This is my first post on One World.

I completed the AA Plat Chalange in Nov. Using some of the creative routings I learned on this site I was able to make it with minimal trouble.
Now the addiction has moved to the next stage - How to keep Plat.?
I want to use a RTW- trip to make the Plat level in 2002.
What are the best runs = or close to the best runs you've heard about or completed?
From reading here and going to the Unofficial OneWorld Page I've looked at the schedule to see Sweden and Lithuania are better coutries to start from since the tkt is so much cheaper.
I plan on doing a Biz class ticket since that helps with Q points.
I am open to all ideas.
Thanks.
Frank

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TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.

[This message has been edited by CFM3RD (edited 11-01-2001).]

I suggest you take a look at this old thread as a start. There are some parts of the routings suggested there that you may want to avoid at the moment, but it should at least give you some ideas on how to maximise a OWE RTW. Feel free to come back with more specific questions.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/000826.html

I remember that Tfung completed a trip that got him EXP but he was on a first rtw ticket. Maybe it is worth considering that option as well and see whether Plat vs. EXP on a business vs. first ticket is worth it?

In any case, do a search and see what Tfung did.

Welcome to the oneworld board

I've planned (as opposed to done!) many runs that would requalify for AA Plat based on Economy on a 4 continent OWE. I find it's not too hard to get around 60,000 miles off a ticket (qualifying via Q-miles rather than Q-points).

I'd post a few examples here but they all originate in Australia. But then again, Australia is one hell of a cheap place to start. This ticket would only cost about US$1300 - a very cheap path to Plat. My spreadsheet that calculates the route distance, bonuses and all that tells me of a cost per mile of well under 2c per mile (it even says whether posting to QF or AA is better). Email me if you want any of these suggested paths - but it shouldn't be too hard to get something equivalent yourself.

BErs,

I would be interested in what you came up with.
From what I read other places if it's coach you don't get mile that qualify. Am I misunderstanding something?
I'm not sure what I will do. Still in the planning stages right now.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks. Frank

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TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.

First, I think you may be confusing the challenge with normal (re)qualification. For the Gold and Plat Challenges only Q points count, normal (re)qualification can be done with points or miles.

Second, in coach some of the oneworld partners do not give you full AAdvantage miles. You find the details for each carrier in the link I posted in your other thread in the AA forum. Also note that AA code shares operated by oneworld partners give full miles just as any other AA flight.

Third, if you do a RTW, I would suggest you try to pick some interesting places to visit for a few days even if it doesn't maximise your mileage to the fullest. If all you're after is the Platinum status four cheap Pacific mileage runs may be better value than a RTW. Because of the 10-day minimum for a RTW you will have to add a number of hotel nights to the cost.

To add to Hagbard Viking's excellent post I'll just fill in some of the detail that I've gotten by learning the stuff surrounding Economy RTW's (there are so many Bus/First experts on this board!):

- As Mr Viking suggested, with AA, only some airlines can count. OWE RTWs are booked in M class. With the AA rules this means:

Airlines that are fine:
- AA
- AY
- BA
- IB
- LA
- QF

Airlines that you cannot earn in:
- CX
- EI

- Whilst most airlines give miles, not all of those give full amount (1mile=1mile). QF is bad at 0.7 and IB is worse at 0.3. Avoid these as much as you can if going for Q-miles (as you would be). If you can't avoid them - use codeshares (the AA flight from SYD-PER would earn 1 instead of 0.7)
- A few useful routings are the following, I've found these to be very useful when maximising mileage for retaining plat:

SW Pacific:
- there is now a AKL-PER direct flight (stops in MEL), it's huge compared to the rest but only that direction and only on a Tuesday
- Do at least a SYD-PER-MEL run, if not CNS-PER-MEL or something like that. You can only have one PER-SYD or CNS or BNE because it's so long, so you might as well use it!
- Might be a good idea to do a MEL or SYD-DRW as well. You can only have one of these but they too are long.

