Help with weekend escape/MR
 

I would like to spend the next weekend away (Wed evening or Thu through Sunday) - but at the same time qualify for CO plat. I need 20000 miles (with DEQM ok). Departing from SYR or EWR, where can I go? I need two tickets, and can spend a max of 550 per ticket (without taxes). Can someone help me? Is there a different place where I should be posting this?

You can also post in the "Mileage Run" box. Also, I don't know if it was a typo or not, but I'm pretty sure your max spending per ticket is higher than "$50"? :p

Edit: seem like you have fixed your mistake. Lol.

Max spending $550/person - I forgot the $ sign in the original post - sorry! Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Getting 10,000 real miles for $550 at the last minute is going to be hard. HNL isn't far enough away. Neither is most of Europe.

Use www.farecompare.com/flyertalk to see what's available. As sbm12 said, you're too late for this week. Your best bet for the pure mileage is to do 2 west coast turns. The 'standard MR of EWR-IAH-SMF, 6000+ EQM - 12,000+ DEQM total can be had next week for 218 + taxes. Two of those and you're done.

The problem is you've already missed all the 7 day advance purchase fares.

There's an EWR-SFO S fare (SG73XSNN) that prices out $239 roundtrip, but it has a 7 day purchase requirement and a 3 day min stay, Dep/Ret Tue/Wed/Thurs/Sat. Two of those, and you've got your 10k EQMs @ $460.

(There are similar S fares to LAX/SNA/SAN/SEA.)

I just priced GIG through IAH in November, thrus afternoon to sat night (arriving back in EWR on Sunday) for $523 + taxes. 6,431 EQM each way, and you get to go to the beach! :cool:

Catch is, you need a visa to go to Brazil, so that will set you back 150. :td:

I didn't know there was a 7 day advance purchase requirement for the lowest fares...Anyway - these are great options. I might do the weekend out in the second weekend of November-where I can go Thursday- Monday...Might open some good options....
One more question - if I use my cc points to purchase the ticket (25000 points for any ticket up to $550), can I still earn EQMs and DEQMs?

Sounds like you're using TYP for the ticket, right? Those should earn normally.

Remember you need book for flights departing after a certain cutoff date (check One Pass Program changes) near the end of October in order to qualify for 100% EQM earning for the lowest fare classes. Otherwise, you'd only earn 50% on flights not booked on co.com, glad this rule is going away at the end of this month.

here a good one
 

If you can wait to December, try PHL to SMF through IAH.

You get 12k in your account and and I think 12k towards you EQM. Is that correct, 3400 each direction then double EQM???? for a total of 12k. It is close.

You can leave 5pm on Saturday and return at 12:30am Sunday and get home to watch the Giants beat somebody. Cost was 287.xx AI.

What is the likelihood of getting an upgrade as a Gold from EWR to SMF (Friday out back in on Monday)? If I get to ride up front that would make it a really nice weekend away...

EWR to SJC (San Jose) prices similarly, and if you don't mind landing on a grass runway ;) it's not hard to get to San Francisco. The nonstops used to go out with Silvers in front, I had empty seats next to me sometimes, but no more. The EWR to IAH leg has gotten tough; I nabbed my last upgrade on that leg by changing to a more promising flight at an IAH kiosk, successfully fighting the $25 charge after I got home.

For these games, the PDF timetable is your friend: Scan EWR for destinations with a nice mileage, get it done in one flight. (Yeah, yeah, the misconnect in CLE is part of the charm of a mileage run. I'm not charmed.)

I'd add $100 to your budget and make one trip out of it, to somewhere interesting. Hidden costs for two boring trips will make this a push, anyways.

If CO raised its top elite level to 100K, many of us will be going through this exercise, to top off and enjoy a few short trips here and there. Doesn't have to be MR aesthetics to the trip, it could be grabbing a sale to somewhere far and amusing, on a nonstop that won't lead to trouble.

That's good advice for the upgrade. Thanks!
If I wanted to stop at LAS for another day or two at the end of the trip, how could I do it? Which airport in the west coast? Stop in IAH OK...weekend of 6-9 November, could stay untill the 10... Do you think it's too much for a weekend?

When will we have 100% EQMs for lower fare tickets not bought at continental.com? And do those earn DEQMs with the promotion, as well?