I knew First Class was expensive, but….
Apr 23, 2009, 3:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP (LT Plat), HH DIA, Hyatt DIA
Posts: 456
I knew First Class was expensive, but….
WARNING: This post contains no useful information, but here it is anyway…
I called the EXP desk and booked my first partner award for a trip from JFK to DPS (Bali) with a 3 day stopover in Hong Kong (All on Cathay, F to/from HKG and J to/from DPS). The trip is in October and I priced the flight on AA.com to see what was the price of the fare my 135K miles got me. I was shocked to see a price of $25,374.00. Isn’t that insane for a flight 5+ months away, even in first/business?
What’s the highest Fare for a flight with one stopover that you were able to use your miles for?
Best Regards....
I called the EXP desk and booked my first partner award for a trip from JFK to DPS (Bali) with a 3 day stopover in Hong Kong (All on Cathay, F to/from HKG and J to/from DPS). The trip is in October and I priced the flight on AA.com to see what was the price of the fare my 135K miles got me. I was shocked to see a price of $25,374.00. Isn’t that insane for a flight 5+ months away, even in first/business?
What’s the highest Fare for a flight with one stopover that you were able to use your miles for?
Best Regards....
Apr 23, 2009, 3:59 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,172
Bali is an awesome place. Enjoy!
$10-15k for Biz for nominally high fare, so $25k for First, sounds about right.
$10-15k for Biz for nominally high fare, so $25k for First, sounds about right.
Apr 23, 2009, 4:06 pm
#3
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Who would buy that? A FlyerTalker might find an ACIRXX or DCIRXX class fare cheaper than that.
It'd be $16,634 plus taxes and fees per person for our upcoming F trip SFO-ORD-PVG r/t (it would have been $2,830 W class or $10,466 I class,) so guess what? We are using miles... and the taxes were $76.20.
It'd be $16,634 plus taxes and fees per person for our upcoming F trip SFO-ORD-PVG r/t (it would have been $2,830 W class or $10,466 I class,) so guess what? We are using miles... and the taxes were $76.20.
Apr 23, 2009, 4:11 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: WAS
Posts: 1,626
Who would buy that? A FlyerTalker might find an ACIRXX or DCIRXX class fare cheaper than that.
It'd be $16,634 plus taxes and fees per person for our upcoming F trip SFO-ORD-PVG r/t (it would have been $2,830 W class or $10,466 I class,) so guess what? We are using miles... and the taxes were $76.20.
It'd be $16,634 plus taxes and fees per person for our upcoming F trip SFO-ORD-PVG r/t (it would have been $2,830 W class or $10,466 I class,) so guess what? We are using miles... and the taxes were $76.20.
Apr 23, 2009, 4:33 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP BA Gold, TK Gold, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AS 100K, QR PLT, SAS Gold, IHG Spire, AMR
Posts: 5,898
Be careful in Bali...
the gangster charge a $25 arrival visa fee. After you spent 25,374.00 in miles you might not have enough left for the visa.
If you need a good tailor who can make you a nice leather jacket or a good leather mini skirt for your wife.. let me know..
the gangster charge a $25 arrival visa fee. After you spent 25,374.00 in miles you might not have enough left for the visa.
If you need a good tailor who can make you a nice leather jacket or a good leather mini skirt for your wife.. let me know..
Apr 23, 2009, 4:53 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 610
CX only sells F fare ex JFK and back in the good times, people do pay for it (unlike you guys here in AA, where people just use EVIPs etc and full of staff travel in F Class).
Of course for the savy traveller, you can just goto YYZ for like 10,000 off the price or use Oneworld products.
Of course for the savy traveller, you can just goto YYZ for like 10,000 off the price or use Oneworld products.
Apr 23, 2009, 5:00 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: PHL, NYC
Programs: AA PLT, DL SLV, UA SLV, MR LTT, HH DIA
Posts: 10,066
Heck, I thought I got a great deal in 2002 when I used 125,000 QF points for a roundtrip Concorde flight that, at the time, priced out to about $12K.
Apr 23, 2009, 5:14 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 610
You guys can't compare points travel with full revenue travel.