Asia:
- CX is out (see above) but all is not lost. QF operates SIN-BOM-SIN and SIN-HKG-SIN which are both a lot better than a kick in the head, distance wise! BA also operates HKG-TPE or HKG-MNL but they are much shorter than the above.
- AY will be operating a BKK-HKG from Feb 2002 - this earns both 1 Q-mile and 1 Q-point (rather than 0.5 if it was an AA flight - it must be a bug with their computer system) per mile.

NA:
- You can only have one transcon but make sure you use it!
- Make sure you fly between two points using the furthest away AA hub. LAX-ORD-SJC is a lot further than LAX-DFW-SJC
- LAX-SXM has to be the find of the week for me, I don't think it even counts as a transcon either!
- BOS originating transcons are the longest - BOS-SAN is the biggest IIRC.

Europe
- You can only use two flights from LON to all the far away places (Middle East, North Africa and the baltic States). So again, use them! They are restricted because they are long - what a good hint from the airline!
- LHR-DXB-LHR is by far the best way to use the above. You get a tonne of miles.
- A lot of the other routings besides those excluded above are reasonably short and you don't get too much variety in distance (because you get 500 minimum Q-Miles on BA, so the shorter flights aren't that much worse anyway)
- Some larger other routings though include DUB-HEL (1249mi) and HEL-MAD (1821mi)
- LHR-HEL is about as far as you can go from London without being hit by the rule referred to above (the "Cut down on the long flights on BA metal" rule)
- For fun, you can do MAD-FRA on Lan Chile, in case you want to experience wihtout having to go to the SA continent.

Intercontinent
- From Europe to Asia, fly to SIN. It is always the furthest distance. LHR-SIN is the furthest way to go between the two.
- If you include SW Pacific and Europe, you'll need to fly via Asia or Africa. The key thing is that you are actually allowed two entries to Asia provided one is a transfer without stopover on the way between SW Pacific and Europe. I've found the best way is then always NA-Asia-SW Pacific-Asia-Europe instead of a direct Qantas NA-SW Pacific flight.
- Some great AA pacific flights include LGA-OSA or MIA-NRT and BOS-NRT. MIA-NRT is the king at over 7500 mi. These all stop somewhere else but it doesn't count because they are all one flight number.
- I'll also repeat another tip I've used and also seen around here. If you are going into another continent, you can maximise it by going the most extreme opposite points of each continent. ie Don't fly DXB-HKG - LHR-SIN is much better. Don't fly LHR-JFK, HEL-JFK or LHR-LAX is much better. Don't fly SIN-SYD, NRT-MEL, HKG-AKL or BOM-MEL are much better.

Just a few hints I've used so far (all uses theoretical only I must admit) and I'd love to hear other people's!

Oh and gc.kls2.com is your new best friend. Make sure you are a sizeable amount over 50,000 though because it has a certain amount of error, the last thing you want is AA to tell you it was only 49,870mi!

FT FOLKS,

What great information. Thank you very much.

I'm going to utilize this as much as possible.

I went to Austrailia in the late 80's and had a blast. I've been wanting to go back every sense. Maybe a RTW ticket is the way to go.
Thanks again,
Frank

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TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.

This is a Qantas code share operated by Air Canada, right? Do I get BA points for this, in Business?

Actually, it's a wetlease operated by Air Canada. Because AN collapsed, Qantas needed its 767s on domestic routes and moved them away from their trans-tasman services wetleasing the Air Canada 767s with crew to fill the void.

It also reverts to a QF 767 at MEL.

It is my understanding that you will get mileage for it because it is a normal Qantas mainline flight (QF30 or whatever the number) as opposed to a QF code share (QF3XX flight numbers). Check with BA to be sure.

As you are flying in J, have you thought about putting your miles into a program such as BA or Qantas that has a tier system based on revenue instead of miles ?? A round the world in J would probably make you top tier in either program.

If I use the miles to qualify for other programs that means I would not qualify for AA PLAT.
Unless I missing something.
Thanks,
Frank

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TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.

I wanted to move this back on top to get other ideas.
Thanks.

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TANSTAAFL - but if you work it right, FF miles comes pretty close.