SASfan

Hello all,

I am attempting to brainstorm my very first MR out of SJC and wanted to have done my homework before putting something out to the masses. I have read and re-read the Mileage Run Forum thread started by bhatnasx and some of the tips by Viajero Joven. Learned a lot about ITA, Travelocity Dream Maps, Expedia fare alerts, and a bit about the KVS tools.

-- My goal is to build miles/status with LAN as I will be in S America next year. They are partners with AS and AA, both airlines fly out of SJC.

So, my initial hack at the MR is: SJC - PDX - GEG - SEA - MIA - LAX - SJC, total cost of $599 for 6431 mi = $0.09cpm = horrible, I know.

Next try was SJC - PDX - GEG - MIA - ORD - SEA - SJC which yielded 7409 mi for $603 = $0.08 cpm. Also not good.

My dates are 27-28 May, over Mem Day weekend (not sure yet if we have Monday the 29th off). I have a couple certs that I could use on the Alaska flights to upgrade & get some sleep and studying done, and the SEA - MIA flight is a red-eye, so I wouldn't need a hotel room.

Am I looking in the wrong places to try to make this a $200-300 ticket? That's my goal. The best prices I am finding so far are on the alaskair site.

I also would love to shoot up the coast to JNU/ANC in Alaska (never been there), but the price skyrockets once I include Alaska travel in there. Seat2C, any advice??

Thanks -

MeVoy

Hi SASfan:

How about hopping the bullet train SJC to Millbrae, then BART Millbrae to SFO, and doing the following:

SFO/LAX AA1943/27MAY 6:40PM/7:59PM 500mls (min)
LAX/ORD AA1264/27MAY 11:05PM/5:01AM 1745mls
ORD/DAY(ton) AA4195/28MAY 8:25AM/10:30AM 500mls (min)
DAY/ORD AA4083/28MAY 10:55AM/11:06AM
ORD/LAX AA1311/28MAY 12Noon/2:23PM
LAX/SFO AA2431/28MAY 3:15PM/4:28PM
Total Fare: $215.80
Total Miles 2745 x 2 = 5490 (plus 500ml booking bonus if booked on AA)
You can check to see if the later (9pm-sh) flt SFO/LAX is available - it connects with the ORD flt.
You can work out the cpm, but you get the idea.
And AA is partners with LAN and AS
Let me know what you think

keithguy

Yes. When you are making up your own routings and trying random destinations, you'll get higher fares. Instead, try finding a fare that is $200, check the allowable routing and route it as it allows. Then you won't have a $500 fare.

SASfan

Thanks for the tip, MeVoy!! I found a fare for $163.50 on the AA.com website, $200 all in. SFO-LAX-ORD (red eye)-DAY-DFW-SFO. 5070 miles + 500 mi for booking online = 5570 = $0.03 cpm. Anybody know how I can improve on this booking by adding more segments?

crhptic

The routing rules appear to allow you to go SFO-LAX-SEA-CHI-DAY. On the return after transiting DFW you could go through LAX, SEA, or SNA on the way back to SFO. If you can find the flights and availability and it all matches up, that is.

All in all, even if you just do the route you posted, I'd say it's not bad for your first mileage run, and certainly loads better than what you were contemplating a couple of days ago!

MeVoy

SASfan: Good, but if you use my return routing via ORD instead of DFW, you get 490 BIS miles for $15.80 more. Your choice!

SASfan

MeVoy, I see that now, thanks. The DFW leg spit out when I selected 'DAY - SFO' when booking the fourth and final segment that the aa.com site allows. Any idea how to get around this when booking online?

MeVoy

PM me

crhptic

I would do the four legs like this...essentially use the boxes to "force" any "unnatural" connections, select search by schedule and 50 options, and then let it do the work to come up with the others...

e.g. your 4 boxes might be

SFO-LAX
LAX-DAY
DAY-ORD
ORD-SFO

SASfan

Thanks, MeVoy and crhptic for the pointers.

Ok, right now I have SFO - LAX - ORD - DAY - ORD - SEA - SFO on a 24 hr hold w/ AA, $215 for 6 segment trip: 4961 actual flight miles.

500 + 1745 + 500 + 500 + 1721 + 679 = 5645

+ 500 for booking on aa.com = 6145.

$215/6145 = $0.035 cpm.

Any ideas on how to get 1-2 more segments?

HamburgAround

but I have learned a lot trough them (4 or 6 segments for only little more than 100).
I would try to force more segments.
What about entering
SFO-SAN
SAN-DAY
DAY-STL
STL-SFO

I don't know if the routing of your fare allows that but the best way to squeeze in any more segs is to use smaller towns with no/little direct air-traffic. Still make sure to choose 50 options to avoid getting non-stop-flights on small a/c.
Best luck and manny happy landings,

HamburgAround

crhptic

See my first post on this thread for a note on how you could THEORETICALLY squeeze in one more west coast segment each way. But remember, like I also mentioned in my earlier post, you have to find the right availability in the fare class for all the flights, and the times have to sync up for connections.

If you can make that work, I'll nominate you for best first-time mileage run!

SASfan

Best first-time mileage run? Geez, you gotta be kidding me! I am a rookie still. I'm still waiting to hear from tvl4free and Viajero Joven, some of the guys who put together the stickys and mileage run guides.

Only question I still have for anyone who may understand the LAN Pass program, is "How many LAN Pass km will I earn for this 5645 run?" Is it as simple as multiplying by 1.6?