Dec 20, 2015, 10:41 pm
Last edit by: Mwenenzi
AA 73 & 72 LAX / Los Angeles <--> SYD / Sydney (as of 17 Dec 2015)
Was operated with Boeing 77W / 777-323ER to 8 Nov 2017
Changed to Boeing 787-9 in November 2017.
Including lounge, connections information
Was operated with Boeing 77W / 777-323ER to 8 Nov 2017
Changed to Boeing 787-9 in November 2017.
Including lounge, connections information
Initial schedule:
LAX-SYD: 17 Dec 2015 AA 73 Flight duration 15:05
Lv LAX 21:50 Dec 17 PST / 05:50 18 Dec GMT
Ar SYD 07:55 Dec 19 AEDT / 20:55 18 Dec GMT (same day)
SYD-LAX: 19 Dec 2015 AA 72 Flight duration 13:50Ar SYD 07:55 Dec 19 AEDT / 20:55 18 Dec GMT (same day)
Lv SYD 12:00 Dec 19 AEDT / 01:00 19 Dec GMT
Ar LAX 06:50 Dec 19 PST / 14:50 19 Dec GMT
Inaugural flight AA73, operated by Boeing 777-323ER ("77W") N720AN:Ar LAX 06:50 Dec 19 PST / 14:50 19 Dec GMT
2015-12-17 - AA73 - Los Angeles (LAX) STD 21:50 PST ATD 22:15 - Sydney (SYD) STA 07:55 AEDT ATA 07:30 AEDT
From Source Aust BT
American Airlines will shift its Sydney-Los Angeles flights to a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from November 8, 2017. The advanced jet replaces the larger Boeing 777-300ER and will see first class dropped from the trans-Pacific route, although business travellers on a budget will appreciate the introduction of American Airlines' new premium economy seating on the Boeing 787.
Link to Australian Aviation article
Older archived thread relating to announcement of new LAX-SYD-LAX flight (June 9, 2015) here.
Lounges: by oneworld status, or by class of service - and Admirals Club members flying out on AA (or an AA marketed flight) get to use the QANTAS Business Lounge.
Qantas First Lounge - spa, restaurant: First or oneworld Emerald passengers
Qantas Business Lounge: Business, oneworld Sapphire pax and Admirals Club members
On arrival
Link to Airport info SYDNEY (SYD) - amenities, transfers, transport to FlyerTalk Oceania Forum SYD master thread with extensive wiki.
Connections:
International- no need to collect baggage if allowed by your airline(s), follow flight connections signs to immigration, flight connections desk. If you are not allowed to through check your bags you must process immigration, collect bags, process customs, proceed to the airline Check in areas and process security to get back airside.
Domestic: the domestic terminals 2 and 3 are 2.5 miles / 4 km away. Figure on a half hour at least to transfer, and if you use landside road transfers during high traffic times, longer (airside plan minimum half an hour). Talking about peak times, it can take two hours with queues waiting to board shuttle busses.
If traveling on via Qantas once you're landside after the Duty Free gantlet, follow the signs and go right. You'll eventually arrive at the baggage check facility, process security and take an airside shuttle that will end up with you're being at Gate 15 airside in the QF domestic terminal. It's called "Qantas seamless transfer".
If traveling with other airlines see Here
Link to SYD airport maps, etc.
Link to SYD airport FAQ.
If you wish to overnight close to international terminal 1, see here for a Rydges Sydney Airport stay report and tips.
Historical note: Pan American World Airways was the first American airline offering commercial passenger service to Australia, beginning Feb 1947 to SYD (with several stops), adding MEL in 1958. United acquired Pan Am's Pacific routes, operating them as of Feb 1986.
American Airlines initially operated to Sydney (and later also Melbourne between August 1970 through to March 1974. AA reestablished service with a DC-10 LAX-HNL-SYD return 4x weekly in Feb 1990, but ended that service March 1992.
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AA LAX-SYD-LAX AA73 / AA72 (17 Dec 2015)
Jan 24, 2016, 7:34 pm
#166
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
Jan 24, 2016, 7:55 pm
#167
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
belfordrocks, there's a bit of C availability about a week out right now (31st, 1st, and 2nd) and on the 7th and 8th. So they might be releasing some a week or so out. Perhaps coincidentally, all those are Sun, Mon, Tues departures, which is in line with my comment early about avoiding as many business by picking those days of the week, if possible.
Jan 24, 2016, 9:16 pm
#168
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
Thanks for the help there. I'm looking to stay a week or less, so maybe out (SYD-LAX) on a Thursday and then returning the Tuesday (arriving Thursday) or something. Looking at end of February and a few J seat maps are still around 30-40% full, so fingers crossed.
