OneWorld Itinerary Questions for First Timer
 

After paying rapacious prices for transpacific business class, I am going to do my very first OneWorld 3 continent ticket this summer ex-Korea over a 2 week period.

Just had some questions in my itinerary below based on the premise that the rules state 2 stops allowed per continent and 6 in North America. Does itinerary look okay? I am an AA Platinum and hope to make AA EXP on this trip. Flying J class, how many miles will I need to fly for the Q points? I currently have 10k Q points now so my goal is hit 55k base miles on this itinerary right?

I also have 3 VIPOWs I can use which I earned after 1 million miles which may affect my choice of international carrier. Using Great Circle Mapper, I have counted 55575 miles- is this correct?

ICN-HKG-NRT
NRT-HKG-KUL
KUL-HKG-YYZ-ORD-DCA
DCA-DFW-ANC
ANC-DFW-MIA-TPA
TPA-MIA-SFO-RNO
RNO-DFW-BOS
BOS-DFW-SEA
SEA-DFW-FRA-BCN
BCN-LHR-ATH
ATH-LHR-SIN-HKG-ICN

Asia stops- Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur (is India included in Asia region for trip?)

N. America stops- Washington DC, Anchorage, Tampa, Reno, Boston, Seattle (is Caribbean and San Juan still allowed?)

Europe stops- Barcelona, Athens (is Cairo possible in Europe/Middle East region?)

Most stopovers are only intended for maximizing miles so I am open for suggestions to cities and/or routes.

Thanks!

------------------
If it is such a small world, why have I been on this airplane for more than 12 hours?!?

You have misinterpreted the rules somewhat... they do not count stopovers (except in the continent of origin, where the limit is two) - what is limited is the number of flights segments (i.e. single flight number on a single ticket coupon, even if the plane stops somewhere). You can have 6 segments in North America (including the Caribbean) and 4 segments in each other continent. In addition you are allowed the intercontinental segments, which means three in total in a 3 continent ticket.

Note that a stopover is defined as 24 hours or more, so you could, for example, spend almost a day in Hong Kong in transit without it counting.

Go here for a complete copy of the rules for OneWorld Explorer tickets:

http://members.shaw.ca/fewmiles/oneworld/

In your proposed itinerary you have too many segments in Asia (7 rather than 4) and potentially too many stopovers. Also 15 segments in N America (only 6 allowed). The Europe part is OK.

Roughly, "Europe" includes the Middle East. From Pakistan eastwards is Asia.

Hey thanks, that really helped out as I tried to deciper the rules on my own without the experience. Looks like vacation is cut back by 1 week so I will have to wait until October to do this trip, but then I will also have more time! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

------------------
If it is such a small world, why have I been on this airplane for more than 12 hours?!?

Maybe I've missed something, but if you only have 10k Q points now, and you want to make EXP, then you need an additional 90k Q points. Biz class entitles you to 1.25 points per mile flown, which means you would need to fly 72k miles to get the 90k Q points which would give you EXP. Kinda hard to do on a OWE3 I think.

Okay, here is another question. If I do a 3 continent in F award including- Europe-Latin America-Australia, which routing would I have to take. I know that I can not do stopovers in NA or Asia but my concern was routes as I want to maximize miles with least number of trips and hit EXP by February. ;o) Europe-Latin America allows connection via North America but could I pass through again enroute to Australia or would going through Europe be considered backtracking?

So far, I have:
GIB-LHR-LAX-SCL-CCS-SCL-EZE-JFK-SYD-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-HKG-LHR-GIB

However, if I do 4 Continent in F- I could do: GIB-LHR-DXB-LHR-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-YVR-DFW-ANC-DFW-LAX-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-MAD-LHR-GIB

Start will be ex-Gibraltar or ex-Canada (routing will most likely change but like the idea of returning to NA instead of Gibraltar)

------------------
Going back to the bAAsics

Sorry, but you have 2 transcons in NA, JFK-YVR(on CX I presume) and LAX-JFK. You are only allowed 1. Also, the 4 continent routing is really 5 (Europe, Asia, Australia, N. AM & S.AM) not to mention that you have 5 segments in your continent of origin and you are only allowed 4. Can never buy extra segments in the continent of origin.

[This message has been edited by headinclouds (edited 12-30-2002).]

Both of these routings probably involve five continents, not three. You cannot go between SWP and Europe without going through Asia, adding a fourth continent. Your pass through NA on the way to SA will probably add in NA as a fifth continent (the rules are not clear on this).

Basically, if you touch a continent, you pay for it.

HEADINCLOUDS: Does not the 1 transcon limit apply only between two specific city pairs? I was under the impression that you could take as many transcons as there are coupons as long as you did not fly between the same two cities more than once. My interpretation is from OWE rule which is

The latest published BA version of the rules (thanks to ScottC) say:

"Within USA/Canada only one non-stop or single plane service transcontinental flight permitted.
A transcontinental flight is defined as travel between a city in column A and a city in column B.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
Baltimore Md Las Vegas
Boston Ma Los Angeles Ca
Ft Lauderdale Fl Oakland Ca
Hartford Ct Portland Or
Miami Fl San Diego Ca
Newark Nj San Francisco Ca
New York Ny San Jose Ca
Orlando Fl Seattle
Philadelphia Pa Vancouver, Bc
San Juan Pr
Toronto On
Washington Dc"

So in this case JFK-LAX and JFK-YVR are both transcons. Occasionally the rules don't keep up with new routings so you can do transcons which are transcons as far as OWE is concerned.

