wannabe_plat

Ok, I am a lurker, signed for Plat Chall help.. never flown AA before!

I'll be flying from AUS/IAH to Europe for a week's vacation in mid july. Was considering AF $398+tax EWR->CDG+AMS->EWR multi trip (DL miles), but then I'll have to do an aus->ewr anyway, so it will probably cost 800+ ..

Better to do a Platinum challenge on AA. Right?
I need to make another transatlantic flight in september so finishing the challenge betwen the two should be easy. right now i just want to get as close as possible.

any routing ideas? fare suggestions?
AUS->DFW->CDG prices for about $1000
and earns about 10k miles = 5k qpoints...

all suggestions welcome! thanks!

YVR Cockroach

You might be able to fit in, time permitting, some bizarre routing involving MIA, JFK, DFW, ORD and even LAX. Just find the lowest basic fare and plug in some other places as intermediate stops. The extra cost should be taxes only.

wannabe_plat

expedia airline fare list brings up only VLX21AP on AA and that has "MPM - AT 6120" so there is no room for routing.. is there a way i can force expedia or some other site to show all AA fares?

AAgoraku

Try Travelocity's Fare Listings:
http://dps1.travelocity.com/lognlogi...tr_module=FARE

MPM's increase when you fly through hub airports -- 1000 more miles for ORD, MIA, DFW, I believe. Other airports have additional allowance, but I don't know what they are.

Remember, you can always exceed the MPM you'll just pay more $$ for each 5% over the limit.

See (below for details):
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/004274.html

For possible routings, you might try:
AUS-SJC-JFK/BOS-CDG
CDG-DFW-SJC-AUS

More routings here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum71/HTML/013121.html

[This message has been edited by AAgoraku (edited 06-18-2003).]

wannabe_plat

AAgoraku, thanks for showing how to get to the travelocity fares. Some more newbie questions that i couldn't get answered off the primer, so bear with me please.

The travelocity fares don't have routing info? Is that right or am i missing something?

Aa, travelocity, orbitz, expedia allow only 4 or 5 airport pairs, ie 2 each way. so i got AUS-stl-MIA-jfk-CDG priced by trial and error but i cant get to the west coast like that. I've priced AUS-STL-MIA-JFK-CDG and BRU-ORD-DFW-AUS at $991 for approx 6k qpoints/ 12k q-miles. I don't mind open jaw in Europe - can work my vacation around it.

I am trying to do something like:
AUS-ORD/DFW-LAX/SFO-JFK/DFW/ORD-MIA-CDG/BRU/AMS
for 15k miles total, and 7.5k qpoints. What is the right way, if any to do this? Also, can I lower the pricing from $991 to the published fare? Have read the primer, can't see the solution..

Note: MIA seems to give 1500 bonus on MPM as compared to 1000 ORD/MIA..

all help appreciated!

thanks
--the-newbie-but-wannabe-plat

wannabe_plat

ok just one more question - will it help to route through LHR rather than to CDG/BRU/AMS directly?

LHR-CDG mileage isnt substantial and perhaps i can book on some other carrier?

[Edited for clarity]

[This message has been edited by wannabe_plat (edited 06-18-2003).]

StSebastian

One other thing to watch out for that affected a friend of mine is the points vs. miles issue on the challenge. At least in his case the challenge was points only, so when he was flying on the cheap tickets the .5 points/mile wasn't going to get him enough for the challenge until he ended up having to add another transcontinental just before the challenge window ended.

wannabe_plat

Thanks for the advice about the points!

I am currently looking at 8497 points / 16372 miles as:
1 mile = .5 point
AUS-DFW = 500 miles AND points

july16:AUS-1274-DFW-1287-SFO-16-JFK-120-CDG
july24:CDG-121-JFK-59-SFO-388-DFW-1737-AUS

that priced out at 1100 at aa.com.

Can someone add another couple of segments or perhaps route this through MIA ? That would take the points over 9000 and then a simple AUS-DFW-AUS would finish the challenge later.

keithguy

The AUS-PAR fare on AA allows for an MPM routing with unlimited online transfers.

Since there is a 500 Q-point minimum per segment, one strategy might be to capitalize on the number of segments.

For example, AUS-DFW-ICT-STL-IND-ORD-DCA-JFK-CDG.

Of course, that many segments probably won't be bookable online.

References:
Mileage Run Primer
MPM Routings

[This message has been edited by keithguy (edited 06-19-2003).]

wannabe_plat

hi keithguy! thanks for pointing out that unlimited AA transfers are allowed! i had not understood that fully.

I only seem to be able to get 5 * 500 segments.ie, falling one segment short.

eg: AUS-DFW-LIT-STL-MSN-ORD-CDG

the schedules just dont seem to allow six

can someone help?


[This message has been edited by wannabe_plat (edited 06-19-2003).]

wannabe_plat

the fare ends today, probably goes up,
i need 2segs4free !!

AAgoraku

You can normally find all of this on Expedia also.... Flights-->Fare Calendar (left column)

Me thinks you can't go back thru the same airport....

Yep, thanks.

keithguy

Perhaps not six segments in a day, but up to 24 hours is allowed for each transfer.

wannabe_plat

Isn't the unlimited transfers only on AA metal in the US, in that case the 4 hour rule will apply? Or will I have to do a last-flt-in-first-out?
I've never booked so many segments before so I am a bit overwhelmed.
As I said before the best routing I could find for the onward journey was

WED 16JUL03
1 AUS DFW 0600 0657 AA1092
2 LIT 0820 0929 @AA3737
1 LIT STL 1122 1231 AA2940
2 MSN 1337 1510 @AA5592
1 MSN ORD 1804 1852 @AA4262
2 CDG 1935#1045 AA 42

that falls one segment short.

wannabe_plat

Yes The expedia/travelocity issue is in the Primer

You are right about repeating airports, of course. In a latter post, keithguy has given an better routing example than my hypothetical one above, without having to criss cross so much.

[This message has been edited by wannabe_plat (edited 06-19-2003).]