I'm finalising my DONE4. I know that the QF JFK-SYD flight is 2 sectors but only 1 segment. Does it count as a NA segment or is it a trans-pacific segment?

Glenn

There are many FTers with more experience who can comment on this, but I think QF108 would qualify as a trans-pacific segment. It's a single flight number and gets you between the OneWorld continents of North America and South West Pacific.

Let's see if I am right....

If you take it without breaking the journey in LAX then yes it is only the intercontinental segment. But if you take it it two parts on separate days then it counts as your NA transcon plus one intercontinental.

Thanks for the info piperlance and christep. I intend to take QF108 all the way through on the one day (not a pleasant thought, even in J).

Another question. When calculating mileage and status credits, does QF calculate each sector individually on the JFK-SYD run, or does it calculate as if it is one flight? What about AA flights? There are a couple of AA trips I want to take (e.g. LAX-MSP) which is available as a direct non-stop flight, or as a one-stop flight where both sectors have the same flight number. If they are calculated individually there is an extra 60 SCs each way, but if not then I'll take the most convenient flights.

Thanks,

Glenn

Miles/Points for direct flights are calculated without taking into account the intermediate stop(s),

So, for example, AA1744 LAX-MSP is really LAX-ORD-MSP with 1745 miles (LAX-ORD) and 334 miles (ORD-MSP) according to aa.com; but LAX-MSP is 1535 miles according to Great Circle Mapper. Therefore I would get mileage of 1535 (plus status and cabin bonuses) and 120 SCs (in F). Am I correct?

Thanks,

Glenn

Yes, only what shows up on your flight coupon counts. Your flight coupon will only show LAX-MSP, ORD is hidden. You will get the same mileage as if you fly LAX-MSP non-stop.

Thank you very much. I'll just go for the convenient times then.

Keep in mind that while you may get penalized for FF purposes on these one-stop direct flights, they only use one flight coupon from the OWE ticket. That's easily worth a few hundred $ on an AONE* or DONE*, probably more than the mileage penalty.

(And FWIW, there are some cities on the coasts that are not part of the North America "transcon" exclusionary rules, and there are some direct one-stop cross-country flights that you may be able to take and get an "extra" transcon segment on the OWE ticket, using only one flight coupon. Examples are PVD-LAX (Providence, RI), and I think RIC-LAX (Richmond, VA), but I don't know if these one-stop flights are still offered. Worth browsing AA's PDF timetable to see what's available these days).

Thanks ijgordon. I've been browsing the oneworld PDF as it's easier to read than the AA pdf. I wanted to visit friends in MSP from the West coast. Normally that would be two segments each way, however I found a flight from LAX-MSP (AA1744) that has the same flight # all the way through. The return (AA1655) is MSP-SFO. Seeing as I spend a lot of my time in in SMF it doesn't matter where on the West coast the return is - I can just by "cheap" SMF-LAX and SFO-SMF flights.

I'll also have a look at your "transcon" suggestions. They might be usefull.

Glenn

On a related issue, I'm planning a DONE4 ex AKL and will be returning to AKL from North America.

I would like to return to AKL from JFK but there are no single flight numbers between those ports.

If I fly JFK-LAX that would be counted as one of the North America sectors (putting me over the limit of 6). Could I go JFK-HKG-AKL without a stopover in HKG? I am still within my limit of 20 flight segments.

The rules on intercontinent arrivals and departures say:

* 2 PERMITTED IN ASIA WHEN 1 IS A TRANSIT WITHOUT STOPOVER

If you have visited Asia previously then the answer is no.

It's been discussed to death here. Several years ago a number of people reported getting an Asia transit between SWP and NA ticketed, but the rules themselves have (in some versions) been tightened up, and no-one has reported recently being able to do it. The rest of the quote from the rules is "... OR ON A SINGLE-PLANE DIRECT SERVICE BETWEEN EUROPE AND SOUTHWEST PACIFIC".

Since the rule from AA (iirc) states

* 2 PERMITTED IN ASIA WHEN 1 IS A TRANSIT WITHOUT STOPOVER OR ON DIRECT SINGLE PLANE SERVICE BETWEEN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AND EUROPE.

it gramatically reads that it is permitted as long as it is either a "transit without stopover" or is "Direct single plane service between SWP and EU". I suspect that they mean "transit without stopover between SWP and EU" as well but it doesn't actually state it

Dave

Easiest way is JFK-SYD-AKL (assuming you still have 1 SWP sector).