Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

[support]

This thread is for Questions and General discussion regarding the Best Status Run Options for QFF as per this thread:

Overview of Best Status Run Options [not the discussion thread]

Please keep your questions and queries to this thread and avoid posting in the other.

---

You can also get some status run inspiration from this AFF article:

The Best Qantas Frequent Flyer Status Runs

Haven't earned enough status credits in your Qantas membership year? Here is a selection of the best Qantas Frequent Flyer status runs.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[Quaffer]

Re: Best Status Run Options - A quick overview!

Ex-MCO/TPA/JAX is often a good starting point.

MCO-DFW-ORD-DFW-ORD - can be done in a day. US$610 in December. 360SC at US$1.69/SC

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Using aa.com, I can get the SEA-PTY return flights at US$1131.60 as follows - go to aa.com, click on advanced search, then on the Multi-City tab.

Enter the flights in pairs, e.g. SEA-CLT / CLT-PTY / PTY-TPA / TPA-SEA, using the departure hours you've shown for your itinerary.

Select flights 1, 2, 3, 4 to match your itinerary. Click on 'Continue as Guest', price $1130.60.

Adjusting some of the legs may get you down to the $1026 fare that ITA gives, e.g. change the outbound sectors to SEA-MIA / MIA-PTY or SEA-PHX / PHX-PTY.

Bingo!

I just got it for USD1061! (option 1)

 

[madrooster]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Okay, on from my request yesterday, I am in SEA for 2 weeks in Jan and are looking at seeing if i can wangle the 575SC to get to WP. I have found the following on ITA but are struggling to find a site to book it on. AA just comes back with crazy prices and google flights isn't keen on showing me combinations with the 3 stops. Could it be the short 47 minute layover that is throwing a spanner in the works?

Can anyone who has done this before please shed some light on if its possible / tricks etc? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Your problem is the TPA/DFW flight not actually having any S or N class available. This is what's causing your pricing to not work. Remember, ITA Matrix isn't necessarily live data.

The following prices up just fine:

FXT2


01 P1


LAST TKT DTE 28NOV15 - SEE ADV PURCHASE
------------------------<PRIVATE>---------------------------
     AL FLGT  BK T DATE  TIME  FARE BASIS      NVB  NVA   BG
 SEA
XPHX AA   442 A  A 16JAN 1759  NNW2MQC1/LAUP              3P
XCLT AA   794 A  A 17JAN 0015  NNW2MQC1/LAUP              3P
XMIA AA  1877 A  A 17JAN 0700  NNW2MQC1/LAUP              3P
 PTY AA  1021 I  I 17JAN 0944  NNW2MQC1/LAUP              3P
XMIA AA   960 I  I 18JAN 0700  SNX2KQC1/LAUP   17JAN      3P
XTPA AA  1325 A  A 18JAN 1230  SNX2KQC1/LAUP   17JAN      3P
XDFW AA  2360 A  A 18JAN 1916  SNX2KQC1/LAUP   17JAN      3P
 SEA AA   986 A  A 18JAN 2150  SNX2KQC1/LAUP   17JAN      3P


USD   937.00      16JAN16SEA AA X/PHX AA X/CLT AA X/E/MIA AA
                  PTY Q80.00 M376.00AA X/E/MIA Q80.00AA X/
USD     5.50YC    TPA AA X/DFW AA SEA M401.00NUC937.00END
USD    17.70US    ROE1.000000
USD    87.90XT    XT USD 17.70US USD 5.00XA USD 7.00XY USD
USD  1048.10      11.20AY USD 40.00FZ USD 2.50AH USD 4.50XF
                  MIA4.50
PRIVATE RATES USED *F*
TICKET STOCK RESTRICTION
BG CXR: AA

Note: I've used a different TPA/DFW flight.

 

[cardiology]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I just need 15 SC to retain GOLD this year, what will be the cheapest option?

 

[incumbent]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I just need 15 SC to retain GOLD this year, what will be the cheapest option?

Maybe fly somewhere and get a bus back. Or let us know where you are.

 

[cardiology]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Maybe fly somewhere and get a bus back. Or let us know where you are.

Thanks, I am based in Sydney. May be a flight to Tamworth and back, as one way may only get 10SC.

 

[Borisdog]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

A few options there fr $109 each way. Syd - ADL for example

 

[serfty]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

...

Can anyone who has done this before please shed some light on if its possible / tricks etc? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

View attachment 59699

If you can do Greasemonkey/Tampermonkey and are willing to use an OTA you could try this:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trav...ase-fares-orbitz-delta-united-userscript.html

I have used it with the Orbitz link before when AA multi wouldn't cough up the route/fare.

 

[aaronmiles]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Bingo!

