I have a need to go SYD-NUE-SJU-LAX-SYD. I thought that I might take this chance to do a xONE4 and make it a bit of a Mileage Run (and a QF Status Run). I'm not sure if I'll do this on Business or First as I know F isn't available on all segments and I don't want to pay for F if I can't use it much (suggestions about either J or F are welcome).

Also, as NUE isn't a OneWorld destination I will have to include some additional flights/trains segments.

My planned itin is as follows:

SYD-SIN QF (stopover)
SIN-BKK CX
BKK-HKG CX
HKG-FRA CX (stopover)
FRA-NUE LH or Road
NUE-AMS Train (stopover)
AMS-LON Train (Eurostar, as I've not tried it before)
LGW-BDA BA (stopover)
BDA-MIA AA
MIA-SJU AA (stopover)
SJU-LAX AA (stopover)
SFO-YVR QF73 (stopover)
YVR-SFO QF74
SFO-MSP AA (stopover)
MSP-SFO AA
SFO-SYD QF
SYD-AKL QF/LA (stopover)
AKL-SYD QF/LA
SYD-MEL QF (stopover)
MEL-SYD QF

This includes some land segments (e.g. between LAX and SFO), and it includes 7 segments in North America (assuming that BDA-MIA is classified as a North America segment), but I understand I can buy an additional segment (is that correct?). Also, I have some extra segments I can use in Europe. Can anyone suggest something suitable for a Mileage/Status Credits Run in Europe that I could include?

So, is my itin "legal"? Does anyone have any comments and/or suggestions?

Thanks,

Glenn

Yes, BDA-MIA is a NA segment and yes, you can but additional segments, but be aware of previous reports here, commenting that the issuing airline will sometimes insist the additional segment be the -last- segment in that continent.

Glenn,

Which of the stopovers are because are there purely because of flight timings for MR's and which are there because of Work/Personal interests/commitments?

For maximum miles/QF segments in N.America, why not do something like BDA-(JFK/MIA)-DFW-LAX-SFO-YVR-JFK which would yield just short of 7000 base miles, and set you up nicely for the QF108 JFK-SYD flight.

It would leave you circa 3200's short in comparison to your current N.American plans however JFK-SYD is 2500 base miles more than SFO-SYD so you'd only be losing out on 700 base miles and have SFO-YVR on QF, YVR-JFK on CX then effectively another transcon on QF before flying back to SYD. I'm sure it'd be far more comfortable than 6.5 hours each way on an MD83 between SFO & MSP

If you were looking at maximising mileage (assumes SJU, MSP were purely due to not being able to turnaround on flights) then a routing of something like;

MEL-SIN-HKG-(DPS/CTS)-HKG-SIN-FRA//LHR-AUH-LHR//LGW-BDA-(JFK/MIA)-DFW-LAX-SFO-YVR-JFK-SYD-PER-CBR-BNE-MEL

would give you 49811 base miles according to Mileage Monkey and have real first class on;

MEL-HKG
hkg-sin-hkg (if on flights operated by a 744)
HKG-FRA
LHR-AUH-LHR
LGW-BDA
mia-dfw (sometimes operated by a 777 with intl first class)
SFO-YVR
YVR-JFK
JFK-SYD

If you wanted to maximise first then i'd swap DPS/CTS with NRT - but note only on the some of the HKG-NRT-HKG flights is first class available.

The plus side is, maximum first class and of course not having to purchase an additional segment in N.Ameria. Also you will have 8 out of 20 flights on QF with 3 of those being intercontinental flights, so maximising any tier/cabin bonuses you maybe entitled to.

The downside is that according to the archived version of Mileage Monkey you cannot fly back into Oz and then out to AKL and back - i.e. once you have returned to the country of origin you cannot leave & re-enter. I'm not sure if this is correct - someone else will have to confirm. If of course getting to and from AKL is cruicial, then this plan/routing is pretty much useless....

Thanks Viajero. My TA tells me the best way to cover the extra NA segment is to simply buy it as a stand-alone one-way flight. Probably cheaper, too.

Glenn

Thank you for you suggestions. My absolute stopovers are FRA, SJU and LAX/SFO, all for work. I thought I'd stopover in SIN, AMS, and BDA because I hadn't been to those countries before. I selected SFO-YVR-SFO it can be on QF in First and yields 90 Status Credits each way. The SFO-MSP-SFO was because I have friends in MSP and I have been promising to visit them for some time.

AKL is not important, it's just that I have friends there and I could visit them. I though the rules said you couldn't leave and re-enter your "continent" of origin more than once and that Australia and NZ (plus most of the Pacific islands) are considered a part of the SWP "continent". I may be wrong though.

Glenn

Thank you for that. I'll learn all the rules one day. Looks like I'll give AKL a miss, and maybe throw in a SYD-PER-SYD instead.

Glenn

No can do. Only one Oz transcon allowed.

OK. So once I get back to SYD I could do SYD-MEL-PER-SYD, or maybe SYD-MEL-ADL-PER-SYD, or similar routings. I could take, say, 3 segments to get to PER, then a single transcon back to SYD to use all 4 SWP segments. Is that correct?

Glenn

SYD-MEL-ADL-PER-SYD is fine, SYD-MEL-PER-SYD is not valid, because MEL-PER-SYD would be two transcons.

Thanks. I think SYD-MEL-ADL-PER-SYD it is then.

Now I just have to find a couple of quick Mileage Run flights for the Europe segments and I'll be all set.

Glenn

In that case, if you are short of segments I suggest you drop SYD-MEL and do it as a surface sector, thus saving the segment for a LHR-DXB-LHR run.

If you want to include NZ then I suggest you take advantage of the exchange rate and start the RTW there. That way when you get back to OZ you still have a one-way flight to AKL up your sleeve for another visit, or to start another trip.

As a sample itin it would look like

SYD-AKL separate ticket on LA
AKL-HKG-SIN-HKG-FRA//LHR-LAX-SJU-JFK-BDA-MIA-DFW-JFK-SYD-PER-ADL-AKL

There is still 1 more SWP segment (eg if you wanted you could start AKL-SYD-HKG with stopover in SYD but then there could only be 1 more stopover at the end) and assuming you use the available extra SWP flight you also have 4 more flights which can be used in asia (up to 2) and europe (up to 4).

By having europe to NA flight into LAX you get much more miles and status credits.

How easy is it if based in Austrlia to purchase a xONEx ex AKL? Is it simply a matter of getting a NZ based TA, or can my MEL based TA issue in AUstralia but charge in $NZ?

You need a NZ based TA or airline. If your TA in australia issues then it has to charge the higher of price at origin and price in Australia - ie you don't save anything.