<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by goodo:
Well I think I've got a 6 continent: mel-drw-per-syd-akl-hkg-khi-hkg-bom-hkg-jnb-wdh-jnb-lun-jnb-lhr-tlv-lhr-ist-lhr-lax-sxm-dfw-anc-dfw-bos-lax-scl-ccs-scl-bog-scl-jfk-syd.
Total miles: 100570 according to Great Circle.
Could I just confirm: 1) HKG-KHI-HKG-KHI-HKG or JNB-WDH-JNB-WDH-JNB or SCL-CCS-SCL-CCS-SCL would not be allowed even with no stops due to backtracking through origin.
2) open jaw is allowed, ie. start MEL, end SYD.
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1. The segments you list are OK. The backtracking through origin limitation is for the origin of the trip, MEL in your case. Note that you can get more miles doing a SCL-IPC-SCL run. Also, CCS has, IMHO, a usurious airport departure tax of about US$50, payable in cash before they let you out of the country.
2. Yes, you can start and end in different cities in the same country.
A few other observations:
You can fly in and out of LGW and LHR in any combination, along with any other airport (e.g. CDG, DUB, etc.). However, it is your responsibility to get between airports. These are known as surface sectors and are not limited nor do they count against your segments used in a continent.
You can get more miles by doing LHR-DXB-LHR than LHR-TLV-LHR.
Although I'm not familiar with all the FF programs you mentioned, M class will get you reduced or no credit in some of them. For AA, M class will earn miles for OZ residents except 0 CX and EI, 70% on QF and 30% on IB. No AA miles can be earned on BA across the Atlantic. Q-points are based on miles flown times a factor for class of service. For discount economy that factor is 0.5 so you will only earn half as many Q-points as miles flown. However, status can be achieved with miles or Q-points.
[This message has been edited by ExMo (edited 12-08-2002).]