Jan 24, 2016, 9:33 pm
#169
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
Check MCE seating loads, too. That can be a good indication of elites that may have waitlisted SWUs, especially as I think it's safe to assume that most people using an SWU would have already picked their free MCE seat in advance. Of course, non-SWU-using elites and others paying for MCE will show up here, but it can still be used as a clue to decide between two dates.
Jan 24, 2016, 9:40 pm
#170
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
Check MCE seating loads, too. That can be a good indication of elites that may have waitlisted SWUs, especially as I think it's safe to assume that most people using an SWU would have already picked their free MCE seat in advance. Of course, non-SWU-using elites and others paying for MCE will show up here, but it can still be used as a clue to decide between two dates.
Jan 24, 2016, 9:50 pm
#171
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
Jan 24, 2016, 9:59 pm
#172
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
So what's a good load for MCE on the 77W? The date I'm eyeing in late Feb is around 30% in J but all aisles in MCE are taken. I assume that includes Platinums and Sapphire and Emeralds who won't be upgrading too, but what do you make of these odds?
Jan 24, 2016, 10:29 pm
#173
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
You probably have a decent shot but it's a crapshoot. Recently I sweated out an LHR-DFW upgrade bc MCE was sold out when I bought our tix, but when we cleared at t-24 most of the MCE seats were still taken. So lots of people do pay for MCE and/or aren't EXP and/or don't request upgrades. Impossible to say with any certainty though.
Jan 25, 2016, 12:12 am
#174
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
On the way back (1/3), J was about the same 4 days out and MCE about 50% full on the seatmap. I cleared 3-4 days out (still PLT w/ gifted SWU) and again the plane flew with J appearing full (I think one person got upgraded after boarding). MCE didn't dip noticeably.
Those were somewhat during the holidays and within the first two weeks of the route, but it MIGHT help you get an idea how to roughly interpret it as an indicator. As always, YMMV with days/dates/flights/crystal balls ^. And regardless of load factors, timing of when you might or might not clear will all depend on RM's release timing. So you may end up sweating it out either way.
Jan 25, 2016, 12:49 am
#175
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
Just so I'm clear, if EF shows availability in C that's an instant clearance? So in your case, C space did not open up until around T-24, correct?
Thanks. Also a non-elite using a gifted SWU, so not sure if that drops my odds somewhat.
Thanks. Also a non-elite using a gifted SWU, so not sure if that drops my odds somewhat.
Jan 25, 2016, 5:39 am
#176
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,043
Honestly, why are you traveling to Australia? Is it seriously just to sit in business class on the airplane ride back and forth? To each his own of course, but if you wouldn't do the trip if aren't seated in J, it doesn't seem like you put much value on the actual destination. Perhaps the opportunity cost of the money you'll spend on this could be better utilized on something else.
Regards
Jan 25, 2016, 6:09 am
#177
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,439
Honestly, why are you traveling to Australia? Is it seriously just to sit in business class on the airplane ride back and forth? To each his own of course, but if you wouldn't do the trip if aren't seated in J, it doesn't seem like you put much value on the actual destination. Perhaps the opportunity cost of the money you'll spend on this could be better utilized on something else.
Ummm... it would have been helpful if you had shared that little piece of information in your first post. And yes, that drops your odds significantly
Jan 25, 2016, 8:37 pm
#178
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
Well, I know this isn't the answer you want to hear, but the "best strategy" is almost always to pay for the minimum class of service you are willing to travel in and not have "hope" as a plan.
Honestly, why are you traveling to Australia? Is it seriously just to sit in business class on the airplane ride back and forth? To each his own of course, but if you wouldn't do the trip if aren't seated in J, it doesn't seem like you put much value on the actual destination. Perhaps the opportunity cost of the money you'll spend on this could be better utilized on something else.
Ummm... it would have been helpful if you had shared that little piece of information in your first post. And yes, that drops your odds significantly
Regards
Honestly, why are you traveling to Australia? Is it seriously just to sit in business class on the airplane ride back and forth? To each his own of course, but if you wouldn't do the trip if aren't seated in J, it doesn't seem like you put much value on the actual destination. Perhaps the opportunity cost of the money you'll spend on this could be better utilized on something else.
Ummm... it would have been helpful if you had shared that little piece of information in your first post. And yes, that drops your odds significantly
Regards
Yes, the non-elite status would have been good to know upfront, but as a non-elite he may not have been aware of the implications of that. He will definitely be at the bottom of a waitlist for upgrade clearance as a non-elite.
Jan 25, 2016, 9:08 pm
#180
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
If you end up waitlisting with a gifted SWU, I would write down the AAdvantage number of your friend. If you see C>0 show up on EF and try to call in to expedite your upgrade, you will need their AAdvantage number. Apparently the system doesn't need it when it processes it automatically, but when the agent does it manually it prompts them for it. I didn't have it in my case, so I had to call and get it, then call AA back.