Using Aeroplan South Africa to US
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,256
Using Aeroplan South Africa to US
Just curious as this will be my first time redeeming under Aeroplan. Are there zone restrictions when booking a one way J award? The only restriction I've found during my brief research is the MPM restriction.
I'm looking at flying JNB - West Coast US. SFO seems to give me the most flexibility at 16,873 MPM. Would routing via Asia be acceptable in that case? I've found South African JNB-HKG to be open then a few EVA flights or Air China that could work in my favor, all routings coming in around 15K miles or so.
Any other route recommendations that won't impose huge surcharges? I'm not a huge fan of flying SA considering the A343 product is rather mediocre for the 13 hour flight to HKG, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of other Star options out of South Africa since I can't redeem on SQ.
I'm looking at flying JNB - West Coast US. SFO seems to give me the most flexibility at 16,873 MPM. Would routing via Asia be acceptable in that case? I've found South African JNB-HKG to be open then a few EVA flights or Air China that could work in my favor, all routings coming in around 15K miles or so.
Any other route recommendations that won't impose huge surcharges? I'm not a huge fan of flying SA considering the A343 product is rather mediocre for the 13 hour flight to HKG, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of other Star options out of South Africa since I can't redeem on SQ.
#2
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Toronto, ON
Programs: AC 75K
Posts: 6,363
MPM is the main limitation. The other is you can not connect in the same city more than once in each direction.
Otherwise, the routing is flexible.
There have been recent examples of finding SQ availability - mainly on their A350 routes.
Otherwise, the routing is flexible.
There have been recent examples of finding SQ availability - mainly on their A350 routes.
#5
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Join Date: Jun 2009
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Posts: 1,256
#6
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^^ Life saver right here. Didn't bother looking at SQ since I figured the 350 was off limits. It is indeed bookable on Aeroplan's website the day I would need it JNB-SIN!
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
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I'm going to call Aeroplan after work today to ensure this is bookable, but here is what I'm looking at.
JNB-SIN SQ J (9 hour stop)
SIN-PEK CA J (10 hour stop)
PEK-LAX CA J
MPM checks out and there's no backtracking.
The goal is to eventually swap PEK with TPE and fly either BR or UA back (UA an option due to Polaris lounge access) to LAX, I believe the change fee for that is $100 CAD up to 2 hours prior to departure?
JNB-SIN SQ J (9 hour stop)
SIN-PEK CA J (10 hour stop)
PEK-LAX CA J
MPM checks out and there's no backtracking.
The goal is to eventually swap PEK with TPE and fly either BR or UA back (UA an option due to Polaris lounge access) to LAX, I believe the change fee for that is $100 CAD up to 2 hours prior to departure?
#8
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
I'm going to call Aeroplan after work today to ensure this is bookable, but here is what I'm looking at.
JNB-SIN SQ J (9 hour stop)
SIN-PEK CA J (10 hour stop)
PEK-LAX CA J
MPM checks out and there's no backtracking.
The goal is to eventually swap PEK with TPE and fly either BR or UA back (UA an option due to Polaris lounge access) to LAX, I believe the change fee for that is $100 CAD up to 2 hours prior to departure?
JNB-SIN SQ J (9 hour stop)
SIN-PEK CA J (10 hour stop)
PEK-LAX CA J
MPM checks out and there's no backtracking.
The goal is to eventually swap PEK with TPE and fly either BR or UA back (UA an option due to Polaris lounge access) to LAX, I believe the change fee for that is $100 CAD up to 2 hours prior to departure?
#9
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
Simple answer: Because SQ blocks award availability in J and F to partners on all flights to the US, as well as on most other long-haul destinations (SIN-JNB is very much an anomaly).
#11
Join Date: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,359
-James
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
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E.g. LAX/SFO-NRT/ICN/PEK-PVG/TPE/HKG-SIN/BKK-JNB
It's just a matter a finding award availability (and to a lesser degree whether you're willing to pay fuel surcharges in return for (potentially) flying a better airline).
#13
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^ That. If it were available I'd do it. The goal is to eventually end up on Eva as I'd like to have a day (under 24 hours) in Taiwan again, plus I haven't flown Eva before. Air China is just a stop gap in the meantime so that I can secure the SQ space.
#14
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,256
Any reasonably direct routing between the West Coast and South Africa via Asia would work in terms of MPM.
E.g. LAX/SFO-NRT/ICN/PEK-PVG/TPE/HKG-SIN/BKK-JNB
It's just a matter a finding award availability (and to a lesser degree whether you're willing to pay fuel surcharges in return for (potentially) flying a better airline).
E.g. LAX/SFO-NRT/ICN/PEK-PVG/TPE/HKG-SIN/BKK-JNB
It's just a matter a finding award availability (and to a lesser degree whether you're willing to pay fuel surcharges in return for (potentially) flying a better airline).
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,256
So I ticketed the res today. Total came to 75K miles (expected) and $468.20 CAD. Piecing together each segment on Aeroplan's website and adding in the ticketing fee, I'm only getting $286.90. I thought $468 was a little high considering I'm flying on carriers that don't impose fuel surcharges (unless I'm not up to date on that)?