Hello everybody,

I have finally come up with an itinary that seems to be correct according to BA hotline:

1 NCE - LHR X
2 X LHR - HKG X
3 X HKG - AKL O
4 O AKL - CHC O Void
5 O CHC - SYD O
6 O SYD - NOU O
7 O NOU - BNE O
8 O BNE - ASP O Void
9 O ASP - MEL O
10 O MEL - ADL O Void
11 O ADL - PER O
12 O PER - DPS O
13 O DPS - SIN O
14 O SIN - BKK O
15 O BKK - HKG O
16 O HKG - NRT O
17 O NRT - DFW X
18 X DFW - SCL O
19 O SCL - IPC O
20 O IPC - SCL O
21 O SCL - PUQ O
22 O PUQ - PMC O
23 O PMC - LIM O Void
24 O LIM - LAX O
25 O LAX - MIA O
26 O MIA - ATL O
27 O ATL - STL O
28 O STL - ANC O
29 O ANC - YVR O Void
30 O YVR - ORD O
31 O ORD - YUL O Void
32 O YUL - JFK O
33 O JFK - HEL O
34 O HEL - DUB O
35 O DUB - LGW X
36 X LGW - MPL

(void means surface segment)

I currently do not belong in any oneworld FFP.

I am living in France.

So what do you think would be the best program for this trip.

I have looked at AAdvantage but as a french resident, I do not get miles on CX and BA (My first long segments).
In BA, I do not get any point towards elite status and only 50% miles.

Does anyone have an idea? Maybe another FFP from another company?

Thank you in advance

PS: Which one is best: CX or BA coach class

Uh ? Is that allowed to backtrack between OZ/Asia even though your first stop in Asia s not a stopover ?

I believe that providing one is transit only between Europe and SWP that that is ok.

Consider QF's program. You earn 100% miles (points) for all OW sectors, plus elite status (when you get there) on QF, AA and BA sectors. You also earn elite status credits on all M class fares.

I am not going to validate your routings against the rules (I am sure others will). But with the QF program, you would earn 570 status tier credits, which is not quite enough to reach Gold (need 700) but well truly puts you into Silver status. Unfortunately the 2 upgrade credits you will earn won't be much use since you don't get the first one until after your 15th sector HGK-BKK and you don't have any more QF sectors after that.

I am sure others who are knowledgable in the other programs can tell you all about them. But must be worth considering a AA Platinum Challenge. They are also much more generous with upgrades than QF or BA. I don't know anything about CX's program.

By my calculations, that itinerary is 64,281 flown miles. So it it does fit the rules you have one decent milage run!

[This message has been edited by NM (edited 09-18-2002).]

Routing looks OK so long as you realize you are going to have to buy an extra segment in Oz (segments 5-11, excl. 8, 10). Comes out to a little over 61,000 miles according to the Great Circle Mapper.

I would say the seats in economy class for both are similar. CX seats feel like they have a bit more padding which is nice. Service wise, CX is a little bit better than BA in economy. Service in BA economy is adequate and even sometimes good. Service in CX economy is consistently very good. The food on CX is tasty and they offer some very nice snacks during mid-flight including noodles, sandwhiches, candy bars and peanuts.

For BA economy class, you can pay a surcharge (per sector) and upgrade to "World Traveller Plus" on your long haul flights.

These are booked in "T" class.

You could join the AA scheme but just put Canada in as your country of residence. When you have got the points for the BA and CX flights, then change it to France. Sign up for the Platinum Challenge and you will get platinum (OW Sapphire) after the 1st 20,000 miles and then get lounge access and 100% mileage bonus there on

Dave

If I put Canada as country of residence, I will have to provide a valid address (which I do not have however).

Will they not try to send some mail to this address (cards, welcome package or things like that). Can it be a problem ?

However, thanks for all your responses

"I will have to provide a valid address (which I do not have however)."


Actually you won't. They do some validation of address for US but not elsewhere. Just put your normal address but put CAnada as the country.

"Will they not try to send some mail to this address (cards, welcome package or things like that). Can it be a problem ?"

You might miss out on a flimsy card if you are unlikely. Or join in advance so that you have all the joining info to your france address and just change it to Canada before you set off. Just get it changed back when you have done your CX/BA flights and your platinum card will arrive at the correct address

Changing countries for this is a doddle on AAs scheme

Dave

As you live in FRANCE:

1) QF requires you to fly in either First or Business in order to get miles. The European programme is different from the Ozzie programme. Ozzie's pay a fee but Europeans don't.

2) BA does not give you miles for M class.

3) AA gives you miles for M class only if you have a Canadian address. It's way to complicated to be someone you're not, so I wouldn't suggest this option.

Your best options for getting miles in economy class are:

1) FINNAIR PLUS
2) ASIAMILES / Marco Polo Club
3) IBERIA PLUS

Does that mean that I can change my US address to a Canadian one before my discounted Y fares on Cathay? And then change it back once I get back?

"1) QF requires you to fly in either First or Business in order to get miles. The European programme is different from the Ozzie programme. Ozzie's pay a fee but Europeans don't."


Not true. Since 15 September last year when the programme changed there are no residency restrictions on mileage earning on QF. It doesnt matter whether you live in France or Australia. The only difference between being based in Australia/NZ and the rest of the world is that rest of the world has no joining fee.

"3) AA gives you miles for M class only if you have a Canadian address. It's way to complicated to be someone you're not, so I wouldn't suggest this option."

It's absolutely a doddle. Log in on aa.com and go to your details and change your country of residence in your details to Canada. That's all that is needed. Change it back when the flights have credited

Dave

Yup. Easy isn't it

Dave

For AA, from what I read on fewmiles, AA does not give miles for M class only on CX and BA flights. Am I wrong ?