Originally Posted by olimaspecto
1) Even if you use the eVIPS to try and upgrade to suites on a 777 (say LAX-LHR) you would need to purchase a discounted (but not heavily discounted) business fare (so D would probably be the chepeast, becuase you cannot upgrade on I fares). This will run close to $6000 per ticket (I think, but may be incorrect). How much would it suck too if you bought the expensive tickets, upgraded, and then it got switched to coffins! Eeek!
I was hoping there might be a through fare that would be much less, but perhaps that is very unrealistic.
2) Why waste them on a LAX-HNL when you can get comp upgrades as EXP?
Mostly just to use them somewhere other than on a couple of 3-4 hour MD80s. But your other ideas sound better.
3) The new lie-flat seats are scheduled to begin being installed on the 767s this year and those should be quite nice. The 777s will be afterwards. Thus you may want to look at the DUB fares (they get quite cheap from the west coast (LAX from $440 or so + taxes) after November 1 and if the new seats are installed then you will be golden! A nice long weekend in DUB (maybe even over Veteran's day) would surely eat up some of that.
Interesting idea. It'll be quite cold there, but it'll be cold in London as well.
4) Also consider trading some of the eVIPS in CC for miles or something else. The general asking price is about 30K miles for EVIP (more further way from expiration of course), which if you traded 8 of them could get you a cool 240K, enough for two F tickets on Europe.
Plus helping me get to 2MM, if transferred miles count (I'm at 1.5 now).
Does QF or CX have something like VIPs? Maybe I could trade some AA VIPs for QF or CX ones, and use them on the Circle Pacific trips already ticketed? (Probably not June, since F is likely to be full by now, but maybe November?)