The flexibility on the ticket is also part of the cost.
The flexibility on the ticket is also part of the cost.
Apr 23, 2009, 5:17 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: NY
Programs: AA Plat 1MM, IC RA, HH Gold
Posts: 2,791
I bought a nice custom made leather jacket in BA for $200. I didn't know Bali/Indonesia is known for leather.
Apr 23, 2009, 5:26 pm
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,231
$25k has been the going rate in CX First Class from JFK to Asia (via HKG) for at least a year or two, since around the time they began installing the new first class suites. These suites are large and take up a lot of space (e.g., only 9 in the nose of the 747 vs. 12 prior and many airlines with 14, so they had to make up for the lost revenue with higher ticket prices. I imagine they sold enough of these $25k fares (to the super-rich and business people) until about 6 months ago. Now there seems to be a fair amount of reward availability on this route (at least until they drop the frequency...)
The fact that it is 5 months in advance doesn't mean much. Airlines rarely offer advance-purchase fares for first class. Particularly ex-JFK, CX typically only offered the full F fare. Recently they began offering "A" fare specials for ~$15k, but only on the 1-stop service via YVR. Now you can get the nonstop in "A" for ~$18k. Fares from Toronto/YYZ are significantly less: ~$10k r/t.
The other super-high-fare route that comes to mind is LAX/JFK-SYD. Business class runs around $15-20k r/t and First is about $20-30k. Even LHR-SYD, which is a much longer flight is significantly less expensive (much more competition).
The fact that it is 5 months in advance doesn't mean much. Airlines rarely offer advance-purchase fares for first class. Particularly ex-JFK, CX typically only offered the full F fare. Recently they began offering "A" fare specials for ~$15k, but only on the 1-stop service via YVR. Now you can get the nonstop in "A" for ~$18k. Fares from Toronto/YYZ are significantly less: ~$10k r/t.
The other super-high-fare route that comes to mind is LAX/JFK-SYD. Business class runs around $15-20k r/t and First is about $20-30k. Even LHR-SYD, which is a much longer flight is significantly less expensive (much more competition).
Apr 23, 2009, 5:44 pm
#11
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
Programs: Destination Unknown, TSA Disparager Diamond (LTDD)
Posts: 57,952
Two words for people who consider paying full-whack for such tickets:
Oneworld
Explorer
Oneworld
Explorer
Apr 23, 2009, 5:49 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP (LT Plat), HH DIA, Hyatt DIA
Posts: 456
Apr 23, 2009, 6:48 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Ala.
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 70
I recently completed an F award trip aboard CX (LAX-HKG/HKG-SFO 1 day layover and then back to LAX) at 135k miles, pricing out at around $15k. While the flight was pleasant and service was as expected, I would have simply opted for the biz seat at ~$5k, if I had to pay for it. I think their J product is more than sufficient and could not easily justify spending the extra money. Enjoy your flight!
Apr 23, 2009, 7:15 pm
#14
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Surely, you're joking. Perhaps you ought to read up a little on how SWUs / VIPs are used, availability issues, etc. And I've rarely run into all that alleged staff travel in full (international) First.
Still joking? Not comparable, IMO. Flexibility is fine with full miles award travel, and the change fees are not as onerous as, for instance, I class travel. For the difference (miles vs. ~$15,000) many of us can handle the differences.
CX only sells F fare ex JFK and back in the good times, people do pay for it (unlike you guys here in AA, where people just use EVIPs etc and full of staff travel in F Class).
Of course for the savy traveller, you can just goto YYZ for like 10,000 off the price or use Oneworld products.
Of course for the savy traveller, you can just goto YYZ for like 10,000 off the price or use Oneworld products.
Still joking? Not comparable, IMO. Flexibility is fine with full miles award travel, and the change fees are not as onerous as, for instance, I class travel. For the difference (miles vs. ~$15,000) many of us can handle the differences.
Apr 23, 2009, 8:21 pm
#15
Join Date: Nov 2008
Programs: AA EXP 3MM
Posts: 1,773
Now I feel ripped off. 135k miles only got me SEA-DEL-DXB-SEA in J which prices out at $9687.10.