A $1400 status run from the US to Panama and back

[QLD'r]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

I'm losing track of all of this. It appears to be a travel blog rather than a thread about an amazing $1400 Platinum status. A fun trip though.

Hey, it's what the people asked for!

Made it to Dallas, A/C staff said I can access the lounge in LA on arrival, so with any luck I can wait out my 8 hours in the flagship lounge before my VA flight! The next leg to LA is the final in my status run. The true $1400 run would then see me perform the same trip twice... Given my welcoming in Miami, I don't think I would want to go through that again so soon.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

I have to take that statement back, on the return trip we passed over Cuba! So maybe they were taking advantage of winds or avoiding storms on the way down.. Guess I'll never know..

There are no restrictions over Cuban airspace.

Kennedy successfully dealt with that threat.

 

[pshepvic]

There are no restrictions over Cuban airspace.

Kennedy successfully dealt with that threat.

Although he was rather unsuccessful himself in the end - whether or not as a result of his actions, you be the judge

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2

 

[kempvet]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

Hey, it's what the people asked for!

Made it to Dallas, A/C staff said I can access the lounge in LA on arrival, so with any luck I can wait out my 8 hours in the flagship lounge before my VA flight! The next leg to LA is the final in my status run. The true $1400 run would then see me perform the same trip twice... Given my welcoming in Miami, I don't think I would want to go through that again so soon.

I was a little surprised that you will have access to the LA flagship lounge, did the lounge angels in DFW realise that you did not have a OW ticket to BNE or perhaps the LA flagship lounge is also an arrivals lounge like the one at LHR

 

[QLD'r]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

I was a little surprised that you will have access to the LA flagship lounge, did the lounge angels in DFW realise that you did not have a OW ticket to BNE or perhaps the LA flagship lounge is also an arrivals lounge like the one at LHR

Na, the bloke at DFW was not ware of me going back to BNE, I just said I wanted to freshen up after I land...

Anyway, I did not go to the flagship lounge, I went into LA for a few drinks instead. I made my way back to LAX, had the taxi drop me off at Terminal 5, and headed to the Delta Lounge. I was stoped before TSA as I did not have a boarding/gate pass. I went to the baggage desk and asked for a gate pass... They said no at first and made a bunch of excuses, they were very stressed so I waited a few minutes and then pressed the issue that I am a VA WP flying back to BNE on a VA flight and that I was entitled to Lounge access. They made up a gate pass and let me through TSA. I went up to the lounge where the lounge lady said I was only able to come in if my segment had a delta flight. She turned her screen to prove it to me, but I pointed out the the following line on the screen actually said Delta/VA/DJ. Then I was granted entry! Thank god - I'm so desperate for a shower!

Anyway that's it from me, status run over, back to the real world!

 

[TheEmu]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

Awesome run, QLD'r! Thanks for the running commentary - any chance of a follow-up post in a few days when you've recovered: if you have any further comments and or advice re: the run itself or booking it or anything else really?
Thanks again for sharing.

 

[gogo419]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

She turned her screen to prove it to me, but I pointed out the the following line on the screen actually said Delta/VA/DJ. Then I was granted entry! Thank god - I'm so desperate for a shower!

Are you sure they weren't employed by QF with that incompetence...

 

[Isochronous]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

So leaving dallas, pilot advised us that the air speed indicator was playing up, so we waited almost 2 hours on the tarmac. Because of this, I cancelled my afternoon exploring in DC and passed out at one of the airport hotels. Lack of sleep caught up. Its now about 1030pm here and my next flight is at 6am to miami. I'll have 1 hour at MIA before leaving for Panama City.
IAD no longer has an A/C which is a shame, and the BA lounge does not open till the afternoon.

Kempvet - I will stop at that OW lounge on the way back from PTY.

Washington Dulles seriously has no Admirals Club? WTF?

So I gather this run was LAX-DFW-MIA-PTY for $700 return? How far out did you book?

 

[QLD'r]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

Are you sure they weren't employed by QF with that incompetence...

hahaha if not, she should apply!

 

[QLD'r]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

Washington Dulles seriously has no Admirals Club? WTF?

So I gather this run was LAX-DFW-MIA-PTY for $700 return? How far out did you book?

It was LAX-DFW-IAD-MIA-PTY. I have found this trip for 700 bucks in the past, but given I had such short notice for time off work, the trip cost me 1500, which for me was still a worth while trip. BUt I think at least 21 days is the minimum to get the cheap flights.

