I once flew 15,134 miles continuously SCL-MAD-DXB-ICN-HGK-NRT in J. I was airside for 44 hours. That portion of the itinerary was $800.
The best cpm on AS was JFK-SFO-SEA-FAI return over 30 hours for $226. The base fare was $152. It earned 9570 EQM at 2.36 cpm, RDM 0.94 cpm.
For the last two years, I have been flying J on cheap ex-EU fares. I typically start in the fall purchasing PE from CPT to PHX and returning to Europe in the Spring in J. Then the ex-EU in the spring returning in the summer.
I have booked BUD-HEL-LAX-PHX in April returning YVR-LHR-BCN in July or $1532. It is on AA ticket stock, booked through Amadeus via Google flights. The itinerary plated two BA codeshare flights operated by AY, a single AA marketed/operated flight and plated two BA Prime flights. The itinerary accrues 21K EQM & 51K RDM for a 100K.
The AS segments come organically usually with a trip to Costa Rica with a Companion Certificate and GGUs. I currently have an 8 segment itinerary.
AS, this year, has been brutal for me. I have lost segments, abandoned itineraries in progress, MX issues, cancelations, misconnects, and MX during WX. AS was generally good about it, reaccomodating on DL SEA-JFK, refunding a segment to OFP that was ultimately a WX delay & doling out $850 in sorry vouchers, but here I sit at 22 segments when I should have past the post in February/March.
Those running SFO-JFK should maybe consider hoping over to Europe from there on a cheap AA fare via LHR or 22.5K AS miles and enjoy your OWE status benefits to start an ex-EU itinerary. When I started, I got to Europe on an AY award PHX-SEA-JFK-HEL-LHR all in J for 70K. The JFK-HEL flight was 6h, 45m.
I am just putting out some ideas, something a little more interesting and exciting, perhaps, than focusing on EQM runs sub 5 cpm, but I understand, I was there once too. 😃
Oh, longest time on a plane? 22 hours.
James