A Platinum Flight for $1400

[Kangol]

Taking your example of LAX flights for example, I have seen first hand a number of people flying the AA codeshare who have been shafted on seat selections where they rang AA (or other means) and had seats selected only to find at check in that these seat selections never stuck.

Wow, I had no idea - do you know what status these people had at the time? Surely they wouldn't bump a WP for say a non-CL due to being on a codeshare?
I have a LAX-MEL (AA7356) later this year as part of a LONE4 and my WP selection for 80A is still there..

 

[will2rob]

I've had a few PMs asking about the route for 1290SC, but there's no great secret. Firstly, the AA multi city booking engine is quite sensitive to variables. Change your start date by a day either side and your fare price can double. Also, down the bottom of the booking engine there are three options: [TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: mTxtL30R05, width: 1%"][/TD]
[TD="class: modTxt, colspan: 2"]AA, American Eagle and AmericanConnection®[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: mTxtL30R05, width: 1%"][/TD]
[TD="class: modTxt, colspan: 2"]AA, American Eagle, AmericanConnection® and oneworld[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="class: mTxtL30R05, width: 1%"][/TD]
[TD="class: modTxt, width: 56%"]All Carriers
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Changing one of these options can dramatically alter the fare price and routings. The first option is generally the cheapest I found, but the other two can give more options with routes.

I spent a few hours (quite a few hours actually) last night looking at different options between Feb 2014 and May 2014 based on the route HNL-SFO-IAD-SAL-IAD-SFO-HNL. Ticking the second option (AA, American Eagle, AmericanConnection and Oneworld) threw in extra legs on some flights so that HNL-LAX-SFO leg became HNL-OGG-LAX-SFO and the MIA-SAL leg became MIA-GUA-SAL on Iberia. I didn't keep all the permutations but the cheapest I have found so far is USD$1500.10 for 1140 SC HNL-LAX-LAS-DFW-MSP-ORD-MIA-PTY-MIA-ORD-MSP-DFW-LAS-LAX-HNL.

I found one run which I initially thought netted 1290SC for USD but one of the longer legs is in economy with American Eagle it turns out. I will play around when I'm back home to see if I can get it to use an F cabin for all flights except the MIA-PTY leg.

 

[will2rob]

Another 390 SCs before end of March 2014 would give WP until 31 Mar 2015.

Further, you would then require only 1200 SCs before 31/3/15 to requalify.

Worst, you will drop back to SG.

If it were me, and time would allow, that's what I would plan.

Thanks Legroom, but if I didn't make WP this year, and did a run in say, May 2014 that got me up to 1400 points to qualify for WP, wouldn't I remain WP until March 2016? I'm a bit confused about the anniversary dates.

 

[Limewood]

Thanks Legroom, but if I didn't make WP this year, and did a run in say, May 2014 that got me up to 1400 points to qualify for WP, wouldn't I remain WP until March 2016? I'm a bit confused about the anniversary dates.

Your status begins when you have enough status points, in my case just went WP, my next year is 31st Oct. 2013, but my new card says 31st Oct. 2014.

 

[will2rob]

Your status begins when you have enough status points, in my case just went WP, my next year is 31st Oct. 2013, but my new card says 31st Oct. 2014.

So am I correct that the best time to plan a run is just after, rather than just before your membership year date?

 

[Nizar]

So am I correct that the best time to plan a run is just after, rather than just before your membership year date?

I would say so.
But it depends on what status you will be on just after your membership date if you're say dropping from WP to SG then you will have less points earn on your massive SC run.
But is that as important as extending the benefits of WP for 11 extra months ? Probably not.

 

[serfty]

So am I correct that the best time to plan a run is just after, rather than just before your membership year date?

That can vary ...

If elevating status, to get maximum use of the new status is to earn all the SC's in you 'new year' as soon as possible. That gives up to 24 months of the new status.

If requalifying, there is really no best time other than to actuall earn the SC's in the 12 months before status reassessment.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I would say so.
But it depends on what status you will be on just after your membership date if you're say dropping from WP to SG then you will have less points earn on your massive SC run.
But is that as important as extending the benefits of WP for 11 extra months ? Probably not.

