Mileage Maximization Advice and Rerouting Question
Dec 20, 2008 | 2:34 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: DUS
Posts: 324
Mileage Maximization Advice and Rerouting Question
I have booked and paid the following LONE4:
LHR-HKG-PVG-NRT-SIN-BNE-CNS-AYQ-SYD-HNL-SFO-STL-MIA-BGI-JFK-YVR-LHR
I did not know about the existence of the AA Platinum Challenge but I am really thinking about taking it. The thing is that with this routing I would not make much use of earning 100 % bonus miles because I will have Platinum status after STL-MIA. What gives me 100% bonus would only be MIA-BGI-JFK. JFK-YVR is served by CX only so 0% mileage, YVR-LHR is BA only so 25% of the mileage plus another 25 % bonus, which could be far more if it was on AA.
So to make my routing give me more miles I am thinking about rerouting it. First: In the rules it says: "125 USD per transaction." Is each changed flight considered a transaction or each time I change my routing, no matter how many of the flights I change at that time?
Here are the circumstances:
1. I would only change flights after HNL, each flight before has to be like it is.
2. I have to include STL to visit relatives.
3. I really want to inclue JFK and MIA and some Caribbean Island (and before I booked I figured out that BGI would be best for me).
4. Sadly, HNL-ORD is about to run out (I would fly that in August 09 though) but would have given me good mileage if going to California and then east again after that.
5. I want to see California but do not care whether I use SFO or LAX for that.
6. I do not want to see Dallas thus I do not want to waste a segment on it using it as a hub.
7. Actually I told a friend of mine that I was visiting her in YVR and then do YVR-LHR together with her (we are both booked into BA84 right now) but if I earn 10k miles or more if I take another route, I would do that.
To sum it up: It is only about my North American flights (and the one back to LHR) - JFK,STL,MIA and SFO or LAX have to be in it. BGI should be as well. So actually it is just about which city I include as 6th, which is nice to visit, gives good mileage and the order in which I line them up.
The best one I could come up with up to now is this:
...-HNL-SFO-STL-SEA-JFK-BGI-MIA-LHR (all this would be on AA and would give me 100% bonus on each flight after SEA; overall this is earns 13135 more miles than the ticket I booked). Also I could go to YVR from SEA but after some quick checking I had to find out renting a car in SEA and giving it back in YVR is ridiculously expensive, even if you rent it just for 6 hours...
Also, Amtrak offers Seattle-Vancouver and back just once a day, at times that force me to arrive in SEA one day earlier and spend the night in a Hotel.
If all this does not work out, I might as well go to YVR some time in the future.
Still, as I know you guys always come up with great ideas, I thought I'd post this and see what you come up with. Looking forward to your suggestions!
LHR-HKG-PVG-NRT-SIN-BNE-CNS-AYQ-SYD-HNL-SFO-STL-MIA-BGI-JFK-YVR-LHR
I did not know about the existence of the AA Platinum Challenge but I am really thinking about taking it. The thing is that with this routing I would not make much use of earning 100 % bonus miles because I will have Platinum status after STL-MIA. What gives me 100% bonus would only be MIA-BGI-JFK. JFK-YVR is served by CX only so 0% mileage, YVR-LHR is BA only so 25% of the mileage plus another 25 % bonus, which could be far more if it was on AA.
So to make my routing give me more miles I am thinking about rerouting it. First: In the rules it says: "125 USD per transaction." Is each changed flight considered a transaction or each time I change my routing, no matter how many of the flights I change at that time?
Here are the circumstances:
1. I would only change flights after HNL, each flight before has to be like it is.
2. I have to include STL to visit relatives.
3. I really want to inclue JFK and MIA and some Caribbean Island (and before I booked I figured out that BGI would be best for me).
4. Sadly, HNL-ORD is about to run out (I would fly that in August 09 though) but would have given me good mileage if going to California and then east again after that.
5. I want to see California but do not care whether I use SFO or LAX for that.
6. I do not want to see Dallas thus I do not want to waste a segment on it using it as a hub.
7. Actually I told a friend of mine that I was visiting her in YVR and then do YVR-LHR together with her (we are both booked into BA84 right now) but if I earn 10k miles or more if I take another route, I would do that.
To sum it up: It is only about my North American flights (and the one back to LHR) - JFK,STL,MIA and SFO or LAX have to be in it. BGI should be as well. So actually it is just about which city I include as 6th, which is nice to visit, gives good mileage and the order in which I line them up.
