Newb with points for r/t SFO/HKG/SYD (?)

Old Nov 13, 2014, 1:55 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 10
Newb with points for r/t SFO/HKG/SYD (?)

150K MR
200K UR
350K AA

2 of us want to travel from anywhere on the US West Coast (we'd consider elsewhere, e.g., Dallas) to Sydney October/November/December 2015. We hope to embed the Thanksgiving holiday (Nov. 26-29) somewhere in there. We want to fly Cathay Pacific lie flats. (Business class, right? They don't seem to have 1st on those routes. Or is there something else more luxe?)

I'm starting to haunt the JAL site to find CX award availability (is there a better way?), and would love to know any hints and tricks from more experienced flyers. Should I subscribe to Expert Flyer? Just give up and hire a booking service? Figure out a new route?

Feel free (I know you will) to administer wrist slaps, move or close the post, etc., if this is in the wrong place.

Thanks in advance.
pdxyz1 is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2014, 4:36 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Programs: AA 1.5 MM Exec Plat, WN A-List, DL Silver, UA nonrev
Posts: 2,593
Welcome to FT!

As American Airlines and US Airways continue to operate as separate carriers, with separate frequent flyer programs (for now) - though both are part of the same, merged parent company, your post has been relocated to the pre-merger American Airlines forum since one of your options involves potentially using your AAdvantage miles.

The American Airlines (consolidated) forum, for now, is being used for those issues that affect the merged operations or decisions of the parent company. Anything relating to each carrier's individual frequent flyer program or operations is being housed in the appropriate pre-merger forum.

This will all change, of course, when the carriers begin operating as a single airline with a single frequent flyer program.

Thanks for your understanding.

/Moderator
miamigrad is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2014, 5:42 pm
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: PSP
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, United
Posts: 1,081
A few thoughts.
CX does not show on EF.Try QF or Awardnexus. Keep in mind that you can not book with AA miles more than 331 days out.
QF to SYD from NA is difficult in J so look at CX to HKG or SIN.Going onto SYD would be 2 awards (55000 + 35000)in J for a total of 360000 AA miles RT for 2 so you need another 10000 AA miles. You can also look at CX to SIN RT at 220000 miles for 2 and use UR/MR carriers on to SYD.
Check out FT'er Jaminbaker (SP?) as he seems to be the guru for getting to SE Asia on miles. Good luck.
pssteve is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2014, 9:19 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: May 2003
Programs: OW Emerald
Posts: 1,452
Cathay Pacific does not fly first class into Australia any more. The 'most luxe' option would be Qantas first class from LAX or DFW. Qantas business class on the A380 also has fully-flat seats, although I'm not claiming that's better than Cathay Pacific.

As mentioned above, you can book 331 days in advance and the seats in J & F sell out extremely quickly, if they even survive to the 331 day mark after Qantas people pick over them.

What is in your favor is flexible dates (that is the impression from your posting, anyway).

My suggestion would be to look as early as possible in your window. You don't say how long you are looking to go to Australia for - 2 weeks? 2 months? The closer to Christmas you try to return, the more difficult your task will be. Therefore, if you're able to book in October/November, I'd suggest you figure out your plans quickly and start looking at the 331 day window.
jridge is offline  
Old Nov 13, 2014, 10:29 pm
  #5  
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,341
Your best bet is arguably SQ (Singapore Air) via MR+UR out of SIN, combined with AA on CX (or even mixing AA in itself to HKG) to get you to SIN. SQ has decent availability in F in their own program (since as mentioned, CX does not do F to Australia), and MR and UR are both SQ transfer partners (and there's a discount for online booking).

You can't book this as one award on AA as you are intending to do- AA does not allow Asia Zone 2 (HKG) transit to Australia/NZ, as mentioned. 2 QF seats on one flight from the USA on an award is like trying to buy a winning lottery ticket (good luck). North America->Australia/NZ in premium classes is probably the hardest single award to find out there. QF elites will have access to those seats before you do (QF gets them at 355, AA gets them at 331), and will snap them up promptly.
eponymous_coward is offline  
Old Nov 14, 2014, 8:03 am
  #6  
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,401
I'd recommend a sub to KVS tool also - great way to search for CX award space and then you can create your own itinerary, then give to an AAgent to book, much easier than relying on them to search for you.

CX F is a phenomenal way to fly - if two awards plus a stop in HKG aren't off the table, would highly recommend - especially since CX F awards are relatively easy to come by.
no1cub17 is offline  

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