Am I crazy thinking of squeezing a trip to LA a few days before my next booking?
 

I have a week in New Orleans booked for 29th January. I just returned on Wednesday from Nashville (Chicken bone gate lol).

I am currently in a jobless limbo waiting for my new job to start in February and I am incredibly bored.
I potentially could make an avios booking for next Wednesday to Saturday in Economy to LA but I think that’s a bit crazy.
(Love the weather in California).

As just a few days later I am off again. I am thinking I will feel unwell from travelling that much in that short a time period.

But with nothing else to do it is definitely something that I am tempted to do. I have travelled quite a bit over the last 2 years but I am by no means the most travelled here so is it a good idea or a stupid one?

Hi,


The flight to LA and back ( in Y ) will be long and tiring. Are there any closer places to go to ie europe that interest you? given that you are going back to New Orleans shortly after ( could you do a LAX trip from NO?)

That said , if you want to do it go for it ( I did a three night stay in tokyo at the start of 2019 from CDG and back via LHR ( but that was in JAL F)

Good luck!

Regards

TBS

My flight to MSY via MIA and ORD coming back is a BA holiday booking with hotels. I would love to spend a few hours in Miami and move my connecting AA flight to the last flight of the day but I am not sure I can even do that. So it is definitely a case of having to come back and go out again.

I don’t really find Europe that interesting if I am honest. But open to other suggestions. It is really down to how close the next trip is that is the reason for my question. I would happily fly anywhere for 3 days if that’s all the time I have.

I must admit, anything over 8 or 9 hours, I’ve vowed that it has to be a minimum of WT+. That said, if you’ve got the time and avios, then go for it!

I asked the question about WT+ on my Nashville flight and I have to say with Status and being able to book the back two seats on whatever plane your flying I haven’t really enjoyed it more than WT.

To LA - I had two back seats on the 747 so I had loads of room. Coming back I was in WT+ and had someone next to me so was much more uncomfortable and the food was inedible.

To Nashville - I did enjoy WT+ and had a spare seat next to me but with those fixed arm rests I was feeling restricted. Coming back I had two seats again and had more space and was much more comfortable. So I am not sure that WT+ is really worth it. (Other than for TP if you paid.)

I’ve tended to use WT+ on flights operated by 787s; most recently ICN and BWI. On the 787, at least, WT+ is noticeably better.

Your trips are nothing crazy whatsoever. It’s actually fairly normal for frequent business travellers.

The crazy thing is that you are considering travelling lower than J, but that’s your choice :)

I don’t have enough Avios for J :) - my flight to MSY is in F

Also LAX only has Y available as a reward flight next week.

Back in 2015 we had a month (December) booked to NYC.
Just before we went there was a sale - we ended up in Tokyo for 6 days...WTP returning exactly 6 days before our New York trip WTP.
We had a wonderful time- jet lag was brutal but it didn’t stop us.
Personally I would go- but that’s me.

Its been a strange winter here in SoCal so far and next week doesn’t look any better. Sub 70s and lots of cloud. OK beats UK weather, but not typical for this time of the year. Heating has been on here most days since I got back from spending Christmas in the UK.

:eek:
Where have you been in Europe?

If I had the time and the money to spare (as well as willing to spend the Avios for the flights instead of putting it towards a trip in F or J with a 2-4-1) then I would certainly do it. I love to travel and any excuse to travel I would take it. Some time to spare and the desire to go somewhere is more than enough reason in my mind.

I am sure that a large number of users on this forum will consider this normal travel anyway, although they may be more accustomed to doing it in J.

Avios redemptions in long haul Y can be notoriously bad value. Have you considered cash prices?

Personally I’d rest up for New Orleans, especially considering you’re there for a week.

I could go to LA for just a couple of days from Europe. Even in Y. Especially in the winter when TATL flights tend to be less full in Y. Go for it and enjoy the cloudless skies and everything else!

I can understand the temptation. I like Los Angeles, too. I think people who live there take it for granted.

It looks like you would still be back home for two full days to rest in between trips. If you had to go back to work those two days, I'd say forget it. But that's enough time for you to do laundry, re-pack, etc., as well as get plenty of rest, since you're just hanging out.

Sounds like you're still pretty young--you should go. Invest in experiences before it gets too hard for you.:cool:

I see nothing wrong with this idea. But U.S. immigration might, seeing these trips so close to each other. Just make sure you're not running afoul of some visa regulations.

Is that going to be an issue?

For anyone curious about prices flying Wednesday 22/1 and coming back Saturday 25/1 (arrive 26/1) flight only is between £700-900 which is expensive.

Interestingly BA holidays brings up those same flights and staying at Knotts Berry Landing at £492 - I realise that hotel is rubbish so the nicest one I can find that isn't what I consider over priced is The Beverly Hilton which is £991 for flights and 3 nights.

If I were to use Avios I am looking at all of my avios plus £360 roughtly; I also have 115,000 Hilton points so I could stay at the H Hotel LAX for all my points and about £250. Which is clearly cheaper.

