Windward Side of Life

Yes, you will earn EQM and RDM at the usual MP rates, including any applicable class of service bonus. From the discount code T&C:

Mileage Plan: Mileage Plan credit applies and upgrades are allowed.

Thichbay

Is there a reason to buy First Class over Main Cabin ? I know that we get 75% more EQM with I class but the its price is usually at least double R class ?

joachimm

If this is a pure mileage run, and you are looking to maximize price per mile, and assign low value to your time or comfort, than no. Personally I don't have a lot of free time to fly around the country for no reason, and I value comfort, so I'm flying F when possible, especially in the near term before widespread vaccination. It might be different if MVPG could upgrade to Premium at time of booking.

But it's a pretty straightforward calculation, you can even use milecalc.com to do it for you since they support AS elite levels and class of service bonus.

Thichbay

Thanks for your inputs! I myself can only afford 2-3 weekend days a month to fly also. However, I find it is more comfortable (especially on transcon flights) seating in 3-seats lay flat economy than in F. As a 75k elite, I automatically get Premium when I book R class (and also get good chance to be upgraded). So paying for F is like paying for a lounge pass & food on the plane? Am I missing anything here? Appreciate any inputs (especially from 75k elites) !

Flying for Fun

Along with 2 free checked bags, if one doesn't have a waiver, you also get lounge access. That mat be of value to some. Generally, K class, the lowest fare class a GGU can be applied to, runs 85%-110% of R and with this sale are often higher than fare class I. An I class fare at double the R class fare is a phenomenal deal.

James

Flying for Fun

This is correct, however purchasing Y, S (50%), B, M (25%) fares for the Class of service bonus will surely cost much more than the Discounted, Discounted I class which includes lounge access and 2 free checked bags.

It should also be noted that while upgrades for Elites into F is possible, the earnings in MP will be based on the underlying class of the ticket purchased. Upgrades into U inventory also do not grant lounge access nor does it allow for a refund of any baggage fees paid prior to the upgrade.

James

Waitlisted

I have the same question.... I just rebooked 12 flights and in many cases got F for my wife and I for the same or less than main cabin.

I am also looking at a mileage run as I saw the article in TPG about becoming Emerald in OneWorld for 2022 so want to hit MVP75/OW Emerald for some heavy international travel in 2022. I am PDX based and the only same day transcon mileage run I can really find is PDX/EWR/PDX.. Arrives EWR 3:30 and leaves EWR 5:30. But its $219 each way in F any way I search (yes, cheaper than U upgrades). Does anyone know of better deals nonstop from PDX? MCO you cant turn in one day.

RAD_PDX

PDX-EWR-PDX in F (8491 EQM @ $431.80) = 0.0509cpm
PDX-DEN-PDX in F (3493 EQM @ $165.80) = 0.0475cpm
PDX-SEA-ORD-SEA-PDX in F (7752.5 EQM @ $354.00) = 0.0457cpm
PDX-MSP-PDX in F (4973.5 EQM @ $213.40) = 0.0429cpm
PDX-SEA-AUS-SEA-PDX in F (6237 EQM @ $245.50) = 0.0394cpm * PDX-SEA in main

Some of these offer a better cpm earning if you fly in main cabin. You can get transcons for under 0.03cpm if you are willing to fly main cabin plus do a red-eye. Technically 2 days, but you leave in the evening of day 1.

TravelingZoomer

Just do some math.

Pick some amount you're willing to spend on pure mileage runs above organic spend/business travel. Let's say 25k. Say you won't spend above 1.5k to get those extra 25k.

That's 1.5k/25k = .06c/eqm. Any trip that nets you eqm's at a rate of less thann .06c/eqm would put you on track. With these fares, you it's quite absurd from as low at .02c/eqm and probably around .04c/eqm for first. Plug in whatever numbers for your desired target EQMs and budget and see what works for you.

Personally, as a vertically challenged but still young travelingzoomer, I do not mind saver fares at all to get the lowest possible ratio since I can travel basically any weekend and rather eat at the airport. But different people value their times and comfort differently in their mileage runs quests.

Waitlisted

Thanks RAD-PDX and travelling zoomer, great suggestions. I think i will stick with EWR as time wise and hassle wise its easier than the PDX/AUS/PDX via SEA day. Plus too many times I have landed in SEA and gone to D20 and then missed the last PDX flight, needing to spend a night in a hotel.

Single_Flyer

I'm doing a mileage run SEA-FLL in January.

$95 in Main Cabin, $185 in First Class - One Way.

In Main Cabin, it is costing me 3.5 cents per EQM for a total of 2,712 EQMs. In First Class, it is costing me 3.9 cents per EQM for a total of 4,746 EQMs.

It is absolutely worth the slightly higher cost to guarantee myself a seat in F for 6 hours, Lounge access, and getting more EQMs for my time.

For me if F is less than 2x the cost of Main Cabin, it is worth it.

Ford Fairlane

Here are the codes I found listed in this thread:

MEATBALL: QX
WHEELSUP: Flight Ops
BEANSNBYTES: IT
CARELINE: Phone CS?
FLYWITHME: FAs
TAKEMEAWAY: Airport Ops and Customer Service
QUEENJEAN: missydarlin

I found three more via Google, applied them to AS searches, and can confirm that they're valid:

FUN2FLYAGAIN
BOOKNOW
PANCAKES

Does anyone know of others? I'm to the point I'd like to book a few more speculative itins before time runs out.

Eujeanie

If you are going to pick a random code, it seems only one on your list is attached to a real, identifiable person. I know there are other actual AS employees who are regulars on this forum, if they want to state what their "name" is, I would be happy to consider them also.

GW McLintock

Booked a long-overdue trip to LAX last night for March. I am semi-hoping they drop the nonstops and reroute me through SEA (or as many other places as I can fit in).

And I just booked a mileage run, out and back to SFO (kind of like what I did last March), also in March. Not too shabby at 2.53 cpm. I will hit MVP on my return from LAX.

When they offer 40% off but jack up base rates, I don't book anything. But then 30% off and actually-reasonable fares gets two trips out of me. I still miss the old BOGO (read: 50% off) sales.

-J.

Ford Fairlane

Same, but for some reason I was under the impression these were single-use per MP account. Just confirmed that's not the case. Doh! So nevermind. I don't need further codes. (I was also under the impression that QUEENJEAN is the only code out there for an individual. Because royalty.)

Edit: P.S. While Googling for more codes, I found three or four sites (including a news story at the front page of this site) that all provide only the code QUEENJEAN, so missydarling's quest for Eternal Glory might be within reach.