Apr 30, 2016, 12:36 pm
Last edit by: Server
OCTOBER 2016 UPDATE
LAX-JFK TRANSCONTINENTAL FLIGHTS:
1. Same day turns possible on the E-jets and morning 738s.
2. Bonuses now based on fare paid.
3. As of OCTOBER 2016, best fares are now around $1000. Fare tends to rise a few hundred for 2 pax. Fares can also occasionally rise for no discernible reason, but the price spikes have thus far proven to be temporary. Fares have the trend to drop during the year. Keep checking for fares in the $700-$800 ranges for best possible pricing.
4. Airport hotels with shuttles - Crowne Plaza Panama Airport & Riande Aeropuerto. The CP is slightly closer; the Riande is slightly nicer. The CP shuttle leaves the hotel every :00 and :30 and runs 24 hours but they seem to leave a few minutes early as it had left when I went down at 4:00AM on the dot. Also, note UberX charges a US$14 surcharge on top of the ~US$2 fare. CP has poor sound isolation, I could hear my neighbors on both sides including talking, crying baby etc. Had to wear earplugs to sleep.
5. Lounges:
Please refer to this thread for more detailed and accurate information on lounge access in general: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/1656378-help-desk-will-i-have-lounge-access-access-rules-2016-a.html
6. PTY Customs:
NOTE: LAX-JFK NO LONGER VALID FOR LOWEST FARES (effective OCT 2016)
If you want the transcon bonus, enter the search with a connection in JFK. (e.g. LAX-JFK,JFK-MIA,MIA-PTY,PTY-JFK,JFK-SFO.) You can play around from there to get the best deal. Some of the better deals do not start and end in the same city (e.g. start in LAX, end in SFO may be cheaper than start/end in LAX).
Also, it's possible on the outbound portion to time it so you have no more than a 60-minute layover at JFK or MIA (though note that some of these flights aren't available on weekends). While yes, JFK is notorious for delays, this rarely applies for inbound red-eye flights. Also, note that AA 28 below is sometimes "hidden" if you're looking on Google Flights inside a much more expensive trip; that does not necessarily mean, however, that you can't get it for one of the trips under $1,000 (in other words, try it out to see).
NOTE: LAX-JFK NO LONGER VALID FOR LOWEST FARES (effective OCT 2016)
Below is the shortest-possible outbound itinerary that has the LAX-JFK transcon on AA's A321T with flat-bed seats:
LAX-JFK on AA 28
10:45pm - 7:22am
JFK-MIA on AA 200
8:15am - 11:24am
(Note: AA has now switched all of the metal it used on this leg - on all JFK-MIA nonstops - to 757s instead of the 767s with international-style F & J seating.)***767 and 772 are back. Flight 200 is a 772**
MIA-PTY on AA 4434
12:33pm - 2:48pm
(Note: Even more distressingly, AA switched from using a 737 on this leg to an RJ, presumably because summer is off-peak season in Central America. The 6:05pm flight still uses a 737 if a full-size aircraft is a must.)
LAX-JFK TRANSCONTINENTAL FLIGHTS:
Recent fare rule inclusions, effective October 2016, now prevent any routing via JFK on the non-stop transcontinental A321T aircraft. Any future booking will demand a significantly higher fare to route on the non-stops via JFK. Unless the fare rules are modified and these clauses are removed (highly doubtful), the ability to fly on the transcons via JFK is a thing of the past.
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN LAX AND NYC
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY AA
BUT NOT ON AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A321 (SHARKLETS) AIRCRAFT.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN SFO AND NYC
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY AA
BUT NOT ON AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A321 (SHARKLETS) AIRCRAFT.
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY AA
BUT NOT ON AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A321 (SHARKLETS) AIRCRAFT.
AND
IF THE FARE COMPONENT INCLUDES TRAVEL BETWEEN SFO AND NYC
THEN THAT TRAVEL MUST BE ON
ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING
ANY AA FLIGHT OPERATED BY AA
BUT NOT ON AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A321 (SHARKLETS) AIRCRAFT.
