Robin Lennon Williams

I'm going to be about $3500 short on EQDs but will meet EQMs with my current reservations. Can anyone help with an itinerary departing from SAN or LAX or SFO (or any other airport in CA) for travel in October or December, that racks up AAdvantage EQDs with a relatively low cost? I'm new at this and don't know all the acronyms or tools, so your help will be really appreciated.
Departure Airport: SAN or LAX or SFO or OAK
Miles Needed: N/A, I need up to $3,500 AAdvantage EQDs
Required Spend or Budget: Up to $2000
Available Travel Dates: October or December 2019

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

So I'm a bit confused. If you are going to be $3.5K short on EQDs how would a $2K mileage run help you? Also, you don't say what status level. Spending $3.5K other than for PP or EXP is probably a not good use of money unless you will fly more in 2020. For $3.5 K do a transcon to JFK in J (or maybe F) or a turn from LAX to HA in J.

Phasers

Usually, this is where you book a partner flight, usually in PE, which gives you more EQDs than actual dollars spent on it.

cpdc1030

CX Premium Economy out of LAX is your best choice right now:

LAX-HKG-AKL-HKG-LAX will yield 5,179 EQD and costs $2,357 for many dates in October: https://flights.app.goo.gl/iVsut
Similar fares seem to be available to SYD and PER as well, though that will mean less EQDs, but still enough to get you what you need.
Looks like you can even do same day turns at AKL but I think that's crazy...especially as NZ is such a wonderful and easy / low stress place to visit.

There's also fares LAX-HKG-JNB-HKG-LAX netting 5,430 EQD for $2192 - however my personal preference would be AKL

It is a bit above your price range, but the cheap W fares SFO-HKG seem to have disappeared, so this looks like your best option at the moment. I booked a $1391 fare SFO-HKG, KUL-HKG-SFO for Sept a few weeks ago, for this very purpose.

IADCAflyer

Thats a lot of EQDs to be short on. Just what status are you trying to hit or maintain?

FLL88

Herb687

It's probably a lousy use of money even for Plat Pro or EXP.

Take that $3,500 and invest it in ways that actually make your travel experience better, not in some foolish quest for status.

Assuming one can upfare already planned trips from economy to business or business to first for $700 per trip would you rather have 5 trips in confirmed better cabins or a shiny card that says Executive Platinum?

If memory serves, my last buy-up offer from Platinum to Plat Pro was around $1,600. Anyone want to guess how long it took me to laugh at AA and slam that browser window shut?

cpdc1030

You're only thinking from a domestic perspective. For someone who mostly does longhaul international, EXP gives access to some very nice lounges at LAX LHR and HKG for example. I always put each of the 4 SWUs to use on a flight over 10 hours. And the upfare on LAX-LHR is about $3000 usually.

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Robin Lennon Williams

I figured it out. (Trying to continue EP status) I spent 1594 on a Premium Economy ticket on Cathay Pacific flight to Beijing through Hong Kong and got $3319 EQDs and 24,130 EQMs. I'm all the way there on EQMs and most of the way there on EQDs.

Robin Lennon Williams

You are so right! I booked a Premium Economy flight on Cathay Pacific: LAX TO HKG TO PEK and back for $1,594 and got $3319 EQDs and 24130 EQMs. First time I learned about this strategy. Thanks!

Robin Lennon Williams

Thanks! I ended up booking Premium Economy on Cathay Pacific: LAX>HKG>PEK and back, for $1594, for $3319 EQDs and 24130 EQMs. I like your AKL route but haven been to NZ recently and have never been to China. So at least I get a new destination out of the mileage run. Thanks for your quote, because I have a friend who may use it. She's even shorter on EQDs than I am; so she also booked the PEK flight and may also use the AKL option. I appreciate your input!!

Robin Lennon Williams

EP. I came pretty close with a flight I just booked on Cathay Pacific: LAX>HKG>PEK and back. For $1594 I got $3319 EQDs and 24130 EQMs.

Robin Lennon Williams

Because I know all the flights I have already booked through year-end.

enpremiere

While this may not apply to your Cathy-operated segments issued on Cathay stock, if you book tickets issued on partner stock with AA operated segments you may want to check that they credit as distance based per the respective chart rather than fare based.

AACoRN will show this to the phone agent (so at least you know in advance of the flights) and any discrepancies with segments displaying as fare instead of distance in the Accrual Method column would need to be addressed by AAdvantage customer service post-flight.