Asiana Club - JFK to ICN using miles

Hi guys! I need some help with buying or upgrading a economy ticket to business using Asiana and/or Amex miles. I'm traveling from JFK to ICN in mid Nov. and returning early Dec. I have ~160,000 miles of Asiana and ~350,000 of Amex miles. I called Asiana and was told they didn't have any upgrade left until mid Jan of 2010. I'm new to this game and learning so much from this site but sometimes it's little overwhelming. TIA

Welcome to FT and the OZ forum, djay!

Can you give us some more detail? When are you flying? What booking class? What routing? Do you have status?

I have checked upgrade availability for some dates and there indeed is nothing (there is some first class on UA). However, the flights are totally empty in business (C9, D9, Z9, J9) so I am surprised OZ is not releasing more seats. Maybe they will for a Diamond or Diamond+?

I see plenty of F availability from JFK-ICN on almost every day.

If you have 350,000 Amex points, here's what I would do.

Open an account with AC's Aeroplan and transfer 120,000 points for a R/T F ticket on *A.

This would allow you fly JFK-ICN, plus another destination in Asia like BKK, SIN, PEK, HKG, or PVG.

Or, you also fly via Europe with two stopovers in addition to ICN as your final destination. For example, you could fly JFK-ZRH on LX's new 333 with updated F suites, stop in ZRH for a few days, then fly to HKG on LX F and stopover for a few days, and continue to ICN with OZ in F. Then back to JFK with OZ on a non-stop in F.

All for 120,000 Amex points. Aeroplan is the absolute best.

I leave tomorrow morning for another RTW in F for 120K!!!

BTW, the taxes and fees for these trips will never be more $200.

I see plenty of F availability from JFK-ICN on almost every day.

If you have 350,000 Amex points, here's what I would do.

Open an account with AC's Aeroplan and transfer 120,000 points for a R/T F ticket on *A.

This would allow you fly JFK-ICN, plus another destination in Asia like BKK, SIN, PEK, HKG, or PVG.

Or, you also fly via Europe with two stopovers in addition to ICN as your final destination. For example, you could fly JFK-ZRH on LX's new 333 with updated F suites, stop in ZRH for a few days, then fly to HKG on LX F and stopover for a few days, and continue to ICN with OZ in F. Then back to JFK with OZ on a non-stop in F.

All for 120,000 Amex points. Aeroplan is the absolute best.

I leave tomorrow morning for another RTW in F for 120K!!!

BTW, the taxes and fees for these trips will never be more $200.

Sorry for being OT, but AC only asks for 120K for RTW in F when most other *A partners ask for more than that for an uncomplicated RT in F!

LAX

Sorry for being OT, but AC only asks for 120K for RTW in F when most other *A partners ask for more than that for an uncomplicated RT in F!

LAX

Technically, AC doesn't consider this RTW. They allow travel to Asia over any ocean you choose, or both, with two stopovers along the way, in addition to the destination, Open jaws are also permitted. And up to 10 flight segments.

Here's my itinerary for the trip I started this morning.

PHX-LAX: US F
LAX-ZRH: LX F
ZRH-BKK: LX F (destination)
BKK-ZRH: LX F
ZRH-MUC: LX C
MUC-TBS: LH C (stopover. TBS=Tbilisi, Georgia)
TBS-VIE: OS C (stopover)
VIE-FRA: LH C
FRA-DEN LH F
DEN-PHX US F

Total taxes and fees: $187
Total SPG points: 95,000
(5,000 points bonus for every 20,000 points transferred to Aeroplan.

Technically, AC doesn't consider this RTW. They allow travel to Asia over any ocean you choose, or both, with two stopovers along the way, in addition to the destination.

Where do you find this information? A quick research shows that for star alliance awards, "Outbound and inbound travel must be over the same ocean."

http://www.aeroplan.com/terms_and_conditions/popup.do?section=rewardstaralliance

The example you have given to us is crossing only over the Atlantic, not over the Pacific.

