Star Alliance to Australia
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: North Carolina
Programs: DL UA
Posts: 537
Star Alliance to Australia
I am CP and I have to go from GSO to Brisbane in May. I have to go coach as this is a fairly marginal "business" trip and I am lucky my boss is letting me go at all . Anyway, I see that the US Quantas alliance is ending so whom should I fly down under and still get status miles?
Now that being said,maybe I should bag the whole US system. I flew US CLT- FRA and back this week and had terrible service. I couldn't upgrade ( my $1500 ticket was still not the right fare class to use miles )unless I wanted to pay $500 each way. Let me tell you, that blisters. I don't mind using miles, but come on, when there are empty Envoy seats and you have CPs let them up there without cash. I have been op up'd on SAS several times based on my Star Alliance gold status, it's ashame that my "home" airline won't even let me pay in miles.
Sorry for the rant, is United my only option to Brisbane?
Now that being said,maybe I should bag the whole US system. I flew US CLT- FRA and back this week and had terrible service. I couldn't upgrade ( my $1500 ticket was still not the right fare class to use miles )unless I wanted to pay $500 each way. Let me tell you, that blisters. I don't mind using miles, but come on, when there are empty Envoy seats and you have CPs let them up there without cash. I have been op up'd on SAS several times based on my Star Alliance gold status, it's ashame that my "home" airline won't even let me pay in miles.
Sorry for the rant, is United my only option to Brisbane?
#4
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: DC|NYC
Programs: UA GS, DL Plat, Marriott Bonvoy LIfetime Titanium/SPG refugee, Hertz Prez, Amtrak Select
Posts: 3,201
Sq!!!
#6
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: High Point, NC
Programs: None
Posts: 9,171
Just FYI, here's the Star Alliance Website.
Looks like either UA GSO-IAD-LAX then NZ LAX-AKL-BNE or US GSO-CLT-LAX then NZ LAX-AKL-BNE is the quickest, with UA having a slight time advantage (you'd leave GSO a little earlier on US).
Otherwise, it'd be via one of the Far East carriers. SQ and TG will both get you to Brisbane but the travel time would be longer.
Jim
PS - I think UA only goes to SYD, so looks like you'd be on your own from there to Brisbane since it doesn't look like any *A carrier serves that route.
Looks like either UA GSO-IAD-LAX then NZ LAX-AKL-BNE or US GSO-CLT-LAX then NZ LAX-AKL-BNE is the quickest, with UA having a slight time advantage (you'd leave GSO a little earlier on US).
Otherwise, it'd be via one of the Far East carriers. SQ and TG will both get you to Brisbane but the travel time would be longer.
Jim
PS - I think UA only goes to SYD, so looks like you'd be on your own from there to Brisbane since it doesn't look like any *A carrier serves that route.
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: North Carolina
Programs: DL UA
Posts: 537
Thanks for response.
I think that NZ looks like the way to go. Does anyone know if they allow a Star Alliance Gold to upgrade with miles? Someone may have to hit me in the head with a hammer to get me through 14 hours in coach!
thanks again for the help!
I think that NZ looks like the way to go. Does anyone know if they allow a Star Alliance Gold to upgrade with miles? Someone may have to hit me in the head with a hammer to get me through 14 hours in coach!
thanks again for the help!
#8
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
One other option:
either
(a) UA: GSO-IAD and NH: IAD-NRT
or
(b) UA: GSO-ORD-NRT
and
NZ: NRT-AKL-BNE
Takes about 4 hours longer than going via LAX.
either
(a) UA: GSO-IAD and NH: IAD-NRT
or
(b) UA: GSO-ORD-NRT
and
NZ: NRT-AKL-BNE
Takes about 4 hours longer than going via LAX.
#9
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold,MR Gold, Avis CHM
Posts: 2,300
If you can use UA perhaps you can trade US miles for SWUs on CC.....
#11
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: From: PWM
Programs: United GS, Fairmont Platinum,SPG LTPlat, Hilton Diamond, MarriottGold..like the rest of the world
Posts: 4,401
spell check
Just a friendly reminder that QANTAS is an acronym for
Queensland
And
Northern
Territory
Aerial
Services
That's why it's the only word starting with "Q" that I write without the usual "U."
.........now back to our regularly scheduled program ...................
Queensland
And
Northern
Territory
Aerial
Services
That's why it's the only word starting with "Q" that I write without the usual "U."
.........now back to our regularly scheduled program ...................
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,066
Partnership ends next month (Feb 2007), so no mileage accrual or redemption after that.
You can, however, book award tickets for travel until Jan 2008, as long as you make the booking before the end of Feb 2007.
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content...es.aspx#qantas
You can, however, book award tickets for travel until Jan 2008, as long as you make the booking before the end of Feb 2007.
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content...es.aspx#qantas
#13
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 170
It will take longer, but you can take SQ's Exec Economy (supposedly as good as most business classes on other airlines) from LAX or EWR to SIN, then regular coach to Brisbane.
#14
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Arizona USA
Programs: NetJets Marquis, Southwest Moo, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,652
I am playing with a *A Award F to SIN and then doing a Tiger flight to DRW. Never been to Darwin, so can make this work if US isn't completely blackballed from Premium over the Pacific. So far, the cards appear to be falling that way though.....
I want to burn these miles soooooo bad!
#15
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Shared Troll
Programs: The Marina. Comic Relief. UA 1K and 1MM. MacBook Pro.
Posts: 1,913