RTW to maximise Miles - Help.
 

Hi

Can anyone help me to maximise miles on a very quick RTW.

Basically I have 6 days free from 28 or 29 Oct to get from DUB (LHR if necessary) to MIA. The flight back from MIA would be booked a month later.

I enjoy flying so being stuck on an aircraft for most of the time is not a problem for me. I would like to try as many of the OW carriers as possible. As few overnight stops as possible, ideally 4 hour connections from one flight to the next. I'd like to go Europe, Asia, (Australia if necessary) and North America.

You probably think I am crazy, I'll agree but someone may have done this before.

I have come up with LHR-SIN-BKK-BOM-HKG-NRT-SYD-PER-CBR-SYD-JFK-LAX-DFW-MIA-YYZ-LHR and DUB-MAD-DME-AMM-LHR-BKK-NRT-SIN-BOM-HKG-LAX-JFK-MIA-ORD-DUB

Any help, particluary with routing to maximise miles is greatly appreciated.


Thanks


Mark.

xONEx ? What class ? Miles to AA ?
LHR-SIN-BKK-BOM-HKG-NRT-SYD-PER-CBR-SYD-JFK-LAX-DFW-MIA-YYZ-LHR is valid
DUB-MAD-DME-AMM-LHR-BKK-NRT-SIN-BOM-HKG-LAX-JFK-MIA-ORD-DUB is invalid (Error!!! No oneworld service exists SIN-BOM)

QF 51 Tu Th Sa according to the OW e-timetable.

Without knowing the preferred class of service, it's hard to make good recommendations. And are we talking redeemable mileage (AA) or EQM/P (AA) or...?

Would you be prepared to originate somewhere besides DUB or LON? If traveling J or F, there's a potential for some decent savings.

Looking at travelling in J. Wouldn't mind starting from somewhere else if it saved me $$.

I am trying to rack up EQP's, didn't get as much travel as I thought this year, but will have plenty next year, so would like to keep EXP. Miles will be credited to AA.

I would like to avoid BOM is possible (too much hassel to get the visa), so if you have any ideas in Asia to rack up miles without BOM I'd love to hear them.

Thanks.

NRT-DPS & NRT-CGK are good earners at 3475 and 3620 miles respectively.

Replacing
JFK-LAX-DFW-MIA-YYZ-LHR = 9,620 mi
with
JFK-SJU-LAX-DFW-YVR-LHR = 12,695 mi

gives you an additional 3,000+ miles

Replacing
SIN-BKK-BOM-HKG-NRT-SYD = 12,107 mi
with
SIN-NRT-CGK-NRT-SYD = 16,909 mi

give you an additional 4,800 miles and saves a segment.

Since your original plan was only 15 segments, you can now do an LAX-SAL-LAX (2319 mi each way)

So you end up with:
LHR-SIN-NRT-CGK-NRT-SYD-PER-CBR-SYD-JFK-SJU-LAX-SAL-LAX-DFW-YVR-LHR
For a total of 53630 miles. There might be a few more 1,000s of miles that I have optimized.

BTW, if you are buying a DONE4 ticket, starting in Poland will save you over GBP 400, but is likely to cost you in miles. Starting in South Africa will save you almost GBP 900 and is likely to get you more miles, but there is an issue of positioning yourself.

WAW-LHR-MEL-AKL-HKG-DPS-NRT-SIN-NRT-MEX-YVR-JFK-MIA-LHR-MCT-LHR-WAW = 56,660 mi/84,900 EQP...

but fewer RDM than...

WAW-LHR-MEL-AKL-HKG-DPS-NRT-SIN-NRT-DFW-YVR-JFK-MIA-LHR-MCT-LHR-WAW (55,328 mi/82,992 EQP)...

since you won't get Plat/EXP bonuses on JL- or BA-numbered flights. In both cases you could use AA codes on (MIA)-LHR-MCT and on the second itinerary you could use the AA code on SIN-NRT if connecting to AA over the Pacific. Don't forget you could also use eVIPs if you have any on AA metal TPAC and TATL, thus scoring FC suites; IMO a great use of eVIPs on long flights.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I am looking at them all. Starting in WAW isn't going to work for me though,as much as I love the idea getting from DUB takes too much time. I never realised taking the LHR-MEL flight counted as only 1 segment if booked on the one flight number.