1. Same day turns possible on the E-jets and morning 738s.
2. Bonuses now based on fare paid.
3. As of OCTOBER 2016, best fares are now around $1000. Fare tends to rise a few hundred for 2 pax. Fares can also occasionally rise for no discernible reason, but the price spikes have thus far proven to be temporary. Fares have the trend to drop during the year. Keep checking for fares in the $700-$800 ranges for best possible pricing.
4. Airport hotels with shuttles - Crowne Plaza Panama Airport & Riande Aeropuerto. The CP is slightly closer; the Riande is slightly nicer. The CP shuttle leaves the hotel every :00 and :30 and runs 24 hours but they seem to leave a few minutes early as it had left when I went down at 4:00AM on the dot. Also, note UberX charges a US$14 surcharge on top of the ~US$2 fare. CP has poor sound isolation, I could hear my neighbors on both sides including talking, crying baby etc. Had to wear earplugs to sleep.
5. Lounges:
Please refer to this thread for more detailed and accurate information on lounge access in general: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-airlines-aadvantage/1656378-help-desk-will-i-have-lounge-access-access-rules-2016-a.html
LAX AIRPORT
= When trying to gain oneworld J / QF F access based on status, it is simply departing/connecting/arriving at any point on same ticket to and from an eligible international destination. PTY is eligible and not excluded regardless of length.
= When trying to gain oneworld J / QF F access based on class of service disregarding status, it is the international long haul clause that applies. Therefore, no "oneworld/QF lounge" access for non-elites for trips to and from PTY unless booking transcons since PTY is under 5 hours. BUT AA doesn't enforce this in their own lounges so Admirals Club access is expected.
AA GOLDs(RUBYs)/NON-ELITES
Admirals Club access is granted regardless of routing as AA does not enforce international long haul rule. However, the oneworld J lounge does for Golds(rubys)/non-elites as they are aware the PTY flights are under 5 hours. Booking transcon flights in J/F gains access to the OWJ/QFF lounges.
<Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA) in F = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J lounge + QF F Lounge LAX>
<Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA) in J = Admirals + LAX oneworld J lounge>
<Non-Transcon F (2-class) + PTY = Technically NONE (PTY under 5 hours therefore class of service rule applies) BUT AA still opens Admirals Club doors to all customers because they dont enforce the long-haul rule>
AA PLATINUMs
Platinums gain access to all AC/Business lounges regardless of routing due to flying to and from PTY. They gain access to First/Flagship lounges when traveling in F 3-class transcon
<Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA) in F = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J lounge + QF F Lounge LAX>
<Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA) in J = Admirals + LAX oneworld J lounge>
<Non-Transcon F (2-class) + PTY = Admirals + LAX oneworld J>
AA EXPs
EXPs have access to all lounges at all airports regardless of routing so long as they are traveling to and from PTY on the same itinerary (an international destination neither excluded from AA's list of ineligible regions nor limited by the flight length rule)
<EXPs Transcon F (2-class) + PTY = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
<EXPs Non-Transcon F (2-class) + PTY = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
<EXPs on Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA + PTY) in Y = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
<EXPs on Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA + PTY) in J = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
<EXPs on Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA + PTY) in F = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
NON-AA ONEWORLD ELITES
All sapphires and emeralds have some form of lounge access on any flight systemwide
<non-AA sapphires on ALL AA FLIGHTS = Admirals Club + oneworld J lounge LAX>
<non-AA emeralds on ALL AA FLIGHTS = Admirals Club + oneworld J lounge LAX + Flagship Lounge + QF F lounge LAX>
OTHER AIRPORTS
SFO - Admiral's Club (Centurion Lounge for a fee)
JFK - Admirals Club & Flagship Lounge for EXP/First 3-class/Emerald
MIA - Admiral's Club (Centurion Lounge for a fee), Oneworld Premium Lounge for EXP/First 3-Class/Emerald
PTY - No lounge access (Copa with PP, or for a fee, for 7am or later flights)
YVR - No lounge access (PP for a fee)
DFW - Admiral's Club (with F/C Dining for EXP/Emerald) (Centurion Lounge for a fee)
= When trying to gain oneworld J / QF F access based on status, it is simply departing/connecting/arriving at any point on same ticket to and from an eligible international destination. PTY is eligible and not excluded regardless of length.
