Help with Maldives trip

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Oct 17, 2012 | 3:40 pm

#31

stupidzbu

Join Date: Apr 2003

Location: BOS .. but soon SFO

Programs: UA PLAT, TK GLD, Hilton Diamond, IC PLAT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD

Posts: 1,528

Quote:

Originally Posted by ma91pmh

Thank you! Yes more in the works, Seychelles next

seriously.. that was the best and most comprehensive advice I have ever seen ever ...

now, if I ever wanted to go to the Maldives, I know exactly how!

For instance, I never expected a flight to an atoll to be $500 per person!

Oct 17, 2012 | 3:51 pm

#32

stupidzbu

Join Date: Apr 2003

Location: BOS .. but soon SFO

Programs: UA PLAT, TK GLD, Hilton Diamond, IC PLAT, SPG GLD, Marriott GLD

Posts: 1,528

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris_ny

I booked on Star Alliance: JFK-CAI-IST-MLE-MXP-EWR.
120,000 miles each for my wife and I, All biz class.

So, to book an itinerary like this, you would need to do a multicity award ticker with however many days you want in between?!

Also .. you are going to Cairo NOW?! Aren't you like .. concerned?

Oct 21, 2012 | 1:53 am

#33

ma91pmh

Join Date: Aug 2009

Location: RDU

Programs: A few

Posts: 5,506

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr58

Thanks, this is incredibly helpful. I'm starting to see that launching my trip from IAD may be difficult to do on *A, at least if I want to avoid flying Y and spend fewer than 40 hours traveling each way! And it doesn't look as if other East Coast locations are much easier. Other than CMB, has anyone recently used creative routings on *A to fly J or F to MLE from the East Coast? I'd certainly be open to finding award tickets to some point before MLE and then paying for tickets for the rest, but CMB didn't seem to have a ton of premium award redemption options either.

If I were based in IAD and was looking at Star Alliance redemption I can't see any circumstance where I'd do anything other than Turkish Airlines. Twice daily from IAD to IST with wide open business class availability and a nice onward connection to MLE. One stop, open availability, good product - seems a no brainer. No need for wandering around CMB or going the long way around the world to enjoy SQ's Y product. We went the long way around on our trip to experience SQ F product and I can say it was fabulous but not so good that frankly I'd ever do it again vs getting there quicker via the Middle East

From East Coast USA I'd say your options are:

UA/USAir/*A: Turkish one stop service from IAD/ORD/NYC

Delta/SkyTeam: Aeroflot one stop service from JFK/ORD/IAD/MCO/MIA

AA (not OW): Etihad one stop service from JFK/IAD/ORD

Amex Membership Rewards: Qatar (transferred to ANA) one stop service from IAD/JFK/ORD/YUL

In theory you could also use SPG>Emiratess or Chase UR>Korean Air miles to book Emirates too, but prices are very high

The only practical F option from East Coast is Etihad and that is only to AUH the onward flight will be in J

Oct 21, 2012 | 7:31 am

#34

chris_ny

Join Date: Jun 2010

Location: Los Angeles

Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Plat

Posts: 47

Yes!

Planning to convert the hotel stay to a Passport Escape, bit I need to stock up some more Chase UR points first. They are cancelling the Passport Escape soon, so I may run out of time.

The Hyatt phone rep I spoke to was really nice - she said she had only booked one Maldives ever so far and she was very excited for me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by brooklynmatt

Nice flights, I'm doing something different, but similar, for my trip there..

For the Hyatt did you look up the Passport Escape thingy with Hyatt? Might be value for you..

Oct 21, 2012 | 7:35 am

#35

chris_ny

Join Date: Jun 2010

Location: Los Angeles

Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Plat

Posts: 47

All we have to fear is fear itself!

If things got really crazy I might consider rebooking. Our friends were there just after the revolution and loved it. Prices were low and there were no crowds :-)

For booking - I scoped the award out on the United website multicity, then called in to book as I kept getting error messages on the site.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stupidzbu

So, to book an itinerary like this, you would need to do a multicity award ticker with however many days you want in between?!

Also .. you are going to Cairo NOW?! Aren't you like .. concerned?