crimsona

More than 10 segments isn't usually a problem.

GCMap is similar, but not always equal to mpm. When you're on the borderline, you need to verify mpm on Expertflyer as you could fall on either side

cwhitt

I'm also planning an award trip to Africa in Oct 2015, and it looks like you have done the same type of homework I'm doing. I think it looks OK, but I haven't actually booked yet, so I'm interested to hear what you find out.

I don't know about YWG, but MPM from YHZ to CPT is by far the most attractive in E/S Africa.

My understanding is that MPM is based on your POT, but award value is based on highest zone visited. Africa is higher than SA or Europe 1 so you should be fine.

Just in case you are curious, I'm planning:
YHZ-YYZ-TPE-HKG(stop)-JNB-CPT
CPT-JRO(open jaw) NBO-IST-ZRH-YUL-YHZ.
I'm hoping that I can get an extra evening in one or more of: JNB, IST and ZRH.

Since YYZ-TPE availability on BR doesn't open up until 2-3 months out, I'm planning an initial dummy booking like this:
YHZ-YYZ-YVR-PEK-JNB-CPT
CPT-JRO NBO-IST-ZRH-YUL-YHZ
That has the additional YQ on the AC segment from YYZ-YVR, but that about the best I've found TPAC at 355 days out. I should be able to do the initial booking in about 3 week's from now, so I'll let you know if I can snag it.

My real goal is to hike Kilimanjaro, but I chose CPT for the same reason you did - MPM, and the free stop in HKG and CPT. I'm even thinking of fitting in an intra-asia award in C/F (HKG-BKK-NRT-BKK-HKG) for a few days in Tokyo, A380 F experience, and BKK Orchid spa... fingers crossed!)

Fortunately for both of us we won't be competing for any seats I don't think. By the way, I'm doing my award in J, since I think that's a worthwhile use of additional points for all that long-haul travel.

I hope you get some other responses -- and here's a question for the gurus: is it possible to get a specific agent at the AE call centre? And if so, is it possible to call a few times to find an agent that "gets" miniRTW bookings and then stick with that person over time? I'm getting the feeling that if this one works out I might do it again...

That's interesting... are you saying AE call centre agents sometimes ignore the 10 segment limit as long as you are within the MPM? That gives me some additional options...

CdnConsultant

I just talked to Aeroplan and they say my sample booking is valid, would cost 100k points for Y, and $300.36 in fees. All good news!

PS - I'm actually trying to book 3 tickets in Y for my friends, and 1 ticket in J for me. So now begins the award availability search for my actual dates.

crimsona

If you're entering South Africa from Brazil please note you need to be vaccinated for yellow fever

http://www.southafrica.net/za/en/tra...y-requirements

CdnConsultant

It sounds like a common approach is to book a dummy itinerary (like cwhitt mentioned above), and then change it when the flights you want become available.

I know you pay a change fee for this (I think change fee is $90), but in my situation where I'm booking 3 Y tickets and 1 J ticket (I'm assuming that means 2 PNR's), what are my change fees?

- $90*1 to change all 4 tickets
- $90*2 (for each PNR)
- $90*4 (for each person)

YOWgary

Hey folks,

I swear I've almost got this.

Trying to book myself and Mrs. YVRGary on a J award for fall 2015, heading outbound from YVR to anywhere in the neighbourhood of BRU, AMS, FRA etc, and returning from any of MUC, BER or FRA. Flexible on dates and routing.

If possible, we'd really like to connect through WAW outbound and IST on the return, partly to cut down YQ and partly because 22 hours in either city is just awesome.

Question is, since all of the low-YQ TATL options leave from YYZ or YUL, does connecting through either of these cities put me over MPM? If so, with the added YQ of flying AC or LH from YVR, we'd almost be better off to fly revenue out to YUL and go from there, or even dead-head to SFO or ORD and fly UA.

Can anyone help me understand how a YVR-YUL or YVR-YYZ connection affects MPM?

Very much appreciated!

monkai

It's per person, so $90*4

Cerenity

Swiss via ZRH is another low YQ option. it will be closer to the mpm for YVR-western europe. YVR-YUL-ZRH-FRA is 6208 according to gcmap

alternatively , what about TPAC route? you'd have a lot more miles to work with, albeit much longer flights

mattc2

My understanding is that going NA-Europe you can only do TATL, but on the way back you can do TPAC. If there's someone that was able to book say, YVR-PEK (less than 24 hours)-FRA, TPAC, please let me know.

krayZpaving

If you can do it in one direction, you can do it in the other. System is symmetrical.

YOWgary

Certainly worth a look - how does MPM work on the TPAC routing? For example, there's obviously no FRA-YVR TPAC routing, and if I connect through HKG or PEK it goes way over MPM5...?

crimsona

Why do you say obviously?

Check YVR-FRA and force expertflyer to PA. It gives a different number.

YVR-PEK-FRA is well under MPM5 for PA

YOWgary

KVS shows me a MPM5, TPAC, for FRA-YVR, of 12,748.

FRA-PEK is 7,029
PEK-YVR is 6,333

Total is 13,364

I'm not saying this doesn't work, I'm saying I don't understand how it works.

What am I missing?

If I can go home FRA-HKG-YVR, I'll be over the moon happy.

KVS

MPM is checked per direction (not R/T):
http://Help.KVSTool.com/#MPM

[KVS Availability Tool 7.4.6 - Reference: Maximum Permitted Mileage [MPM]: FRA-PEK-YVR]

Cerenity

You're using segment MPM distances to calculate whether you'd fit within MPM+5%, which i believe is not correct.

You should be calculating actual flight distance for the entire origin to turn route (including all stopovers & layovers), and making sure that fits within MPM+5%

For example,
YVR-PEK-FRA actual distance is 10,144 according to gcmap.
YVR-HKG-FRA is 12,091 so it fits within the 12,748 too.

altho if you are trying to reduce YQ, you probably dont want to do HKG as you'd end up flying LH and AC. but you can do TPE!

if you still want IST, distance wise, even YVR-PEK-IST-FRA on CA+TK would fit.