= When trying to gain oneworld J / QF F access based on class of service disregarding status, it is the international long haul clause that applies. Therefore, no "oneworld/QF lounge" access for non-elites for trips to and from PTY unless booking transcons since PTY is under 5 hours. BUT AA doesn't enforce this in their own lounges so Admirals Club access is expected.
AA GOLDs(RUBYs)/NON-ELITES
Admirals Club access is granted regardless of routing as AA does not enforce international long haul rule. However, the oneworld J lounge does for Golds(rubys)/non-elites as they are aware the PTY flights are under 5 hours. Booking transcon flights in J/F gains access to the OWJ/QFF lounges.
<Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA) in F = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J lounge + QF F Lounge LAX>
<Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA) in J = Admirals + LAX oneworld J lounge>
<Non-Transcon F (2-class) + PTY = Technically NONE (PTY under 5 hours therefore class of service rule applies) BUT AA still opens Admirals Club doors to all customers because they dont enforce the long-haul rule>
AA PLATINUMs
Platinums gain access to all AC/Business lounges regardless of routing due to flying to and from PTY. They gain access to First/Flagship lounges when traveling in F 3-class transcon
<Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA) in F = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J lounge + QF F Lounge LAX>
<Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA) in J = Admirals + LAX oneworld J lounge>
<Non-Transcon F (2-class) + PTY = Admirals + LAX oneworld J>
AA EXPs
EXPs have access to all lounges at all airports regardless of routing so long as they are traveling to and from PTY on the same itinerary (an international destination neither excluded from AA's list of ineligible regions nor limited by the flight length rule)
<EXPs Transcon F (2-class) + PTY = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
<EXPs Non-Transcon F (2-class) + PTY = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
<EXPs on Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA + PTY) in Y = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
<EXPs on Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA + PTY) in J = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
<EXPs on Transcon 3-class (JFK/MIA + PTY) in F = Admirals + Flagship + LAX oneworld J + QF F lounge LAX>
NON-AA ONEWORLD ELITES
All sapphires and emeralds have some form of lounge access on any flight systemwide
<non-AA sapphires on ALL AA FLIGHTS = Admirals Club + oneworld J lounge LAX>
<non-AA emeralds on ALL AA FLIGHTS = Admirals Club + oneworld J lounge LAX + Flagship Lounge + QF F lounge LAX>
OTHER AIRPORTS
SFO - Admiral's Club (Centurion Lounge for a fee)
JFK - Admirals Club & Flagship Lounge for EXP/First 3-class/Emerald
MIA - Admiral's Club (Centurion Lounge for a fee), Oneworld Premium Lounge for EXP/First 3-Class/Emerald
PTY - No lounge access (Copa with PP, or for a fee, for 7am or later flights)
YVR - No lounge access (PP for a fee)
DFW - Admiral's Club (with F/C Dining for EXP/Emerald) (Centurion Lounge for a fee)
6. PTY Customs:
Inbound to PTY -
Outbound to MIA -
7. Finding flights: - 12 noon - no lines reported
- 8PM Fri (5/27/16) - ~10 min line
Outbound to MIA -
- 4:40am - no lines reported
NOTE: LAX-JFK NO LONGER VALID FOR LOWEST FARES (effective OCT 2016)
If you want the transcon bonus, enter the search with a connection in JFK. (e.g. LAX-JFK,JFK-MIA,MIA-PTY,PTY-JFK,JFK-SFO.) You can play around from there to get the best deal. Some of the better deals do not start and end in the same city (e.g. start in LAX, end in SFO may be cheaper than start/end in LAX).
Also, it's possible on the outbound portion to time it so you have no more than a 60-minute layover at JFK or MIA (though note that some of these flights aren't available on weekends). While yes, JFK is notorious for delays, this rarely applies for inbound red-eye flights. Also, note that AA 28 below is sometimes "hidden" if you're looking on Google Flights inside a much more expensive trip; that does not necessarily mean, however, that you can't get it for one of the trips under $1,000 (in other words, try it out to see).
