Need to spend $3k to requalify for 1K. Best way for an infrequent J flyer?
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Thoughts on this? 3,035, meets the net PQD requirements I need.
Fare rules:
YTO-TYO P PFX7WUJE
TYO-GRR P PQE0WCJ0
EWR-YYZ (express jet e145, I could do an AC 175 but I have a 400 ua voucher I could use, so it would be fine for this)
2.5 hours at EWR for Polaris Lounge
EWR-NRT - 77W
For the return, I have two options I'm interested in:
NRT-LAX - A 789
3 hours at LAX, I would probably visit the Star Alliance Lounge
LAX-IAH - A 772
2 hours in the IAH polaris Lounge
IAH-GRR - An e175
OR
NRT-SFO - I believe this is a 77W
1.5 hours in SFO, I have global entry;
SFO-IAH - 788
3 hours in IAH for polaris lounge
IAH-GRR - An E175
I can't force an NRT-SFO/LAX-EWR-GRR/DTW for the return, that would be my first choice. I see ANA also runs a midnight-5PM (-1) flight, but google flight won't show that flight unless I split up the TYO-SFO leg, and then I can't search the day before.
Fare rules:
YTO-TYO P PFX7WUJE
TYO-GRR P PQE0WCJ0
EWR-YYZ (express jet e145, I could do an AC 175 but I have a 400 ua voucher I could use, so it would be fine for this)
2.5 hours at EWR for Polaris Lounge
EWR-NRT - 77W
For the return, I have two options I'm interested in:
NRT-LAX - A 789
3 hours at LAX, I would probably visit the Star Alliance Lounge
LAX-IAH - A 772
2 hours in the IAH polaris Lounge
IAH-GRR - An e175
OR
NRT-SFO - I believe this is a 77W
1.5 hours in SFO, I have global entry;
SFO-IAH - 788
3 hours in IAH for polaris lounge
IAH-GRR - An E175
I can't force an NRT-SFO/LAX-EWR-GRR/DTW for the return, that would be my first choice. I see ANA also runs a midnight-5PM (-1) flight, but google flight won't show that flight unless I split up the TYO-SFO leg, and then I can't search the day before.
Last edited by BThumme; Oct 10, 2018 at 12:17 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
Of those options, I like NRT-SFO-IAH-GRR better. I think 1.5hr is fine at SFO is fine, although lounge time will be short. Never been to IAH Polaris, but it sounds on par with the others. Of a few other possible improvements in routing I considered, none worked out, so perhaps that's about the optimum.
What do you mean you 'can't search the day before' if you split TYO-SFO? I assume you are using google flights multicity to force connection points. Does it not work if you put in the full search as as YTO-TYO (out date) // NRT-SFO-EWR-GRR (all return date)?
What do you mean you 'can't search the day before' if you split TYO-SFO? I assume you are using google flights multicity to force connection points. Does it not work if you put in the full search as as YTO-TYO (out date) // NRT-SFO-EWR-GRR (all return date)?
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Of those options, I like NRT-SFO-IAH-GRR better. I think 1.5hr is fine at SFO is fine, although lounge time will be short. Never been to IAH Polaris, but it sounds on par with the others. Of a few other possible improvements in routing I considered, none worked out, so perhaps that's about the optimum.
What do you mean you 'can't search the day before' if you split TYO-SFO? I assume you are using google flights multicity to force connection points. Does it not work if you put in the full search as as YTO-TYO (out date) // NRT-SFO-EWR-GRR (all return date)?
What do you mean you 'can't search the day before' if you split TYO-SFO? I assume you are using google flights multicity to force connection points. Does it not work if you put in the full search as as YTO-TYO (out date) // NRT-SFO-EWR-GRR (all return date)?
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
edit add: which NH flight is this? HND-LAX? I'm not aware of a late night TYO-SFO flight.
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,400
It sounds ridiculous, but did you try searching them in the wrong order? (e.g., LAX-GRR on Day 2 followed by HND-LAX on Day 1?) I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it priced properly. (I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it didn't, either.
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 11,460
Excellent idea! I had to go try it. Unfortunately, it appears that google barfs when attempting to fare a search like that.
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2017
Programs: AS 75K, DL Silver, UA Platinum, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Platinum + LT Gold
Posts: 10,501
Thoughts on this? 3,035, meets the net PQD requirements I need.
