CX: Ord/JFK/EWR-MLE $1770-1900; mixed PE and J
Nov 2, 2017, 8:59 pm
#166
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 721
Nov 4, 2017, 6:33 pm
#168
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver
Posts: 4,035
if I class is sold out, then it will be booked into R and B.
Dec 9, 2017, 11:18 am
#171
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Toronto
Programs: UA 1K, AC MM E75, Marriott LT Ti, IHG Dia Amb, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 15,521
I got my ticket booked and was able to get the IAP discount. The reason the pricing was all over the map (with fares of up to $8000 on Amex) was my original itinerary was not bookable even though it was showing up on ITA and Priceline. When I clicked through to purchase last night, it timed out. So I kept playing with cities/dates and had to go right through the booking process at Priceline to find out what would work. I booked and canceled 2 tickets.
Anyhow, once I found an itinerary that worked, I called Amex and they were able to book it for me. Priceline price was $1951. Amex quoted me $1704 + $39 booking fee (so $208 savings). This is what I ended up with:
JFK-YVR CX889 biz class
YVR-HKG CX859 PE
HKG-MLE CX601 biz class
MLE-HKG CX602 biz class
HKG-YVR CX838 PE
YVR-JFK CX888 biz class
I've initiated a transfer of points to my Asia Miles account and will attempt to upgrade the 2 PE segments for 20K pts each.
I expect to earn:
35,400 EQMs
$5,269 EQDs
54,700 RDMs *
Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions! ^
* Updated per information provided below.
Anyhow, once I found an itinerary that worked, I called Amex and they were able to book it for me. Priceline price was $1951. Amex quoted me $1704 + $39 booking fee (so $208 savings). This is what I ended up with:
JFK-YVR CX889 biz class
YVR-HKG CX859 PE
HKG-MLE CX601 biz class
MLE-HKG CX602 biz class
HKG-YVR CX838 PE
YVR-JFK CX888 biz class
I've initiated a transfer of points to my Asia Miles account and will attempt to upgrade the 2 PE segments for 20K pts each.
I expect to earn:
35,400 EQMs
$5,269 EQDs
54,700 RDMs *
Thanks everyone for the help and suggestions! ^
* Updated per information provided below.
35,452 EQMs
$5,272 EQDs
54,712 RDMs
Thank you all for the invaluable help in making this happen! ^
Dec 9, 2017, 1:11 pm
#172
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 1,178
Completed my CX run to MLE yesterday. I used 30K Asia Miles and both of my upgrades YVR-HKG and HKG-YVR cleared. No issues with getting both of those flights to post to my AA account either. I have now requalified for Exec Plat until Jan 2019! Final numbers were as follows:
35,452 EQMs
$5,272 EQDs
54,712 RDMs
Thank you all for the invaluable help in making this happen! ^
35,452 EQMs
$5,272 EQDs
54,712 RDMs
Thank you all for the invaluable help in making this happen! ^
Dec 10, 2017, 11:18 am
#173
Join Date: Jun 2016
Programs: ex-multiyear AA EXP/OWE, now SA Gold/AC Super Elite
Posts: 165
Completed my CX run to MLE yesterday. I used 30K Asia Miles and both of my upgrades YVR-HKG and HKG-YVR cleared. No issues with getting both of those flights to post to my AA account either. I have now requalified for Exec Plat until Jan 2019! Final numbers were as follows:
35,452 EQMs
$5,272 EQDs
54,712 RDMs
Thank you all for the invaluable help in making this happen! ^
35,452 EQMs
$5,272 EQDs
54,712 RDMs
Thank you all for the invaluable help in making this happen! ^
Dec 11, 2017, 4:15 am
#174
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: GNV
Programs: AA EP (life Gold), Global Entry, TSA Pre-Check, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 392
I snagged one of these (before I saw this thread - took me quite a bit to find it!) as I'm trying to requal for EXP. I paid slightly more (I pulled the trigger 2 days ago on 2 - wife and me) but it's for Dec 18. I was able to snag 3 Biz segments.
