A couple of questions from an AAdvantage newbie

[drron]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Do it online as you do not get a phone charge.You can check both the US and AU sites.Generally cheaper on the US site but occasionally not.
There is no problem using an Aussie CC online.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Do it online as you do not get a phone charge.You can check both the US and AU sites.Generally cheaper on the US site but occasionally not.
There is no problem using an Aussie CC online.

Aussie site won't price the fare in AUD!

Edit: Woohoo! It wasn't working this arvo now its working! Thanks for getting me to try again!

 

[legroom]

FF's perpetual dilemma

Wondering about that myself.

Grabbed 2 x F SYD-LHR on BA yesterday (AA 80K miles - what a bargain!) for travel Jul 21 this year.

Now trying to figure out how to get back, preferably from somewhere around Zurich, Amsterdam, Vienna or Prague about end August. Only things showing up now generally involve BA F and QF F via HND (with a 10 hr layover) but I'd prefer CX J via HKG and finding it really hard to see availability.

May just call AA tomorrow.

We, AFFers, understand what you meant.

Doubt if your work colleagues would ever figure out why on earth this guy is hauling his family out but has no firm return plan ... at the same time, by the same route in reverse.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Re: FF's perpetual dilemma

Question to the vets here. I vaguely remember reading either on FT or AFF that if you called the AA EXP line and put your QFF# in, it would transfer you to the AA EXP department instead of the general department or was it the other way around?

 

[serfty]

Re: FF's perpetual dilemma

Question to the vets here. I vaguely remember reading either on FT or AFF that if you called the AA EXP line and put your QFF# in, it would transfer you to the AA EXP department instead of the general department or was it the other way around?

IME, this only happens if you have an AA booking against which your Emerald QFF number has been applied.

 

[dalereardon]

Re: FF's perpetual dilemma

I know the transatlantic flights are hard to find spaces on so check out this very short window of opportunity:

Transatlantic Business Class Awards WIDE OPEN, 6+ Seats Per Flight: Use American or US Airways Miles NOW - View from the Wing - View from the Wing


Hope it helps,
Dale.

 

[Limewood]

Re: FF's perpetual dilemma

As I understand it AA has one way awards.

If there are various international award connecting flights does the member get to choose which one?
(thinking say HKG up to 24hours for instance)

 

[knasty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Yes. For connections spoon feed what you want to the agent. Often allowable connections don't show on their system and they need to.pair them up as individual flights, but it should price as the one award subject to the rules of course.

 

[Paddy55]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Wondering about that myself.

Grabbed 2 x F SYD-LHR on BA yesterday (AA 80K miles - what a bargain!) for travel Jul 21 this year.

Now trying to figure out how to get back, preferably from somewhere around Zurich, Amsterdam, Vienna or Prague about end August. Only things showing up now generally involve BA F and QF F via HND (with a 10 hr layover) but I'd prefer CX J via HKG and finding it really hard to see availability.

May just call AA tomorrow.

Ended up with 2 x F VIE-LHR-SYD, again on BA towards towards the end of Aug.
Didn't even bother trying to phone re CX availability.
Weird thing was that these BA seats, even LHR-SYD, didn't show up in QF availability. :shock:

Oh well, 2 x F SYD-Europe return with AA 360,000 miles vs nearly 800,000 if they were available via QF :mrgreen:.
Thank you, AA, thank you AFF :mrgreen:

 

[legroom]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Oh well, 2 x F SYD-Europe return with AA 360,000 miles vs nearly 800,000 if they were available via QF :mrgreen:.
Thank you, AA, thank you AFF :mrgreen:

Way to go, comrade !

 

[knasty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Enjoy the Sydney first class lounge. Enjoy the.Concorde room. Enjoy the service. Enjoy everything! F awards are an absolute bargain on AA

 

[amaroo]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Ended up with 2 x F VIE-LHR-SYD, again on BA towards towards the end of Aug.
Didn't even bother trying to phone re CX availability.
Weird thing was that these BA seats, even LHR-SYD, didn't show up in QF availability. :shock:

Oh well, 2 x F SYD-Europe return with AA 360,000 miles vs nearly 800,000 if they were available via QF :mrgreen:.
Thank you, AA, thank you AFF :mrgreen:

Depends what it cost you to earn those AA miles! If you got them via flying, CC, etc - clear winner. If you got them via bulk buying miles + x% bonus - it's a lousy deal* ... the lower AUD/USD just makes it worse.