(sorry for the formatting - look at it in a fixed font)

[This message has been edited by christep (edited 01-02-2003).]

Well, once again I have researched the thread and listened to the above answers. I have various possibilities and am thinking of the following but will base my decisions on some key questions;

If I am Platinum until 02/03, will I receive benefits and mileage bonus when I travel next month?
If I qualify for EXP Platinum by end of February, will I receive EXP until 02/05 or receive how many upgrades?
I have priced out Gibraltar and Canada as the cheapest options for me. I think South Africa has increased too much and New Zealand is difficult. Are there other cheap options, ie. Bangkok? What happened to the link for FewMiles site, it seems down?

5 Cont F ex-YYZ 71657
YYZ-MIA-DFW-ANC-DFW-YVR-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-MAD-FRA-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK-HKG-CEB-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-YYZ

4 Cont ex-GIB 69496
GIB-LHR-DXB-LHR-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-YVR-DFW-ANC-DFW-LAX-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-MAD-LHR-GIB

4 Cont F ex- YYZ 66315 with only 21 segments
yyz-dfw-sju-jfk-hkg-dps-hkg-bom-hkg-akl-mel-per-syd-lhr-ath-lhr-dxb-lhr-lax-sju-dfw-yyz

4 Cont F ex BKK 64622
BKK-SIN-HKG-DPS-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-HKG-JFK-LAX-IAD-SJU-DFW-ANC-DFW-FRA-MAD-LHR-DXB-LHR-BKK

4 Cont F ex GIB 61712
Option A Eur-Asia-Australia-US-
GIB-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK-HKG-DPS-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-LAX-IAD-SJU-DFW-ANC-DFW-LGW-GIB

Goal is make EXP fast with 66k miles in F or an additional trip if necessary. Fairly open for cities to visit but really need to include Washington, Madrid, Manila, Buenos Aires, Dallas and Sydney among them. Anything else is just passing through.

------------------
Going back to the bAAsics

1. 5 Cont F ex-YYZ 71657
YYZ-MIA-DFW-ANC-DFW-YVR-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-MAD-FRA-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK-HKG-CEB(or MNL?)-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-YYZ
a) you can have one moer segment is SA, and you can use JFK to go from SA to Europe provided you don¡¦t stay at that NA transit port for more than 24 hours. eg EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-EZE-JFK-MAD
b) you mean MNL, or CEB?
c) You can have one more segment in Oz
d) You have 7 segments in NA now, need to remove one

2. 4 Cont ex-GIB 69496
GIB-LHR-DXB-LHR-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-YVR-DFW-ANC-DFW-LAX-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-MAD-LHR-GIB
a) it is counted as 5 continent anyway, because you passed asia. So might as well add the asian segments
3. 4 Cont F ex- YYZ 66315 with only 21 segments
yyz-dfw-sju-jfk-hkg-dps-hkg-bom-hkg-akl-mel-per-syd-lhr-ath-lhr-dxb-lhr-lax-sju-dfw-yyz
a) you have have one more segment in Oz
4 Cont F ex BKK 64622
BKK-SIN-HKG-DPS-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-HKG-JFK-LAX-IAD-SJU-DFW-ANC-DFW-FRA-MAD-LHR-DXB-LHR-BKK
a) more mile if BKK-HKG-DPS-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-MEL-HKG-JFK-LAX-IAD-SJU-DFW-ANC-DFW-FRA-MAD-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK, but you have 2 transcont in US: JFK-LAX-IAD, u should, e.g., change lax into DFW
4 Cont F ex GIB 61712
Option A Eur-Asia-Australia-US-
GIB-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK-HKG-DPS-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-LAX-IAD-SJU-DFW-ANC-DFW-LGW-GIB
this one also have the problem of 2 transcont, and can improve by inserting MEL, otherwise ok

A couple of additional comments to add to pegasus8228 analysis.

You can pick up an additional 1600 miles in OZ by adding DRW, i.e. AKL-MEL-PER-DRW-SYD.

You will need more than 66,000 flight miles to make EXP even on a AONE* ticket. This is due to the fact that not all, actually not even most, of your flights will offer first class service. Even though you are paying for first, you will fly and receive mileage credit bonuses for business on those flights.

The DFW-ANC-DFW segments are only available in the summer. You indicated that you intend to do this trip earlier in the year.

