86910 status miles for US$1740+taxes
May 21, 2003, 12:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: UA 1MM, SPG Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,796
[FARES GONE] Fewer than 60,000 status miles for US$2333+taxes
Back in 2003-2004, this was a great C/F class mileage run. Those days are over.
CMB-SIN-ICN-LAX-SFO and back in First Class on SQ, OZ, and UA yielded 86910 Miles and More status miles under the pre August 2004 M&M rules. Under the next set of rules, one would earn 66706 M&M miles. Due to this change and fare increases (possibly caused by mileage runners) CMB MRs became far less attractive than they used to be.
As of the August 2005 changes to LH's Miles and Less program, this mileage run now earns fewer than 60,000 miles. Also, probably due to this thread, fares have continued to rise and the lowest useable F fare is now $2333 plus taxes.
Note that these fares have become extremely difficult to ticket. This is not a MR for newbies. As of today, UA have changed the rules to allowing ticketing of their fares only within Sri Lanka. This has always been Sri Lankan law, but it was not enforced. Now it appears that it is being enforced. Note that Sri Lanka does not allow e-tickets.
Based on all the problems I've had with the transfer desk at CMB, I would not count on picking up a ticket at the airport. The options now appear to be:
a) arrive without a ticket and hope that you can find someone who can and will ticket the itinerary you want, or
b) wire money to a travel agent in Sri Lanka and hope that your ticket is there to pick up when you arrive.
CMB-SIN-ICN-LAX-SFO and back in First Class on SQ, OZ, and UA yielded 86910 Miles and More status miles under the pre August 2004 M&M rules. Under the next set of rules, one would earn 66706 M&M miles. Due to this change and fare increases (possibly caused by mileage runners) CMB MRs became far less attractive than they used to be.
As of the August 2005 changes to LH's Miles and Less program, this mileage run now earns fewer than 60,000 miles. Also, probably due to this thread, fares have continued to rise and the lowest useable F fare is now $2333 plus taxes.
Note that these fares have become extremely difficult to ticket. This is not a MR for newbies. As of today, UA have changed the rules to allowing ticketing of their fares only within Sri Lanka. This has always been Sri Lankan law, but it was not enforced. Now it appears that it is being enforced. Note that Sri Lanka does not allow e-tickets.
Based on all the problems I've had with the transfer desk at CMB, I would not count on picking up a ticket at the airport. The options now appear to be:
a) arrive without a ticket and hope that you can find someone who can and will ticket the itinerary you want, or
b) wire money to a travel agent in Sri Lanka and hope that your ticket is there to pick up when you arrive.
Last edited by zvezda; Jul 1, 2007 at 3:06 am Reason: Fares Gone
May 21, 2003, 1:31 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Orlando,London, Chennai.
Programs: AAdvantage EXP& 2Million miler, Skywards Gold, Delta Gold Medallion, HHonors Gold
Posts: 1,598
Can you give more details? Where did you find the fare? Is it on an airline booking site or a Colombo travel agent?
May 21, 2003, 2:10 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Earth
Posts: 1,797
I asked a friend of mine in Colombo to check into this. The reply was that the fares on OZ must be prepaid, by deposit into a bank account, (thus no credit card), then the ticket will be issued. I said no way, no thanks, no matter how cheap the price. Hope I'm wrong, but I didn't bother pursuing it anymore.
May 21, 2003, 4:23 pm
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Just who do you think you're kidding?
Programs: I do this for a living.
Posts: 7,486
The lowest First Class fare between CMB and SFO that I can find on either travelocity or expedia is about $6,000.
Please walk us through how you came up with this ridiculously low fare.
------------------
-Otto
Please walk us through how you came up with this ridiculously low fare.
------------------
-Otto
May 21, 2003, 10:32 pm
#7
Moderator: Hyatt Gold Passport & Star Alliance
Join Date: May 1998
Location: London, UK
Programs: UA-1K 3MM/HY- LT Globalist/BA-GGL/GfL
Posts: 12,077
Ł1,938.40
01:35 Depart Colombo (CMB)
Arrive San Francisco (SFO) 12:40 Wed 10-Sep
24hr 5mn Singapore Airlines 401 / 16
Connect in Singapore (SIN)
Total stops: 2
---------------------------------------------01:45 Depart San Francisco (SFO)
Arrive Colombo (CMB) 00:15 +2 days Wed 17-Sep
33hr 30mn Singapore Airlines 1 / 402
Connect in Singapore (SIN)
Total stops: 2
But SIN-SFO is out in Business Class but return in First all the way. It may just be that I haven't chosen the right flights.
Expedia says:
F 148600 LKR 1533.20 NUC
01:35 Depart Colombo (CMB)
Arrive San Francisco (SFO) 12:40 Wed 10-Sep
24hr 5mn Singapore Airlines 401 / 16
Connect in Singapore (SIN)
Total stops: 2
---------------------------------------------01:45 Depart San Francisco (SFO)
Arrive Colombo (CMB) 00:15 +2 days Wed 17-Sep
33hr 30mn Singapore Airlines 1 / 402
Connect in Singapore (SIN)
Total stops: 2
But SIN-SFO is out in Business Class but return in First all the way. It may just be that I haven't chosen the right flights.
Expedia says:
F 148600 LKR 1533.20 NUC
May 21, 2003, 11:20 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2001
Programs: AA EXP, BA Gold, UA LT-Gold, SPG Plat, HH Dia, Hyatt Dia, MR Gold
Posts: 2,221
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by zvezda:
Paid to whom? Your friend's travel agent? To Asiana?
My plan is to buy the ticket at the airport once I get there. I'm sure they take cash and I expect that take credit cards.</font>
Paid to whom? Your friend's travel agent? To Asiana?
My plan is to buy the ticket at the airport once I get there. I'm sure they take cash and I expect that take credit cards.</font>
May 22, 2003, 12:06 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: UA 1MM, SPG Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,796
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by OttoGraham:
The lowest First Class fare between CMB and SFO that I can find on either travelocity or expedia is about $6,000.
</font>
The lowest First Class fare between CMB and SFO that I can find on either travelocity or expedia is about $6,000.
</font>
May 22, 2003, 12:13 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2002
Programs: UA 1MM, SPG Lifetime Platinum, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,796
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ws8n:
Does it allow stopover in SIN?
</font>
Does it allow stopover in SIN?
</font>
May 22, 2003, 2:41 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: The sky is my home
Programs: Concorde Mach 2 -UAMM- First to Fly A380/B787/B747-8i/FlyingHonu
Posts: 3,029
If anything gets me 86910 *Alliance status miles for US$1740 + taxes I certainly will go for it! Any time! Let us know how and when. More details, please! Thank you so much.
