US Status run

[klavdy]

I've been flying on DJ (Int)mainly this year, have had five QF flights (domestic) so my WP status is crumbling.
There is a light though, off to the U.S for the month of June so I best get my credits up while there.
I need to get the AA runs sussed though, guess I have about a week to fly around the U.S getting 'em.
Hope nobody minds too much, but you will be bugged for tips regarding the easiest ways to rack 'em up.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.

 

[tuppaware]

The two I have found the best

LAX-SFO Instant upgrade - $500 or so 240 SCs
Another recent one was
LAX - DFW - FLL - DFW - LAX $600 or so , 400 SC's

 

[klavdy]

Thank you Tupperware, you are a Champion.

 

[notzac]

I've got a few ideas, but - how many SCs do you need and how much are you willing to spend?
Also, what part of the US will you be in (this to determine where to start any YUP fares from).. tuppaware has posted some excellent suggestions, but there may be others as well

 

[klavdy]

Thanks Notzac,

Well, hmm, do I try to get all the points needed for partner Gold too?
Why not.
Lets say I'd like to get between 800-900 SC's.
Budget?
Up to AUD $ 3000-4000?
I'll be kind of based in L.A but that doesn't mean I can't go anywhere else just for the runs.
I don't mind spending a couple three days just flying.
I'd like to go to Boston for a day or so too..
Hmmm.
Oh, yeah, guess I should add that I'd prefer to not fly internationally from the U.S.,just stick to domestic routes and it wouldn't matter if I had to do the same route twice or more.

 

[tuppaware]

The problem with the US is search via a hub might not give you good result - for eg
LAX - DFW return is very expensive - but continue on from DFW to FLL and the price is less , even though it double the distance.

Just tool I have found is
Discounted First Class and Flyer Talk Fares
Change the search to include AA and Alaska Air - filter by Total price - weight by the distance (for SC) against the price - then click to find dates - take the dates to AA.com with instant upgrade prices (for first class QF sc's)

 

[notzac]

Well, hmm, do I try to get all the points needed for partner Gold too?
Why not.
Lets say I'd like to get between 800-900 SC's.
Budget?
Up to AUD $ 3000-4000?
I'll be kind of based in L.A but that doesn't mean I can't go anywhere else just for the runs.

All doable - there are some nice fares ex-LAX for flights to the Caribbean (I know, you didn't want international fares - but it's really worth looking at), and I'd do the trip to BOS on a separate fare. I'll warn you that the "good SC value" fares generally involve red-eyes and 757s though.

 

[localknowledge]

The two I have found the best

LAX-SFO Instant upgrade - $500 or so 240 SCs
Another recent one was
LAX - DFW - FLL - DFW - LAX $600 or so , 400 SC's

Nice work, that one for 400 SC flying to FLL and back sound great! I may just have to do it. Had a quick look and the two middle legs (DFW-FLL-DFW) are 1119 miles, just under the 1200 miles threshold for the next higher SC earn of 30 points! Would be good if those cities were a few more miles apart Still 420 SC for US$636 is a very good deal!

 

[matty744]

The two I have found the best

LAX-SFO Instant upgrade - $500 or so 240 SCs
Another recent one was
LAX - DFW - FLL - DFW - LAX $600 or so , 400 SC's

LAX-SFO earns only 60 SC's as its only 337 miles which makes it Zone 1 for SC earnings

 

[Will]

Nice work, that one for 400 SC flying to FLL and back sound great! I may just have to do it. Had a quick look and the two middle legs (DFW-FLL-DFW) are 1119 miles, just under the 1200 miles threshold for the next higher SC earn of 30 points! Would be good if those cities were a few more miles apart Still 420 SC for US$636 is a very good deal!

Very good deal. And sometimes even cheaper if you are coming from San Diego

Only bummer is no Admiral's Club at FLL airport.

 

[klavdy]

O.K, so its off to the U.S on the 30th May till June 30th.
I took Tuppaware &Notzac's advice, thanks fellers, I've been trying to get onto AA site for the "INSTANT UPGRADE" but cant work out what I'm doing wrong.
I can see their economy, business, first class sections,but just cant seem to find the instant upgrade feature.
I can get to the "Plans Flexible?" option which brings the first class return fare from LAX- FLL return (via DFW) to around US $916,
So, I guess what I'm after is some advice, 900 points are needed,Lax is the base or start point and Boston would be good to go to.
It would be good to fly LAX-DFW -FLL as a return ticket then a separate FLL to Boston return ticket (stay for a day or so up in Boston).
How best to book the tickets?
I have a buddy in the U.S who will book the tickets for me using his U.S addressed credit card through A.A.

Any help much appreciated.

 

[tuppaware]

They come and they go. You have to be quick to get the instant upgrade fares as there is only a small number per flight.

 

[klavdy]

They come and they go. You have to be quick to get the instant upgrade fares as there is only a small number per flight.

Aha!
Thanks Mate, thought I was losing it there.
An eye will be kept out for them.