Where do you find this information? A quick research shows that for star alliance awards, "Outbound and inbound travel must be over the same ocean."

http://www.aeroplan.com/terms_and_conditions/popup.do?section=rewardstaralliance

The example you have given to us is crossing only over the Atlantic, not over the Pacific.

Aeroplan changed the rules in January, but they haven't broadcasted them or updated the website. I learned about the changes from a FT member who was a ticketing supervisor at Aeroplan, and who has since been terminated for disclosing rule changes before they were made public.

My current routing is only over the Atlantic, but I have recently redeemed awards through Aeroplan that used SQ F from LAX-SIN-BKK, and then LX or TG F to Europe, and LH or LX to the USA over the Atlantic. So a true RTW.

I've redeemed over two million Amex miles through Aeroplan in the past two years, so I have a pretty good handle on what's possible with routings.

I recommend you sign up for an Aeroplan account and then use the ANA tool to find available segments. Then call Aeroplan at 1-800-361-5373 and talk to an agent to confirm the routing.

The current rules for *A awards are as follows:

Miles cost is based on most expensive country transited in. So Thailand, China, Vietnam, Singapore, S. Korea and Tokyo are all 120,000 miles for F. Other Asian countries are 170,000 miles. Middle East & S. Africa is 170,000-240,000 miles. Europe is 100,000 miles for F.

Either ocean or both oceans can be crossed on the itinerary.

Itinerary cannot exceed maximum permitted mileage. FYI, the MPM from PHX to BKK is 13,995 miles each way, with a 5% overage allowed. My itinerary is exactly 105% of the MPM.

You cannot transfer in-and-out through the same airport more than once in the same direction to your final destination. But you can transit the same airport again on the way back.

Those are the most salient details of the Aeroplan award. Some agents are more knowledgeable about the new rules than others, so just hang up and call back if your agent says no way.

The ultimate authority is AC ticketing, and they have not refused one of my itineraries yet.

Best of luck.

Technically, AC doesn't consider this RTW. They allow travel to Asia over any ocean you choose, or both, with two stopovers along the way, in addition to the destination, Open jaws are also permitted. And up to 10 flight segments.

Here's my itinerary for the trip I started this morning.

PHX-LAX: US F
LAX-ZRH: LX F
ZRH-BKK: LX F (destination)
BKK-ZRH: LX F
ZRH-MUC: LX C
MUC-TBS: LH C (stopover. TBS=Tbilisi, Georgia)
TBS-VIE: OS C (stopover)
VIE-FRA: LH C
FRA-DEN LH F
DEN-PHX US F

Total taxes and fees: $187
Total SPG points: 95,000
(5,000 points bonus for every 20,000 points transferred to Aeroplan.

Wow! If AC miles don't expire so quickly, I definitively would switch over.

LAX

Thanks for all the help guys.

DownUnderFlyer: I'm sorry I wasn't so specific. I didn't buy any ticket yet. I wanted to find out what I needed before I made any purchase.

macabus: I not sure if I follow you. Are you saying I only need 120,000 miles for JFK-ICN trip in F? If so with what airline? I don't think AC flies to ICN, or are you saying I'll be able to get a F ticket with Asiana through star alliance?

....or are you saying I'll be able to get a F ticket with Asiana through star alliance?

Yes, this is what he is saying.

Thanks for all the help guys.

DownUnderFlyer: I'm sorry I wasn't so specific. I didn't buy any ticket yet. I wanted to find out what I needed before I made any purchase.

macabus: I not sure if I follow you. Are you saying I only need 120,000 miles for JFK-ICN trip in F? If so with what airline? I don't think AC flies to ICN, or are you saying I'll be able to get a F ticket with Asiana through star alliance?

Yup! Assuming there is award availability on OZ. In my limited award redemption experiences, OZ seems to have very good award availability, even in premium cabins, unless the program from which the miles are redeemed "blocks" the availability (I have only heard of UA doing this).

LAX