stex

I wonder if you have more details about the possibility to use an AA codeshare for the DOH-LAX segment? I also have LAX-DOH segment coming up in June as part of a DONE3, but have not found any AA codeshare for it. In addition to doing research online (expertflyer and more), I called AA in late 2015 and they mentioned that AA has not released codeshare flights for that specific QR flight.

skipaway

Looks like you are right. I just assumed they would code share. I could be wrong, but I thought I saw a QR code share flight flash by as I was looking at the departures at DFW recently. Calchas discussed this issue very recently in one of the other threads on this topic.
I went on AA to check it out, I filtered to include American and oneworld carriers and there was no DOH-LAX non-stop offered as AA or QR. There was no DOH-DFW non-stop either. There is a QR operated American code share to ORD.

I went to BA and they don't show a DOH-LAX non-stop either, but you can book it on QR.

Edit to add: I tried finding a flight DOH-LAX departing May 7 on AA, BA, and QR sites. I hold a ticket on that flight, so I know it exists. I tried DOH-DFW just to see if a now operating flight would work--it didn't except on QR

Viajero Millero

Looking forward to hearing more, JonNYC!

Dr. HFH

MIA-DOH: QR 778 = AA 8007

JFK-DOH: QR 702 = AA 7972

IAH-DOH: QR 714 = AA 7996

ORD-DOH: QR 726 = AA 7957

IAD-DOH: QR 708 = AA 7970

There may be more; but this is what I found quickly.

AG.Canada

Hello FT forum,

Long time reader, first time poster... First of all, thank you for all of the shared knowledge; this is a really great community!

I am hoping to book a DONE5 EX-JNB , with the first flight to HK with Cathay Pacific. My question goes out to JonNYC... have you had any luck getting your ticket issued and ticketed with the travel agent in South Africa? It sounds like you are hoping to book a similar ticket to the one I am dreaming about!

Any updated knowledge and advice would be amazing on this front... I am hoping to start the RTW in the middle of March.

Thanks again, and look forward to continuing to read all these wonderful forums... hopefully I can contribute soon enough!

Cheers!

AG.Canada

Hi again,

Second post, same forum

This is the itinerary I am looking at and thinking about booking:

NB-HKG-ICN-NRT-KUL-AKL-SYD-LAX-YYZ-DFW-ANC-DFW-MAD-ARN-DOH-CAP

It seems to let me go through right to the payment page... does this mean it will work? I have a Canadian issued CC, will the payment page allow it (this is for two persons, and by far the largest CC purchase of my life so I am treading slowly looking at it.

Seems to make fairly good sense to book with AAdvantage, as much as I can see it will still be a pretty good YYZ-based carrier for rewards.

Thanks for all your help... as most of you I'm sure know... THIS IS KIND OF FUN!

Cheers from Myanmar.

AG.Canada

Third post (in a row, yikes)...

A few of the flights, seemingly the SYD-LAX and DFW-MAD do not seem to show up with AA codeshares. Is this a problem with the online Oneworld tool? It is not a dealbreaker for me, but seems like a quicker way to Platinum Elite with Aadvantage if they are with American. But for some reason I can find that they are codeshares but not on the Oneworld tool.

Thanks for any help!

danger

Welcome, AG.Canada. I'm not an expert but I think I can offer a couple of scraps of advice.

First, I think you have a sector up your sleeve. I'm thinking something either side of ARN (probably limited to TXL or HEL assuming you want to avoid LHR).

Second, yes, as I understand there are issues with the AA codeshares displaying on the tool. It's not a problem, though. Simply book the QF-coded flights and change the flight number without any penalty after the booking is secured.

Finally, there shouldn't be any issue with booking with CX through the tool, if it allows you to.

Gardyloo

SYD-LAX and DFW-MAD are both operated by AA (Qantas also flies SYD-LAX of course) so you wouldn't need codeshares, just the regular flight numbers. What are you seeing on the tool?

Viajero Millero

No word from the SA agent?

JonNYC

I dropped out this round, burning miles for a few trips, wanting to fly in F for free, etc.

