Getting to Tasmania from BOS
 

Planning a trip to Tasmania next February, and would really like NOT to go in steerage. I've got plenty of AA miles for biz or first award tickets on QF (though who knows whether these are available), but would also like to get Q miles to maintain AA Platinum. Anyone have any ideas, other than the obvious one of simply buying J tickets (I'm sure that would be too expensive for me)? Are there any price advantages to the OWE or Visit Australia/New Zealand tickets?

My understanding is that QF award tickets are virtually impossible to get with AA miles. Personally, I would take the train to NYC, do a first class CX ticket to Melbourne for 140K miles, and buy a ticket to Hobart for probably a hundred or 150 bucks. I am pretty sure that this route is coach only anyway.

Nope, Like nearly all domestic QF services it is operated as Business and Economy. I believe the awards are hard to get on the Non Stops to Australia but a lot easier on the services via AKL.

Dave

You could also fly out of BOS for a CX award, you know. Connecting travel is included.

I don't know what to say. The Qantas website is listing all MEL-HBA as on the Qantaslink 717, which is coach only. But no matter. I know they fly biz from Sydney.

Plato, I didn't mention the connection because iirc, the connection would be in coach.

Thanks for the CX suggestion. I assume those flights would be via Hong Kong?

So you prefer taking the train over flying BOS-JFK in coach?

My timetable doesn't have that flight listed. If it exists, then take it.

Hmmmm....for some reason, the aa timetable wasn't listing BOS-JFK, but now it gives about 10 flights. Very odd. Time to kick the computer again and get it working right. But yes, take the Eagle to Kennedy for the connection.

It would indeed be through Hong Kong and would add another few hours to your journey since it is a bit out of the way. I am not saying to necessarily go with CX over QF (though my personal preference would be to do so), I am just giving an alternative if you can't get the flights on QF that are notoriously difficult to get.

[This message has been edited by Darren (edited 05-01-2002).]

you might consider a owe bus fare of $6200. to get the status. syd - bos is pretty close to half way [well, almost]

Along the lines of that idea, there's a 25k AA award for a CX N. America - Pacific r/t upgrade from Y, Y2 or YX2 fare (award 25B). Y fares on CX are not cheap however.

Huh?? There are available AA award seats in C/J every second day and for P/F every third day. Just be flexible and allow BNE/SYD/MEL as your entry points into OZ.

Thanks, everyone. Given the fares, I guess I will forgo the Q miles (sigh) and go for an award. I do plan on having a long list of possible dates, and will ask about both QF and CX.