brahms77

Hi, for my work trip, I am considering doing another round of D or LONE4. Will consider DONE4 if extra pay isn't too steep.

Places that I need to be are LHR, YUL, CGK in this trip, but thinking of taking advantage of maximizing the 16 segments in the ticket.

So, here's what I have planned, but cannot find a way to make it better and I am stuck at 14 segments only...

If the trip starts westbound:

JNB-LHR-LAX-JFK-SJU-DFW-YUL-MIA-DFW-NRT-CGK-NRT-DEL-HKG-JNB

If the trip starts eastbound, I was thinking of doing LONE5 or DONE5

JNB-HKG-CGK-NRT-DFW-LAX-JFK-SJU-DFW-YUL-DFW-SCL-IPC-SCL-MAD-LHR-JNB

With above routing, what can you suggest to improve, especially the one that is at 14 segment?

Also, for the westbound trip, I am trying to avoid BA fuel surcharges by taking AA coded codeshare flight on JNB-LHR that connects to LAX with AA metal (I presume that's doable) and then the flight DFW-NRT will be again on AA with connecting to AA codeshare on JL for NRT-CGK. Is this a valid method to avoid BA YZ for JNB-LHR?

Thanks in advance your opinions!

I am hoping to ticket either of the itineraries with AA.

Mwenenzi

Don't fly or ticket with BA @:-)
Your first flight is normally the ticket issuer

Look here: - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...cpt-done5.html

Gardyloo

I have not been able to avoid YQ on the JNB-LHR flight by using a codeshare number. AA is now passing through BA's YQs on BA-operated flights, although unlike BA, they don't add YQ to all segments. Just do comparative pricing using the online tool to see what happens.

As for "improving" the 14-segment itinerary, define "improvement." More miles, different places?

brahms77

Hi! Thanks Gardyloo for your reply. That's too bad that YQ can't be avoided... Oh well, there really isn't much option but to use BA on that first segment, unless I could use QR to fly via DOH.

Yes, what I meant by improvement was to increase chances for more mileage. I had forgotten that Europe-Middle East is considered in the same continent so I can technically add LHR-DOH-LHR into the routing to get some extra miles and get full utilization of 16 segments.

Here's a new routing that nets 55K flow miles and avoids BA flights... I think the routing doesn't violate any rules... but can't check with mileage monkey as the site is down at the moment:

JNB-DOH-LHR-DOH-DFW-YUL-DFW-SJU-JFK-LAX-DFW-NRT-CGK-NRT-DEL-HKG-JNB

Dr. HFH

LHR-MCT-LHR will give you 740 more miles than LHR-DOH-LHR.

Mwenenzi

Show as OK http://www.slfft.org/mm/award.htm?ow...G-JNB&cabins=y

Note MM is not up date at this time: http://www.slfft.org/mm/changelog.htm Many changes since the last update

brahms77

Does this mean adding ME-Europe-ME segments may be invalid? When was the last changes to the xONEx fare rules made?

It also seems that finding QR flights out of JNB or CPT via online tool (oneworld website) is not possible... I guess I will have to work with a phone agent on this one. I presume if I have trans-oceanic segments with AA (and at least 7 flights under AA code) will allow me to ticket with AA.

Here's my final itinerary that I am going to book (let me know if there are any issues re: validation):

JNB-DOH-CDG-DOH-MIA-YUL-DFW-SJU-JFK-LAX-ORD-NRT-HAN-NRT-DEL-HKG-JNB

(essential stops made @ CDG, YUL, SJU, HAN)

* JNB-DOH-CDG-DOH-MIA (on QR)
* MIA-YUL-DFW-SJU-JFK-LAX-ORD-NRT-HAN (on AA and AA codeshare)
* HAN-NRT-DEL (on JL)
* DEL-HKG-JNB (on CX)

I hope avoiding BA and using above carriers help me to avoid YQ charges... which can potentially save about 500-800 USD.

zoombee

Fuel surcharges (YQ) for JNB-DOH-LHR is I believe as much as JNB-LHR. I've been using ITA to look up specifics on one-way trips and looked that up a few days ago.

Most airlines actually charge YQ based on where you start and end (i.e. ignoring transit points) so turning stopovers to transits can both drop and raise your fuel surcharges. E.g. DFW-HKG-SIN is cheaper than DFW-xHKG-SIN.

More pertinent: ITA says the BA YQ for JNB-LHR is $278 and LHR-LAX is $252, whereas the YQ for JNB-xLHR-LAX on AA stock is only $220 (vs $556 on BA, that surprised me: it's mostly harmonized within oneworld). Plus you'll also save ~$200 in UK taxes so I make it about ~$500 less if you transit LHR vs stopping over. Also, if you're crediting miles to AA and are EXP then you'd earn 12k more RDMs.

It's modest, but Cathay has lower fuel surcharges than JAL so if you're not set on Tokyo you'd save money on switching to Hong Kong. Alternatively, if you ticket post April 1st then JAL"s fuel surcharges are dropping. See https://www.jal.co.jp/en/inter/fuel/table_world.html and http://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_U...e-updates.html

If you make it a DONE5 and add South America it's only about $500 extra on the base fair and LAX-GRU-LAX has minimal taxes: you'd be flying 12k and if crediting to AA and you are EXP you'll get 2 x the 12k RDM bonus for about 50k RDMs plus a great trip to Sao Paulo.

brahms77

Thanks for your suggestions. I think it's nice to have extra continent option and fly to S.America for additiona $500 + taxes, but for this trip, time is a bit limited and I am not sure how much extra miles I can get by adding S.America in the equation...

*** Adding S.America does not yield much more miles compared to maxed out DONE4 routing so I should save $500 + taxes and just choose DONE4.

*** As you suggested, manually priced YQ estimates for choosing QR instead of BA (BA option priced out via online tool) and, though not accurate, QR routing with a stopover in CDG instead of LHR should save me about $300-400 USD overall with YQ and other premium taxes that are posed when flying via LHR and BA. Rather save those $$ than fly via LHR (plus CDG is closer to where I need to be in Europe)

*** Also noticed that if I do ORD-HKG-HAN with CX instead of AA and JL combo, YQ and other tax components drops by about 2000 ZAR. I guess that's because CX only charges $45 for YQ on ORD-HKG route! Nice way to save, I think! It's another $150 so... a total savings of close to $500 is nice.

*** Alternative routing going East bound first yields a bit more mileage: JNB-HKG-DEL-NRT-HAN-HKG-JFK-LAX-ORD-SJU-DFW-YUL-DFW-DOH-CDG-DOH-JNB

Now, it's a matter of getting this booked and ticketed. I guess I can set it up manually with AA on the phone and then have Mind Pearl in SA issue the ticket for me, no?

anabolism

Interesting, thanks!

Another interesting tip, thanks. LAX-GRU is a three-class 777, so there's an opportunity to upgrade to F (although I checked a few dates in January and didn't see any A availability).