I just got it for USD1061! (option 1)

I did some more searching and found a route that is more palatable with the stopovers being a little less and having me back on Sunday instead of Monday. Once again i couldn't find a site to book it on as AA multi-city only goes up to 6 flights, i need 8, but what I found was below and a night stay at the crowne plaza at the airport (I dont fancy sleeping in the airport) is about $140 which i didn't think was bad for an airport hotel.



And in response to the other replies (thank you for replying btw), the greasemonkey plugin throws up errors when directed at AA and the other sites dont play ball with it either.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I did some more searching and found a route that is more palatable with the stopovers being a little less and having me back on Sunday instead of Monday. Once again i couldn't find a site to book it on as AA multi-city only goes up to 6 flights, i need 8, but what I found was below and a night stay at the crowne plaza at the airport (I dont fancy sleeping in the airport) is about $140 which i didn't think was bad for an airport hotel.

View attachment 59731

And in response to the other replies (thank you for replying btw), the greasemonkey plugin throws up errors when directed at AA and the other sites dont play ball with it either.

Those layovers of 53 mins and 48 mins are a concern. IIRC First class seats are assigned to standby passengers something like 15 minutes before departure. If you arrive at the gate late due to late inbound, you could find yourself in coach.

While the AA multi-city will only go up to 6 flights, the key is to enter city pairs which have a forced connection, thereby getting 8 sectors. Quaffer in post 2598 shows how this was done for your original plan to PTY. By breaking the journey SEA-CLT and then CLT-PTY it forced two connections to return 4 segments (and the same for the reverse). The multi-city tool doesn't always do this... so you need to sometimes play around with the city pairs to get the right result.

 

[aaronmiles]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Those layovers of 53 mins and 48 mins are a concern. IIRC First class seats are assigned to standby passengers something like 15 minutes before departure. If you arrive at the gate late due to late inbound, you could find yourself in coach.

While the AA multi-city will only go up to 6 flights, the key is to enter city pairs which have a forced connection, thereby getting 8 sectors. Quaffer in post 2598 shows how this was done for your original plan to PTY. By breaking the journey SEA-CLT and then CLT-PTY it forced two connections to return 4 segments (and the same for the reverse). The multi-city tool doesn't always do this... so you need to sometimes play around with the city pairs to get the right result.

Thanks for the tip, I'll do some more research on those layovers..

 

[Rebekkap]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Thanks for the tip, I'll do some more research on those layovers..

You should also be aware that you'll be asked to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate when you come back to Australia if you've stayed overnight or longer in Panama.

 

[aaronmiles]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

You should also be aware that you'll be asked to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate when you come back to Australia if you've stayed overnight or longer in Panama.

wow.. thanks for the tip

 

[Rebekkap]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

wow.. thanks for the tip

I had my vaccination recently, it's no big deal

And Australia *will* let you back in without one, but you'll be detained to talk with a customs person about why you need to take yellow fever seriously, apparently. Which would be a bit of a PITA.

 

[wandering_fred]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

You should also be aware that you'll be asked to produce a yellow fever vaccination certificate when you come back to Australia if you've stayed overnight or longer in Panama.

"Fact check" says inconclusive or misleading. And in the end YMMV. Being pragmatic if you ware going to be traveling outside of the immediate Panama City (I didn't) area, the vaccination is not a bad idea.

Happy wandering

Fred

The "official" differing opinions on this are.
https://www.iamat.org/risks/yellow-fever

Travel Advice for Panama - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
which includes the following

Panama is listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as endemic for yellow fever. Yellow fever is a serious and potentially fatal disease preventable by vaccination. We strongly recommend that all travellers be vaccinated for yellow fever before travelling to Panama.
Some airlines may require passengers to present a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate before being allowed to board flights out of the country. For more information about yellow fever, including Australian re-entry requirements, see the Department of Health website.
[end quote]


And according to The Australian government health department.

If you are arriving in Australia from a yellow fever declared country but do not hold a vaccination certificate you will still be permitted to enter Australia without one. On arrival in Australia, Department of Agriculture, Biosecurity officers will reinforce the seriousness of the disease to you and provide you with a Yellow Fever Action Card. The card provides instructions on what you should do if you develop any symptoms of yellow fever in the six-day period following your departure from a yellow fever declared country.
[end quote]

 

[aaronmiles]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

"Fact check" says inconclusive or misleading. And in the end YMMV. Being pragmatic if you ware going to be traveling outside of the immediate Panama City (I didn't) area, the vaccination is not a bad idea.

Happy wandering

Fred

The "official" differing opinions on this are.
https://www.iamat.org/risks/yellow-fever

Travel Advice for Panama - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
which includes the following
[/URL]

If you are arriving in Australia from a yellow fever declared country but do not hold a vaccination certificate you will still be permitted to enter Australia without one. On arrival in Australia, Department of Agriculture, Biosecurity officers will reinforce the seriousness of the disease to you and provide you with a Yellow Fever Action Card. The card provides instructions on what you should do if you develop any symptoms of yellow fever in the six-day period following your departure from a yellow fever declared country.
[end quote]

Thanks mate... My travel plans for PTY extend to walking to crowne plaza hotel and back again 8 hours later I believe the hotel is located inside the airport complex.

 

[Rebekkap]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

"Fact check" says inconclusive or misleading. And in the end YMMV. Being pragmatic if you ware going to be traveling outside of the immediate Panama City (I didn't) area, the vaccination is not a bad idea.

Happy wandering

Fred

The "official" differing opinions on this are.
https://www.iamat.org/risks/yellow-fever

Travel Advice for Panama - Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
which includes the following
[/URL]

If you are arriving in Australia from a yellow fever declared country but do not hold a vaccination certificate you will still be permitted to enter Australia without one. On arrival in Australia, Department of Agriculture, Biosecurity officers will reinforce the seriousness of the disease to you and provide you with a Yellow Fever Action Card. The card provides instructions on what you should do if you develop any symptoms of yellow fever in the six-day period following your departure from a yellow fever declared country.
[end quote]

That says nothing that contradicts what I said in my original and subsequent posts. Hardly misleading.

 

[aaronmiles]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I'll get the jab anyway. Better to be safe than sorry. I'll digress for a moment.. when I was coming back from Europe recently, customs asked me to take part in a 'trial' of a sniffer dog, so they gave me a suspect backpack to wear and asked me to stand at the baggage area and act normal... dog walked straight past me TWICE... they got another dog and he picked me up first time..

Anyway.. I was literally just about to book the trip (thanks to all who contributed btw, managed to get it on AA via a few different combinations of forced connections as suggested). However the price yesterday was $1,030 USD and today it's now $1,134. Question being, since the fare buckets or A and I have not changed, is this common? Should I wait a few days further and see if it comes back down? or will it just continue to rise possibly and i should grab it while I can. I'm inclined to just suck up the $104 and grab it now to 'lock it in eddie' and write it off as a 'should have grabbed it while you could' moment, but I was just curious.

TIA! as always.

 

[madrooster]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

The UP fares these days are tied to Y buckets (N, S, G, V, L etc.). This is the fare display for all UP fares for your departure date:

FQDSEAPTY/D16JAN/AAA/CI/R,WT
ROE 1.000000 NEAREST 1.00 USD          NO TAX REQUESTED
16JAN16**16JAN16/AA SEAPTY/NSP;WH/TPM  3648/MPM  4377
LN FARE BASIS    OW   USD  RT   B PEN  DATES/DAYS   AP MIN MAXFR
01 NNX2MQC1                 732 I NRF    -     1234+21+  + 12MVM
02 NNW2MQC1                 752 I NRF    -      567+21+  + 12MVM
03 SNX2KQC1                 802 I NRF    -     1234+21+  + 12MVM
04 SNW2KQC1                 822 I NRF    -      567+21+  + 12MVM
05 VNX4SQC1                 872 I NRF    -     1234+14+SU  12MVM
06 VNW4SQC1                 892 I NRF    -      567+14+SU  12MVM
07 LNX4KQC1                 942 I NRF    -     1234+14+  + 12MVM
08 MNX7KQC1                 942 I NRF    -     1234+ 7+  + 12MVM
09 LNW4KQC1                 962 I NRF    -      567+14+  + 12MVM
10 MNW7KQC1                 962 I NRF    -      567+ 7+  + 12MVM
11 KNX4AQC1       592      1184 I NRF    -     1234+14+ -   - VM
12 KNW4AQC1       602      1204 I NRF    -      567+14+ -   - VM
13 KNX7KQC1                1212 I NRF    -     1234+ 7+  + 12MVM
14 KNW7KQC1                1232 I NRF    -      567+ 7+  + 12MVM
15 INN3YQC1                1352 I NRF    -     -   + 3+ -  12M M

You can see that your original fare in your screenshot was $912 USD. This contains 2 $80 Q surcharges. Once you deduct those, the base fare is $752 which is a N class UP fare (line 2) from the above display. Based on this, I'd guess your new fare is based on a combination of the SNW2KQC1 and VNW4SQC1 fares meaning the cheaper classes have disappeared on one or more of your flights.

 

[ithongy]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

SYD-AVV return on JQ bundle could be had for under AUD$100.

Thanks, I am based in Sydney. May be a flight to Tamworth and back, as one way may only get 10SC.