The best one I could come up with up to now is this:
...-HNL-SFO-STL-SEA-JFK-BGI-MIA-LHR (all this would be on AA and would give me 100% bonus on each flight after SEA; overall this is earns 13135 more miles than the ticket I booked). Also I could go to YVR from SEA but after some quick checking I had to find out renting a car in SEA and giving it back in YVR is ridiculously expensive, even if you rent it just for 6 hours...
Also, Amtrak offers Seattle-Vancouver and back just once a day, at times that force me to arrive in SEA one day earlier and spend the night in a Hotel.
If all this does not work out, I might as well go to YVR some time in the future.
Still, as I know you guys always come up with great ideas, I thought I'd post this and see what you come up with. Looking forward to your suggestions!
Dec 20, 2008 | 4:18 pm
#3
Moderator, OneWorld
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: SEA
Programs: RAA RIP; AA ExEXP
Posts: 12,520
I think this is really a question for the AA forum, but some thoughts...
You mentioned 25% miles and 25% bonus on YVR-LHR. Half right - no plat bonus on BA.
Don't forget that the challenge is good with any AA flight number (not just AA metal) so you could rebook SYD-HNL as the AA codeshare and include that in the challenge. Also you could look at a separate west coast itinerary on AS using the AA codes on many of their flights - they wouldn't use RTW coupons but the Q-points would count for the challenge. AS round trips to SEA or YVR from LAX or SFO are not terribly expensive.
If it were me and trying to make the most in mileage from an LONEx I would look to drop a segment or two someplace (maybe use an airpass in Asia or Oz) and end up with ORD-AMM-LHR using the AA code on RJ and then RJ metal back to London.
You mentioned 25% miles and 25% bonus on YVR-LHR. Half right - no plat bonus on BA.
Don't forget that the challenge is good with any AA flight number (not just AA metal) so you could rebook SYD-HNL as the AA codeshare and include that in the challenge. Also you could look at a separate west coast itinerary on AS using the AA codes on many of their flights - they wouldn't use RTW coupons but the Q-points would count for the challenge. AS round trips to SEA or YVR from LAX or SFO are not terribly expensive.
If it were me and trying to make the most in mileage from an LONEx I would look to drop a segment or two someplace (maybe use an airpass in Asia or Oz) and end up with ORD-AMM-LHR using the AA code on RJ and then RJ metal back to London.
Dec 20, 2008 | 4:23 pm
#4
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,593
The change fee is per "one set of changes". This can be up to 15 flights for 1 change fee, but have to do it all at the same time (so if you change a flight the next day, that is another change fee).
You might consider JFK-SJU-LAX-LHR on AA as an alternative. Depending on your travel dates it may work well (but only 1 transcon allowed, so SEA-JFK would not be permitted along with SJU-LAX). I haven't checked whether HNL-DFW still operates (expect it does), if so you could go HNL-DFW-SFO-STL-JFK-SJU-LAX-LHR. Another alternative is a loop down to central america (LAX-SJO-LAX) but that changes your trip substantially.
You might consider JFK-SJU-LAX-LHR on AA as an alternative. Depending on your travel dates it may work well (but only 1 transcon allowed, so SEA-JFK would not be permitted along with SJU-LAX). I haven't checked whether HNL-DFW still operates (expect it does), if so you could go HNL-DFW-SFO-STL-JFK-SJU-LAX-LHR. Another alternative is a loop down to central america (LAX-SJO-LAX) but that changes your trip substantially.
Dec 20, 2008 | 6:06 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: country Western Australia
Programs: QF WP(LTS) - AA LTG(1MM)
Posts: 2,857
While it won't help with the lack of the status bonus, YVR-LHR is far enough (and probably overnight) so that paying the surcharge for WT+ might be well worth it. 110% miles versus 25% as well as that just a little bit more room. 150% Qpoints as well.
I had no trouble sleeping in the WT+ seats last year....
Fred
I had no trouble sleeping in the WT+ seats last year....
Fred
Dec 21, 2008 | 3:33 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: DUS
Posts: 324
Thanks for the answers.
Good to hear it would be 125USD only once!
I was automatically booked into the AA codeshare so I would start the challenge in SYD already.Thanks for the hint anyway.
I was trying to work out a new,better,optimized route but I am having trouble with the oneworld interactive map. When I click, say Amman, it keeps searching for a minute to then tell me no routes found. Is anyone experiencing the same issue?
Good to hear it would be 125USD only once!
I was automatically booked into the AA codeshare so I would start the challenge in SYD already.Thanks for the hint anyway.
I was trying to work out a new,better,optimized route but I am having trouble with the oneworld interactive map. When I click, say Amman, it keeps searching for a minute to then tell me no routes found. Is anyone experiencing the same issue?