I did some calculations:
.
I am not coming up with quite the same returns but even at the higher price, I'm pretty happy about it. It actually brings the wife to within 10k EQMs of Exp (this is someone who 3 years ago had never been on a plane)..
GCM for the distance(s), AA.com for the CX earnings chart, and Google Sheets for the math.
I saw some folks had some trouble booking this. It was challenging. I spent a lot of hours trying to find it. I could get 1, not 2, though EF, ITA, and GF all showed >=3 available on various segments/days. EWR-HKG-MLE-HKG-EWR and JFK-HKG-MLE-EWR were both available with and without the YVR stop (another $7 for me as wife needs a Canadian transit eta).
Finally, the trick was to book them 1 at a time. This doesn't make me too happy as the wife gets TSA Precheck when she flies on the same PNR. Otherwise, no go. There are other issues with it but it was worth saving $3K.
I finally was able to book it via Hipmunk ->Priceline. the CX site was showing fares of >$6K USD per trip.
3 legs in Biz (though of course not the long hauls). I'll live for this kind of bump plus a few days there.
Now I've got to go figure out what to do/how to navigate when we get to the Maldives. Another 2 days of my life gone
...
There were available shorter trips but we figured we're going all that way we'll stay and play a bit. I still see some for the end of the year.
I did some calculations:
.I am not coming up with quite the same returns but even at the higher price, I'm pretty happy about it. It actually brings the wife to within 10k EQMs of Exp (this is someone who 3 years ago had never been on a plane)..
GCM for the distance(s), AA.com for the CX earnings chart, and Google Sheets for the math.
I saw some folks had some trouble booking this. It was challenging. I spent a lot of hours trying to find it. I could get 1, not 2, though EF, ITA, and GF all showed >=3 available on various segments/days. EWR-HKG-MLE-HKG-EWR and JFK-HKG-MLE-EWR were both available with and without the YVR stop (another $7 for me as wife needs a Canadian transit eta).
Finally, the trick was to book them 1 at a time. This doesn't make me too happy as the wife gets TSA Precheck when she flies on the same PNR. Otherwise, no go. There are other issues with it but it was worth saving $3K.
I finally was able to book it via Hipmunk ->Priceline. the CX site was showing fares of >$6K USD per trip.
3 legs in Biz (though of course not the long hauls). I'll live for this kind of bump plus a few days there.
Now I've got to go figure out what to do/how to navigate when we get to the Maldives. Another 2 days of my life gone
...There were available shorter trips but we figured we're going all that way we'll stay and play a bit. I still see some for the end of the year.
Dec 12, 2017, 2:20 pm
#177
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver
Posts: 4,035
Dec 12, 2017, 10:31 pm
#178
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 375
I've just found and read this great thread, and I'm wondering if I can swing a run ORD-MLE in January to make a dent in 2018's push for status. I've tried using GF and CX to configure the run, based on what I've seen here, but I can't seem to get it to route through YVR to get the extra punch. And I'm also not seeing the short segments booking into J, as many have mentioned here. Were these date dependent, valid only around the time of the OP? Also, spouse has a corporate Amex card. Can that be used to get me the IAP discount, or is that also expired? Trying to play catch-up here, so apologies if I'm asking the obvious. TIA
Dec 12, 2017, 11:10 pm
#179
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver
Posts: 4,035
I've just found and read this great thread, and I'm wondering if I can swing a run ORD-MLE in January to make a dent in 2018's push for status. I've tried using GF and CX to configure the run, based on what I've seen here, but I can't seem to get it to route through YVR to get the extra punch. And I'm also not seeing the short segments booking into J, as many have mentioned here. Were these date dependent, valid only around the time of the OP? Also, spouse has a corporate Amex card. Can that be used to get me the IAP discount, or is that also expired? Trying to play catch-up here, so apologies if I'm asking the obvious. TIA
CX does not fly ORD YVR.