AA Platinum Challenge - Tips

[Dave Noble]

Hi Everyone,

Been lurking for a while, this is a great thread and thanks to those who share their detailed knowledge.

I have a simple question regarding lounge access that neither qantas.com or this thread seems to given an answer to (maybe its too obvious), so here goes:

Lets say I'm going to complete the Plat Challenge by doing a simple SYD-LHR-SYD on WT+, and have QP membership. Will I have QP access in SYD and SIN if (because presumably i'll be on an AA codeshare) the flight number reads AA___ and not QF or BA___?

Qantas website states:

"When you arrive at any Qantas Club, QantasLink, joint Qantas/British Airways, Qantas/American Airlines® or Qantas/Air Pacific lounge, present your Qantas Club card, or your Platinum or Gold Qantas Frequent Flyer card, together with your ticket or boarding pass for travel on that day with a Qantas or British Airways flight number."

Hope this makes sense, hope you can help!

Cheers

Dubno

There is no codeshare on the SYD-LHR-SYD run. If you are in World Traveller Plus then you will be on a BA flight number

You will be able to access the QPs in SYD and SIN on the way to London by virtue of your Qantas Club membership; just show the card at the entrance to the lounge and make sure that they do not attempt to put the FF number in the booking

When your Platinum status shows, you may wish to contact BA and get the AA FF number removed from your booking and then add it back in again using MMB so that it shows your Platinum status on the off chance that the flight is busy and they are doing involuntary upgrades. By virtue of your platinum status you will be also entitled to use the business class check in on the return trip

Assuming you havent received your new Platinum card by the time you start the return journey, then just use your QC card to get into the Terraces lounge at London

Dave

 

[dubno]

Thanks Dave and Kiwi Flyer, that all makes sense.

Cheers,

Dubno

 

[NM]

Just be aware that if you take the SYD-BKK-LHR route between the end of September and the end of the year you probably won't get lounge access at BKK on the basis of Qantas Club or OneWorld Sapphire membership when flying WT+. This is only a temporary situation until the new Qantas Club lounge is opened at the new BKK airport. The target date is sometime in December for that lounge to be opened.

 

[Jr Burger]

Hi i'm a long time lurker also. I've read the whole thread and can see the advantage of AA (duh). Just wondering if i'd have any hope of completing the challenge with these pending flights. ADL-BNE-ADL, ADL-PER-BNE-TSV-BNE-PER, possibly another PER-ADL-PER thrown in. All more than likely to be on discount economy.

Would any AMEX transfers help or can't they be used for 'the challenge'?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jr.

 

[NM]

Hi i'm a long time lurker also. I've read the whole thread and can see the advantage of AA (duh). Just wondering if i'd have any hope of completing the challenge with these pending flights. ADL-BNE-ADL, ADL-PER-BNE-TSV-BNE-PER, possibly another PER-ADL-PER thrown in. All more than likely to be on discount economy.

That is a total distance of just over 9000 miles. So if using Y or B fares (1.5 EQP/mile) then you will easily make it. But if using H, K, W, M, V, L or R fares (1.0 EQP/mile) you will be just short of the mark. And if on G, O, or S fares (0.5 EQP/mile) or N (no EQP) then you are way short.

Would any AMEX transfers help or can't they be used for 'the challenge'?

No, only EQP count towards challenge completion. Credit card transfer miles only count for lifetime status calculations.

 

[adrian]

Hi, I'm sure this has bee nanswered many times elsewhere, I just can't find it and I'm in a little bit of a hurry....
Am looking to fly to EZE next week on L, and have been looking at flights and it seems that a DONE4 is almost exactly the same price - A$9699
I thought I read somewhere that these are best to purchase a DONE4 from AA as the taxes, fuels etc are a lot cheaper thru AA rather than QF. I called AA in the US and they said I would have to make a reservation and they would get back to me within 24 hours with the taxes and charges, and no, they hadn't heard that AA were any cheaper on those things. If it is no different, then I may as well book with QF, but if savings are at least $500 per pax, then it is worth the effort of AA. There won't be any flights thru Nth America, or any flights on AA metal.
So, a couple of questions:
1. is a DONE4 better to buy thru AA or QF - are the savings significant enough?
2. If booking thru AA, am I better off using the local office (do we still have one?) or should I just deal thru the US direct?
3. I am flying into and out of SYD - what would be a good Australian combo of flights to add onto the end of the ticket - I am interested in Broome or Uluru, as I have never been to either.
Thanks in advance for your help!!!!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

With no AA flights I think you'll struggle to get AA to accept responsibility for ticketing. There's nothing in it for them.

How long will you be in EZE?

 

[adrian]

With no AA flights I think you'll struggle to get AA to accept responsibility for ticketing. There's nothing in it for them.

How long will you be in EZE?

Should be in EZE about 3 weeks. Everything else is just getting there, with maybe a couple of days in MAD or BCN and/or GIG.

 

[Dave Noble]

With no AA flights I think you'll struggle to get AA to accept responsibility for ticketing. There's nothing in it for them.

How long will you be in EZE?