NOTE: LAX-JFK NO LONGER VALID FOR LOWEST FARES (effective OCT 2016)
Below is the shortest-possible outbound itinerary that has the LAX-JFK transcon on AA's A321T with flat-bed seats:
LAX-JFK on AA 28
10:45pm - 7:22am
JFK-MIA on AA 200
8:15am - 11:24am
(Note: AA has now switched all of the metal it used on this leg - on all JFK-MIA nonstops - to 757s instead of the 767s with international-style F & J seating.)***767 and 772 are back. Flight 200 is a 772**
MIA-PTY on AA 4434
12:33pm - 2:48pm
(Note: Even more distressingly, AA switched from using a 737 on this leg to an RJ, presumably because summer is off-peak season in Central America. The 6:05pm flight still uses a 737 if a full-size aircraft is a must.)
AA: LAX-JFK-MIA-PTY RT $702 in A/J 18.9K EQMs
Feb 6, 2016, 7:23 pm
#211
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 355
Feb 6, 2016, 8:00 pm
#212
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
So I'm doing the run leaving LAX @ 10:30 PM 3/19 arriving PTY @ 2:30 PM 3/20 and leaving PTY at 6 AM 3/21. I'd like to see the canal and the Old Town (I like colonial architecture), have dinner, and then hang out somewhere as long as practical. I can read Spanish and I can get by speaking it. Never been to Latin America before.
It seems kinda pointless to get a hotel room given that itinerary since I'd have to be at the airport by 3-4 AM, right? I figure as long as transportation is readily available between town and the airport before midnight or 1 am I should be fine. And I can use the $$ I would have spent on a hotel room for taxis and dinner. Is that a reasonable plan?
It seems kinda pointless to get a hotel room given that itinerary since I'd have to be at the airport by 3-4 AM, right? I figure as long as transportation is readily available between town and the airport before midnight or 1 am I should be fine. And I can use the $$ I would have spent on a hotel room for taxis and dinner. Is that a reasonable plan?
Feb 6, 2016, 9:45 pm
#213
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 282
Stay at the hotel near the airport (I forget the name) so that you sleep for a few hours at least.
So I'm doing the run leaving LAX @ 10:30 PM 3/19 arriving PTY @ 2:30 PM 3/20 and leaving PTY at 6 AM 3/21. I'd like to see the canal and the Old Town (I like colonial architecture), have dinner, and then hang out somewhere as long as practical. I can read Spanish and I can get by speaking it. Never been to Latin America before.
It seems kinda pointless to get a hotel room given that itinerary since I'd have to be at the airport by 3-4 AM, right? I figure as long as transportation is readily available between town and the airport before midnight or 1 am I should be fine. And I can use the $$ I would have spent on a hotel room for taxis and dinner. Is that a reasonable plan?
It seems kinda pointless to get a hotel room given that itinerary since I'd have to be at the airport by 3-4 AM, right? I figure as long as transportation is readily available between town and the airport before midnight or 1 am I should be fine. And I can use the $$ I would have spent on a hotel room for taxis and dinner. Is that a reasonable plan?
Feb 6, 2016, 11:29 pm
#214
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Rowland heights, CA USA
Programs: PAL million miler (1.6 M ), AA Platinum ( almost 1 M)
Posts: 434
hi
do you fly this route often?
Feb 7, 2016, 5:01 pm
#215
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
I used this thread to find a slightly longer MR to BGI (PTY wasn't working for my dates) that I have on hold, but I'm a bit concerned about the 1.5hr turnaround that I have in BGI. I know passengers in transit have to clear customs and immigration, but without a checked bag I think I have a decent chance to get this done. Especially being at the front of the plane, no checked bag, and taking the same plane in and out (if it's delayed incoming, it will likely be delayed outgoing).
Does anyone has experience on immigration lines coming into BGI around 1:30-2pm? I realize this is on the cusp of off-topic, but it's more of an MR question than a regional question and the fare is based on the same LAX-JFK-Caribbean fare pricing.
Does anyone has experience on immigration lines coming into BGI around 1:30-2pm? I realize this is on the cusp of off-topic, but it's more of an MR question than a regional question and the fare is based on the same LAX-JFK-Caribbean fare pricing.
