First post - n00b question - maximise status credits to SEA

[MiLK_MaN]

I'm going to shoot for Gold (it's abbreviated SG right?) for the first time ever after landing a job that involves a fair bit of travel.

I'm off to SEA in October, and we get to book and pay for our own flights. Obviously I need to keep the costs down and go in Economy, but I'd like to see what I can get away with to maximise status credit earn.

I'll be departing from Melbourne, but am willing to use some points for an ASA to get to an origin of choice if it's going to help.

I'm also thinking of doing the NAN run in Feb next year, providing I've got about 140K points to do it in business. Currently I have about 53K points. My SC's expire in 1/4/11, and I'm sitting on a paltry 65 at present.

Also, is there a recommended place/application to work out these kind of things? I've been trying to use the Qantas multi-city tool, and keep getting:

Method Not Allowed


I guess that's an application error on Qantas' side, but it's not helping my cause.

 

[drewbles]

Welcome to AFF Milk_Man!

I'd recommend booking a MEL-SYD-SFO return (around $1300ish on sale usually) and then doing a YUP run from SFO to SEA via LAX.

It's actually one of the few runs that are full F and not an 'Instant Upgrade' (do a search on YUP/KUP here and status runs).

You fly SFO-LAX on AA, then change to AS (and change terminals) to SEA. It's around $780USD for this, and will net you 300 SC's for the return flight (SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO). It's one of the cheapest SC runs you'll find in the US, and accomplishes your goal of getting more SC's.

MEL-SYD-SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO-SYD-MEL will net you 410 SC's (10+45+60+90+90+60+45+10) which will bump you nicely towards the 700 required for SG.

Earning SC's in Y in the USA is not that cheap. You're probably better off doing this and paying the difference, if you a) are allowed to and b) want to get to SG that badly.

 

[Maca44]

Welcome to AFF Milk_Man!

I'd recommend booking a MEL-SYD-SFO return (around $1300ish on sale usually) and then doing a YUP run from SFO to SEA via LAX.

It's actually one of the few runs that are full F and not an 'Instant Upgrade' (do a search on YUP/KUP here and status runs).

You fly SFO-LAX on AA, then change to AS (and change terminals) to SEA. It's around $780USD for this, and will net you 300 SC's for the return flight (SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO). It's one of the cheapest SC runs you'll find in the US, and accomplishes your goal of getting more SC's.

MEL-SYD-SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO-SYD-MEL will net you 410 SC's (10+45+60+90+90+60+45+10) which will bump you nicely towards the 700 required for SG.

Earning SC's in Y in the USA is not that cheap. You're probably better off doing this and paying the difference, if you a) are allowed to and b) want to get to SG that badly.

Not only is this a good idea, you also go through customs and immigration in SFO where they treat you like a human instead of LAX where they treat you like a criminal.

 

[drewbles]

Not only is this a good idea, you also go through customs and immigration in SFO where they treat you like a human instead of LAX where they treat you like a criminal.

I'd say "less" of a criminal

I do prefer SFO to LAX any day. It's an entirely more pleasant airport to arrive into than LAX, especially if it's peak hour at LAX.

(last time I arrived they wanted to know how many credit cards I had, their credit limit. I then said "I have three, do you want to see them?" and went for my wallet only to be told 'no that won't be necessary' as he stamped my passport. Go figure :S)

 

[MiLK_MaN]

I think I could squeeze in a SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO quite easily, thanks for the suggestion.

I have managed to ascertain that it's 48000 FF's for an ASA return on SFO-LAX in F, but for the life of me, I can't seem to find a way to book LAX-SEA via the Qantas site. However, if you do a return MEL-SEA search, it shows up an AS flight between LAX-SEA.

Perhaps I'm not doing this right. Do you book this through the Qantas website, or through the respective airline websites direct?

 

[notzac]

You need to book it as two separate tickets - MEL-SYD-SFO and vv on the QF website, SFO-LAX-SEA and vv on the AA website - generally speaking AA.com will give you better options, but do check americanairlines.com.au as well.

Note that you probably can't get away with booking the SFO-LAX-SEA run as an any seat award.

 

[Maca44]

I think I could squeeze in a SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO quite easily, thanks for the suggestion.

I have managed to ascertain that it's 48000 FF's for an ASA return on SFO-LAX in F, but for the life of me, I can't seem to find a way to book LAX-SEA via the Qantas site. However, if you do a return MEL-SEA search, it shows up an AS flight between LAX-SEA.

Perhaps I'm not doing this right. Do you book this through the Qantas website, or through the respective airline websites direct?

You book it through www.aa.com. You can have your QF number added later. It is a restricted first class tix with restrictions you are looking for. Others with more experience will advise more.

 

[MiLK_MaN]

You fly SFO-LAX on AA, then change to AS (and change terminals) to SEA. It's around $780USD for this, and will net you 300 SC's for the return flight (SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO). It's one of the cheapest SC runs you'll find in the US, and accomplishes your goal of getting more SC's.

