Consolidated "MileagePlus Award Travel to New Zealand" Thread [Merged]
Jun 1, 2012, 10:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
Consolidated "MileagePlus Award Travel to New Zealand" Thread [Merged]
Trying to do an award trip in J or F to AKL from IAD, with a stop in DOH on the return. This seems next to impossible.
Previously I was looking at BKK instead of AKL, and it was allowing me a free stop-over in DOH between BKK and IAD, but I can't seem to get that with AKL-DOH-IAD. Additionally, the search can't come up with any routing to AKL from iad.
Any creative fixes to this, or do people just suck it up and no use award travel to New Zealand?
Ideally my routing would be IAD-AKL-DOH-IAD
Thanks
Previously I was looking at BKK instead of AKL, and it was allowing me a free stop-over in DOH between BKK and IAD, but I can't seem to get that with AKL-DOH-IAD. Additionally, the search can't come up with any routing to AKL from iad.
Any creative fixes to this, or do people just suck it up and no use award travel to New Zealand?
Ideally my routing would be IAD-AKL-DOH-IAD
Thanks
Jun 1, 2012, 10:48 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 774
Look segment by segment starting with the hardest segments first. West coast to Australia are usually hard to find in J unless you're booking last minute or a year out - so you may need to connect in asia to reach AKL.
Stop over on DOH on the same award won't be possible - IAD-AKL only has a transpacific MPM published (12160 for MPM+15%). IAD-DOH only has an atlantic MPM, so not enough mileage to hit australia. Pick a different stopover (if any), or get multiple awards.
Stop over on DOH on the same award won't be possible - IAD-AKL only has a transpacific MPM published (12160 for MPM+15%). IAD-DOH only has an atlantic MPM, so not enough mileage to hit australia. Pick a different stopover (if any), or get multiple awards.
Jun 1, 2012, 10:52 pm
#4
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MPM does not matter. You are most certainly allowed to route a one-way award IAD-DOH-BKK-SYD-AKL - comes up as 67.5k in a multicity search.
The problem is getting the stopover to price out on a round trip.
Jun 1, 2012, 10:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 774
Although of course you're entirely possible to get an agent to book something against the rules when you call, so certainly possible to try. Find whatever availability by segment (or set of segments), and call to book.
Jun 2, 2012, 9:09 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
I can't seem to find that rate. That's not so bad, and I could then just price out a separate oneway for the return.
Aug 31, 2012, 11:09 pm
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
I'm still looking at this route, for a 2 week trip in November.
I'm having no luck finding anything. There is plenty of availability to get to HKG/BKK/SIN but I can't find a way to get to AKL. Is there a way to trick the search into routing through there? I'd really like HKG or SIN stopovers on the way there or back, anyways!
So BOS or IAD- AKL (via SIN or HKG, or one each way) for 2 weeks, early November, on an award? Is this really *THAT* tough of a request for me to ask of Star Alliance?
Any of you experts have some advice?
I'm having no luck finding anything. There is plenty of availability to get to HKG/BKK/SIN but I can't find a way to get to AKL. Is there a way to trick the search into routing through there? I'd really like HKG or SIN stopovers on the way there or back, anyways!
So BOS or IAD- AKL (via SIN or HKG, or one each way) for 2 weeks, early November, on an award? Is this really *THAT* tough of a request for me to ask of Star Alliance?
Any of you experts have some advice?
Aug 31, 2012, 11:15 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA,UA SLV, SPG GLD,Hyatt GP Plat.,National Exec., Hertz Platinum
Posts: 237
try Montreal-DOH-AKL.
I was finding a ton of availability the other day. You would have to put it on hold and then call in to patch together a IAD-Montreal ticket, or you can just buy one. lol
I was finding a ton of availability the other day. You would have to put it on hold and then call in to patch together a IAD-Montreal ticket, or you can just buy one. lol
Aug 31, 2012, 11:18 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
The DOH stopover isn't so important anymore. Would rather just route through Asia and spend a few nights in SIN or HKG (or one each way) enroute to AKL!
Aug 31, 2012, 11:19 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 295
Last December I found two tickets from AUS into AKL, both in F (or J if F not offered) but the routing was a little funky. We did AUS-LAX on United, LAX-ICN on Asiana (amazing product), ICN-BKK on Asiana, BKK-SYD on Thai, and SYD-AKL on Air New Zealand. It was about two days worth of flying, but we got to use lounges for food and showers along the way, and the F lounge in BKK allowed for a much-needed massage as well.
I'd imagine that similarly convoluted routing might be available for you, but we're awfully close to November now so maybe not. I'm also not sure what the situation looks like out of IAD as opposed to AUS. Can you post specific dates that might be of interest?
I'd imagine that similarly convoluted routing might be available for you, but we're awfully close to November now so maybe not. I'm also not sure what the situation looks like out of IAD as opposed to AUS. Can you post specific dates that might be of interest?
Aug 31, 2012, 11:24 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Posts: 237
Aug 31, 2012, 11:25 pm
#13
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 246
Last December I found two tickets from AUS into AKL, both in F (or J if F not offered) but the routing was a little funky. We did AUS-LAX on United, LAX-ICN on Asiana (amazing product), ICN-BKK on Asiana, BKK-SYD on Thai, and SYD-AKL on Air New Zealand. It was about two days worth of flying, but we got to use lounges for food and showers along the way, and the F lounge in BKK allowed for a much-needed massage as well.
I'd imagine that similarly convoluted routing might be available for you, but we're awfully close to November now so maybe not. I'm also not sure what the situation looks like out of IAD as opposed to AUS. Can you post specific dates that might be of interest?
I'd imagine that similarly convoluted routing might be available for you, but we're awfully close to November now so maybe not. I'm also not sure what the situation looks like out of IAD as opposed to AUS. Can you post specific dates that might be of interest?
Briefly searching the first leg, IAD-SIN shows availability on LH via FRA but I'm not sure how to add on the AKL portion and parlay it as a stopover vs 2 separate tickets (and more miles).
Sep 1, 2012, 3:24 pm
#15
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Careful as the Japan and China flights on NZ are on a 767 = recliner seats.