Feb 7, 2016, 6:37 pm
#216
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: LHR, DFW, J Cabins WorldWide
Programs: AA EXP, UA GS, FB Gold, AS MVPG, MR Titanium, VS Gold
Posts: 954
Feb 7, 2016, 9:21 pm
#217
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 165
@minyung do we have the same flight numbers?
Flight 1: Los Angeles – New York
Sat, Mar 19
9:30 pm – 5:44 am+1
Los Angeles (LAX) – New York (JFK)
American 10 · Business Class · Airbus A321 (Sharklets)
Lie flat seat
Overnight flight
5h 14m
Wi-Fi
In-seat & USB power
On-demand video
Flight 2: New York – Miami
Sun, Mar 20
8:05 am – 11:25 am
New York (JFK) – Miami (MIA)
American 200 · First Class · Boeing 777
Lie flat seat
3h 20m
Wi-Fi
In-seat & USB power
On-demand video
Flight 3: Miami – Panama
Sun, Mar 20
12:25 pm – 2:24 pm
Miami (MIA) – Panama (PTY)
American 1532 · Business Class · Boeing 737
Standard recliner seat
Often delayed by 30+ min
2h 59m
In-seat & USB power
Stream to your device
No Wi-Fi
Flight 4: Panama – New York
Tue, Mar 22
6:00 am – 9:59 am
Panama (PTY) – Miami (MIA)
American 960 · Business Class · Boeing 737
Standard recliner seat
2h 59m
In-seat & USB power
Stream to your device
No Wi-Fi
Layover in Miami MIA2h 36m
12:35 pm – 3:27 pm
Miami (MIA) – New York (JFK)
American 64 · First Class · Boeing 767
Lie flat seat
Often delayed by 30+ min
2h 52m
In-seat & USB power
On-demand video
No Wi-Fi
Flight 5: New York – Los Angeles
Tue, Mar 22
5:25 pm – 8:52 pm
New York (JFK) – Los Angeles (LAX)
American 181 · Business Class · Airbus A321 (Sharklets)
Lie flat seat
Often delayed by 30+ min
6h 27m
Wi-Fi
In-seat & USB power
On-demand video
Ads
Book, save or share this flight
Total incl taxes & fees for 1 adult · Additional bag fees may apply.
$886
Flight 1: Los Angeles – New York
Sat, Mar 19
9:30 pm – 5:44 am+1
Los Angeles (LAX) – New York (JFK)
American 10 · Business Class · Airbus A321 (Sharklets)
Lie flat seat
Overnight flight
5h 14m
Wi-Fi
In-seat & USB power
On-demand video
Flight 2: New York – Miami
Sun, Mar 20
8:05 am – 11:25 am
New York (JFK) – Miami (MIA)
American 200 · First Class · Boeing 777
Lie flat seat
3h 20m
Wi-Fi
In-seat & USB power
On-demand video
Flight 3: Miami – Panama
Sun, Mar 20
12:25 pm – 2:24 pm
Miami (MIA) – Panama (PTY)
American 1532 · Business Class · Boeing 737
Standard recliner seat
Often delayed by 30+ min
2h 59m
In-seat & USB power
Stream to your device
No Wi-Fi
Flight 4: Panama – New York
Tue, Mar 22
6:00 am – 9:59 am
Panama (PTY) – Miami (MIA)
American 960 · Business Class · Boeing 737
Standard recliner seat
2h 59m
In-seat & USB power
Stream to your device
No Wi-Fi
Layover in Miami MIA2h 36m
12:35 pm – 3:27 pm
Miami (MIA) – New York (JFK)
American 64 · First Class · Boeing 767
Lie flat seat
Often delayed by 30+ min
2h 52m
In-seat & USB power
On-demand video
No Wi-Fi
Flight 5: New York – Los Angeles
Tue, Mar 22
5:25 pm – 8:52 pm
New York (JFK) – Los Angeles (LAX)
American 181 · Business Class · Airbus A321 (Sharklets)
Lie flat seat
Often delayed by 30+ min
6h 27m
Wi-Fi
In-seat & USB power
On-demand video
Ads
Book, save or share this flight
Total incl taxes & fees for 1 adult · Additional bag fees may apply.
