Well,

After going through the various forums we have our tickets and some new challenges.

We are a family of four (myself, wife, 9 yr old daughter, 10 year old son).

We have booked/paid and have our paper tickets in our hands for our Oneworld LONE6 tickets in Toronto ex GRU (South America). Yes, if you pay for your tickets in Canada you pay the lower fare - it's the only country that you can do this in.

Our route is: GRU-SCL-IPC-SCL-SYD-NRT-PEK-HNK-BKK-HNK-JRB-MAD-CAI-AMM-ORD-YYZ-DFW-ANC-DFW-JFK-GRU

We don't fly American until after our trip is over.....we will fly to Anchorage next summer with the kids. What do people think about obtaining Platinum status prior to our trip?? Is it worth doing a mileage run?? Best thing I can find is YYZ(BUF)-SCL-YYZ(BUF) [we have skis we could send down to Santiago early which would be a bonus --- or take one of my kids to Tokyo or Paris for the weekend but these tickets would cost us around $2700. Is platinum for two of us really worth it? I would really appreciate any comments or suggestions anyone has.


Advice for others:

1. Purchase tickets in Canada/Toronto saves $$ - most AA rtw desk people are not aware of this rule but the rating desk will confirm
2. Show upto airport first thing in the morning - come back at lunch and tickets are prepared
3. Purchase tickets prior to June 1 and get 20 segments instead of 16 thereafter
4. Once you have completed 4-5 segments on paper do a date change and this will require reissue of the ticket BUT NOW THE TICKET CAN BE e-ticket!! This is a great idea that I learned by accident yesterday while on the phone with AA rtw desk
5. Booked and paid for this ticket on a new TD Visa Advantage Card that gave x2 AA miles
6. Flying TASCA airlines from YYZ to LIM, LIM-CUZ-LIM,LIM-GRU for about $2500 (all 4 of us) - this extends our rtw trip for 13 months and allows us some additonal time in S/A for less then the Oneworld flights would have cost out of Toronto and no Alaska side trip next year

Help Required:

• We would like lounge access while travelling and the Admirals club doesn't work for our destinations, we don't have status yet for Oneworld lounges - maybe use Diner's club - priority pass isn't efficient with a family (kids)
• I am trying to figure out a suitable mileage run that would give us Platinum status with AA prior to our trip (we need 10000 qualifying points)
• What do you think two Platinum status (we need two as each can bring a guest)/Saphire is worth in $$ terms
• We will be travelling around 50,000 miles

• We will be travelling to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam from Nov-Jan out of Hong Kong - any suggestions for other cheap airlines? Probably do the train in Thailand
• Same question for Africa - would like to do a Safari (we know it will be $$)
• Same question for Madrid to Morroco & Madrid to Belfast

Thanks in advance for your help/suggestions and hope this post will help others in their planning.