simonsuo

Now the fare class change has settled, the crazy mid-February schedule change for the spring is done, my mileage run should stay and make me to 75k. Based in LA, this is just a reference for you guys. If you guys think there is room to improve, leave a comment. I hope we got plenty discount code in the future for our 2022 runs. / means an overnight stay, bold means a first class. (EQM / mileages calculated based from webflyer, I'm gold currently)
March
1. LAX-EWR-LAX (7362 / 9816)
2. LAX-EWR-LAX (7362 / 9816)
April
3. SNA-SEA-FLL-LAX-SFO-SNA (10992 / 14656)
4. SNA-SEA-FLL-LAX-FLL-LAX-SEA-ONT (18946 / 25262)
-------Gold retained----------
May
5. LAX-SFO-SEA-FAI-ANC-LAX ( 7716 / 10292)
6. ONT-PDX-SEA-FLL/TPA-SEA-LAX (10711 / 14282)
June
7. ONT-SEA-EWR-SEA-ONT (10032 / 13384)
July
8. LAX-ANC-LAX (4680 / 9360)
=========== 75k will be achieved earlier than scheduled=========
9. LAX-IAD-LAX (4560 / 10260)
August
10. LAX-IAD-LAX (6840 / 12540)
11. LAX-IAD-LAX (4560 / 10260)
12. ONT-SEA-JFK-SEA-ONT (6732 / 15152)
13. ONT-SEA-JFK-SEA-ONT (6732 / 15152)

Total EQM 107225, total mileage 170232 + 50000 (75k status bonus) 230232.
Total tickets cost $2921. All my flights are booked with 30% discount code in lowest main (new G fare class) or first (new I fare class). Total hotels estimated $300, parking/uber/ground transportation $1000, food/drinks/cleaning supplies etc $100. Total spending est. $4400 excl. time.
So, $4400 with a 75k status and oneworld emerald, with 230k mileage earned (1.91 cents/mile). What do you think.

tkelvin69

Looks good! I did it for a bit less and a fewer miles but based out of SEA with all I fares.

anteater

That’s some impressive work, kudos!

There are quite a few professionals here so I will open my question to the general audience (rather than just OP):
I hit 75K organically and don’t plan to leverage OWE often, but it seems that many travelers are eager to do so. I am curious what people’s plans are.

tkelvin69

I switched from AA (OW Sapphire) to AS to both make Emerald and for greater RDMs. AA’s revenue based status along with RDMs based upon amount spent (with exceptions) makes it worthwhile. I’ll hopefully be traveling internationally for a couple years starting this fall and think the OWE benefits (check-in, lounge access, overall better treatment, occasional upgrades/better seats + the RDMs to reach 75K) exceed the cost of about $2,500. This is subjective of course such as placing the value of a first class lounge vs the business class.

RAD_PDX

I feel like I'm in a tiny minority, maybe even all alone , but OWE means nothing to me as I rarely travel internationally. Mileage running is enough of a vacation for me and being able to fly often is all the reward I need.

MileageMule

If I was hardcore, I'd have booked 12 SEA-ATL-SEA runs when they were on sale. $126.81 R/T in R. 6,546 EQM per run x 12 = 78,552 EQM and 167,828 RDM for $1,521.72

simonsuo

I run this year for the emerald status, with many Asian trips under the plan next year. Hopefully I can utilize it on CX/JL and their amazing first class lounges at HKG/HND/NRT, or at least the Qantas First lounge at LAX. Really curious the access on Admirals club when travelling domestically.
That was a great deal! If I were in SEA, I would probably do so. At least, SEA is a much easier airport to get in and out of, probably cheaper parking and uber, compared to LAX?

eponymous_coward

Your minority is less tiny than you think because I am in it.

I am inevitably doing J/F travel internationally for leisure, and doing it on either a J/F award or (new as of the last couple of years) a surprisingly reasonably priced J cash fare.

I also just don't value lounges THAT highly. Yes, the LH FCT or Pier F is amazing. Is it amazing enough for me to spend extra time in a metal tube? Eh.

