FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Recommendations on a first class flight between nyc and paris
Old Jan 8, 2012 | 11:32 am
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guv1976
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Originally Posted by darkom
Originally Posted by guv1976
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

If the OP does indeed get the Citi/AA cards, he should keep in mind that for the same 20,000 miles that AA charges for an off-peak MileSAAver Coach award CDG-JFK or CDG-ORD, one can get CDG-JFK/ORD (stopover) - Hawaii/Caribbean/Alaska/etc. This essentially adds a free, one-way from the North American gateway to another North American destination. (The stopover at the gateway can last weeks or months, as long as all travel on the award is completed within one year of award-ticket issuance.)
A stopover in Hawaii would be amazing, but certainly starts adding up the $$$/time. My initial thought was to do "weekend" in New York with dinner our first (and unbeknownst to her, only) night at a very memorable French restaurant, e.g. Daniel, Per Se. Sometime after the dinner make a comment about I wonder what REAL French food tastes like.. and present her with the two tickets to Paris? That type of surprise may require far too many obstacles, but I could still employ the same stopover tactic your post illustrates even if she knows we're ultimately going to Paris.
No, I don't think you understand.

You don't get a stopover in Hawaii. You get a stopover at your North American gateway (ORD or JFK) on your way back from CDG. Then, months later, you can fly to Hawaii from your stopover city on a separate trip (perhaps your honeymoon, depending on how long your engagement lasts).

If you want to start your trip to CDG in ORD or DTW, you can fly ORD/DTW-NYC (stopover) - CDG also for 20,000 miles per person.
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