asia again.

I find this tool better: MileageMonkey 0.95017 (used in conjunction with the above link to verify routes).

Note that as you start in Asia you are permitted only the two stopovers in Asia.

 

[simongr]

Ooh that might be interesting for my next DONE4 in Sep that I have started planning - thinking of reversing my normal routing and going to Cyprus first rather than last with a little bit of San Antonio thrown in a tiny little mileage run as well