ronniefastback

Have a business trip to Shanghai coming up and desperately want to fly AA business class. They are thousands of $$$ more than Delta and United and I don't want to miss out of the EQM's. Looking for any suggestions.

Depart SCE on Sunday, Oct 22 to Shanghai.
Return SHA to RDU on Sunday, Oct 29

Delta and United have flights ranging from $3,900-$7,000 and AA is $9,000+... I need a flight under $7K.

I'm willing to leave Monday, Oct 30 or add a stop on the way home.

Appreciate any suggestions on routes to be able to fly AA. TYIA!

ijgordon

If you were my employee and spent $7k on a ticket when you could have gotten one on a comparable carrier/itinerary for $3.9k, just because you wanted the miles, I'd probably fire you. (Because it would be explicitly against my travel policy.)

I'd play around with Google Flights, and in particular check fares starting from nearby cities. You could then maybe buy a cheap coach ticket to the alternative starting point. But you'll likely have to re-check in bags.

Also try AAVacations.com; often very good fares including hotel (which you can throw away if necessary, in which case you'd book the package with the cheapest hotel for the minimum of 3 nights).

CloudCoder

Check AAVacations.com where flights are often cheaper.

ronniefastback

I didn't say the flight times, itinieraries or connections were good. There are some cheaper flights with 40-50 minute connections with layovers and all that. The $3,900 flight departs at 6:05am and I have some reasons why I can't make that time work. When you are expected to land and work the next day that stuff matters. Checking a bag versus carry on has to be factored in as well.

I'm guessing I'm not the only person that has paid more for a flight to fly their preferred airline. I'm not saying I'd spend thousands more to do that, but there's a reason all of us want to maintain status and fly our preferred airline. For this particular trip, I have a budget and as long as I book within that budget, my employer doesn't care.

Thanks for the Google Flight suggestion. I've never used it so will look.

Dave Noble

AA has cheaper fares for the route, but they require availability in lower booking classes. On the 22nd, only J class is available in business class

The obvious simple suggestion is to pay the difference yourself if travelling on AA is that important - or change travel dates to when availability is better

Given that there are fares of $4000 and you would spend $7000, it does sound like you would spend thousands extra for FF miles

Looking at RDU-PVG r/ts there are fares of $6000 with CX

ronniefastback

Doesn't look like they allow multi-city flights....

ronniefastback

I'm solely looking at this for EQM's to try and maintain Exec Plat for 2018. Could care less about regular miles. Haven't flown as much this year and this trip would bring in over 30,000 EQM's. Big difference between EP and Plat....

Unfortunately, I have to be there to start work on the 24th and just can't leave until the 22nd....

JJeffrey

Starting in SCE is going to severely limit your options as AA only flies SCE-PHL (that I'm aware of..).

As others have mentioned play around with multi-city options that don't start in SCE. For example, ORD-NRT-PVG on 10/22 or 10/23 with the return PVG-DFW-RDU on 10/29 prices around $5700. Buy a cheap one-way from SCE-ORD the night before.

ronniefastback

Yeah, I know that SCE is the problem. I'm going to be there for Penn State/Michigan the night before. Night game so won't be out of the stadium until midnight at best. I've thought about driving to PHL or even DCA after the game, but that brings with it risk of falling asleep and death which I'd like to avoid.

Just so many restrictions on this trip..... frustrating.

CloudCoder

When people pay for their own tickets, they put up with inconvenient flights and reduced EQMs. When someone else pays for the ticket, it tends to make us a bit pickier than normal.

869

how about JL from LAX for 3900 in business and then you can add a SCE-LAX on the front end and LAX-RDU on the back end. You'd still have to stay up all night and go to SCE for 6am departure but it keeps you on OW. All in should be sub 5k if you buy the domestics in Y

Looks like about 5500 if you buy the domestics in J

rfett2

Has the kickoff time been announced yet for this game? I am still showing start time as TBA on the Michigan and PSU athletic websites.

swingaling

Get yourself to another airport.

PHL-DOH-PVG on QR in J $4,992
EQM: 33,000 | EQD: 4,400

MDT-ORD-HKG-PVG on CX in J is $5,937
EQM: 28,000 | EQD: 4,300+

JFK-LAX-PVG on AA in J is $5,891
EQM: 35,840 | EQD: 5,800

Gino Troian

If you could position to Vancouver, flights r/t on either AA or JL are sub $4,000 for the dates requested! Or if you really want to rack up mileage, position to YYZ and fly YYZ-ORD-HEL-HKG on Finnair for $2700 r/t!

ronniefastback

No, but it's 95% going to be a night game. PSU always has 1 big one a year and if they are both undefeated in a few weeks, that will guarantee it.