Need advice about FFP
 

Please, advice me about optimum Oneworld FFP. Before now, I didn't have flights by this alliance.
My future RTW-route (DONE3) is:
CAI-LHR by BA (20.06),
LHR-SYD by BA (20.06),
SYD-BNE by QF (22.06),
BNE-PER by QF (19.07),
PER-DRW by QF (20.07),
MEL-AKL by QF (20.07),
AKL-SCL by LA (01.08),
SCL-EZE by LA (04.08),
EZE-LHR by BA (05.08),
LHR-MOW by BA (06.08),
MOW-HEL by AY (15.11),
HEL-MAD by IB (15.11),
MAD-CAI by IB (25.11).
Total: 38476 miles, 950 BA points, 1110 QF status credits.

You have a DONE4
Europe-Asia-South West Pacific-South Smerica

You must count Asia as that is what the rules say.

What are you trying to achive ?
Max miles ?
Max status ?

You are probaly better buying SYD-BNE and going DRW-MEL as one segment, unless you want to go overland DRW-MEL (which is a good trip)

You have 5 segments in Europe, only allowed 4

You could also try AKL-LAX QF(transit)LAX-EZE on LA601. Gets you another segment in SA and more miles. Not sure if NA would count as other continent in this case. Worth asking



[This message has been edited by Mwenenzi (edited 05-23-2003).]

Welcome to QF, WEREX. I believe the gurus at the OneWorld Forum will be able to help you further with this itinerary. I would also suggest you outline what you want to achieve - miles, status, sights etc - as per Mwenenzi's suggestion.

Please follow this discussion here.

In addition to the above, you seem to be missing DRW-MEL, which would take you over the 4 segment limit for SWP also.

He is missing DRW-MEL because he already has 4 SWP segments

Correcting my post above you cannot have BNE-PER & DRW-MEL on one ticket, so what you have did is OK by the rules.

I can find no direct DRW-MEL flights on Sunday 20.07, so you have to go via ADL or SYD unless you have got your own Lear Jet (or Virgin ?). asuming you wre planing to purchase this seperately DRW-MEL will be very expensive. Much better to get flights in and out of DRW as part of the OW ticket. Flights on the east coast ADL-MEL-SYD-BNE are not that expensive, especially where Virgin Blue (www.virginblue.com.au) is in competition with QF. On Virgin DRW-MEL is Au $400. QF could be more

As you are trying to a lot in one day I guess you are after miles
An option is

SYD-PER-DRW-BNE-AKL (all on OW ticket:- Ok by the rules)
or
SYD-BNE (purchase ticket)
BNE-PER-DRW-ADL
ADL-MEL (purchase ticket)
MEL-AKL
or
SYD-PER-DRW-ADL
ADL-BNE (purchase ticket)
BNE-AKL



[This message has been edited by Mwenenzi (edited 05-23-2003).]

Thanks all for advices about my trip. I corrected the route: CAI-LHR-SYD//BNE-PER-DRW-MEL-AKL-SCL-EZE-LHR-MOW//HEL-MAD-CAI.
IS it 3 or 4 continents?
1st - Euro
2nd - SWP
3rd - South Am.
4th - ?Asia? - I don't want have stopover within Asia and a flight (maby BA 15 or 9) haven't change number within.

How about optimum FFP for max benefits in the future.

It's 4 continents. This is very explicit in the rules.

And you have 8 more segments you can use in total (within the 4 per coninent/6 in NA limit).

Best frequent flyer scheme is generally reckoned to be AA or QF. You can find details on their websites. There are many variables - only you can work out exactly what is best in your particular case.

You can not do BNE-PER andDRW-MEL

From the OW rules
To get the maximum miles you need to use every on one the 20 segments allowed, However you must consider what taxes you pay for each segment and accommodation costs that cannot be avoided, or else the cost may be more than the benefit.

Asia is definitely part of your ticket, so you go LHR-HKG-DPS(bali)-HKG-MEL for a few days. Other option is SCL-IPC (Easter Island). Thousands of other flight you could take. It all depends how much time and money you have.

For QF FFP distances
over 1001 are much better than 1000 miles trips
over 2701 are much better than 2700 miles trips
over 5001 are much better than 5000 miles trips
You get more status credits and progress to the next level in the program quicker


[This message has been edited by Mwenenzi (edited 05-24-2003).]

The rule means he can do one of:
PER-BNE
PER-CNS or
PER-SYD

and one of:
DRW-MEL or
DRW-SYD

His is fine.

I tried to book a OW Expoler ticket with just that in April (PER-BNE & DRW-MEL), but was rejected by QF who bought out the rule book. I have booked DRW-ADL instead
Still worth trying. A different TA may let it be booked

I disagree with their interpretation, but no matter. I think they have combobulated the rule to the point that it's completely ambiguous. On the starfile it's written differently, but I have said before that it really doesn't matter what the rule is. It matters what the person writing the ticket thinks the rule is.

I changed my trip for valid the route: CAI-LHR-HKG-DPS-HKG-NRT-BNE-PER-AYQ-MEL-AKL-SCL-EZE-LHR-MOW//HEL-MAD-CAI.
Another questions:
1.Has AA yaer-minimum own flights for participants?
2. What do you think about "platinum challenge program"? Is it good idea for this route?

The route looks valid, but you still have 4 extra segments available (one in Asia, 3 in S America). Note that you need to fly on QF metal NRT-BNE, NOT on one of the JAL operated codeshares.

AA requires 4 segments per year on AA metal to retain membership but does not require any in a Platinum Challenge to achieve membership. If you did this you would in principle be Platinum when you reached HKG. You would then get 100% bonus miles on all the subsequent sectors. You might have to call AA to make this happen.

If there is any way you could put 4 sectors on AA in subsequent years then that is probably the best scheme to go for.

[This message has been edited by christep (edited 05-25-2003).]

Now you have established where you want to go (and stop and visit or transit?) you can fine tune to maximise miles. Need to look a real timetable to see how it all fits together and how many days and nights you will spend in aircraft and hotels.

For example
NRT-BNE-PER-AYQ-MEL-AKL = 10501 miles
NRT-PER-BNE-AYQ-MEL-AKL = 11375 miles
NRT-MEL-PER-AYQ-BNE-AKL = 10548 miles
NRT-MEL-AYQ-PER-BNE-AKL = 10901 miles

Miles from http://gc.kls2.com/

It takes time and effort to maximise the miles and status earning points, but that is what this forum is about!!

[This message has been edited by Mwenenzi (edited 05-25-2003).]

Thank you, christep!
Am I right understood you: For qualify as "AA Plat", I don't obliged use AA-flights into "Platinum Challenge" program?
For booking OWE-ticket ex-CAI: Can I use local BA-office (MOW)?