Yes, AA closed their Dulles A/C club in June I think, there are not that many AA flights out of Dulles. There is a BA lounge, but it's only open in the afternoon. IAD is not a bad airport, there is free wifi and lost of good places to grab a meal.

 

[QLD'r]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

Awesome run, QLD'r! Thanks for the running commentary - any chance of a follow-up post in a few days when you've recovered: if you have any further comments and or advice re: the run itself or booking it or anything else really?
Thanks again for sharing.

It was a great trip, but yes, I was bloody tired at the end. To make it worse, when I flew back into BNE on Sunday morning, I only had enough time to have a snooze, and pack another bag to head off for some training in SYD for a week. I'm really missing my bed, no matter how good the hotel one is!

So to nail this trip, one needs to spend a lot of time on the ITA website to track down the best fares and the right dates. Google AA's off season periods as this will also help you to nail down a date range. Once you have found your routings etc then head over the AA website. This trip can be booked for 700 bucks, I paid more as this trip was booked at the last minute - but for 720SC I was happy with the price tag as it will help me retain WP for another year. Another big tip is to break up the trip as much as possible with some hotel stays and day trips, otherwise you will go insane. Also, should I do this trip again, I will spend more time in PTY, not only just because it's and interesting place, but also to save telling my stupid story to CBP at Miami Airport - no one likes being told to enter that small room for further processing. Overall, I had fun, but I'll avoid the USA for a while, TSA really puts me off.

Let me know if you have more more questions.

 

[gizzard]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

Hey, it's what the people asked for!

Maybe, but surely it's in the wrong thread. Shouldn't it be here? Trip Reports and Trip Photos

 

[serfty]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

Maybe, but surely it's in the wrong thread. Shouldn't it be here? Trip Reports and Trip Photos

It is already and has been since it was split on Saturday monring.

 

[gizzard]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

It is already and has been since it was split on Saturday monring.

Ah, you are right!! My error, apologies. I read the latest post and it was still saying "Re: A Platinum Fight for $1400" so thought that it was still in the original thread.

 

[MelUser]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

The bit about being pulled aside by Passport Control and customs scares me. I already get enough questions when I enter the USA in LAX!

Wouldn't it be safer to do status runs that don't involve leaving USA?

 

[QLD'r]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

The bit about being pulled aside by Passport Control and customs scares me. I already get enough questions when I enter the USA in LAX!

Wouldn't it be safer to do status runs that don't involve leaving USA?

Yeah it's not great, but if your honest they let you out in 2 minutes. They x-ray your bags and ask you a few questions. You will only get held up if your hostile or actually doing something illegal.

 

[TheEmu]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

It was a great trip, but yes, I was bloody tired at the end. To make it worse, when I flew back into BNE on Sunday morning, I only had enough time to have a snooze, and pack another bag to head off for some training in SYD for a week. I'm really missing my bed, no matter how good the hotel one is!

So to nail this trip, one needs to spend a lot of time on the ITA website to track down the best fares and the right dates. Google AA's off season periods as this will also help you to nail down a date range. Once you have found your routings etc then head over the AA website. This trip can be booked for 700 bucks, I paid more as this trip was booked at the last minute - but for 720SC I was happy with the price tag as it will help me retain WP for another year. Another big tip is to break up the trip as much as possible with some hotel stays and day trips, otherwise you will go insane. Also, should I do this trip again, I will spend more time in PTY, not only just because it's and interesting place, but also to save telling my stupid story to CBP at Miami Airport - no one likes being told to enter that small room for further processing. Overall, I had fun, but I'll avoid the USA for a while, TSA really puts me off.

Let me know if you have more more questions.

Thanks, QLD'r, will do. I can see the sense in breaking it up with day trips,etc, to make the most of going to these places, and hopefully not blow the cost out too much.

 

[kempvet]

Re: A Platinum Flight for $1400

The bit about being pulled aside by Passport Control and customs scares me. I already get enough questions when I enter the USA in LAX!

Wouldn't it be safer to do status runs that don't involve leaving USA?

There are some good SC runs to SJU or STT, being US territories all they do is check your passport, there is no passport control to pass. Having done SC runs to Central America I can confirm that the CBP officers in MIA or so fatigued by all the funny business from CA and SA that you really do need to have your story to them rehearsed in a way that is simple for them to understand, printouts often do help, a day stay in PTY, SAL or wherever is always going to be a red flag to them.