Maxi-miling an (X)ONE3: 16 segments, 50K?
 

Any experts out there care to comment? I've played around (huge thanks to the Mileage Monkey for a quick validator on some of the more esoteric options I selected!) and I think I've got just about the maximum mileage from a NRT-originating RTW, without visiting Alaska (which I didn't want to do as I actually had some need for some segments in other regions). Also, note this is a 3-continent...obviously I could have slammed more miles into a 4, but I think with an Asia-Europe-NA itinerary, this is pretty close to the upper limit.

Curious whether anybody can spot anything I missed in this one. I took liberal advantage of the direct flights on AA, for sure, so this wouldn't work in all seasons of the year as those flights come and go.

NRT-CGK-HKG-BOM-KUL-LHR-AUH-DUS-DME-MAD-LAX-SJU-JAC-ORD-MIA-HNL-NRT
http://gc.kls2.com/cgi-bin/gc?PATH=n...OR=&MAP-STYLE=
Some points:
- I think more could be done in Europe in the winter when HEL-DXB is running, by using S7 DXB-OVB-FRA
- I considered ORD-PHX-MIA-NRT (MIA-NRT being another great direct flight) but since I actually have a semi-need to go to HNL, traded a few miles for the MIA-HNL direct flight
- my needs on the rest of the trip were pretty simple: max miles, getting somewhere near London, and getting to the East/Midwest/West of the US. So everything was in play when it came to maximising mileage earning options.

So, do any of the gurus who like to play with this sort of thing see anything I missed? This is my first Oneworld RTW after several other products over the years, and I must say it's quite refreshing to have no backtracking restrictions, nor a maximum mileage cap! :D

I've done the following DONE3's out of NRT or ICN (each connecting with a DAS13 to/from Australia):
nrt-sin-hkg-jfk-dfw-ord-mco-dfw-sea-jfk-cdg-hel-lhr-dxb-lhr-hkg-nrt 41892 mi
icn-nrt-dfw-anc-dfw-atl-ord-sfo-jfk-fco-mad-lhr-dxb-lhr-sin-hnd-gmp 42574 mi
icn-hkg-jfk-mia-sea-ord-lax-iah-ord-amm-mad-lhr-dxb-lhr-sin-hnd-gmp 45851 mi
These were the most miles I could get out of it with what was available at the time while still stopping when/where I needed.

I'm planning my trip for this year...

The main problem with HNL, and the reason I haven't been to Hawaii yet, is that once you get there, you have no choice but to continue on. No matter where you came from into HI, you can't go back. Being able to do something like DFW-HNL-LAX would be nice.

I've looked at doing things like that, however the AY HEL-DXB is best avoided for as long as they use a charter fit out 757 and the S7 DXB-OVB flights are really annoying to get booked as it seems to start and stop at the whim of the Russian government.

See this thread for some real intensive playing around (it seems the sweet spot for maximum are xONE4's):

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...hlight=longest

Ah, just spotted the thread was xONE3 specific -- ignore my post if you're not interesting in a DONE4 interloper

Playing around with possible routes but with constraints of starting in Egypt as I'm eyeing a DONE4 and actually have a few places I need to be (west coast, new york, costa rica, toronto: will train it from montreal, singapore-ish, sydney, london). Got to ~63k on a reasonable itin:

cai-mad-lax-stt-jfk-sjo-sea-yul-lax-kul-nrt-del-nrt-syd-lhr-dxb-amm

though not sure about passing through STT during what would be hurricane season...

m

I'd ruled out SIN-FRA-OVB-DXB as I'm not sure I want to go through OVB but since you mention it, this eeks out almost 1k more:
NRT-CGK-HKG-BOM-sin-fra-ovb-dxb-lhr-LAX-SJU-JAC-MIA-jac-ord-HNL-NRT

Oneworld no longer flies SIN-FRA.

Have you actually been able to book this?
I don't see any direct flights LAX-STT, JFK-SJO, SJO-SEA or SEA-YUL

Substitute BOM-KUL-FRA. MH wasn't available for earlier maximum flight planning.

There are a number of other flight issues that can be solved by adding sets of (additionally) purchased tag-on round trips. Use the RTW to cover the cost of the long haul flights.

Happy wandering

Fred

Good place to remind planners that add-ons really need to be round-trips since otherwise the surface segment created in the xONE would count in the 16-total. Worse, iirc the list of co-terminals for xONE purposes is limited, e.g. the several airports in the Los Angeles basin are not co-terminals.

IIRC, sadly, travel via co-terminals have been using one of the 16 segments for several years now(since "universal" e-ticketing).

i.e. -xLHR,LGW- uses one segment these days.

Most of the time. Depending on who you get to book the ticket, some agents read the ticket rules to allow NRT,HND (etc) as not taking a segment.

The surface-segment/co-terminal thing is due to a limitation of the e-ticketing software, no? In the case of OneWorld Visit South America Airpass they limit to 16 for that reason, but let you add arbitrarily more flights after flying some off.

I had an DAS13 a few years ago (after everyone changed to eticketing) where NRT-HND wasn't counted to the sector limit, but was counted to the 13000 mile limit.

Mods.: If you think that this belongs in another thread, please feel free to move it. There seem to be several threads on maximizing miles on an xONEx ticket. I thought that this one had the most relevant title, so I'm posting here.

So I'm considering another AONE5. Even with the most recent price increase, it may still make sense financially because of the mileage I'll earn with the bonuses and multipliers as AA EXP (OW EMD) traveling in F.

Here's the itinerary I've come up with so far:

JNB-LHR-MCT-LHR-SYD-HKG-NRT-HKG-JFK-SJU-LAX-DFW-ANC-DFW-LAX-LHR-NBO, clocking in at 63,028 BIS miles per MileCalc. (With COS and elite status bonuses/multipliers, comes to a total of 157,575!!)

The two cities I absolutely must hit are BOS and BKK/DMK. I'll travel between JFK and BOS either on the ground or by AA. Even if I fly, I can do it as cheaply as USD $188 roundtrip (just checked AA.com). I'll travel between HKG and Bangkok by air, obviously; just checked AirAsia.com and I can do it for around USD $189 roundtrip (plus AirAsia baggage charges, of course).

I'll be grateful for any suggestions.

I think you will find RJ still fly BKK-HKG, though not every day. A number of years ago the prices were quite good. Mileage credit to AA is OK if you stay away from the very cheapest fare codes.

Happy wandering

Fred