sellouts

Give SkyScanner a try. I use the iOS app and it lets me put in a city and search everywhere.

tys90

You can add nearby airports to ITA, up to 2000 miles away. Just click the nearby button, select the range and click select all or select the airports you want then uncheck IST (don't want to fly from IST to IST).

zznoname

Thanks. Both tips are useful.

Has anyone here done an Explorer AAward that included IST?

Any tips?

QR helps but getting in and out is lousy. Especially since we're trying for CMB next.

QR, DOH-CMB is not available in June 2014.

RJ: In MAD/CDG-AMM-IST-AMM require LO and most days (5 of 7) have LO outbound. The infrequent RJ scheduling and QR no seats DOH-CMB makes scheduling a challenge.

zznoname

So... We're here:

ord-cdg-mad/ then things get tricky going into ist, so we might just head on bcn-amm-cmb-bkk-hkg-dad-hkg-mnl-nrt-ord

That's 22,973 with 2K to spare. So I'm trying to come up with some ideas on how to use up the full 25K.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for your help.

tys90

I see tons of availability on QR from DOH-CMB throughout June 2014. Which dates are you looking at?

I would switch CDG and MAD. Go ORD-MAD-ORY-LHR-IST-DOH-CMB. Don't stopover in LHR and it will keep your taxes to a minimum.

If you REALLY want to avoid LHR you can take the train from Paris to Cologne for quite cheap and then fly to SAW on AB but I have no idea where SAW is in relation to Istanbul. That would use up your open jaw in the trip, I don't know if you had another one planned.

zznoname

OK. This is good stuff.

I'm checking with AA CS and they are saying U fares from IST-DOH are somewhat available but nothing DOH-CMB June 30 - July 6.

RJ only has connecting flight on Wednesday & Sunday. QR is different, but AA says no-go on U AAwards DOH-CMB that week.

Thanks

tys90

I wonder what's going on because most of June has availability. There is nothing from DOH to anywhere near CMB or MLE from June 23rd to July 28th, it's almost like it's blacked out. SriLankan Airlines is supposedly scheduled to become a oneworld member in early 2014 according to the oneworld website but no idea if that's going to hold true.

I was going to suggest just going to BBK first then backtracking a bit but no availability from DOH-BKK. There seems to be no availability ex-DOH going east the end of June through July. The only option I see is to go to KUL then back to CMB, which isn't actually that bad. It's a 16 hour trip going IST-KUL-CMB versus 12 hour trip for IST-DOH-CMB and the overnight flight is long, 10 hours so you could get some sleep versus a 5 hour overnight flight from DOH.

There is plenty of availability from IST-KUL currently.

zznoname

Thanks for helping out. I so much need another pair of eyes on this project. Thank you.

The IST-KUL is a no-go 'cause of the miles. I have to stay under 25K flown:

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=ord-cdg...ld-mnl-nrt-ord

So I have something like this but with current availability, it's 5 travel days and TWO overnight LO's MAD-AMM-IST-AMM-CMB and even with a same day connection IST-CMB it's still 4 travel days:

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=ord-cdg...ld-mnl-nrt-ord

tys90

How about this routing?

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=ord-mad...ld-mnl-nrt-ord

It requires buying a ticket from BKK-DAD but that should be fairly cheap, looking at $200 through July right now but is a 1-stop trip. Or you could buy a ticket from BKK-HKG and then continue your explorer award from HKG-DAD-HKG...and so on.

zznoname

BKK-DAD is a no go. BKK-HAN/SGN yes or BKK-KUL-HAN. But who wants to pay for tickets when you using 25K miles?

Just last March 2012 KA started the HKG-DAD route. It runs 3x a week and Tuesday is the only day you connect straight through.

That BKK-HKG-DAD is a special treat. Normally it's not fun getting to DAD.

Jetstar: HAN/SGN
AirAsia: KUL

Something like that, connections in Vietnam.

I'm going to check out the money on MAD/CDG-LHR-IST because I might be able to get out of IST-AMM-CMB on a Wednesday or Sunday with a good RJ connection.

http://www.gcmap.com/mapui?P=ord-cdg...ld-mnl-nrt-ord

MAD or CDG it's all about availability. And as it stands now, AA CS had to "force" the two U seats to CDG.

IB has some availability because (I'm guessing) of the 24 book or lose it rule.

iqbalt80

Finally got my 2nd One World ticket booked..
3 folks.. All Biz/Econ ticket
SJC-ORD-DOH-DXB-AMM-DOH-IAH-DFW-MIA-LGA-DFW-SAN-ORD-AMM-JED-HKG-LAX

TrojanHorse

you have done what i want to do

3 in biz

what was your most difficult part? either leg(s) and/or carrier(s)?

which are your stopovers

sk3x

Looking to book a OW Explorer to South Africa for next year (2 in J). I am outside the 330-day window for the last flight, so not ready to book yet, but wanted to run the plan by the experts here to see if anyone saw any issues (or potential optimizations).

MIA-DOH-JNB-CPT(stop)-JNB(stop)-DOH-MAD(stop)-JFK(stop)/LGA-MIA

I think it's relatively straightforward, but a few specific questions:
1. GC Map has this as 24,982 - any reason to believe that AA would calculate it differently?
2. Will I run into any issues booking the JNB-CPT segments on Comair (BA)?
3. If I want to extend my stopover in New York, I should be able to move the LGA-MIA segment back without incurring a fee, correct?
4. Anything else others would do to optimize? Priority is South Africa; MAD not required, nor is the LGA-MIA segment on the back end (but figured I would use up the extra 1,100 miles).

zznoname

Working on something and the AAgent is adamant arriving ORY and departing CDG is a SEGMENT.

Won't budge.

AAgent just came back online and said it's clearly stated, then read me the rules.

guv1976

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Why are you surprised? The agent is correct. Even though arriving ORY and departing CDG does not count as an open jaw (since the two airports are co-terminals), departing from any airport other than your arrival airport does use up one of the permitted 16 segments on an Explorer award. This is not new.