* if you have access to easy QFFP points via CC spend

 

[Pele]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Gday

By my rough calculations if Paddy55 bought all 360,000 miles at current exchange rates he would have paid about $9300 for 2 return first class tickets to Europe on a top tier carrier. A pretty bloody good deal. The question to Paddy55 is: if you couldn't get first class awards tickets would you have paid cash for them or business class tickets? If the answer is yes then he got a ripper of a deal. If he was going to fly economy then probably not such a good deal.

Anyway i concur with Knasty- lap it up mate!

Just as an aside- could the same award have been booked with US Airways Dividend Miles for a total of 300,000 points? Or is Etihad only a partner of AA not US?

Pele.

 

[legroom]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Gday

By my rough calculations if Paddy55 bought all 360,000 miles at current exchange rates he would have paid about $9300 for 2 return first class tickets to Europe on a top tier carrier. A pretty bloody good deal. The question to Paddy55 is: if you couldn't get first class awards tickets would you have paid cash for them or business class tickets? If the answer is yes then he got a ripper of a deal. If he was going to fly economy then probably not such a good deal.

Anyway i concur with Knasty- lap it up mate!

Just as an aside- could the same award have been booked with US Airways Dividend Miles for a total of 300,000 points? Or is Etihad only a partner of AA not US?

Pele.

Yes and No

You can book the same BA F awards on USDM but you have to have both outgoing & incoming flights available at the time of booking.

Some does pick a random return date, only to change to the real date later on ..... with a change fee.

AA, however, allows you to book each leg on its own.

Was that what you were asking ?

 

[Danger]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Given the minimum mileage guarantee, is there an difference in the EQP and RDM between a B fare and a V fare when travelling on routes less than 500 miles (eg. MEL-SYD)?

 

[Kangol]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Given the minimum mileage guarantee, is there an difference in the EQP and RDM between a B fare and a V fare when travelling on routes less than 500 miles (eg. MEL-SYD)?

I'm pretty sure B will earn 1.5x 500 = 750 EQP and V = 500 EQP.

With RDM, that depends on your status.
GLD = 625, PLT and EXP = 1000 for V and B.

 

[serfty]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

American Airlines oneworld Partner

Miles and Points (AA) - FlyerGuide

[-]B on QF earns RDM at 150% - V earns RDM on QF at 50% - MEL-SYD is 439 miles (according to Qantas).

So:

B earns MAX(150% * 439 , 500) = 659,
EQP is 100% so 659;
EXP bonus RDM is based on MAX(439 , 500) so nett RDM earn is 1159.

V earns at MAX(50% * 439 , 500) = 500,
EQP is 100% so 500 EQP;
EXP bonus RDM is based on MAX(439 , 500) so nett RDM earn earn is 1000.[/-]

This thread on FT can help: Something happen to class-of-service bonus? (<500-mile flight) - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[Kangol]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Whoops

 

[Danger]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Thank you both.

For my B fares SYD-CBR and MEL-CBR I've been getting 750 EQP and 1000 RDM which seems to differ from the above calculations.

If I understand correctly MEL-SYD in V as opposed to B will earn me 500 instead of 750 EQP but the same RDM of 1000.

Serfty, I'm guessing you're using some kind of code in your post as otherwise I don't know what "MAX" refers to.

Whoops

Did you make a "whoops"? I can't see it.

 

[wandering_fred]

Re: Couple of AAdvantage questions from a newbie to it

Alas with AA every calculation needs to be labeled.

Y class fares for elites flying on QF crediting AA
EQM
The greater of (base miles or minimum earn = 500)
where base miles in
Y B H earn 100% of route miles
N G S V L M K earn 50% of route miles
O Q earn 25%

EQP as a percentage of EQM
Y and B fares 150%
V L M K 100%
N G S O Q 25%

RDM calculated by
EQM + (EQM times service class bonus) + (EQM time status bonus) + any special offer bonus

CBR-SYD is 439.
In B class...
EQM = 500
EQP = 750
RDM (as AA PLT/EXP) 1000
In O class as a nobody
EQM = 110
EQP = 28
RDM = 110

It gets more interesting in short flights in the W J or F cabin... :shock: when the route miles get multiplied by the class of service multiplier...

Happy wandering

Fred