 

[klavdy]

They come and they go. You have to be quick to get the instant upgrade fares as there is only a small number per flight.

Aha!
Thanks Mate, thought I was losing it there.
An eye will be kept out for them.

Ok, so I went back to A.A, found out how to get onto the "INSTANT UPGRADE" via their Fare Sales Page, got onto the flights from LAX-DFW-FLL return for U.S $916, then got confused when I went to Mileage Monkey.
Punched in the route, LAX-DFW-FLL return, and got the table below.

So, does it give 620 Status Credits for a First class return ticket LAX-DFW-FLL or 110?(highlighted in red)
Sorry for asking what may be a very obvious and staring me in the face type question, but its got me stumped.

O.econbizfirstAirlinesDistanceDescription6080100|AA|BA|LA|LP|EI|IB|AY|CX|QF4702aa oneworld6080105|EI|AA|BA|CX|QF|LA|AY|IB4702asiamiles oneworld60120180|AA|BA|LA|LP|EI|IB|AY|CX|QF|XL4702ba oneworld5080110|AA|BA|LA|LP|EI|IB|AY|CX|QF|XL4702qf oneworld253555|EI|AS|AA|BA|CX|MU|KA|GF|QF|BI|LX|VN4702asiamiles ow355070|EI|AS|AA|BA|CX|MU|KA|AY|GF|IB|JL|LA|QF|BI|SA|LX|VN2351asiamiles rt290445620 25861

 

[klavdy]

Oooh, looks a bit different when it posted,sorry,

620 or 110?

Highlighted in red.

NOTE:Some awards may not be valid due to routing econbizfirstAirlinesDistanceDescription6080100|AA|BA|LA|LP|EI|IB|AY|CX|QF4702aa oneworld6080105|EI|AA|BA|CX|QF|LA|AY|IB4702asiamiles oneworld60120180|AA|BA|LA|LP|EI|IB|AY|CX|QF|XL4702ba oneworld5080110|AA|BA|LA|LP|EI|IB|AY|CX|QF|XL4702qf oneworld253555|EI|AS|AA|BA|CX|MU|KA|GF|QF|BI|LX|VN4702asiamiles ow355070|EI|AS|AA|BA|CX|MU|KA|AY|GF|IB|JL|LA|QF|BI|SA|LX|VN2351asiamiles rt290445620 258616 entries

 

[samh004]

You need to input the codes into the "Oneworld Explorer Validator” and check “ignore errors” and then you’ll get the results at the bottom:

econ	biz	first	Continents	A/C types	Distance	Sector
20	80	120	~nam-~nam	AA 738 (fy)	1233	LAX-DFW
15	60	90	~nam-~nam	AA 738 (fy)	1118	DFW-FLL
35	140	210	 	 	2351
2 entries

The total gives 210SC.

 

[klavdy]

You need to input the codes into "Oneworld Explorer Validator” and check “ignore errors” and then you’ll get the results at the bottom:

econ    biz    first    Continents    A/C types    Distance    Sector
20    80    120    ~nam-~nam    AA 738 (fy)    1233    LAX-DFW
15    60    90    ~nam-~nam    AA 738 (fy)    1118    DFW-FLL
35    140    210              2351
2 entries

The total gives 210SC.

Thanks for being so patient with me, I think I've got it now,

# of Qantas SC's earned
econbizfirstContinentsA/C typesDistanceSector2080120~nam-~namAA 738 (fy)
AA 757 (fy)
AA 763 (fy)
AA M80 (fy)
AA M83 (fy)1233LAX-DFW156090~nam-~namAA 738 (fy)
AA 757 (fy)
AA M80 (fy)1118DFW-FLL156090~nam-~namAA 738 (fy)
AA 757 (fy)
AA M80 (fy)1118FLL-DFW2080120~nam-~namAA 738 (fy)
AA 757 (fy)
AA 763 (fy)
AA M80 (fy)
AA M83 (fy)1233DFW-LAX70280420 4702
Works out to be 420 Status Credits for the return trip, yes?

I went onto the A.A Australian site through the link in their U.S site, lo and behold, its cheaper to buy the tickets through the Aussie one.

 

[drron]

When looking for instant upgrade fares on aa.com use the price and scedule feature.I just checked for random dates in June and comes up at$US437 for LAX-FLL(all go via DFW and change flight nos).Coming back mostly seems to be $US457.
I always find an instant upgrade price using this method-just that sometimes not cheap.
PS make sure all cabin feature is showing further down the page.

 

[Voyages]

Hi klavdy,

When you're in BOS, you can fly BOS-MTJ (via ORD and DWF) for around $950USD, getting 540 SCs. You can do this on the same-ish day (flying out 6am arriving back in BOS at OMG hour of 1.20am the following day), if you don't want to stay in Colorado overnight.

IMHO, this is a better deal compared to LAX-FLL (via DFW) now that this fare has significantly increased.

Enjoy flying

 

[serfty]

Unfortunately, the LAX-//-FLL run increased in price from around AUD650 to AUD1000 about a week ago.