Agents seemed completely ready, willing and able from what I could tell.

danger

Are you able to share the agent's contact details here or would you prefer to be contacted by PM?

JonNYC

More than happy to do so via PM-- just so as not to have her Email fully exposed to bots, or whatever. I was impressed with her response time and willingness to ask QR's people for assistance, etc. She seemed anxious for the business.

AG.Canada

Thank you for everyone's help and feedback. I finally have the internet again in the last 24 hours and and have been fixing up the itinerary... Hope this post is in the right spot; I am open to any more help or advice that is out there on the forum! ^

Thanks danger for the advice on adding a segment and for the idea of calling in the codeshares after. Also thanks to gardyloo, I ended up changing my first flight because it reduced the cost by about 400usd per ticket (x2 tickets) doing Australia first.

A quick update on what I have planned so far:

1 JNB SYD QF
2 SYD PER QF (AA7299)
3 PER AKL QF
4 AKL KUL MR
5 KUL NRT JAL (AA8416)
6 NRT HKG JAL (AA8417)
7 HKG MLE CX
8 MLE HKG CX
9 HKG YYZ CX
10 YYZ MIA AA
11 MIA SEA AA
12 SEA ORD AA
13 ORD DOH QR (AA7957)
14 DOH CMN QR
15 CMN DOH QR
16 DOH CPT QR

This DONE5 prices on the tool at a total of approximately 5270usd:
68,070 ZAR -- Fare
17,207.72 ZAR -- Taxes and Fees
85,277.72 ZAR -- Total

Thanks in part to Expertflyer, all the flights are in Business (or First on AA)... and I think I found the four AA codeshares above which means the itinerary should net 101,733 EQM getting Executive Platinum for next year (assuming I will also fly one more AA operating segment). I can't seem to book any of the codeshares on the tool but will try to call CX after purchasing the ticket to change... Side note, but I really can't believe the value of the AAdvantage Executive Platinum on top of the already unbelievable value of the DONE5... these forums are GOLD!

Below are a few more thoughts/questions I am left with:

1) I am considering the Platinum Aadvantage status challenge for $200usd... if anyone has an opinion if this would be of value that would be great. For insight, the first 9 flights will be complete by May and the rest by September. I have never had status of any kind and rarely collected (and never used) FF points before this haha

2) We are looking to fly from SGN-JNB on March 12th and fly the first leg March 13th or 14th JNB-SYD. I just want to make sure this does not break any rules, I believe I read gardyloo say you can literally just pick your tickets up at the airport when you land and jump on your first segment. We will probably fly Qatar there to get a few more EQM, unfortunately none of their recent sales seem to help with this flight

3) Do the above fees seem normal for a DONE5? I tried about 10 different itineraries, changing flights/airports/operators and this seems to be approximately (within 1000ZAR) the best I could find. I have never done a RTW but these fees seem reasonable to me for 16 Business-class flights.

4) Trying to figure out how to use my CC without FX fees but not having any luck (only 4800CAD limit on the Chase visa). Simply over-paying the CC in the amount of the tickets won't cut it because apparently the daily limit will stick at 4800CAD. I will likely have to pay 2.5% extra on my other Visa with the higher limit . I wish us Canadians had access to all the American CC opportunities!

Sorry for the long post, and thanks again for all the FT information. If this works out it will be amazing!

danger

All looks pretty awesome to me, AG.Canada.

The taxes seem right, pushing 25% of the fare which has always struck me as very high but nonetheless seems the norm. You look to have squeezed some solid mileage out of the fare.

I'm bailing out of AA and EXP this year after the pending slaughter of AAdvantage in five weeks but others more in turn with the changes will comment on that front, as well as the Platinum challenge.

It will be an electronic ticket so once it's issued you should have no issue just turning up at JNB and flying on to SYD.

Are you ticketing through QF? Perhaps you could ask if they would accept a Western Union transfer. Alternatively, they may accept a CAD4800 payment one day and then the balance the next day. It's worth asking.