Mileage Run Discussion - need ~50k EQM (AA)

hi all,

thanks in advance if anyone can help me!

i need about 36.5k EQM to make EXP on AA for the first time. i live in HK but will be starting my flying in NRT on/around 12/13. I will be starting the MR in JFK and would like to take advantage of DBLEQM (at least to minimize the flying time). A stopover in Paris or London would be nice but not necessary.

My NRT-JFK roundtrip would not be part of the MR because of scheduling conflicts on the return leg (need to be back in HK on the 31st so can only fly JFK-NRT direct).

ORD-PVG is an OK routing because I have a China visa and can do a stopover there if necessary.

So a 36.5k EQM MR in 3 days to take advantage of the double EQM - do-able?

My budget is ~1k USD.

Thanks again!!
pat

(can't update the title but after a recalc I only really need 36.5k EQM to qualify for EXP)

You need 25K BIS miles for less than $1k in 3 days.......

25k is almost 60hrs of flying. You need 60/72 hrs BIS. Nonetheless for less than $1,000.

I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but I'm going to say thats probably not possible unless some absurd fare crops up. Nonetheless, keeping it under $1000 is going to keep it in Y i assume, and 60/72 hrs in Y really just can't be healthy.

Expanding your budget and/or timeframe might be the only way to do this.

yup, every transcon routing (in multiples) i was looking at had about 60hrs of flying...unfortunately!

my time constraint was only because of the DBLEQM promotion, I guess if I break this into two or three MR with most of the flying in 2x promo period then thats OK. unfortunately i can't start the MRs until (at the earliest) the evening of the 13th.

my budget can definitely be increased but within reason - would like to keep it under $2k if possible. anything over that and my assigned value for the EVIPs i would receive in EXP would be worth less then the MRs needed to get them...

thx again for any help!

Timing may be cutting it kind of close. I did get 23.4k BIS miles for the Thanksgiving break for $1200. This same route was $900 when priced for leaving in the beginning of November. It's LAX-ORD-DFW-NRT-BKK. I am spending a week in BKK so the rt fares aren't so bad. I don't know if you can find cheap fares if you don't spend the minimum 3-day stay, but I could be wrong, which happens often :)

update - i need 36425 EQM, not 50k!

forgot to include my return to NRT in the original calculation, and was missing a flight i just took in my current balance.

so 36425 EQM - slight better then 50k :)

do you need 36xx before the double or after?.....good luck...

With your parameters (cost, time, and need for AA metal), your best bet is going to be nonstop transcons, NYC or BOS to LAX, SFO or SEA. You can do 3 legs of ththis in a day, so you should be able to squeeze in 7 transcon segments at about 2500 miles each before the end of 12/15, total of roughly 35,000 EQM with doubling. That leaves you a return to JFK on 12/16 or later to put you over the top. You can probably find these for $250 or close to that.

Note that you would be spending 2 1/2 days on airplanes, only getting off for a short while and then getting back on. There are health risks to this (not to mention the obvious mental health risks). I don't recommend doing this, and it is certainly something I would never do, but you know you a lot better than we know you. Good luck.

With your parameters (cost, time, and need for AA metal), your best bet is going to be nonstop transcons, NYC or BOS to LAX, SFO or SEA. You can do 3 legs of ththis in a day, so you should be able to squeeze in 7 transcon segments at about 2500 miles each before the end of 12/15, total of roughly 35,000 EQM with doubling. That leaves you a return to JFK on 12/16 or later to put you over the top. You can probably find these for $250 or close to that.

Note that you would be spending 2 1/2 days on airplanes, only getting off for a short while and then getting back on. There are health risks to this (not to mention the obvious mental health risks). I don't recommend doing this, and it is certainly something I would never do, but you know you a lot better than we know you. Good luck.

Why not do a run from NRT to DEL and back and get upgraded with miles / eVIP? you only need 2 eVIPs. This will get you 27k miles and ? 55k with DEQMs. You can get 8 VIPs to return. 12/15 will be a very long day.

I would not do it without the VIP upgrades. The cost is also 3500$.
Probably not worth it for most true MR pax. The expensive portion is the DEL segments 1k each way, while the NRT was 600 each way..
Going to and from NRT or PVG may be cheaper, but then you can't use an eVIP.

36.5k EQM in total - so ~18k actual BIS miles. i will probably do a CDG roundtrip with some extra US legs over 3-4 days starting on Dec 13th to get most of the flying in the 2x EQM time period.

i definitely agree, its a lot of flying! i love my new Kindle but after an extra ~18k BIS on top of NRT-JFK...we might not be on speaking terms.

one question though (slightly O/T) - NRT-JFK on AA is not upgrade-able with an EVIP? my entire use for them would be to upgrade Y to J on that route...

36.5k EQM in total - so ~18k actual BIS miles. i will probably do a CDG roundtrip with some extra US legs over 3-4 days starting on Dec 13th to get most of the flying in the 2x EQM time period.

i definitely agree, its a lot of flying! i love my new Kindle but after an extra ~18k BIS on top of NRT-JFK...we might not be on speaking terms.

one question though (slightly O/T) - NRT-JFK on AA is not upgrade-able with an EVIP? my entire use for them would be to upgrade Y to J on that route...

My mistake in wording. I understand that a VIP is good for travel in 1 direction.
So NRT-ORD-DEL is upgradeable with 1 VIP, NRT-ORD-PVG is not upgradeable using one VIP, but is with two.
The cost then increases, no good esp if the idea of EXP is to get VIPs for use.
The best is probably to go from LAX via ORD to DEL on the 13th and return on the 15th. you would only need 2 VIPs. It will give you >18250 miles = 36500 EQMs = cost 1200 each way + taxes = 2500.

You have to get to LAX and back to NRT later. If you include your NRT section, you may be able to upgrade NRT-LAX-ORD-DEL with 1 VIP, and ? can tough it out for the return to ORD in Y, but I would get another VIP to go all the way back to NRT. Cost will be close to 3500 or more.

Why not do a run from NRT to DEL and back and get upgraded with miles / eVIP? you only need 2 eVIPs. This will get you 27k miles and ? 55k with DEQMs. You can get 8 VIPs to return. 12/15 will be a very long day.

I would not do it without the VIP upgrades. The cost is also 3500$.
Probably not worth it for most true MR pax. The expensive portion is the DEL segments 1k each way, while the NRT was 600 each way..
Going to and from NRT or PVG may be cheaper, but then you can't use an eVIP.

OBTW, there is reason to believe the NRT-ORD-DEL and vv is open jaw and thus requires 2 SWU each-way, not 1 (total 4, not 2). I have not confirmed this.