Hi all,
I am doing a Star Lite Ex-Australia (SYD-SFO-FRA-BLR/Ground/KTM-SIN-MEL)

When I get back home to SFO I will be about 1,000 miles short of Prem Exec on United so want to add a short round trip to the fare keeping the actual miles low to preserve my 26,000 mile total but to get two segments on UA for the 1,000 miles I need.

Is it possible for me to add a quick SFO-Monterrey, CA or Modesto to the Star Lite without breaking the "only once in each city" or do I need to do something like OAK-LA.

Can I avoid using the extra stop if I add the two segments within 24 hours of my arrival back at SFO (no fun at all!)

Thanks

You can't do OAK-LAX as OAK/SFO are considered same city.. I suggest you try something like:

SYD-SFO-SEA-ORD-FRA.... etc

if you have the miles

otherwise SYD-SFO-LAX-xSFO-FRA(etc)

the SFO-LAX-SFO turns will yield 1,000 status miles at the cost of about 750 actual.

------------------
RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

Like Richard, the first thing I thought of was a SFO-DEN-IAD-FRA routing instead of SFO-FRA nonstop, but on reading the post again, I'm guessing you're hoping to get status up *before* heading off to FRA for E+ seating and other status perks?
-If you can handle it after the long haul over the Pacific, do a SYD-x/LAX-x/PHX-SFO [8509 miles] or SYD-x/LAX-x/LAS-SFO [8139 miles]routing !! (There is one person I know who would actually do something this crazy for miles!) Both options keep you under 26,000 for the trip [25,509 for LAS and 25,879 for PHX].
- If you've got the time and someone to visit in the States, fly and stop somewhere out of SFO for a few days - enough time to let the status post into your account - before heading off for FRA.
- Any reason why you're coming out of SYD and back into MEL? For the sake of a $33 VirginBlue special one way from SYD to MEL, you could then get the MEL-SYD UA flight and transit in SYD to the SFO flight. Two flight numbers so two mileage totals. That's an easy 500 miles to start with.
This is all presuming of course I'm reading the mail correctly and you're wanting status before leaving SFO.
Cheers/Regards.

Like Richard, the first thing I thought of was a SFO-DEN-IAD-FRA routing instead of SFO-FRA nonstop, but on reading the post again, I'm guessing you're hoping to get status up *before* heading off to FRA for E+ seating and other status perks?
-If you can handle it after the long haul over the Pacific, do a SYD-x/LAX-x/PHX-SFO [8509 miles] or SYD-x/LAX-x/LAS-SFO [8139 miles]routing !! (There is one person I know who would actually do something this crazy for miles!) Both options keep you under 26,000 for the trip [25,509 for LAS and 25,879 for PHX].
- If you've got the time and someone to visit in the States, fly and stop somewhere out of SFO for a few days - enough time to let the status post into your account - before heading off for FRA.
- Any reason why you're coming out of SYD and back into MEL? For the sake of a $33 VirginBlue special one way from SYD to MEL, you could then get the MEL-SYD UA flight and transit in SYD to the SFO flight. Two flight numbers so two mileage totals. That's an easy 500 miles to start with.
This is all presuming of course I'm reading the mail correctly and you're wanting status before leaving SFO.
Cheers/Regards.

Thanks RichardMEL and Al B for the tips. I'm actually finishing up a one world explorer on QF (heaven forbid!) from MEL to SYD the night before I leave SYD on UA and I need the later departure from MEL the day before so I can't use the UA MEL-SYD flight.

Since I can't go back into SFO and then do SFO (or OAK)-LAX-SFO a week later to get the miles I may have to do it the tough way as you suggest and take the 4:10pm SYD to LAX then fly LAX-LAS (or PHX)-SFO to get the miles. No fun at all after the 15 hours in E+....but if I want to keep my Prem Exec I have to get these segments in by March 31 with the promotion they are running and I am not leaving for FRA until much later in the year.

How does it go mate? NO pain, no gain?!?!? What do you want more - the status before Mar 31, or the easy ride home to SFO ?!
I know what I'd be doing at any rate!!
Cheers.

If the starlite fare is booked in B class like the other *rtw fares, I'd look at parting with 15,000 miles for the upgrade to Business Class. Then you could fly first class LAX-LAS-LAX. I believe the award allows one stopover, so possibly you could fly west coast to east coast USA in First class for the same amount of miles.

Hope you have signed up for the promo for Oz residents to receive double miles, on top of your premex bonus.

I checked with United today - I will need 1300 extra miles so I am now trying for SYD-SFO-LAS-LAX-SFO or SYD-SFO-Monterrey or Fresno-LAX-SFO to get the miles. I think the SFO-MRY/FAT-LAX flights are invalid as they are United/Sky West and the flight numbers are excluded from the fare rules.

Thanks SusieQ I spotted this one earlier today - triple miles total for this is making it easier to stomach the extra segments after the trans-pacific.

I think the regular Star RTWs book in B but the Star Lite books in H. May be time to spend the extra AUD500 on the Star29K fare.

[This message has been edited by aussieinsf (edited 02-09-2003).]

Yes, the StarLite books in H.

I wouldn't bother with the extra $500 for the Star1 fare for the nearly 3,000 miles you won't use (unless you want to get more creative, eh Al? ). I'd fork out the 30k miles for the upgrade and be done with it. As you're already at 1P level (The March 31 comments make it sound like you're using the eliteextension thingy to retain) I'd say you should have 30k miles in the bank to do it. Well I hope so anyway.

(and not even I would come off a oneworld RTW and start a Star Alliance one _the next day_!!). LOL. You have stamina/guts (or something like that!) aussieinsf!

------------------
RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.

Yes the upgrade is very tempting - particularly with my itinerary:

DEL (4am Local Time Departure) - HKG
12 hour layover
HKG - MEL (overnight)
(business in Mel for the following day)
MEL-SYD (9pm last flight)
SYD-SFO-LAS-LAX-SFO the next day leaving at 3pm finally arriving 5pm same day at SFO.

Sadly, it will all be in Coach...I have just under 30k in my account but I have a real need to boost the miles so can't spare the 30k now.

Last time I went through Aus it was KTM-SIN-ADL-BNE (1 night stop for a wedding)-SYD-LAX-SFO so these things have been done before. Although on that trip I scored an amazing op-upgrade from economy to First on Air NZ SYD-LAX so it was not too bad at all.

At least I will be able to hold my head high after suffering for the stauts - notwithstanding that I am sneaking in under the promotion.