I have set up quite a number of ONEs with no AA content through the AA ATW desk with no issues

Dave

 

[adrian]

I have set up quite a number of ONEs with no AA content through the AA ATW desk with no issues

Dave

Did you find the taxes/fuel less costly on AA than QF, and do I have to go thru the US, or is there an Australian call centre that can still handle it? Thanks

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I have set up quite a number of ONEs with no AA content through the AA ATW desk with no issues

Dave

That's interesting. With *A airlines wont touch a RTW unless they have at least a flight (and even then preferably only if longhaul flight). I've been told this is because they only get any money from a RTW for flights (proportional to distance), and lounge access if relevant. They get zero for issuing a RTW.

 

[Dave Noble]

Did you find the taxes/fuel less costly on AA than QF, and do I have to go thru the US, or is there an Australian call centre that can still handle it? Thanks

Absolutely; the fuel fines come out lower. It is theoretically possible to try dealing with the Australian call centre, but it is far easier to speak to the ATW desk to arrange the itinerary

Dave

 

[Tiki]

Absolutely; the fuel fines come out lower. It is theoretically possible to try dealing with the Australian call centre, but it is far easier to speak to the ATW desk to arrange the itinerary

Dave

Thats for sure! I set mine up with the ATW desk Sunday, then called the Indian/Australian call centre yesterday to get a price. I couldn't understand a word they said. There's no price in the PNR online. God only knows how I'm going to pay for it! I'm scared of giving those Indians my credit card!

 

[Dave Noble]

Thats for sure! I set mine up with the ATW desk Sunday, then called the Indian/Australian call centre yesterday to get a price. I couldn't understand a word they said. There's no price in the PNR online. God only knows how I'm going to pay for it! I'm scared of giving those Indians my credit card!

I tend to deal directly with the ATW desk rather than deal with the Indian call centre except at the final stage of payment. I think that they can take payment and click on the issue a ticket button without screwing it up

Dave

 

[Alan in CBR]

I have set up quite a number of ONEs with no AA content through the AA ATW desk with no issues

Dave

Dave,

Is there a way to e-mail the AA ATW desk, or is phone the only option?

Also just out of interest, did the xONEn you booked without AA include North America? The only way I can see to get across and out of NA on oneworld without AA is QF 107 to JFK, then BA across the pond (or vv using QF 108 of course). That gives you at most 2 stopovers in NA (Los Angeles and New York).

Of course I may be missing something obvious.

Alan.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

or QF to LAX then BA

 

[Dave Noble]

Dave,

Is there a way to e-mail the AA ATW desk, or is phone the only option?

Also just out of interest, did the xONEn you booked without AA include North America? The only way I can see to get across and out of NA on oneworld without AA is QF 107 to JFK, then BA across the pond (or vv using QF 108 of course). That gives you at most 2 stopovers in NA (Los Angeles and New York).

Of course I may be missing something obvious.

Alan.

I just checked and unfortunately the ATW desk doesn't have an email address. Calling the USA isnt expensive if just use either a VOIP service or use a calling service ( mine is 3.5c per minute )

The LLONE4 didnt include North America. It was SWP-South America-Europe-Asia-SWP

MEL-AYQ-MEL-SYD (QF) SYD-SCL-GIG (LA) GRU-LHR (BA) LHR-LCA/CAI-LHR (BA) LGW-FRA-SIN-MEL (QF)

Dave

 

[simongr]

The only way I can see to get across and out of NA on oneworld without AA is QF 107 to JFK, then BA across the pond.

Alan.

Out of interest - why dont you want to fly out of the US on AA? I potentially have a RTW the trip where I migth fly JFK-LHR and I am looking to fly AA rather than BA to get the miles on AADvantage as AA doesnt credit miles for JFK-LHR on BA.

As an aside - big thanks to everyone here on behalf of my mate that just completed his platinum challenge this weekend. 10K miles plat bonus - he is very happy . He is hoping that he Plat status might help get his waitlisted PAID upgrade to WT+ on his return flight to SYD.

 

[Dave Noble]

Out of interest - why dont you want to fly out of the US on AA? I potentially have a RTW the trip where I migth fly JFK-LHR and I am looking to fly AA rather than BA to get the miles on AADvantage as AA doesnt credit miles for JFK-LHR on BA.

BA business is nicer on an overnight flight than AA . AA seating is nicer than QF dreamtime than BA beds, but you do lose miles n qpoints taking it. If you want the extra comfort of a bed on that run, stick to AA and upgrade to 1st using miles rather than take BA I suggest.

Dave

 

[simongr]

Hmm - tempting - but can I use QF points to upgrade an AA flight? Just checked that its 3445 miles JFK-LHR and that would be 15,000 QF points (interestingly - that less than upgrading SYD-AKL from discount economy to business).

By then I will have (hopefully) flown 9974 miles on QF in business made up of:

SYD-LAX - 7502miles
LAX-JFK - 2472miles

Which should (given my platinum challenge) give me 22K AA points plus my current balance of 4K - so about 28K miles.

Mind you as that will be the start of a mamoth 28 hours flying/34 hours travelling time not sure I will get any benefit of the first class bed...