Would it make much sense to do this?
The qualification threshold is 1400 gain and 1200 retain.
I am also very doubtful of the point in doing multiple massive SC runs in the LOTFAP to maintain/ retain status but I guess it's a YMMV thing

 

[will2rob]

That can vary ...

If elevating status, to get maximum use of the new status is to earn all the SC's in you 'new year' as soon as possible. That gives up to 24 months of the new status.

If requalifying, there is really no best time other than to actuall earn the SC's in the 12 months before status reassessment.

That's my understanding. In my case, I will get to Gold in November. I doubt I will get to WP before March 2014 unless I get a double SC offer. So assuming I am SG on 1 April, I would take a couple of c heap dom trips in Y to get my 4 sectors then a status run to LOTFAP in April or May.

However, if I qualify for WP this year, then I am better off doing my run in early 2015, is that correct?

 

[will2rob]

Playing around some more with routes, I have now found a routing which should be 1260 SC for USD$1795.52. I say should be because one flight is shown as "American Airlines operated by Alaskan Air" as the carrier but no flight miles are shown in the flight mile column next to that flight. It is not too dissimilar from the routes discussed earlier in this thread. Interestingly the AA booking engine throws up some flights on this route with an economy flight on one of the legs that are more expensive.

 

[beardoc]

Would it make much sense to do this?
The qualification threshold is 1400 gain and 1200 retain.
I am also very doubtful of the point in doing multiple massive SC runs in the LOTFAP to maintain/ retain status but I guess it's a YMMV thing

I could see if you only really have the ability to get to the LOTFAP once every two years, but you want the benefits of WP for the least cost - so you take a hit and a drop to SG this year, then fly to the LOTFAP just after your anniversary date (missing the F Lounge unfortunately on the way over) and then getting your way to WP in a few days, then you'll have WP until almost 2 years later (2015) - you'll only have to do one LOTFAP run every two years if you're willing to accept a small period of SG and you can time your WP requalification run. Particularly useful if you don't do a lot of international travel and most of your flights are domestic and you're looking for the most value of a YUPP run.

I could see someone doing this.

 

[Nizar]

Particularly useful if you don't do a lot of international travel and most of your flights are domestic and you're looking for the most value of a YUPP run.

I would say particularly useful if you DO do alot of international travel. Then you can use the F lounge several times a year :mrgreen:

 

[will2rob]

Playing around a bit further with the AA booking engine shows that the 1260SC run I had identified has increased from USD $1795 to USD $3128.91 irrespective of when you plan to travel and whether you tick "with restrictions" or "full fare". I am seeing award availability on expertflyer so I don't know if this is a glitch with the booking engine or not. Obviously, if it is the same price, you might as well select full fare.

I have had several PMs asking about the 1260 SC route, so in the spirit of Kempvet's initial post, here it is for those that are interested:

From the sheltered place to the feminist bookstore,
less gates are better than more on your way down in the hole,
then pass number 42
you can't catch many fish in an hour or two,
avoid the hog butcher as you return, cowtown earns more.​

 

[Grooba]

I have had several PMs asking about the 1260 SC route, so in the spirit of Kempvet's initial post, here it is for those that are interested:

From the sheltered place to the feminist bookstore,
less gates are better than more on your way down in the hole,
then pass number 42
you can't catch many fish in an hour or two,
avoid the hog butcher as you return, cowtown earns more.
​

Thank you for putting this thread back on topic.

 

[hossein_au]

Hi Kempvet,
Been trying to send you a PM but it keeps bouncing back as your mailbox is full. Just wanted to say thanks for your help. Cheers mate.

Short of cash and want to be platinum, knock the 1200 points off all in the one flight for about $1400,
but don't forget to have four joeys in your pouch, before you check the mailbox every day.

As per usual here are the cryptic clues,
take the prickly fruit to the saint of animals,
who nearly hits the first president,
then see not quite all of Sally for just an hour,
and mirror what she speaks.
and drop the prickly fruit off, just before Julius leaves us.

you have enough flights for a volleyball game.