This is my first time asking a question like this, I'm noobed out.

I'm new to continental ever since I started flying direct to Beijing just a few months ago. I thought I had reached elite silver on my last trip but I had had my expedia profile assign a DL skymiles number by accident and now I'm only half way there.

I am flying to Vancouver around Nov 1 and would like to get as much out of it as I can since I might not get another Beijing roundtrip in before Jan 1.

Is there a relatively simple route that I can rack miles on? Also what's the best place to book the fairs. I'm assuming I gotta fly Y or H class to get the most for my $$. Is it best to book individual one ways then to book a round trip with layovers all at once?

This is a work trip so I can;t invest too much of their money in it without looking suspect.

IIRC you can go EWR-IAH-YVR on CO, or if you want to really get cute you can go EWR-IAH-MSP-YVR (NW on the last leg).

6640 miles RT the first way, the MSP stopoff gives you 1100 extra...

nerdkiller, I am not familiar with the routing rule specifics, but you might consider trying to add some AS segments (e.g. include SEA and PDX stops) if those are allowed.

Mostly, I want to respond to your comment about H or Y being the "most for the $$" - while they offer 150% EQM, they may well be more than 50% higher than the lowest EQM-earning fare classes. In general, I think that many in this forum would claim that finding an inexpensive fare (or two) and flying that would make sense, especially if your goal is Silver.

If you are "halfway there" it sounds like you are looking for about 12.5K EQM. This YVR trip can at least bring you halfway there. I think the more important issue is that if you are doing this for business, you might have to book through a corporate agent. If you book lower fare classes on anything other than continental.com, you will earn 50% EQM. (So to answer the question about the best place to book the ticket: continental.com if you want to earn 100% EQM on all CO-operated flights in all fare classes.)

Someone much better than I at this game might be able to figure a way for you to earn 12.5K on a NYC-YVR trip, but for me, it would plan on this trip plus one more.

Mostly, I want to respond to your comment about H or Y being the "most for the $$" - while they offer 150% EQM, they may well be more than 50% higher than the lowest EQM-earning fare classes. In general, I think that many in this forum would claim that finding an inexpensive fare (or two) and flying that would make sense, especially if your goal is Silver.

Y/H fares can sometimes be advantageous though. This is particularly true if the extra 50% will help a long ways towards requalifying towards a level and you don't have a lot of extra time to play with. Also it does put you up higher on the domestic EUA list and waives the fee for international mileage upgrades.

Ah I see. Well thanks for all your help!

Frustrating thing is I just found out that I'm going direct to calgary. Frustrating because of the info you just provided and also because I've never been to Vancouver and I hear great things about it.

Anyway there is a NWZ flight to calgary via minneapolis and from what I understand NWA miles count towards CO EQM. That is correct, right?

Y/H fares can sometimes be advantageous though. This is particularly true if the extra 50% will help a long ways towards requalifying towards a level and you don't have a lot of extra time to play with. Also it does put you up higher on the domestic EUA list and waives the fee for international mileage upgrades.

I totally agree. Earlier this year, I got a decent deal on an H fare for a trip NYC-HKG (via GUM). I seldom search for less than the least expensive fare on CO, but sometimes it can definitely be worth it.