I've done short weekend vacations that end up being quasi-mileage runs, but it's been a long time since I've made an immediate turn (the last one was in the mid-10's to go to the LAX In-N-Out for a burger, to nail down MVPG for $98 round trip + the cost of the burger, and before that it was some trip in the early 10's to BOS to also nail MVPG).

The thing is that when miles are cheap in cash to purchase or accrue via credit card, I don't really see a need to do travel outside of organic travel. My organic travel will usually get me somewhere between qualifying for MVP and barely over the hump for MVPG- plus enough travel scattered to other non-AS or partner airlines (or on awards) that doesn't usually make a difference (in other words, I don't usually hose myself out of status by occasionally booking WN/DL/AA/UA or whatever). Looking at TripIt, I've never done 75,000 miles in a year, including award travel. But I've flown plenty (multiple RTWs in J and F, multiple CX F trips, LH F/J, LX F/J, BR J, NH J), TripIt says my lifetime miles flown in over a decade are 575,000, AS miles flown (which overlap a lot with TripIt but include some flights before then) is about 455k (there's also some WN and AA/US/HP not included there as well).

So I just look at mileage runs and go "I don't really need them" (outside of "really close, this is worth maybe $100"). If someone else does, good for them.

I think it's a sucker bet that AS OWEs will be excluded from AA/AS lounge access via status on domestic just like AA OWEs are currently excluded. Get the Citibank AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard and you'll get AA/AS lounge access for $450 a year (plus a brace of AA miles as well if you meet the signup bonus conditions).

creditcardmarauder

Here's my 2021 AS Mileage Run:

LAX->SEA->FLL->LAX (flying this routing 11 times during March and April). Most flights are Saver, but about 1/4 of them are in Main, so perhaps I'll get some upgrades as MVP Gold

The 101k EQM I'll earn will get me to MVP Gold 75k by the end of April (this will likely be upgraded to MVP Gold 100k in 2022) as well as 140k-163k RDM (depending on how quickly AS upgrades me to MVP, MVP Gold, MVP Gold 75k, etc, as it supposedly takes 1-2 weeks), and my all-in cost was ~$1,332 (~$1k + ~30k TYP), or 1.32cpm.

My mileage run will be especially painful since it's mostly in Saver, so no chance for upgrades, but that doesn't matter on some of the earlier flights because I won't even have reached MVP by that time.

azepine00

Looks painful, especially now with mask on, unblocked middles and minimal service. YMMV of course - but what do you really gain out of this $3500 spend and 120-150 hrs in airplane seat (plus shuttles, airports etc etc) and is there an easier way to obtain it?

eponymous_coward

By my reckoning, that run is getting RDM at less than a penny a mile. Would you fly Cathay F anywhere in the system if it was less than $700 one-way? Legitimately fund a RTW in Cathay F/ BA F for $2000ish plus some YQ (and at the moment the BA YQ is minimal out of AMS)?

Now, granted, there's the time investment in that, but that's how this has always worked, College kids or people who can weekend warrior a MR and then have miles a-plenty, plus a useful status.

RAD_PDX

Depends on your status level starting out. If you’re a 75K just trying to keep it, PC seats at time of booking and blocked middles make now until the end of May the time to do it!

azepine00

absolutely not it it means 60 hrs of meaningless coach flying to earn it just buy the miles
i did my share of mileage runs back in triple miles days of lax-bos (getting up to catch 7 am flt from lax - ugh) and can still do some here and there to top things off but subjecting self to 50-60 hr of coach flying to earn one very nice flt in F seems nuts to me.. YMMV of course but there are easier ways - even premium cabin MR on AA are far more appealing given occasional options to incorporate widebodies with flat beds and catering

anteater

Don’t count on it. The tier isn’t set in stone yet and AS is speculating it will launch in 2022, meaning it won’t be based on 2021 activity.

eponymous_coward

Speculating? This is what they said in the announcement email:

How exactly is this "speculating it will launch in 2022"?