You second itinerary, 4 Cont ex-GIB 69496, in addition to being 5 continents as noted, also has one too many segments in Europe and two NA transcons. If you want to spring for the 5 continent fare this trip could be modified to:

GIB-LHR-DXB-LHR-HKG-dps-hkg-bom-hkg-AKL-MEL-PER-drw-SYD-JFK-YVR-DFW-ANC-DFW-mia-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-lax-LHR-GIB

This will give you about 83,000 miles (assuming the DFW-ANC-DFW segments are available). It leaves out MAD but you can buy a cheap fare from LHR to MAD for less than US$100 return.

In answer to your other questions -

Yes, you will receive the PLT 100% bonus for travel through 2/03.

When you qualify in 2003 for EXP you will be EXP through 2/05. You will receive 8 VIPOWs about a month after you qualify and another 8 at the beginning of 2004.


[This message has been edited by ExMo (edited 01-04-2003).]

Okay, this is great stuff! I have taken the following into account
- changed ANC for PDX for seasonal service -- scratched one transcon
- changed flights here and there
- dropped the fifth option route 61k

If I do LHR-SYD, the plane does make a scheduled stop in Asia (Singapore?) even though I don't get out, will it still count as a stopover or hitting a new continent? Also, great insight on the EZE-JFK-MAD option as I did not think it was possible and keeps me flying a good mileage route. As I am in between jobs, I will be brining my laptop on the road with me and applying from wherever there is an Internet connection which should keep me busy over the course of two weeks (only about 5-9 cities are actual stopovers otherwise just turnaround points). What did you veteran runners do while on such a long and dizzy itinerary, apart from drool over EXP and VIPOWs? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Option 1
5 Cont F ex-YYZ 73594
YYZ-MIA-DFW-YVR-JFK-DFW-LAX-SCL-CCS-SCL-EZE-JFK-MAD-ATH-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK-HKG-CEB-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-DRW-SYD-JFK

Option 2
4 Cont ex-GIB 66877
GIB-LHR-DXB-LHR-SYD-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-YVR-DFW-PDX-DFW-LAX-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-MAD-LHR-GIB

Option 3
4 Cont F ex- YYZ 66315
YYZ-DFW-SJU-JFK-HKG-DPS-HKG-BOM-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-LHR-ATH-LHR-DXB-LHR-LAX-SJU-DFW-YYZ

Option 4
4 Cont F ex BKK 64622
BKK-HKG-DPS-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-MEL-HKG-JFK-LAX-IAD-SJU-DFW-PDX-DFW-FRA-MAD-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK

Cities I need to visit for interviews: MAD, EZE, MNL, DFW, IAD
Cities I would like to visit again: BKK, PDX
Cities I would like to see: AKL, SYD, DPS

Thanks a million, comments are most welcome and everyday I am getting closer and closer to a final itinerary and actually getting the dream trip up in the air (bad pun). Is advance purchase 14 days for AONE?


------------------
Going back to the bAAsics

Option 1
5 Cont F ex-YYZ 73594
YYZ-MIA-DFW-YVR-JFK-DFW-LAX-SCL-CCS-SCL-EZE-JFK-MAD-ATH-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK-HKG-CEB-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-DRW-SYD-JFK

to max mile LAX-(GIG?)-SCL-CCS-SCL-EZE-JFK-MAD

Option 2
4 Cont ex-GIB 66877
GIB-LHR-DXB-LHR-SYD-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-YVR-DFW-PDX-DFW-LAX-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-MAD-LHR-GIB

you have too many segments in europe.
(LHR-SYD is okay as long as it is the same flight #, and therefore 1 flight coupon, i think it refuels at BKK/SIN)
you still haev 2 transcont JFK-YVR & LAX-JFK, you can change LAX into MIA or SJU.

an example will be
GIB-LHR-SYD-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-JFK-YVR-DFW-PDX-DFW-(sju/mia)-JFK-EZE-SCL-CCS-SCL-eze-jfk-MAD-ath-LHR-GIB

Option 3
4 Cont F ex- YYZ 66315
YYZ-DFW-SJU-JFK-HKG-DPS-HKG-BOM-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-(drw)-SYD-LHR-ATH-LHR-DXB-LHR-LAX-SJU-DFW-YYZ

Option 4
4 Cont F ex BKK 64622
BKK-HKG-DPS-HKG-AKL-MEL-PER-SYD-MEL-HKG-JFK-LAX-IAD-SJU-DFW-PDX-DFW-FRA-MAD-LHR-DXB-LHR-SIN-BKK

i am not sure if this one world, i think you might have to go directly from SYD to JFK (i.e. cannot transit at HKG). again JFK-LAX-IAD is 2 transcont. need to remove one

---
i dont think there is need for advance purchase. you can begin talking to AA RTW desk to make reservation now, i believe.
(and use the software from cx.com or aa.com to get the schedules).
the most efficient way is to write down you preferred schdules and fax to AA RTW, and call to follow up.

Option 2 is a 5 continent. You have to land in Asia between LHR and SYD (e.g. BKK, SIN) and that makes Asia count, so you might as well do LHR-HKG-CMB-HKG-NRT-HKG-SYD or something to use the "free" segments. Alternatively, for even more miles:

LHR-SYD-HKG-CMB-NRT-HKG-<N America>

[This message has been edited by christep (edited 01-05-2003).]