PER-ACC J class, any reasonbale $ OW alternatives to EK
 

I've just returned from a J class PER-ACC return with EK (all up $6000AUD inc taxes). I have to go agian in 4 weeks and whilst I enjoyed the airline and especially the food I'm desperate to get a few more AA points to requalify gold and was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on a OW solution that comes close to that price range.

I'm happy to go RTW or standard return but a DONE4 is too expensive.

Of course I know I could go Y but....

Appreciate any thoughts - please.

Paul

ACC is tough on OW, you have to go via LHR. There is a Global Explorer/"Circle Indian Ocean" fare which is cheaper than a DONE4 but limited to 29K miles. PER-LHR-ACC is 25.5K miles so well within 29K miles, and luckily this fare does not require going RTW (the regular Global Explorer does, which takes 30K miles if you go ACC-LHR-LAX-PER, so costing a bit more than the 29K GE fare). I think the Circle Indian pricing is lower than the RTW GE fare, but I've never checked (as I would never use such a fare, strictly OWE fan).

Doesn't EK use the old J planes for PER-DXB-ACC? In which case it was 48 inch pitch (vs. the 60 inch on QF/BA/CX/AA) and you would get a more comfortable seat going via OW.

Historically AA has dropped you only one level per year. So if you're AA Plat as your profile states then you should be Gold next year independent of whether you earn any Q-miles/points with AA at all. (Of course J-class PER-LHR-ACC return earns you more than 36K Q-points, so you're most of the way to requalifying for Plat in that one trip anyway.)

This is an unpublished benefit, and I've heard that AA won't do that next year. But who knows, these things change all the time. I am rather amazed that someone considers AA Gold to be worth something (I suppose it does get shorter lines at the US airports).

OT for the original question. But do you mind revealing the source of that, and maybe posting as much on the AA board? I've not heard anything about such a change in policy on the AA board, indeed nobody has disagreed when I mentioned the soft landing in a couple of recent threads.

It actually affects me this year since I've moved from AA to CO; I was hoping to preserve AA Gold (for the limited amount it's worth - also don't forget you earn stickers and can use them to upgrade domestically on flights where the demand in F is light, whereas without status you can't upgrade except from non-discounted fares). Although of course the gold lack-of-challenge would solve the problem of no status for me fairly quickly, if need be.

Although rather minor benefits, you also get earned upgrades and a 25% bonus on miles. Assuming that normal people actually use their miles, you get to use them 20% faster which I think is a good benefit for someone who doesn't fly so much. At least compared to ruby on the other airlines, it actually gets *something* on AA.

Correction
 

Yeah sorry I meant that I'm hoping to requal AA platinum (confusing my QF tiers with AA) - already reached gold requal on AA and agree not really worth much, the jump to plat is of course.

Anyone know where to get pricing on the abover mentioned Circle indian ocean fare online?

Thanks

I don't know the exact pricing but the 34K mile Global Explorer was priced to be similar to the 4-continent OWE fare, with the various Circle fares being somewhat cheaper. You should be able to use the 29K mile circle fare (the cheapest offered); I'm guessing AUD 8-9K but I haven't checked. Any full-service travel agency can look up these fares for you, surely there are some in Perth? I've used http://www.travel.co.nz in AKL and they were quite good at RTW fares including giving quotes by email (but NZ/Australia fares are now higher than US-origin, at the time they were 20%+ lower).

Allegedly current prices are here: http://www.hardlink.com/~markdu/OWFi...rIndFares.html
But according to a quick scan of the rules here: http://www.hardlink.com/~markdu/OWFiles/OneCirInd.html
I don't see the exception that exists in the xONEn tickets for the double entry into Europe in conjunction with ACC, so it may not be possible to construct a valid routing meeting the requirements.

Another source for the fare rules and prices is
http://www.qantas.com.au/agents/dyn/qf/fares/global

Portions (but not the circle trip with Africe / Europe /SWP)
may be restricted access.....

Happy wandering

WF

Solution (sort of...)
 

Thanks all for the help. Unfortunately all OWE products were way higher in price.

Have ended up booking CX PER-HKG-LHR return in J (approx $6100) and then booked a KL LHR-AMS-ACC retun in WHY (approx $1200).

Still more $'s than EK but needed those EQM's.

Interestingly the LHR-AMS-ACC was cheaper than the AMS-ACC with KLM, must be competing with BA I suppose. Could have gone BA from LHR-ACC but the points earning in disc Y is so bad with AA that I figured I'd make use of the complimentary NWA platinum elite I was alerted to on FT and earn some points on KLM.

Anyone tell me which lounges I can use (are best) at LHR when flying out on KLM (Term 4) & CX (Term 3) if I have QF Plat (Emerald) & NW Plat Elite

Per - Acc
 

I know this is too late to help, but I've been reliably informed that there is a QF C3 fare that will help you, around A$6,285 + taxes, using either ZA or BA in Africa (presumably through JNB or LHR). I don't know whether using ZA will generate any mileage for you, but it might be something to consider in future. :cool: