Any tips on free upgrades?

[Driver]

Are you a Qantas Club member?

TG

Unfortunately, no. Seems a lot of money to pay out when the only time we would use it is in Sydney, and then only for a couple of hours. In LA we have a 1/2 day booked in a hotel (we'll get in around noon driving up from San Diego and have to leave the hotel at 8pm so we can have a snooze in the afternoon).

 

[Driver]

Driver,
If you can get to Danbury, Connecticut from Intercourse, PA, then take the Historic Route 7 north and you will have a very scenic drive through Massachusetts, New Hampshire and to Vermont. Autumn leaves and covered bridges etc.....very nice indeed.
A very nice and historic hotel in Manchester, Vermont is the Equinox.
Enjoy!
Ric

Danbury is very doable time wise. Thought we might head up to Allentown then to route 209 taking our time and enjoying the scenery from Stroudsburg to Port Jervis. This drive takes in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and was on our list. From there it would be east to go across to Danbury and head north the next day.

Having a look at Danbury it looks like a lovely town with interesting places to visit. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[Optics]

Danbury is very doable time wise. Thought we might head up to Allentown then to route 209 taking our time and enjoying the scenery from Stroudsburg to Port Jervis. This drive takes in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and was on our list. From there it would be east to go across to Danbury and head north the next day.

Having a look at Danbury it looks like a lovely town with interesting places to visit. Thank you for the suggestion!

You have probably already thought of it (your planning seems very thorough), but just in case, I suggest you get a Nav system in your car. They are not expensive to include in a rental, but for the time you are going it may be worth buying one. They really are very helpful in the US, and take a lot of the stress out of the journey.

Have a great trip .

 

[serfty]

Unfortunately, no. Seems a lot of money to pay out when the only time we would use it is in Sydney, and then only for a couple of hours. ...

Note that as a Qantas Club member you can access the "Admirals Club" (the American Airline equivalent) when you fly AA. (And BA J lounges when flying BA).

 

[Optics]

Note that as a Qantas Club member you can access the "Admirals Club" (the American Airline equivalent) when you fly AA. (And BA J lounges when flying BA).

Even better if they are flying out of TBIT in LA, they can access the new QF lounge there, which looks (haven't been in the J lounge, but got a glimpse as I went to the shower from the FLounge) to be better than the AC, with an open bar etc.

 

[Travel Guru]

You'll find also Driver it's not the lounges itself which are the biggest benefit for myself, its the not having to line up in the economy queue which if you lack the patience I do, you'll soon tire off, and being able to "quickly" checkin using the J/QP line, makes the trip so much nicer.

TG

 

[vt]

Welcome to AFF Driver,

To makle your trip more enjoyable, have a look at

www.checkmytrip.com

log in with your booking reference you see when you access your booking via www.qantas.com.au

Check your flights and seats that are available to you and call Qantas to see if they can assign you to more comfortable seats.

For all international flights you can preallocate seating prior to checkin.

You wont be able to preallocate exit rows, but you should be able to preallocate seats such as aisle or away from bassinet seating....

I generally find that bulkhead seats are not worth allocating due to 1, them having less leg room and 2 there is a higher chance that they will be reallocated to status members.

You could also ask to see if there are on departure upgrades available for purchase. This may be quite expensive though.

good luck on your trip.

 

[drron]

Danbury is very doable time wise. Thought we might head up to Allentown then to route 209 taking our time and enjoying the scenery from Stroudsburg to Port Jervis. This drive takes in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and was on our list. From there it would be east to go across to Danbury and head north the next day.

Having a look at Danbury it looks like a lovely town with interesting places to visit. Thank you for the suggestion!

We actually would rather stay in the Hudson Valley.This October we will be staying in Poughkeepsie at the Hilton garden inn.We prefer this to Danbury where we stayed last December.
I hope you are factoring in some time at Woodbury Commons on the drive to the Hudson Valley.Also worth seeing are Kykuit-the Rockefeller Home along with their local church at Potantico with windows by Matisse and Chagall.Driving north from here on 9E is also FDR's home and a Vanderbilt mansion open for tours.On the other side of the Hudson the Storm King sculpture park and the crafty villages of the eastern Catskills.
I agree with going north on 7 through Mass.to Vermont.Nice little town just over the VT border of Bennington where we usually stay-mainly because of a great outlet centre in the skiing village of Manchester about 30 miles north of Bennington-we will be staying here again.
We drive about 5-10000 miles in the US and have never felt the need for any navigation system.The road numbering is logical and well signed.We have no trouble with our trusty $5 atlas from Walmart.

 

[Ric]

Don't know whether Driver and wifey(?) are interested in shopping but if yes, definitely stop at Woodbury Commons. Allow at least a full day to really do justice to the place.

Bennington is nice especially for the Autumn leaves around the mountains and a great little outlet as stated.

If time is not really a factor, then drive up to Maine....Portland and Freeport. Great Maine lobsters in Portland with very reasonable prices and Freeport, a whole town that is comprised of outlets and where LL Beans are headquartered and opens 24/7 365!! (last when I was there).

Also Port Hyannis (JFK's home town) and Cape Cod in Mass. is worth a drive.

Agree with Drron about doing it only with a map. No real need for a navigation sysyem.

 

[Driver]

Thank you all for the advise and the very warm welcome. I love to read about flying and avidly follow the threads on some forums and will do the same here. I suppose my interest might wane when our trip is finished but then, perhaps we'll plan another once we get the bug!

 

[serfty]

We have 5 domestic and 2 internation flights coming up in Sept/Oct. ...

Driver, do post your itineraries on the AFF Social Forum; you never know someone may be able to guest you in to a lounge or three ...

e.g. September 2008 - The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community

 

[Driver]

Driver, do post your itineraries on the AFF Social Forum; you never know someone may be able to guest you in to a lounge or three ...

e.g. September 2008 - The Australian Frequent Flyer Online Community

Thank you for the idea - I followed your link and posted our flights. Cheers!!