Routing and partner advice
Apr 17, 2016 | 8:54 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: bos
Posts: 23
Edit
I hate Amex as a company but I guess they are what to focus on. Everything will be used, of course. I travel so much around on much smaller scales and I could probably pull EU with some push. It's just this was a big trip I thought I could use everything no make it but that was navet. I guess I'll just have to go pick one, I should just go for UR or a "transferable" would be my smart move (heh). Too bad chase loves me. They are my biggest split with UR,BA,SW. Damn them.
I'm semi crushed but I will still bounce around do I can be happy for the freedom.
I'm semi crushed but I will still bounce around do I can be happy for the freedom.
You need focus your cc spending and flying so that you have one FF account where all the miles go. Having 16 different small buckets everywhere does not help you. Even if you had the necessary miles there is no guarantee you would have been able to get the seat on the date(s) you wanted since, particularly from Europe to South Africa there is very heavy demand for these. Also, depending on what airline you eventually chose, you would have had to pay a fuel or carrier surcharge (potentially a lot of money). It might be easier to just look for cash seats in economy.
Last edited by Megz; Apr 17, 2016 at 12:21 pm Reason: Spelling
Apr 17, 2016 | 9:17 am
#17
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 12,526
I know it seems counter-intuitive, but one of the best values for travel to Africa using Alaska Airlines miles is on Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong. In business class it's 62,500 miles one way, including an allowed stopover in Hong Kong.
Apr 17, 2016 | 9:17 am
#18
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BOS, BWI, DCA, IAD
Programs: American, Delta, JetBlue, United
Posts: 2,401
Welcome to FT!
For the arbitrarily selected dates I checked in the fall (October 4-18), you would need 80k miles on AA for two one-way economy reward flights (assuming award seats are available). Award flights using BA incur prohibitive surcharges, and award flights using Etihad cannot be booked online. For the same dates, RT economy flights BOS-JNB can be purchased for approximately $825 on various combinations of AF/DL/KL.
For the arbitrarily selected dates I checked in the fall (October 4-18), you would need 80k miles on AA for two one-way economy reward flights (assuming award seats are available). Award flights using BA incur prohibitive surcharges, and award flights using Etihad cannot be booked online. For the same dates, RT economy flights BOS-JNB can be purchased for approximately $825 on various combinations of AF/DL/KL.
Last edited by JPG3392; Apr 17, 2016 at 9:47 am Reason: Added clarification.
Apr 17, 2016 | 9:33 am
#19
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 102,617
In your planning, don't forget that AS award tickets can generally use at most one partner on the same ticket.
Apr 17, 2016 | 11:42 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,315
There are also cheap J flights out of YYZ at the moment down to JNB/CPT. If you can afford those why not just use your miles for the positioning flight to YYZ and do paid J down to CPT/JNB.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/premi...usiness-6.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/premi...usiness-6.html
Apr 17, 2016 | 12:12 pm
#21
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 12,526
Not knowing your travel plans, obligations or aspirations, maybe pointless, but I'll mention that South Africa currently offers very attractive prices for Oneworld Explorer business class RTW tickets, e.g. 4 continents in business class, up to 16 flights, for US$4047 plus taxes/fees. Good for a year, fairly easy to change. Have a look at the Oneworld board if interested. Fly on miles one way and start the ticket while you're there.
Apr 17, 2016 | 12:20 pm
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: bos
Posts: 23
When I applied for AA I didn't get the premium card, I got a lesser one with less bonus( this summer). When I called, they said to just apply for the other( better) card in three months, I could have gotten the basic for any reason.
With aero being a part of AA, it would seem you could really ramp up those points fast( td is local). All my idiotic notes I've taken. Mr Leff told me ages ago I need a goal but I just figured everything could cross together via some commonality, so everyone just uses one card really? And has the others....
With aero being a part of AA, it would seem you could really ramp up those points fast( td is local). All my idiotic notes I've taken. Mr Leff told me ages ago I need a goal but I just figured everything could cross together via some commonality, so everyone just uses one card really? And has the others....
Apr 17, 2016 | 4:17 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,919
You have a good start with AA miles and some BA avios. SPG points can transfer to AA. One problem with AA awards is to that part of the world is that BA flight are often offered. With AA awards on BA they charge the hefty BA cash surcharges
. Cathay CX, Qatar QR & Etihad EY are also partners with AA. And QR & CX are partners of BA.Long haul awards on popular routes are not easy.