I am checking flight times and rules etc on the oneworld RTW system, is the any advantage/disadvantage to me booking this through this system, or should one of the airlines direct?

Thanks

Mark.

Then try ARN - only slightly more expensive than WAW, but there's a SK nonstop that takes 2h40m, v. 1h20 on EI to LHR.

Remember that you can't re-enter the country of origin more than once, so originating in the UK is hard if your itinerary routes you through LHR in some intermediate leg. That eliminates nice mileage/EQP earners like LHR-MCT or -DXB, etc.

The online tool will default to the first airline flown issuing the ticket. Research this forum on BA fuel surcharges vs. AA surcharges. Having the ticket issued by AA can save a lot of money - up to 10% of the ticket price in some extreme cases. You can use the AA RTW office in the US if you have VOIP or cheap phone service, or you can communicate with AA's local offices, including their excellent GSA in WAW or ARN (Tal Aviation.) FWIW AA's tariff desk that comes up with the final cost is in Dublin - maybe someone can give you the direct phone no.

AA generally wants at least one over-water segment on AA metal, but can be talked into an AA code on someone else's plane if need be. And there are numerous reports of the ticket being issued by AA with no AA intercontinental segs at all. But IMO you should be using your eVIPs to upgrade from J to F suites someplace anyway.

Yesterday I did some sample LONE4 bookings ex NZ.

AKL-xLAX-DFW-SEA-xDFW-MIA-xORD-LAX-xLHR-FCO-xLHR-SIN-HKG-NRT-SYD-MEL-AKL


With the first segment on AA (Codeshare), the http://www.footy.org.au/ppplus.bmp came to NZD787, using QF25 the
http://www.footy.org.au/ppplus.bmp came to NZD1120.

Be wary of the online booking tool - in both cases UK APD of NZD134.10 was assessed as payable whereas this should not be charged on that routing.

Hi

Thanks for your help. There are no direct flights to ARN I can find at the end of October/beginning of November.

I am considering starting in MAD, or if the dates I can travel don't work out for that then LHR and trying to find a way around some longer flights, maybe finishing with MIA-MAD-AMM-LHR.

I am also considering changing LHR-MEL to LHR-SYD in order to try out the A380. I assume the J product is best on the A380, then BA 747, the Qantas 747. Am I correct in this thinking.

I am using the Oneworld tool to check available flights etc, then will phone AA to book. I assume the oneworld tool and AA will have the same availability?

Thanks



Mark.

SK 536, Su/Mo/Th/Fr, one way around €70-80 most days, should be able to turn around to LHR on BA on the same day.[/QUOTE]

It depends on what you prefer.

QF A380 and BA (747 or 777) are lie flat, vs QF 747 is flat on a slope.

However personally I don't like BA in business class - too much of a dormitory feel and the new club world seats are not very robust (shakes when your seat mates adjusts their foot rest, tray table etc). For me that is more annoying than the slope of QF 747 seat. Others feel differently.

Hi

I have finally found a routing to fit in with my schedule.

ARN-LHR-DXB-LHR-SYD-HKG-CGK-NRT-DPS-NRT-JFK-LAX-ORD-MIA-ORD-LHR-ARN

I am planning on not taking the last LHR-ARN segment, assuming this will have no repercussions.

Thanks to all for the suggestions, I know some of your routings would have given me more miles, however due to my schedule this was the best I could come up with.

From what I can see EU citizens do not require visas for any of these countries with the exception of the E visa for Australia. If anyone has any other experience please let me know.

One last question, what is the minimum connection time for domestic flights within the US, will the AA RTW desk allow me to make connections of 60 or 90 minutes where the oneworld system will not?

I am planning to book this tomorrow, so if anyone has any last minute suggestions please let me know.

Thanks again,


Mark.