$886
Feb 7, 2016, 9:46 pm
#218
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Programs: QF Platinum
Posts: 5
The other half and I just got back from a Hnl-lax-dfw-las-mia-pty-mia-phx-dfw-lax-hnl status run/trip and I thought I would pop in and let you know our experience in Panama.
We were there for 24 hrs (arrived 1 pm, left the next day a bit delayed around 3pm).
We stayed at the Novotel Panama for $90USD in a King Suite and we pretty much slept the whole first day/night. The next morning we ended up going to the Mira Flores Visitor Centre, around a 15 min drive from the hotel, and really enjoyed just watching the ships come through.
We got to the airport and found out our plane was delayed (our bad for not checking beforehand) so we spent several hours in the Copa Club - accessed through Priority Pass. I thought it was OK, not much in the food offerings but we had packets of chips/crisps and there were several powerpoints that we utilised to power our devices.
Enjoy your trips!
We were there for 24 hrs (arrived 1 pm, left the next day a bit delayed around 3pm).
We stayed at the Novotel Panama for $90USD in a King Suite and we pretty much slept the whole first day/night. The next morning we ended up going to the Mira Flores Visitor Centre, around a 15 min drive from the hotel, and really enjoyed just watching the ships come through.
We got to the airport and found out our plane was delayed (our bad for not checking beforehand) so we spent several hours in the Copa Club - accessed through Priority Pass. I thought it was OK, not much in the food offerings but we had packets of chips/crisps and there were several powerpoints that we utilised to power our devices.
Enjoy your trips!
Feb 7, 2016, 10:24 pm
#219
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: AAdvantage
Posts: 41
IMPORTANT: Panama Passport Requirements for U.S. Citizens
Not sure if this was mentioned before, but if you are a U.S. citizen, your passport has to have an expiration date that is at least three months from the date of when you plan to leave the country.
Meaning if you plan a trip say, Feb 1-10, 2016, your US passport will have to have an expiration date of May 10th, 2016 or after.
Word is that Panama is extremely strict about this. Almost got screwed for my trip later this month, but fortunately the city I live in has a passport processing agency.
Meaning if you plan a trip say, Feb 1-10, 2016, your US passport will have to have an expiration date of May 10th, 2016 or after.
Word is that Panama is extremely strict about this. Almost got screwed for my trip later this month, but fortunately the city I live in has a passport processing agency.
Feb 7, 2016, 10:38 pm
#220
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Houston, TX/Australia
Programs: AA EXP/Exec Citi, NZ* G, Nat EE, Avis PP, HH Gold
Posts: 649
Not sure if this was mentioned before, but if you are a U.S. citizen, your passport has to have an expiration date that is at least three months from the date of when you plan to leave the country.
Meaning if you plan a trip say, Feb 1-10, 2016, your US passport will have to have an expiration date of May 10th, 2016 or after.
Word is that Panama is extremely strict about this. Almost got screwed for my trip later this month, but fortunately the city I live in has a passport processing agency.
Meaning if you plan a trip say, Feb 1-10, 2016, your US passport will have to have an expiration date of May 10th, 2016 or after.
Word is that Panama is extremely strict about this. Almost got screwed for my trip later this month, but fortunately the city I live in has a passport processing agency.
Feb 8, 2016, 10:48 am
#221
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, ex-AA EXP, ex-UA 1K
Posts: 707
A few trip notes:
1) My itinerary worked remarkably well, for those wanting minimal layovers. I was on the 10:30pm flight out of LAX (28), which was of course an A321T; had a 55-minute layover at JFK before AA 200 left at 8:05am; then had nearly an hour at MIA before catching AA 1532, which got me in at 3:30pm.
2) Note that AA 200 is on the refurbished 772, not the old one that still has angled-flat seats (egads!). I didn't really need a flat-bed seat for a three-hour flight
but its J product is now nearly as good as that on the 773. While yes, half of its seats face the rear, it's nonetheless significantly better than other planes with similar layouts, e.g. BA. All offer quiet and privacy. (Somewhat oddly, the worst flight of the bunch was the one international leg, on a 738 with standard domestic F seating. They didn't even offer pre-flight cocktails!)3) My original plan was to rent a car, since they're listed on OTAs as "only" $7/day (economy) to $20/day (for an SUV). DO NOT DO THIS!! Upon arrival I noticed a customer in a heated argument at the Avis counter, which should have prepared me for what I'd find at Hertz. My "inexpensive" rental QUADRUPLED in price to $240 (!!) once insurance was added on ... and I was told this is "mandatory" under government regulations. (I do not know one way or the other if this is true, however.)