Interestingly, I just checked this on AA.com, it's quoting $684.80USD which includes taxes.

 

[gumpy]

get yourself a platinum card of some sort also and rack up the points. Though i heard the banks get a bit sus about people using personal cards for business if it gets too excessive...

 

[MiLK_MaN]

I've already got a NAB Gold card, linked to my NAB home loan. Yearly card fees are waived if you have a NAB choices package, which I do.

I might go enquire about a Platinum card

 

[drewbles]

You book it through www.aa.com. You can have your QF number added later. It is a restricted first class tix with restrictions you are looking for. Others with more experience will advise more.

Not so this one actually tickets into F, not A or P. It's a full fare F with full flexibility. It's one of the rare ones and for that reason alone it's great value.

Interestingly, I just checked this on AA.com, it's quoting $684.80USD which includes taxes.

Oops. I meant $680 not 780. My bad

IMHO, you'd be better off just buying it rather than ASA'ing it. Also, you can't do a SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO in a single day anymore as the connection in SEA is too tight; it use to be possible though. SEA-LAX-SFO-LAX-SEA is doable in a single day though (if you were thinking about doing it in a single run, just pointing it out).

 

[MiLK_MaN]

I wouldn't be doing it in a day, I'd be flying into SFO on a Saturday, doing the SFO-LAX-SEA the next day.

I'd just get work to reimburse me for the MEL-SYD-SFO-SYD-MEL, and I'll fund the rest knowing I need to be in SEA anyway.

 

[serfty]

Note that LAX-SFO-SEA earn 150 SC's, just like SFO-LAX-SEA (maybe a few less QFF points). The LAX/SFO legs are on AA metal, all flight numbers are AA and book into F.

 

[drewbles]

I wouldn't be doing it in a day, I'd be flying into SFO on a Saturday, doing the SFO-LAX-SEA the next day.

I'd just get work to reimburse me for the MEL-SYD-SFO-SYD-MEL, and I'll fund the rest knowing I need to be in SEA anyway.

You can easily do SFO-LAX-SEA on the same day as you arrive into SFO if you wanted to. Of course, SFO is a great place to visit so if you do have the time, spend it there and have a look around (recommend staying around Union Square for shopping and general browsing or perhaps down around Fishermans Wharf if you want to do Alcatraz).

 

[durham70]

Ok - someone help me here.....

Trying to purchase sfo - lax - sea for next June

AA.com shows the flights I want but I can't pay because I don't have a us credit card

Australian website only shows direct sfo - sea flights or very expensive 2 stop flights

Any ideas ???????

Thanks
David

 

[munitalP]

I wouldn't be doing it in a day, I'd be flying into SFO on a Saturday, doing the SFO-LAX-SEA the next day.

I'd just get work to reimburse me for the MEL-SYD-SFO-SYD-MEL, and I'll fund the rest knowing I need to be in SEA anyway.

Something eludes me here...

Gold status is a little above Qantas Club membership. You say that you will be doing plenty of travel in your new job, so why on earth would you want to spend 4X (+) the cost of a Qantas Club membership to achieve a status you will be earning anyway?

I could not see myself ever doing this - it is a frivolous waste of money.

I would join this site as a gold member, then join the Qantas club for the discounted rate, then, once earned status on OW, look back and laugh at how much money you NEVER spent to get the SAME benefits (or as near to...)

munitalP

 

[serfty]

...

AA.com shows the flights I want but I can't pay because I don't have a us credit card ...

Move to CA ...

See this thread (and my reference to El Segundo):

• http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...m/maximising-status-credits-in-usa-22776.html

 

[durham70]

Move to CA ...

See this thread (and my reference to El Segundo):

• http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...m/maximising-status-credits-in-usa-22776.html

thanks
also came up with an alternative - booking seems to be possible via expedia.com (but not .com.au .....)

 

[MiLK_MaN]

Move to CA ...

Thanks for that mate, I moved to El Segundo and the SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO is now booked in F!

Question for you though.... I tried to take advantage of the AA 10% off from that centuryinthemaking.com promotion you had in the above thread, but upon checking the SFO-LAX cost for F tickets to take advantage of the deal, it ended up quoting $1100 USD?!?!? Anyway, booked it at the $684 USD price, pretty happy that I should be SG for the first time ever by mid October.

 

[serfty]

Thanks for that mate, I moved to El Segundo and the SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO is now booked in F!

Question for you though.... I tried to take advantage of the AA 10% off from that centuryinthemaking.com promotion you had in the above thread, but upon checking the SFO-LAX cost for F tickets to take advantage of the deal, it ended up quoting $1100 USD?!?!? Anyway, booked it at the $684 USD price, pretty happy that I should be SG for the first time ever by mid October.

The centuryinthemaking promotion discount is not valid for travel on non AA flight numbers/metal.

Since the SEA flights are AA flight numbers on AS metal the codes cannot be used.