maximize miles in australia
 

Hi all,

I'm trying to figure out a small mileage run to tag onto my AONE4 in Australia/New Zealand during September and can't figure out how I should fly.. Seems like all the longish routes are restricted already as per the OWE rules.

Anyways, I know you all like challenges here, so wanted to see if anyone can help me out. Currently, these are my restrictions:

1. Going to fly into Australia from HKG, so can arrive and depart the continent at SYD, MEL, ADL or BNE on CX.
2. Only 5 segments left on my ticket to fly to Australia/NZ, 2 of which is the international segments, leaving 3 for domestic flights.
3. Would like to take planes with newer business class seats and would try to avoid redeyes.

So how can I maximize my mileage in Australia?

Thanks for your help!

If you are allowed NZ, the best is HKG-AKL-SYD-PER-ADL-xxx, but it rather sounds like your ticket was ex-NZ which makes this illegal. Within Australia for 3 segments it hardly matters, the difference between best/worst MR would be on the order of a hundred miles.

My ticket is ex-BKK, so I can go to NZ.. but I rather not fly HKG-AKL as only no F class seats on that flight..

Longest routes within OZ/NZ are;

ADL-AKL
SYD-PER
PER-CBR
BME-PER
SYD-DRW

SYD-PER on a 743 will probably give you the most comfortable ride if your doing it for the sake of miles and not to visit anywhere. SYD-PER-CBR makes for a nice run, or SYD-PER//BME-SYD is a nice open jaw leg.

Edited to note; If you're looking to maximise first class usage then MEL-AKL with QF and AKL-SYD on LAN would be good, perhaps combine the SYD-PER-CBR run for max miles, get a cheap Virgin Blue/Jetstar flight from CBR-MEL and then MEL-AKL-SYD for the first class credits...

You would have noticed that QF Oz domestics don't have First Class. However, their Business class up front is better than anything you'll get on in USA domestic first class. The only true Frist class will be LA AKL-SYD and the odd QF on the same route if they offer three class service. If you can, look for a 333 (SYD or MEL - PER). They will have the international ShyBed seats.

BME-PER? :confused:

PER-BME is around 1040 miles.

By contrast, PER-CNS is 2130 miles, and PER-DRW is 1644 miles. Both are served by Qantas as nonstops, both are longer than BME-PER. And there is MEL-DRW, which is around 1940 miles, but that's a JetStar flight, not Qantas flight.

Perhaps you meant MEL-PER, which is around 1680 miles...

I think it is just a typo for BNE-PER.

Almost, it was a typo, but should've read BME-SYD... my apologies :o

It's an unrestriced transcon effectively, being close to 2100 miles so you could do you're SYD-PER//BME-SYD for max miles, or SYD-PER-CBR if you didn't fancy the overland jaunt up the West Coast.

I think HKG-BNE is regional, what about HKG-ADL and HKG-PER? Assuming you really want to arrive and depart on CX through SYD or MEL only, then best would be something like

SYD-ADL-PER-SYD as your 3 australian sectors with longest flight overnight on the better domestic business

or if want to include NZ SYD-AKL (on LA)-MEL-SYD with SYD-AKL being better than AKL-SYD if flying LA (both schedule timing and service).

As you wish for CX first between SYD/HKG both ways and you don't wish to visit NZ as there is no First class HKG-AKL perhaps you (as a BA Gold) could do -HKG-(F)SYD-(J)PER-(J)DRW-(J)SYD-(F)HKG- for over 9800 miles and 200 TP's:As an AA Plat you would earn over 11000 miles and over 8k Qmiles.

can only either fly SYD-PER or DRW-SYD, as only one "transcon" allowed in Australia...

Thanks for all the help guys.. I think I will be flying HKG-SYD-DRW-PER-ADL-HKG.

Shhhhh! Don't give them (QF) any ideas. No Jetstar in CBR yet, and long may it remain so. :)

I disagree, see here: composing a DONE4 itinerary

Unfortunately, tried that track already.. and CX who is reissuing my RTW said no... only one "transcon" in australia per RTW

That runs against CX's own published rules. Perhaps christep, if he reads this. can comment on this apparent contradiction?

The exact CX wording in the current rules is:So I can see that their interpretation is defensible.

:(
Thanks, not killing the mesenger here, just expressing frustration at seeing another rule that takes a step back, more restrictive.

A new route has started up, BNE-KTA, one flight a week on Tuesdays - comes in at 2334 miles. The biggest downside is the plane continues on to PER, rather than turning around, so no same day turn-around is possible (same with the KTA-BNE flight - the plane comes from PER, so leaves before the BNE flight arrives). But if you want to fly cross-country with a bunch of miners (rather than minors), this is the flight to take! :D

KTA! now, that brings back memories. Thanks for the post.

EF shows it as coach only.

Yer, like QF's PER-DPS-SIN service, BNE-KTA will be operated by a 2-class 737-800 with Business and Economy, but will be sold as all-Y.

I believe BNE-KTA will become the longest nonstop flight operated in Australia now in terms of time spent on the plane (about 5hrs 25mins) and distance (3758km).

Regards

BNE-KTA?? I have to admit I am a bit airport code illiterate. For a moment I thought Dave (thedocta) had managed to convince QF to fly from Brisbane to Greater Katoomba International Airport. ;)

But now it seems I could use the real BNE-KTA flight on my next DONE4 as SYD-BNE-KTA-PER-SYD.

You could, but that is a long segment to fly in economy when your ticket allows business

But at least you would get business seats. But most probably only Economy status credits. The mileage difference is negligible.

I'd imagine SYD-BNE-DRW-PER-SYD would be a better bet - both from miles earnt and D class the whole way.

That being said, I note that QF are selling Business Class fares on BNE-KTA on their website, with a note after selecting it that it's Economy Class service - not sure what you're getting for your extra money then! :eek:

If it is sold as business class then you get the extra SCs, points, baggage and QP access.

Very true, but I am getting board of this routing.... ;) And I haven't been to KTA for a while.

hahahaha - if you're in a position to be bored of it, then KTA should indeed provide some nice variety! :D

MEL-BME is another one to try at just under 2000 miles although it unfortunately only operates on Sundays.

Bringing a good old thread back to life...

Now, with all the current restrictions as to the OZ transcons what do you think the max is? Specifically, I'm toying with the idea of a DONE4 entering the region in AKL and leaving it on one of the QF one-stops to LHR (i.e. SYD or MEL). I will have 3 segments left by then

The best I have so far is AKL-MEL-PHE-MEL->LHR

AKL-MEL 1640 2050 2460 ~swp-~swp QF 734 (jy), QF 73H (jy)
MEL-PHE 1974 2468 2961 ~swp-~swp QF 73H (jy)
PHE-MEL 1974 2468 2961 ~swp-~swp QF 73H (jy)

Can this be improved on?

PS I might take one more segment out of the rest of the itinerary and add it here if it makes it more lucrative. So your ideas of the optimum 4-segment itinerary in SWP are welcome, too

You might want to think carefully about MEL-PHE-MEL. There is only one direct flight per week in each direction, both on Tuesdays, and the timings do not allow a turnaround in PHE, so you would have to spend a week there, which, unless you want to go exploring the NW of WA, or you have friends there, would be very long time...although I must admit I have never been there myself. (The NW of WA is supposed to be quite spectacular.) Others may care to comment?