civico

I'm relatively new with ANA, but after some searching, I haven't been able to pin down an exact answer to these questions. I'm sure they are pretty basic for ANA veterans, so I appreciate the help.

1. Since ANA is a distance based award chart for partners, how do they determine the cost? Is the amount of miles determined by origin to destination point? Or, if there is a layover, must you pay for both segments, like with BA?

EX. If I fly JFK to IST with a layover in LHR, how is the mileage determined? JFK to IST? Or JFK-LHR as one amount, then LHR-IST as separate amount?

2. If they do charge strictly by segment, meaning you have to pay for a layover, why do they also mention that you can have 4 stopover on an award ticket? Since costs are determined by segment, doesn't this make the stopover rule void? You are paying for each segment anyway, so theoretically you could stop anywhere you wanted, for as long as you wanted.

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.

beofotch

they charge the total miles of your actual routing.

So JFK - LHR - IST is (JFK to LHR) + (LHR to IST) and not (JFK to IST). You don't have to pay for segments, just total up your miles flown. A good way to estimate is with great circle mapper: www.gcmap.com

One of my better ANA Award values was:
CLT - PHL - MAN - BRU // Surface Travel // ZRH - MUC // Stopover // MUC - MAN - PHL - CLT for 68,000 ANA points in business class with no YQ.

civico

Thanks so much, this explains it perfectly. One question I still have is about the itinerary you booked. I'm assuming that PHL and MAN were just layovers then, and not stopovers?

You had two stopovers (BRU and MUC) and the rest were just under 24 hour layovers?

Thanks again!

beofotch

Yes PHL and MAN were just for connecing (must be less than 24 hours). ANA gives you up to 4 stopovers (greater than 24 hours), but only 2 in Europe.

civico

Ah, forgot about the rule of only 2 stopovers in a region. Thanks again for making it all clear.

ANA's a great transfer option for Amex if you can find most of your flights, or at least the big ones, on United and USAirways and not get crushed with a fuel surcharge!

Enigma368

So, I priced out FRA-CUN-LAX-HNL-NRT-LHR at about 19k miles. Does that mean I would just need 120k ANA miles to do this in business?

Seems like a bargain to me. How easy or difficult is it to find flights with no or low YQ?

civico

Seems like that's right, according to my understanding.

Finding a low YQ might be difficult though. You'll pay a fuel surcharge for the following airlines:

Adria, Air Canada, ANA, Asiana, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, TAP Portugal, and THAI

So if you can a majority of your flights NOT with those airlines, you should be fine, but FRA to CUN may be difficult not on Lufthansa and LAX to NRT might be hard without ANA.

Good luck!

roknroll

I don't think they allow one way awards, which is why the stopover language is in there. You couldn't book them all individually.

Enigma368

But they allow a RTW? Surely a RTW is a one way?

armagebedar

A RTW is treated as a RTW and different rules apply.

susiesan

Lower YQ on UA flights is no longer the case. I'm planning on using ANA points to fly MCI-ORD-ICN-BKI in business class next year. I called ANA and asked about the YQ on flying TPAC segment on Asiana and TPAC on UA. I was given a total YQ of $580 per ticket for either routing.

Speaking of YQ, is there any way to determine what it is on ANA web site or do I have to call and have them price it out?

beofotch

Just as a gut check - would the crew agree this should be a valid, bookable ANA Award:

CUR - PTY (Stopover)
PTY - MIA - CLT (Stopover)
CLT - BNA (Stopover)
BNA - CLT - CAE (Begin Open Jaw)
BOG - CUR (End Open Jaw, finish)

This comes out to 3,998 miles, so 22,000 ANA points per ticket. Would this be valid if the availability was there?