4) I took an Uber car to my hotel - and btw it's a flat rate of $25 plus tolls for all UberX trips from the airport to the city center. I've heard conflicting stories about taxis, but for the most part they should be avoided (unless Uber is in surge mode, I suppose).
Anyway, so far, so good. :-) Btw I'm staying at the Bristol, which I highly recommend if you're wanting something more low-key than the Hard Rock or Trump. I also managed to get a fantastic deal on it (via OTA): $95 my first night and $110 each for the subsequent two.
Feb 8, 2016, 10:53 am
#222
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, ex-AA EXP, ex-UA 1K
Posts: 707
Not sure if this was mentioned before, but if you are a U.S. citizen, your passport has to have an expiration date that is at least three months from the date of when you plan to leave the country.
Meaning if you plan a trip say, Feb 1-10, 2016, your US passport will have to have an expiration date of May 10th, 2016 or after.
Word is that Panama is extremely strict about this. Almost got screwed for my trip later this month, but fortunately the city I live in has a passport processing agency.
Meaning if you plan a trip say, Feb 1-10, 2016, your US passport will have to have an expiration date of May 10th, 2016 or after.
Word is that Panama is extremely strict about this. Almost got screwed for my trip later this month, but fortunately the city I live in has a passport processing agency.
Feb 8, 2016, 12:04 pm
#223
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: Hyatt Glb, MR Plat
Posts: 2,577
And some even require a certain number of pages left on your passport (although probably not as big an issue for many)
Feb 8, 2016, 3:58 pm
#224
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG, SPG Gold
Posts: 187
I'm new to these sort of runs and this thread but was able to cobble together the following (on hold until tomorrow) for April 1-5.
SFO-JFK-MIA-PTY-MIA-LAX $774.76
I'm staging from PDX, so tickets to/from SFO/LAX run an extra $160 so under $1K total.
Question - is this an amazing value premium fare deal out of PDX, or just good/average in your opinion? At $440 is was a no brainer. I have a flexible schedule - wondering if I should jump on this or keep looking for other fun long haul deals for 2016.
I generally put all my points towards AS, this would only net around 10K since I lost my status due to less work travel.
Something out of YVR is the other option I've been considering but I haven't seen anything fantastic yet this year.
SFO-JFK-MIA-PTY-MIA-LAX $774.76
I'm staging from PDX, so tickets to/from SFO/LAX run an extra $160 so under $1K total.
Question - is this an amazing value premium fare deal out of PDX, or just good/average in your opinion? At $440 is was a no brainer. I have a flexible schedule - wondering if I should jump on this or keep looking for other fun long haul deals for 2016.
I generally put all my points towards AS, this would only net around 10K since I lost my status due to less work travel.
Something out of YVR is the other option I've been considering but I haven't seen anything fantastic yet this year.
Feb 8, 2016, 4:29 pm
#225
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, ex-AA EXP, ex-UA 1K
Posts: 707
So I'm doing the run leaving LAX @ 10:30 PM 3/19 arriving PTY @ 2:30 PM 3/20 and leaving PTY at 6 AM 3/21. I'd like to see the canal and the Old Town (I like colonial architecture), have dinner, and then hang out somewhere as long as practical. I can read Spanish and I can get by speaking it. Never been to Latin America before.
It seems kinda pointless to get a hotel room given that itinerary since I'd have to be at the airport by 3-4 AM, right? I figure as long as transportation is readily available between town and the airport before midnight or 1 am I should be fine. And I can use the $$ I would have spent on a hotel room for taxis and dinner. Is that a reasonable plan?
It seems kinda pointless to get a hotel room given that itinerary since I'd have to be at the airport by 3-4 AM, right? I figure as long as transportation is readily available between town and the airport before midnight or 1 am I should be fine. And I can use the $$ I would have spent on a hotel room for taxis and dinner. Is that a reasonable plan?