Originally Posted by
Bergerac82
Makes sense to go AA - except that they ended the Explorer reward and the challenge too. Additionally I'd need 4 sectors on AA metal to qualify for status, correct?
CX seem to still have a reasonably useful mileage limited award through Marco Polo/Asia Miles, and I'd attain status during the trip, but I don't know if they give a mileage bonus with status.
BA is expensive to claim rewards, but I'd attain status if I altered the itinerary to fly more BA metal.
Seems like I should wait and see what AA come up with?
I'd definitely monitor this thread -
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...y-sourced.html - and its successors, as this could be quite important to you. For example, it sounds like AA is going to eliminate one of the options used for qualifying for elite status, the "elite qualifying points" (EQP) option, and instead substitute a changed "elite qualifying miles" metric which will have a "multiplier" option doubling or even trebling EQMs earned in premium cabins. This would result, for example, in 2x EQMs for segments in D, which - if extended to Oneworld partner flights (we don't know yet) - would mean that a 50,000 mile DONEx would qualify you for Executive Platinum (Oneworld Emerald) status, along with its systemwide upgrades, access to first class lounges, the works.
If that comes to pass (and evidently we'll know before the first of the year) then I would seriously look at amending your route to include more AA metal options, even if it means fewer stopover points. As for codeshares counting, my own sense is that Oneworld and AA are becoming less flexible at using codeshare numbers on flights that wouldn't qualify for codeshare booking outside the RTW, for example AA codes on flights that don't originate, connect, or terminate with AA flights or destinations. And we don't know how AA's revised program will handle codeshares in terms of the "4 flight" rule either.
For example, this route -
JNB-HKG-MLE-HKG-DPS,BKK-NRT-DFW-YVR-JFK-EZE-SCL-IPC-SCL-DFW-LHR-CPT - would allow you to use AA metal on NRT-DFW-YVR, JFK-EZE, and (using the allowed "second entry" rule between South and North America) SCL-DFW-LHR, allowing 5 AA metal flights but losing LIM and DOH. I'm sure there are other permutations that would work; however by flying that route it looks like you'd earn EXP under the new rules. The only issue would be if AA maintains the "calendar year" part of the test, which might throw a monkey wrench into the whole shebang.
One last thing, just for your consideration. Right now DONE4s bought and started in Egypt are around US$600 more than DONE5s started in South Africa. As one who adores SA and gets there whenever I can, I hesitate to suggest skipping it, but in considering the cost of access along with the ability to free up two segments out of 16, it might be worth doing a little thought experiment on a CAI start instead of a JNB start, just to see what it looks like.