Originally Posted by
DFW25FLY
I just ticketed two Business Class Explorer Awards for December the first half of December. It took about 4-5 hours of researching on ExpertFlyer and about 30 minutes on the phone with an AAgent. Our Awards came in at Zone 7 (24,511 miles total) so it was 150,000 miles a piece and $155.00 in taxes for each ticket. I feel like I got a good deal, especially considering it's peak time in Australia!
Itinerary:
1) DFW-ORD in AA F (2 nights in ORD to enjoy the Michigan Avenue Christmas lights. Plus my significant other has never been.)
2) ORD-NRT in JAL Business (5 hour layover.)
3) NRT-SYD in Business on the Upper Deck of the QF 747 (8 full days and 8 nights in Sydney.)
4) SYD-PVG in QF Business (3.5 hour layover in PVG.)
5) PVG-LAX in AA Business (2 hour layover.)
6) LAX-DFW in AA F
Essentially, you are doing the equivalent of 4 "oneworld and other airline" one way awards:
(1) DFW -> ORD (AA in F) -> NRT (JL in J) (50K AA miles)
(2) NRT -> SYD (QF in J) (45K AA miles)
(3) SYD -> PVG (QF in J) (35K AA miles)
(4) PVG -> LAX (AA in J) -> DFW (AA in F) (55K AA miles)
So, had you booked these flights as "oneworld and other airline" awards, you would have paid 185K AA miles. Congrats!