FlyingFrZ

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/premi...own-miles.html

Already being discussed. I did this run over Labor day routing LAX-ORD-MIA-UIO

melrowgo

Thanks for the link. I wasn't seeing that price anymore, so I thought I'd post this for a First Class booking since it was still a pretty decent price.

olouie

Prices seemed to have gone up and routing not as good anymore. Oh well.

FlyingFrZ

i would suggest checking BOG, PTY, MDE, CTG, CLO for the dates you want. Still some deals to be had.

wanderlust4life

Just booked a 2017 UIO run for $960.
LAX-ORD-BOS-JFK-DFW-MIA-UIO-MIA-JFK-BOS-JFK-ORD-LAX
4 hotel overnights (BOS, MIA, UIO, BOS) Hilton airport hotel award stays at 20K-30K points.
27546 EQMs @ 3.49 cpm

LAX-ORD = 787 lie flat
ORD-BOS = 737 recliner w/ IFE
BOS-JFK = A321T F lie flat (same seat as 77W J)
JFK-DFW = 772 lie flat
DFW-MIA = A32B recliner w/ IFE
MIA-UIO = 767 new config lie-flat
UIO-MIA = 767 new config lie-flat
MIA-JFK = 757 angle flat
JFK-BOS = A321T F lie flat (same seat as 77W J)
BOS-JFK = A321T F lie flat (same seat as 77W J)
JFK-ORD = 737 recline w/ IFE
ORD-LAX = 787 lie flat

No transcontinental soft product. BUT most of my flights are in lie-flat seating and include 3-course meals. And I get to sit in the A321T First cabin for the BOS-JFK-BOS flights (very short but still a delight). This run will fulfill 1/4 of the EQM requirement but not even 1/12 of the EQD requirement.

It wasn't as low as my $820 UIO booked a few months ago but the high EQMs make up for it. I can put money on it that the prices will fall again. It has never stayed low continuously. With that said, I highly doubt the prices will drop in time for last minute mileage runs for this qualifying year. I wouldn't wait around as prices are going up for all destinations. If you are creative, look at zig zag multiple stop routings to all of these destinations such as UIO, PTY, BOG, SJU. To maximize options, you'll need to do a fair bit of overnights. This particular trip will take almost 6 days. It helps to have hotel points to get award nights at airport hotels so the trip cost stays low. I consider myself an expert when it comes to the ITA matrix. It took a week to structure this trip. Don't expect to get a routing handed to you on a silver platter without putting in long exhaustive hours. Those ambitious enough will be rewarded accordingly.

island82

hats off for constructing this routing! EQD definitely spoils the fun next year!

wanderlust4life

Thank you! It was so tedious just structuring flight schedules and connections alone. Plus I was looking for routes and times with premium lie flat aircraft. And then I had to find a set of days where there were P fares on all domestic legs and I fares for the international legs. Then I tried to get the lowest prices in those buckets by cross comparing to EF fare availability. I studied the fare rules for all of the segments. I made sure my overnights were under 24 hour connections to avoid the pricing of "stopovers." I broke the trip down into a series of day trips and then I connected them all together and after what felt like a hundred attempts .... I finally got a price under $1000.

I haven't decided if Im going to credit this trip to AA or rather to QF to maintain my non-AA oneworld emerald status. Having access to First / Flagship lounges for any flight is such a luxury I do not want to give up. Im still waiting to see how the Alaska Mileage Plan program will be for 2017 as there's going to be some changes especially with the new Y+ program and improved F seating as well. Theres a change I may credit this to AS for 50% class of service bonus and 125% elite bonus. With the other legacy airlines all revenue based and the merger with VX (another revenue based airline), I wouldn't be surprised if a revenue earning model is also on the horizon for AS as well.

melrowgo

This is the story of my MR routing attempts at all times! Bravo for such an amazing configuration.

This is something I need to learn more about: the idea of getting credit on a oneworld partner instead of AA, then leveraging that with AA flights. Is there a sticky thread or main thread that talks about the pros/cons of doing this, especially in light of the new EQD requirements (which will likely ruin status for me in the future, I'm afraid)?

Hoosier1710

I know I'm late to the party, but seriously: bravo. That's a brilliant run. Should be fun, too, with all the different aircraft in the mix

wanderlust4life

Thank you! I haven't come across a thread yet that discusses this but there could be one out there in FT cyberspace.

If I do credit this run to Qantas, I will get 920 status credits and I only need to make it to 1200 to maintain QF Platinum (emerald). And I always exceed the number of QF marketed flights required for status (4 each status year), but a QF marketed ticket in a few months from BNE-SYD-LAX-JFK will get me 210 status credits in economy for $630 (Thank you exchange rate!) I just use points to upgrade to business. That brings my total to 1130. I then booked several of the PDX-LAX-PDX flights when there was that $38 First class fare each way for a few days. Just one flight from LAX-PDX in First gets me 90 status credits. That would bring my total to 1220 status credits.

I just maintained my emerald status with QF on two round trip journeys and a one way west coast flight for a total of $960 + $630 + $38 = $1628! What a bargain! :-)

You also get a soft landing if you don't maintain status so you'd drop to Gold then Silver etc.. Unheard of with the USA legacy carriers!

I think having non-AA emerald status is extremely valuable even when flying on AA flights. I just find it would be important to have Platinum at the least with AA for upgrades especially. Having non-AA emerald and and non-status AA would get you those free checked bags, free MCE, priority boarding, lounge access etc but you'd have little chance of ever getting an upgrade these days. Thats why Im still aiming for 2018 EXP but I may settle for the new Platinum Pro tier next year as my main priorities are maintaining AS 75k (pending reviews of any AS changes) and maintaining non-AA emerald status. I know theres a great deal of high-paying corporate full Y EXP travelers in the system so I already will be behind them when the new upgrade priority changes to EQD YTD ranking.

wanderlust4life

Thank you! Im excited to be on several different type of aircraft. And Im served a hot meal on all of the legs except the quick BOS-JFK-BOS flights. And I get the international pillow/blanket kit on most of the flights as well.

melrowgo

And will your OW Emerald status give you the same perks that you would have if you were AA Plat?

wanderlust4life

I updated my post to reflect this consideration. As you can see, its important to have at least AA Platinum for oneworld emerald benefits do not cover AA platinum benefits like free same-day standby, award processing charges waived, upgrade priority.

melrowgo

^

blue2007

I wonder how I could get a price on this route?

ORD-LAX-ORD-MIA-UIO-MIA-ORD-LAX-ORD?

Not sure if it can be done, also not sure how to price it since Google Flights doesn't let you input that many segments.