Why fly direct ... ?

[JessicaTam]

As the adage goes, "Why fly direct when you can connect?"*

So how extreme are your routings? Be it a status run, or just getting from A to B (via C, D or E)?

*Thanks to mrsmart for the idea.

 

[JessicaTam]

I am heading to PTY for a weekend in June:


mel-bne-lax-yvr-dfw-bos-phl-mia-pty-mia-phl-bos-ord-lax-syd-mel

 

[Isochronous]

That is an excellent run!

 

[JohnK]

I cottoned on to maximising the routing to get to a destination very early in my frequent flying.

Think I managed 15 sectors in my first Oneworld award (and another 6 sectors booked separately) and then 11 sectors in my 2nd Oneworld award and kept that one tame as I had dad with me and didn't want to overdo it.

The fun is in the planning. Have some nice ones coming up to/from Chiang Mai.

 

[AIRwin]

I became more creative/adventurous after first testing the waters across the ditch:
MEL-AKL-SYD
MEL-DXB-SIN

And all these on a single trip:
BNE-SYD-MEL-KUL-JHB-KUL-AUH-LHR (fitting in a dinner with relatives in SYD, a wedding in MEL, a ski trip and a quick pit stop in Malaysia before heading to Europe)
DUB-AUH-CMB-SIN
JHB-KUL-AUH-MEL-BNE

 

[blackcat20]

We'll be doing some variation of this (we currently have two bookings to choose from TPE-ORD):


Thanks to an AA/JAL "sale" on flights from TPE to the US. It's in Y, but we've got flights from TPE to MEL via HKG and SIN in J. Figure its a good way to spend our summer break.

 

[ozjuice]

But how much more did that route actually cost in dollars and time?

 

[Pleb Status]

QF fuel surcharges, that's why......

It is the same answer to 'How can you make a free flight cost more than $2500 rtn?'.

 

[harvyk]

Came back home from SEA via the long way last year, SEA->ORD->LHR->DXB->SYD->CBR



The one I'm proud of however is my party weekend in the USA, departed Friday morning, flew to LAX, went to a party on Saturday, flew home Sunday.
The party itself was in Palm Springs, worked out that exactly (to the second) 24 hours had passed from me leaving my house in CBR, to me turning up at the house in Palm Springs.

 

[nodabs]

Any tips on convincing partners and corporate travel arrangers about this? Booking a little trip to Vietnam later in the year and it pained me to do only one stop

 

[blackcat20]

But how much more did that route actually cost in dollars and time?

TPE to the US and back was about $230. Sure its a little extra time but call it a crazy adventure to tell the kids about one day. Positioning flights done with points/miles.

 

[drewbles]

I think a more interesting thread would be 'What's the least you've paid for an SC *and* how insane was the routing'? I think my best was 210 VA SC's for $35

Have hit the $1.30ish mark on AA runs before 'simpler and fairer' which were 6 segments from Origin to Destination.

 

[harvyk]

QF fuel surcharges, that's why......

It is the same answer to 'How can you make a free flight cost more than $2500 rtn?'.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It is possible sometimes to take the longer route, pay less, and yet earn more in SC's and points. Take for example the ADL-CBR run, throw in a SYD or MEL into that and it can become cheaper than direct (as there are more flight combinations than the morning flight and the evening flight), plus you get more SC's and points because whilst you are charged for the ADL-CBR flying, you earn the SC's and points for an ADL-SYD and then again for SYD-CBR.

There is of course the question of what is the time cost doing strange routing, but then again I think of flying as a hobby. I enjoy the trip as much as I enjoy the destination, so the time cost isn't important to me.

Of course there is always those absolutely free flights you can get by doing interesting routing, eg a few years ago I got a free day in SIN because HKG-SIN-BNE-SYD was exactly the same price (inc taxes) as HKG-SYD. So I selected my flight via SIN, I then called up QF and got moved onto the first CX flight of the day at no charge, and thus got a free HKG-SIN flight out of the deal.

 

[UP4014]

To the boos here, I do prefer the shortest trip........while I can deal with the airport, security, lounges the one thing that bores me to death is sitting on the plane.

 

[JessicaTam]

I think a more interesting thread would be 'What's the least you've paid for an SC *and* how insane was the routing'? I think my best was 210 VA SC's for $35

Have hit the $1.30ish mark on AA runs before 'simpler and fairer' which were 6 segments from Origin to Destination.

There are a few threads to discuss $/SC with various airlines. This thread is more about the routing itself, as opposed to the particular cost or SC earn.

 

[drewbles]

There are a few threads to discuss $/SC with various airlines. This thread is more about the routing itself, as opposed to the particular cost or SC earn.

Hence my suggestion of combining them into a what's the cheapest and how insane was it to get that. They go hand in hand.

 

[njba]

Any tips on convincing partners and corporate travel arrangers about this? Booking a little trip to Vietnam later in the year and it pained me to do only one stop

The 64,000 point question. I suggest bribes.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

MEL-LAX vv - will someone please explain to Cruiserette that SQ R much more sensible alt than QF F? She doesn't believe me!

 

[juddles]

I did this a few years ago - it was for sc with qf but also with lifemiles

Apart from the Lifemiles segments, I think I got 1000 SC towards QFF

Now I am getting LTG and this sort of stuff is unnecessary I feel lost.

 

[SponsorSFC]

Not a trip for SC but an award route from PER to LHR. My better half did question why we weren't going straight from SIN to LHR until I showed her the Conrad Rangali and EY Apartment.