A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[ejd711]

Hi all, calling on the experience of the masses here. I've booked a trip to Sth America in Feb and I've crunched the #s and found that I would pass the Platinum challenge if I opted in and paid the $240 fee. The question for me is, is it worth it? Factors for me are:

- This trip will get me AA Gold anyway (which is probably mostly useless)
- I'm currently PS with QF (crediting this trip would still leave me ~120 SC off SG)
- During the time I would have AA Plat, I will travel to India (all in J with CX), and to Europe for my honeymoon (which I'm planning to use miles on for J/F redemption). Outside of that will be domestic trips (usually SYD-MEL) every month or two
- I won't pass the Plat challenge until my 2nd last flight of this trip (ie. I'll only be able to utilise it for lounge access for one flight)

So my concerns with getting AA Plat are that:
- I won't get many chances to use it for lounge access
- I don't plan to visit the US for a while after that so I won't be able to try for upgrades

The advantage would be:
- A few times I could use it for lounge access
- Extra mile earn (I want to credit most of my travel to AA from here on - much better redemption value than QF)

Are there other advantages I'm not taking into account? Some AFF wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
d

I loved the minimum points guarantee on my domestic Qf flights. Pretty much always got near 1000 Aa points for a red edeal Mel-bne. Way better than crediting to Qff. Having said that, I still credit to AA even now I only get the 4## points.

I didn't get gold for the Challenge buy had no status at the time. Looking at for later in the year again I hope!

 

[Doggy]

I loved the minimum points guarantee on my domestic Qf flights. Pretty much always got near 1000 Aa points for a red edeal Mel-bne. Way better than crediting to Qff. Having said that, I still credit to AA even now I only get the 4## points.

I didn't get gold for the Challenge buy had no status at the time. Looking at for later in the year again I hope!

FYI - I requested gold for the challenge and they granted it. You won't get it automatically though. You have to ask.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Looking for assistance to get home from CMB to MEL anywhere from Jan 7 - 10th. 2 pax in J using AA miles. Can travel separately. CMB is rather frustratingly zoned as Asia whereas India and Maldives are zoned MEA which would open up QR and EY.

Ideally I'd like a connection through KUL that I could then potentially change to CX via HKG if seats opened up last minute. I know this is a very busy travel period!

Any suggestions?

You know J fares CMB-MEL are dirt cheap dont you?

 

[Nizar]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

You know J fares CMB-MEL are dirt cheap dont you?

I was thinking the same thing. Over those dates UL have a J fare to MEL for around A$1k per person, with the SIN-MEL component on QF metal, probably on the new 333 J Business Suites.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

You know J fares CMB-MEL are dirt cheap dont you?

Good point. ordinarily the fares are perhaps cheaper than using AA miles, although not all carrier combinations may be eligible for additional miles earning.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

I was thinking the same thing. Over those dates UL have a J fare to MEL for around A$1k per person, with the SIN-MEL component on QF metal, probably on the new 333 J Business Suites.

whaaa?!?! Id be happy to pay that!! Where are you seeing these fares? Ul.com and ITA is showing double those prices?!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

 whaaa?!?! Id be happy to pay that!! Where are you seeing these fares? Ul.com and ITA is showing double those prices?!

UL direct (the prices aren't actually reflected in tools such as googleflights).

 

[Nizar]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

 whaaa?!?! Id be happy to pay that!! Where are you seeing these fares? Ul.com and ITA is showing double those prices?!

UL direct (the prices aren't actually reflected in tools such as googleflights).

Yeah that's right, UL direct.
Jan 6th is the date I searched.
A$1077 per person.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Yeah that's right, UL direct.
Jan 6th is the date I searched.
A$1077 per person.

EY also has almost identical fares (via AUH) - but not in that date range. And no points earning for AA.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Yeah that's right, UL direct.
Jan 6th is the date I searched.
A$1077 per person.

Ahhh darn- we really need to leave Jan 8 or 9- the fares im seeing on those days are double this amount.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

EY also has almost identical fares (via AUH) - but not in that date range. And no points earning for AA.

What date range are they? Id happily credit to VA- think of the SCs!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

What date range are they? Id happily credit to VA- think of the SCs!

thats kinda like leaving now-ish. fare for you date range is well in excess of that (like double)

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Does AA's nifty 'no charge for changes provided origin and destination remain the same' apply to changing fare classes? i.e. if Ive booked a J award but one flight is in Y because of availability, and then closer to the date a J seat opens up can I change it for no fee because the origin and destination remain the same?

 

[knasty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Changing class upward no fee. Changing class downward = fee.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Changing class upward no fee. Changing class downward = fee.

Perfect! Thanks. This rule is my favourite AA rule!

 

[timon]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Ahhh darn- we really need to leave Jan 8 or 9- the fares im seeing on those days are double this amount.

~$1500 via HKG with CX on 8th and 9th

 

[knasty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Perfect! Thanks. This rule is my favourite AA rule!

It's somewhat counter intuitive. Premium class redemptions are relatively cheap vs economy. You'd think they'd levy a charge for upgrading to business or first for a relatively small number of miles. But in fact it's the opposite.

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

~$1500 via HKG with CX on 8th and 9th

Cheers but Im going to take my chancea booking MH with AA miles with the hope CX opens up last minute. Were pretty flexible and buying miles is under $1k. Measly QF SCs and points arent worth $500 to me.

 

[ejd711]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Last time I booked through AA website I had to use El Segundu. I was in Maine. I recently have started using the Sydney number for flights not on the website now that the fee is being waived. It did cause a slight hiccup when they asked why my booking address was in Maine when I clearly was in Australia, but they just switched it in the Australian office and I didn't have to pay a fee.

If I call the US number I use Skype- connection isn't always great. But recently have found the Sydney number fine for those bookings where the fee is waived.

Agree. I've used Skype in the past. Last booking did the change through the Australian call centre as the fees were now waived for CX bookings not being available on the web. I had to adjust my booking too - I just tol them I had previously been a student in Maine but somehow when I came back the address must have got mixed up....

 

[smit0847]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Agree. I've used Skype in the past. Last booking did the change through the Australian call centre as the fees were now waived for CX bookings not being available on the web. I had to adjust my booking too - I just tol them I had previously been a student in Maine but somehow when I came back the address must have got mixed up....

Does this mean there are no CC fees for using an australian credit card?