But neither seems a particularly good deal to me...
One comment on BA Holidays is the hotels now coming up seem to be much better overall than I have seen before. I am getting the Santa Monica Proper where I stayed in November which is fantastic and the brand new West Hollywood Edition (for £5,000! definitely cheaper to book room separately here) as well as the added Mr and Mrs Smith Hotels and the usual luxury hotels.

Really for me to go I need to be sure that I don't have US immigration issues and I want a good deal. £500ish would be acceptable but my avios and hilton points is coming out a bit above that.

On Thursday night, go see the Preservation All Stars with Charlie Gabriel at Preservation Hall. Then, if you've never see the Soul Rebels at Le Bon Temps Roule on a Thursday night, you're going to want to do that (though it's an 11pm start, and will go to 2am, so nap during the day).
Meschiya Lake is at the Starlight Lounge and Walter "Wolfman" Washington is at the Maple Leaf on Friday night. You might be able to hit both.

Just do it
you will have fond memories of the trip

You are bored, so to relieve it you are thinking of spending over 11 hours sitting on a plane to fly across the atlantic to then 2 days later spend over 11 hours sitting on a plane overnight

I think that the answer to the question posed is Yes

I would do it in a heartbeat if I was bored and had the free time - albeit not in Y!

I’d definitely do the trip, but not in Y. I would look at cash bookings in W and use a few Avios to bring down the cost if no reward seats in W.

Might even be able to UUA to J if seats available.

Indeed. It's a shame that there's nothing in Berlin, Stockholm, Rome, the Swiss Alps, the Mediterranean or Peloponnese to compare with the culture and attractions of Los Angeles. I really don't know how you'd fill a whole weekend in Europe.

:)

Do what makes you happy.

I don´t think it makes him happy. My suspicion is that he thinks that when he´s back from the trip, "it was a waste of time and $/miles/points".

No I wouldn’t regret it. I find nothing more relaxing that sitting on that beach in Santa Monica and the perfect weather of California. (Even if it’s not that perfect maybe right now).

But I am definitely sensitive to the cost considering I just returned from Nashville and off to New Orleans. The timing and that cost is all that are making me unsure. If it was a case of no other trips planned I’d book it without even thinking.

Indeed....and then they'll only have themselves to blame if it doesn't turn out to be as enjoyable as a weekend away in Glasgow eating a fish supper....just watch out for the odd bone.

Yes you are crazy. If you love the weather, go to San Diego

Throw in a can of Irn Bru as well and it's a date.

I think it will be a waste of money/avios, time, and energy, and it will take away from the MSY trip. I also suggest a quick trip to Europe or Mediterranean region instead, or nothing at all.

A little crazy is fine in my book, so I wouldn't dwell on that. If you are OK with the opportunity cost of the Avios & cash expenditure on this trip, I say go for it. If you anticipate exhaustion and eventual remorse, then don't. :)

In answer to the original question:yes

If you can afford it and you want to do it then crack on son. You won't die and you'll probably make some great memories.
My level of craziness is returning to UK from a week in Florida and flying the next day to Australia. All in the cheap seats tool

Spike

I'd suggest saving the Avios for a trip later in the year.

I haven't checked the forecast, but have you thought of a quick few days in Tel Aviv? With only a two hour time difference and a flight half the length, it can be a great option for a few days in the sun. Late January can see some rainstorms, but you can equally get some pleasant, sunny weather and see the temperatures inch up towards 20C. Great food town as well.

Accommodation will generally be a bit expensive, although there should be some deals this time of year. And your Avios would likely stretch to a WT+ or even business redemption.

This was going to be my #1 recommendation or for that matter elsewhere in the Middle East given the comparatively very short flighty time to LAX and ease of getting some very nice places to stay but frankly Spinstorm might find that all as
boring as they find Europe!

Forgive me also but I found it a bit annoying that they asked for advice but in subsequent posts left the impression that really they just want to go to not so sunny LA for a weekend, 11 hours in economy via not so great Avios deal. Hey- if you want to go to LA and stay in a worn out hotel near the LAX airport just go for it! why need any validation or other ideas from us random people on the interwebs. Do what makes you happy!

I could see this trip if it was some special fare or mileage/status run (or a very unique Avios opportunity for a special trip), but sandwiching it like that between two other vacation trips and spending your own miles it seems like travel becomes an obsessive activity, waste of miles in my view...

That reminds me, last year just for a giggle and for something to do over a holiday weekend here in the US, my wife and I flew LAX-HKG-LAX-SAN for dinner. We took off late on the Friday evening and landed Sunday morning. We did a bit of sightseeing after dropping our luggage at our hotel and picked out a place for dinner. Had some drinkies, enjoyed dinner and went to bed. We got up on the Monday morning and did a bit more sightseeing and headed to the airport for the 6PM departure that landed at 4PM the same day in LAX and then down to SAN later that evening.

The Hong Kong weather was bleeding miserable though and although we booked into PE we were lucky to get a miles and copay upgrade into J for the flight home. I would do something similar again if I got the chance.