Apr 17, 2016 | 4:30 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: bos
Posts: 23
Doesn't Alaska Air potentially play a big role here. Since it does have Emirates?
I am so appreciative you guys are so helpful. I'm generally just a reader but I had to step up bc I was confused but I am starting to have some faith here since my dates are sort of open. But Alaska can also do KLM which I thought could be possible since they are AA too.
QUOTE=LondonElite;26497906]DO you mean Aeroplan? No, it is not affiliated with AA at all.[/QUOTE]
I am so appreciative you guys are so helpful. I'm generally just a reader but I had to step up bc I was confused but I am starting to have some faith here since my dates are sort of open. But Alaska can also do KLM which I thought could be possible since they are AA too.
QUOTE=LondonElite;26497906]DO you mean Aeroplan? No, it is not affiliated with AA at all.[/QUOTE]
Apr 17, 2016 | 6:41 pm
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: bos
Posts: 23
Apr 17, 2016 | 8:07 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,919
Doesn't Alaska Air potentially play a big role here. Since it does have Emirates?
I am so appreciative you guys are so helpful. I'm generally just a reader but I had to step up bc I was confused but I am starting to have some faith here since my dates are sort of open. But Alaska can also do KLM which I thought could be possible since they are AA too.
I am so appreciative you guys are so helpful. I'm generally just a reader but I had to step up bc I was confused but I am starting to have some faith here since my dates are sort of open. But Alaska can also do KLM which I thought could be possible since they are AA too.
I would not get to fixated on EK for USA to South Africa award flights. EK are just 1 airline to South Africa.
Apr 17, 2016 | 8:39 pm
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: bos
Posts: 23
Do I am s o l. I'm devastated but my bestie in London will be so excited it's easier to get there I suppose. I never should have cancelled Barclay but I raged it and thought I was done. So just start cancelling or organize? Only use the Amex I guess or UR.
Devastated but I'll just have to push to Hong Kong in Jan 2017.
I can't believe how sweet you are, I want to delete everything for appearing a pinhead. When people say open all these cards they mean only if they are in your plan( miles or points?)
QUOTE=LondonElite;26496271]That would be Air Canada.
CP went out of business many years ago!
To the OP - you will need about 300,000 Aeroplane miles for a round trip on Star Alliance from Canada to South Africa. You are far far away from that. Even if you had the miles, I think you'll find it hard to actually get the seats.
Devastated but I'll just have to push to Hong Kong in Jan 2017.
I can't believe how sweet you are, I want to delete everything for appearing a pinhead. When people say open all these cards they mean only if they are in your plan( miles or points?)
QUOTE=LondonElite;26496271]That would be Air Canada.
CP went out of business many years ago!To the OP - you will need about 300,000 Aeroplane miles for a round trip on Star Alliance from Canada to South Africa. You are far far away from that. Even if you had the miles, I think you'll find it hard to actually get the seats.
Yep, I see that's a no go. at the beginning of this post I felt like this was impossible, now potentially I could make it happen with work but I might be better off taking what I've learned here and see how big it can become. I could ask more and more. Are lesser flights worth just paying for? Why bother wasting.
Also, do people specifically go to the airport early to spend time in the lounges? I travel as quickly as possible.
This is a cool board.
Apr 17, 2016 | 9:43 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2005
Location: East Bay, CA
Programs: AA EXP, Marriot LTP, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 291
BOS-JNB
Op,
Being clueless as to when you actually want to take this trip (other than Fall), I did a cursory check on BA and there happened to be very reasonable availability via DOH on Qatar. Business class was available, and I believe it's just one award with AA miles. Not absolutely certain, but I think it's 75,000 miles one way, so you would need to top off your AA account with some SPG points.
As for the return, you could transfer some UR points to UA. Coach is readily available in October, with some days having business as well.
Being clueless as to when you actually want to take this trip (other than Fall), I did a cursory check on BA and there happened to be very reasonable availability via DOH on Qatar. Business class was available, and I believe it's just one award with AA miles. Not absolutely certain, but I think it's 75,000 miles one way, so you would need to top off your AA account with some SPG points.
As for the return, you could transfer some UR points to UA. Coach is readily available in October, with some days having business as well.