Fare rules:
YTO-TYO P PFX7WUJE
TYO-GRR P PQE0WCJ0
EWR-YYZ (express jet e145, I could do an AC 175 but I have a 400 ua voucher I could use, so it would be fine for this)
2.5 hours at EWR for Polaris Lounge
EWR-NRT - 77W
For the return, I have two options I'm interested in:
NRT-LAX - A 789
3 hours at LAX, I would probably visit the Star Alliance Lounge
LAX-IAH - A 772
2 hours in the IAH polaris Lounge
IAH-GRR - An e175
OR
NRT-SFO - I believe this is a 77W
1.5 hours in SFO, I have global entry;
SFO-IAH - 788
3 hours in IAH for polaris lounge
IAH-GRR - An E175
I can't force an NRT-SFO/LAX-EWR-GRR/DTW for the return, that would be my first choice. I see ANA also runs a midnight-5PM (-1) flight, but google flight won't show that flight unless I split up the TYO-SFO leg, and then I can't search the day before.
Fare rules:
YTO-TYO P PFX7WUJE
TYO-GRR P PQE0WCJ0
EWR-YYZ (express jet e145, I could do an AC 175 but I have a 400 ua voucher I could use, so it would be fine for this)
2.5 hours at EWR for Polaris Lounge
EWR-NRT - 77W
For the return, I have two options I'm interested in:
NRT-LAX - A 789
3 hours at LAX, I would probably visit the Star Alliance Lounge
LAX-IAH - A 772
2 hours in the IAH polaris Lounge
IAH-GRR - An e175
OR
NRT-SFO - I believe this is a 77W
1.5 hours in SFO, I have global entry;
SFO-IAH - 788
3 hours in IAH for polaris lounge
IAH-GRR - An E175
I can't force an NRT-SFO/LAX-EWR-GRR/DTW for the return, that would be my first choice. I see ANA also runs a midnight-5PM (-1) flight, but google flight won't show that flight unless I split up the TYO-SFO leg, and then I can't search the day before.
YYZ-EWR-NRT-SFO-IAH-GRR - PL trifecta - can you get YYZ-EWR-NRT-SFO-IAH-ORD-GRR?
Assuming on-time arrival, you can still make an abbreviated stop at PL SFO even with 1.5 hours of connection. 20-30 minutes should be sufficient with GE and Pre. Just make sure you have Pre on the boarding pass, and don't make the same mistake I did (I will try to find the relevant post).
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 10,967
ANA has a flight that leaves at 1205am and arrives at 5PM the night before. With multi-city, you can't select the day before for subsequent legs (so if I wanted to force an 8 or 9pm flight "the night before"). So If I picked December 22nd for that leg, that would arrive at 5pm on the 21st. My next search item then has to be the 22nd (or later). LAX does have 1245am flights though, but I would prefer a 9 or 10pm redeye east.
#27
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Can never go wrong with Tokyo!
YYZ-EWR-NRT-SFO-IAH-GRR - PL trifecta - can you get YYZ-EWR-NRT-SFO-IAH-ORD-GRR?
Assuming on-time arrival, you can still make an abbreviated stop at PL SFO even with 1.5 hours of connection. 20-30 minutes should be sufficient with GE and Pre. Just make sure you have Pre on the boarding pass, and don't make the same mistake I did (I will try to find the relevant post).
YYZ-EWR-NRT-SFO-IAH-GRR - PL trifecta - can you get YYZ-EWR-NRT-SFO-IAH-ORD-GRR?
Assuming on-time arrival, you can still make an abbreviated stop at PL SFO even with 1.5 hours of connection. 20-30 minutes should be sufficient with GE and Pre. Just make sure you have Pre on the boarding pass, and don't make the same mistake I did (I will try to find the relevant post).
Chicago is probably the Polaris lounge I would like to see the most. But the only option I saw was a 737 SFO-ORD. So given that or a 788 to IAH, along with three hours in IAH, I think that's what I would lean for.
It also looks like the return segment to GRR has to be ticketed by Oct 22nd. I don't see that requirement for YYZ. So I'll have to see if I can get some help for an early Christmas present or plan on flying back into YYZ.
#28
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,156
A one-way ticket to pretty much any of the countries listed will work fine.
Just change your MP address to that country once you're there, and the PQD will not apply.
(OK, so it's not that simple, but still!)
Just change your MP address to that country once you're there, and the PQD will not apply.
(OK, so it's not that simple, but still!)
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: DTW/MBS
Programs: UA 1K, HHonors Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Formerly Starbucks Gold
Posts: 3,525
Thanks everyone for all the suggestions and comments.
#30
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Malvern, Pennsylvania
Programs: UA 1K, 1MM, Hertz Pres Circle
Posts: 114