Potential AONE3 - Advice Please
 

Hi all,

My first post over here on the OW forum. Firstly a big thank you for all the advice that's on these boards, in particular the contents of the stickies :)

I've spent my Easter Sunday planning a potential AONE3 ex-IST. Please have a look at the itinerary below and advise me if its feasible, and, if appropriate (highly likely) where I've made mistakes. All flights depart just less than 24 hours after the previous one has arrived, except where I've clearly marked stopover. BA flights in Blue, AA flights in Red and Cathay flights in Green...

IST-LHR-SFO-ORD stopover ORD-LAX-LAS-LAX stopover LAX-YYZ-JFK-HKG-SIN stopover SIN-HKG-NRT-HKG- stopover HKG -LHR stopover LHR-DXB stopover DXB-LHR-IST

A couple of further questions... if this itinerary is OK, what would be the next step? Do I have to book this through a Turkish travel agent or can I book through BA? after reading this forum, it would appear the BA IST office has closed, so can I book through BA UK?

Finally... baggage allowance. As this will all be one ticket, do I get the same baggage allowance for every flight (incl. the US internals)? And presumably as I have a US transatlantic flight, the piece system would apply? 2 x 32kg on every flight?

Thanks in advance for any help,
Lewis

It's valid. Note a number of Eagle flights in N. America (LAS-LAX, YYZ-JFK, etc.) so not maximum bang (comfort or tier points) for your AONE buck.

There are other threads extant on dealing with IST following the close of their city office; apparently people are communicating (email? fax? voice?) with BA's res center in Bremen(?). Wee search should handle it.

AA domestic flights are 50 lbs/bag free and USD 25 charge for up to 32kg. If you want to avoid a long discussion with the agents on why you should be exempt from this charge, keep your bags under 50 lbs. Yes, the piece system (2x32kg) applies to every sector on this ticket, however it won't be hassle free. Actually even xONEx tickets that do not have any entry into the US have the piece system apply.

I echo the above comments. Looks OK. But I would take CX on HKG-LHR, not BA, particularly since you are stopping at LHR, so no terminal transfer issues.

I too need some help in clarifying the proper routing for a AONE3. I plan to start in IST. So... IST-LHR-LAX (stopover) LAX-DFW-DCA (stopover) DCA-JFK (stopover) JFK-LAX (on QF, stopover) LAX-HKG-BKK (stopover) etc... I can figure out the asia part and the return to IST, but I get confused with the LAX part. Am I allowed to travel to LAX, stopover, then return to LAX and stopover before continuing onto HKG? If this does not work, should I fly from LHR-YVR, then take care of transportation back to LAX, then continue from SFO-DCA? avoiding the 2x stop at LAX?

Thanks for any help on this.

orix

The second stop at LAX is not a problem. Getting there on the QF flight is, if you're not continuing on to Australia. But you can take the AA nonstop.

The best tip I'll give is to make sure it doesn't clash with the Jewish New Year! :D

Tell us where on the itin you actually want to go and where is mileage running and we can perhaps devise a more rewarding routing for you.

:mad: LOL!! Still can't believe I actually did that!! :mad:

Thanks for the offer. I do of course want to get the most in terms of miles, tier points and experiences from the AONE3. It's somewhat unfortunate that after I've chosen the main places (i.e. where I'm taking a stopover), I only have maximum 23h 59m in each other city, but so be it. Of all the cities I'm overnighting in, I am actually pretty keen to visit and hopefully I'll be able to get enough out of Las Vegas and Toronto in a measly 24 hours.

I just called BA in the UK and went through my whole itinerary with them and they're going to get back to me with a price in a few days...

Thanks for all your help,
Lewis

You do realize that it is your choice whether or not to stopover and on the OWE fares stopovers are free (with the only limitation of 2 stopovers in the continent of origin). The other impact of stopovers is the tax calculation, but other than LHR it is a very small amount. For LAS it is zero (extra cost for stopover vs. transit), making your comment about "so be it" a bit ironic (it is limited only by your choice, and nothing is preventing a stopover). For YYZ there might be a difference in charge (not sure), but it would be less than USD 10. Hopefully you'll plan your trip to stopover where you want to, and not by some artificial constraint.

:eek: NO I DIDN'T!!!! ..... OOPS!!!!

I have misunderstood all my research from the stickies and the board and taken it to mean max. two stopovers in each continent!!!!!!!!!!! This is excellent news!!! Back to the drawing board I go....

Big ^ to number_6. Although I do feel extremely stupid now! :rolleyes:

MCS? also note that there is a 1 stop (BKK) single flight number service from HKG-BKK-SIN (which I am doing later this year, CX713) which will give you 3 extra hours of F bliss on CX :D This will only count as one segment on your AONE.

Assuming of course you are as mad as I am and this sort of thing interests you ;)

Ditto with a 1 stop NRT-TPE-HKG single flight number (CX451).

Best tier pointage from HKG can be had to DPS and BOM/DEL on CX, although they are J, nor F, flights. CMB and Sapporo also provide the magic 2K+ miles.

SIN is easy enough to do from HKG as a low-cost route, if you really want to visit. Depends on your time and your must visits.

You did not found it akward that everybody was happy reporting to do some very crazy flights and assumed it was all with 2 stopovers per continent? *g* sweet.

And yes, check out the taxes of most places other than Europe there are quite low. I am asuming they are always the same so you should be able to put in part of your itenary as miulticity on AA and see how much tax they will cost you.

100% as mad as you are :D The extra long flights are already on the itinerary :)

Update - I have a price....
 

I called BA in the UK last week and told them of all my flights (see post 1) and I called back today and they have quoted me £4351.30 GBP incl. all taxes. I can pay with a UK credit card, and they will post the tickets to my UK address, all of this despite the fact that the itinerary is ex-IST. I am very impressed with BA UK telesales at the moment. Now just got to pluck up the courage to call back and actually spend four and a half grand :eek: ....