Mileage Run Discussion - Suggestions for EXP

Folks,

I currently have 84K miles and need 16K more for EXP status till end of the year. Unfortunately, since I took a local job my travel has come to a grinding halt. (No business travel anticipated till end of the year).

But I still would like to get those 16K miles and get EXP status if possible.

Please provide any suggestions you may have on achieving the EXP status till end of the year. (I'll have to spend money from my pocket, so would like to get those miles by spending the least).

Thanks
ncc

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mileage-run-deals/454485-welcome-mileage-run-forum-important-information-how-mr-forums-work.html

I've moved this to MR Discussion for further, well, discussion.

BTW has OP researched any routes themselves they could share to get fellow FTers to make suggestions to improve upon?

tcook052
MR Forums Moderator

Folks,

Please provide any suggestions you may have on achieving the EXP status till end of the year. (I'll have to spend money from my pocket, so would like to get those miles by spending the least).

Thanks
ncc

Transcontinental flights are often the best bang for your buck outside of airline DEQM promotions. JFK-LAX is reasonably priced at the moment, but since you don't mention where you are based it will be hard for folks to help you. Do a little more research and pay close attention to the Mileage Run Deals forum and to the American AAdvantage forum for good deals and promotions. The 16000 miles you want can be had for under $1000 based on currently available fares.

There are a handful of ex-LAX flights to SIN with one night that get you 23k+ for <$1k.

Can be done over 3 days.

Folks,

I currently have 84K miles and need 16K more for EXP status till end of the year. Unfortunately, since I took a local job my travel has come to a grinding halt. (No business travel anticipated till end of the year).

But I still would like to get those 16K miles and get EXP status if possible.

Please provide any suggestions you may have on achieving the EXP status till end of the year. (I'll have to spend money from my pocket, so would like to get those miles by spending the least).

Thanks
ncc

home airport?

home airport?

Sorry for not providing enough information. I'm based in Dallas. So DFW will be my starting airport.

I looked for
DFW-LAX-SFO-ORD-LHR-SOF-LHR-ORD-SFO-DFW at itasearch but couldn't find this schedule.

I had searched for round trip DFW(with routing code SFO, ORD, aa+) to SOF(with routing code aa+, ord, sfo).

The good thing is I have 5 months to get 14K miles, so will keep looking for MR deals here as well.

Once we head into next month and towards the end of summer you should see travel deals. Of course being based out of a fortress hub can complicate things. Also, what kind of budget do you have and ability to travel. Remember if you have some miles to burn you can always use them for a positioning flight if a really cheap International fare becomes available from ORD, JFK, or LAX (or even at times MIA) where AA has does not have a dominant marketshare

Agreed. It would help to know your budget.

Now knowing you want to do it in one shot, there's this itinerary from DFW:

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Tokyo (NRT) - Thu, Nov 29
American 61 Dep:11:40AM Arr:4:15PM 13h 35m Boeing 777 Economy (Q) Layover in NRT Fri, Nov 30 18h 40m

Tokyo (NRT) to Singapore (SIN) - Sat, Dec 1
American 5831 Dep:10:55AM Arr:5:35PM 7h 40m Boeing 787 Economy (Q) OPERATED BY JAPAN AIRLINES

Singapore (SIN) to Tokyo (NRT) - Sun, Dec 2
American 5837 Dep:.8:20AM Arr:.4:10PM 6h 50m Boeing 787 Economy (Q) OPERATED BY JAPAN AIRLINES Layover in NRT 3h 0m

Tokyo (NRT) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - Sun, Dec 2
American 60 Dep:7:10PM Arr:3:45PM 11h 35m Boeing 777 Economy (Q)

Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) $1,282.40

19476 miles, so it's not a great CPM (6.58) but depending on how much you value EXP it does get you there in one shot.

As others have noted, it would certainly help to know where you live and what airport you fly from. That said, from NAmerica a return to PVG will often get you 16K with a connection to a gateway airport. These flights can often be found in the $1K range. As a EXP you should have a couple of eVIPs available to do it in business.


Folks,

I currently have 84K miles and need 16K more for EXP status till end of the year. Unfortunately, since I took a local job my travel has come to a grinding halt. (No business travel anticipated till end of the year).

But I still would like to get those 16K miles and get EXP status if possible.

Please provide any suggestions you may have on achieving the EXP status till end of the year. (I'll have to spend money from my pocket, so would like to get those miles by spending the least).

Thanks
ncc

Agreed. It would help to know your budget.

Now knowing you want to do it in one shot, there's this itinerary from DFW:

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Tokyo (NRT) - Thu, Nov 29
American 61 Dep:11:40AM Arr:4:15PM 13h 35m Boeing 777 Economy (Q) Layover in NRT Fri, Nov 30 18h 40m

Tokyo (NRT) to Singapore (SIN) - Sat, Dec 1
American 5831 Dep:10:55AM Arr:5:35PM 7h 40m Boeing 787 Economy (Q) OPERATED BY JAPAN AIRLINES

Singapore (SIN) to Tokyo (NRT) - Sun, Dec 2
American 5837 Dep:.8:20AM Arr:.4:10PM 6h 50m Boeing 787 Economy (Q) OPERATED BY JAPAN AIRLINES Layover in NRT 3h 0m

Tokyo (NRT) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - Sun, Dec 2
American 60 Dep:7:10PM Arr:3:45PM 11h 35m Boeing 777 Economy (Q)

Cost per passenger (including taxes & fees) $1,282.40

19476 miles, so it's not a great CPM (6.58) but depending on how much you value EXP it does get you there in one shot.

I'm willing to spend less than $1000.00. $800 will be ideal. And I do not have to do the whole thing in one trip. Even if I had to do 4 domestic trips to get these miles that cost around $800 that would be fine.

I'm willing to spend less than $1000.00. $800 will be ideal. And I do not have to do the whole thing in one trip. Even if I had to do 4 domestic trips to get these miles that cost around $800 that would be fine.

3 r/t LAX-SFO-JFK should get you there.

Sorry for not providing enough information. I'm based in Dallas. So DFW will be my starting airport.

I'm in your position - I'm based in DFW and need around 15k miles to requalify. I will probably just take a few weekend trips to the east and west coast. Plus holiday travel to see various family members. But here is another strategy:

1. Buy a one-way DFW-SJC-SEA for $116. Get off the plane in SJC.
2. Fly two SJC-DFW-BOS round trips for $222 each with same day turns. You should be able to work the schedule where you end up in DFW overnight.
3. Buy a one-way ticket SJC-DFW-BOS for $110. Get off the plane in DFW.

These tickets have wide availability for the entire fall (if you book quickly), you will be able to clear upgrades on most of the segments, and if there are irrops, odds are you'll be able to sleep in your own bed.

$670 / 15k miles is 4.5 cpm with free upgrades and a strategy for irrops. Of course it would be more sane to do two of these on different weekends:

DFW-SJC(-SEA) $116
SJC-DFW-BOS-DFW-SJC $222
SJC-DFW(-BOS) $111

but you would end up at $900.

I looked at an MR last year. Basically JFK>DFW>ANC & back. Loads of miles & not to badly priced!

I'm in your position - I'm based in DFW and need around 15k miles to requalify. I will probably just take a few weekend trips to the east and west coast. Plus holiday travel to see various family members. But here is another strategy:

1. Buy a one-way DFW-SJC-SEA for $116. Get off the plane in SJC.
2. Fly two SJC-DFW-BOS round trips for $222 each with same day turns. You should be able to work the schedule where you end up in DFW overnight.
3. Buy a one-way ticket SJC-DFW-BOS for $110. Get off the plane in DFW.

These tickets have wide availability for the entire fall (if you book quickly), you will be able to clear upgrades on most of the segments, and if there are irrops, odds are you'll be able to sleep in your own bed.

$670 / 15k miles is 4.5 cpm with free upgrades and a strategy for irrops. Of course it would be more sane to do two of these on different weekends:

DFW-SJC(-SEA) $116
SJC-DFW-BOS-DFW-SJC $222
SJC-DFW(-BOS) $111

but you would end up at $900.


For the trips

dfw-sjc
sjc-dfw-bos-dfw-sjc
sjc-dfw-bos-dfw-sjc
sjc-dfw

I only get 14876 EQM. That comes up short, doesn't it?

ncc,

If you don't plan to travel the rest of this year, do you plan on traveling next year? If your 2013 travel plans are minimal, will the value of EXP outweigh the cost of reaching EXP?

perhaps, a better question is what is the dollar value of EXP next year given your percieved travel plans?

For the trips

dfw-sjc
sjc-dfw-bos-dfw-sjc
sjc-dfw-bos-dfw-sjc
sjc-dfw

I only get 14876 EQM. That comes up short, doesn't it?

Yes. I was confusing OP with another guy who only needed 14k to qualify. :( The two-trips version for $900 should work, though.

perhaps, a better question is what is the dollar value of EXP next year given your percieved travel plans?
I consider that the 8 EVIPs have a minimum value of $1600-2000. Plus free domestic upgrades on any traveling he does complete next year...