JonNYC

The thinking is that you can fly the US->LHR on AA and therefore not pay the surcharges on those flights. I go to South Africa every year and have used most combinations possible using AAdv miles as well as several using star alliance miles, but I do book usually a month before at most and do a lot of "adjusting" of dates etc.
Late sept is perfect, not too busy and generally perfect weather.

guv1976

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

Or only 100K one way if willing to go via Asia 1 (Japan/Korea) and then connecting in HKG en route to JNB. @:-)

Does the OP have any interest in stopping off somewhere en route to JNB? If traveling on two awards (via the Middle East or Asia), one could stop over in either place, if desired.

beerup

Also from ORD, IAH, MIA beginning June 10 and DFW beginning July 1.

When is LAX coming? I presume they would need to use their 77Ls for that route.

nalismom

JonNYC.......just wondering if you and anyone else has/have looked at the available awards since April 8th.........anything going to LHR from US is on BA metal for a MileSaver Business or First Award......of course one could fly AA metal for an Anytime Award but many of us don't have that many miles to burn especially since they # of miles for those awards has increased dramatically and now no stopovers allowed. Of course though AA metal is available if you want to fly coach.

Back in January I booked a return flight FRA-DFW Anytime because MileSaver was not available. It was 125k and I got a 3 month stopover in DFW before going onto MCO for Xmas. Today - for that same date....it is 175k and no stopover.

Leopold

You could buy either miles or a revenue ticket in Y for the trans-Atlantic flights.

nalismom

Leopold.....you are right ......I could buy a coach tic in Y for approx $4500 p.p. But I prefer not fly coach or spend that much on a coach tic and I don't have any/enough status for an upgrade.

Ok..... I'm really intrigued by flying DFW-HKG on AA on the 77w in Business and doing a stopover for couple of days in HKG. Looks like if I'm on top of the 331 release I might be able to book O/L. Or would it be better to just call agent 331 days ahead to book the 2 one way awards meaning the HKG to JNB on CX on the 77w. Does anyone know if availability on this one direct per day is fairly decent for awards...... The other flights out of HKG link to BA or QF and are much longer.

I haven't checked the M.E. yet although I can't check awards online I can at least check flights and connections.

So far going through Asia is looking interesting 😍

beerup

If you're looking for 11 months out, the award availability is pretty good for HKG-JNB nonstop in J (no F on that flight).

Leopold

Since when are JFK-LHR roundtrip economy fares $4,500 per person?

nalismom

Y is full fare/fully flexible economy........discount economy is $1250. For the price of Y I might as well fly Business but I really don't want to spend close to 10k for tickets for 2 people

nalismom

Ok ......just checked Eithad site and their award availability tool for Eithad Guest....and there does seem to be a lot of awards still at 6 months out......of course this is for their program so I don't know how their number of miles correspond to AA's # of miles needed or if these flights would be avail for AA folks.

Thanks beerup.....I'm seriously thinking about starting DFW-HKG-JNB and then perhaps JNB-AUH or DOH-DFW.

In any case lots to think about and y'all have me thinking about making this Africa trip an around the world trip��

pauleeepaul

From NY for 2 pax I did AA to LHR on paid Y tix (with SWU upgrades) and BA F to SA with avios. It made finding the BA awards easier, reduced the surcharges, and got AA EQM for the AA flight, which one of us needed. All in it was under $2,000 pp plus the avios and SWUs.

nalismom

Not eligible for SWU upgrades...don't have Avios....and I'm looking at the price chart on AA right now and yes economy from JFK -LHR is $1090 lowest price...booking code N not Y.

guv1976

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

Can you find a lower fare to somewhere else in Europe? Your AA award from Europe to Africa does not have to begin in LON (even though you will have to pass through London on the award).

beerup

Obviously how everyone values their miles and their SWUs differs, but it doesn't seem to me the paying to Europe option is especially good value.Here is a summary of the alternatives:

1. DFW-HKG-JNB-DOH-DFW
   Total: 217.5k miles plus $150
   
   
2. An award using BA
   Total: 150k miles plus $1750
   
   
3. An award using AA (TATL)* plus BA
   Total: 150k miles plus $650
   
   
4. Pay to Europe, miles/copay upgrade, award from Europe
   RT fare to Europe in econ: $1000
   Upgrade (miles/copay): 50k miles plus $700
   Award Europe to JNB: 75k miles plus $1000**
   Total 125k miles plus $2700***
   
   
5. Pay to Europe, SWU, award from Europe
   RT fare to Europe in econ: $1000
   Award Europe to JNB: 75k miles plus $1000**
   Total 75k miles plus $2000 plus 2 SWUs***

*MileSAAver J/F availability on AA is pretty poor these days

**if the paid flight arrives in LHR less than 24 hours before the award flight leaves, APD would not be due so total would be less. However, APD would be collected and a refund from HM Revenue and Customs would need to be processed. Good luck with that!

***not accounting for RDMs earned TATL


Variants of option 1 would be by transiting Asia 2 in both directions or the Middle East in both directions which would change the mileage to 210k or 225k respectively. Any of these variants would allow stopovers at the intermediate points (since they are separate awards in and out of those points). Personally, I would rank options #3 as the best value if there is availability, followed by #1. Also a hybrid of #1 and #3 would be a good option if there is a TATL AA MileSAAver J/F award available in one direction.

guv1976

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

"if the paid flight arrives in LHR less than 24 hours before the award flight leaves, APD would not be due so total would be less. However, APD would be collected and a refund from HM Revenue and Customs would need to be processed. Good luck with that!"



Well, the APD would be collected only if the Europe-Africa award began in the UK. If the award began in, for example, DUB or AMS or Scandinavia, then no UK APD would be due, just the LHR PSC for each transit via LHR.