Using AAdvantage miles have happily booked a multi trip MEL-ZAG and return AMS-MEL in September/October for a holiday. Got the return leg this morning. It "cost" 85,000 miles and US$54 taxes in business class flying a fast 22 hour trip on Etihad. As an exercise in futility, I cross-checked Qantas. Only Y seat available for 60,000 miles and Euro 295 on an Emirates flight. It keeps reminding me why I use the AAdvantage program, even after its devaluation last year.....
Happy AAdvantage vs. QF stinginess
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TheInsider
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Apples and oranges etc etc.
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Well, yes, but its a valid comparison between the two programs at a point in time as to what a customer may get when using them. One has premium availability for lower cash cost, the other has no premium availability for much higher cash cost. And we know that this isn't just an exception.
Did she request for any seats to be released?
blu
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same for me with TATL and Transpac on AA as nothing was being released.
drron
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Yes.
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RichardMEL
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Agree the fuel fines and surcharges are ridiculous on QF vs AA/UA and some others
My only quibble with the first poster is that AA miles and QF points are different currencies and perhaps shouldn't be considered in terms of comparision.
It will be interesting to see how the table turns when AA eventually follows DL and UA to dynamic award pricing (and if/when they integrate partners into that framework). For now this is not in the near future.
My only quibble with the first poster is that AA miles and QF points are different currencies and perhaps shouldn't be considered in terms of comparision.
It will be interesting to see how the table turns when AA eventually follows DL and UA to dynamic award pricing (and if/when they integrate partners into that framework). For now this is not in the near future.
earlyriser
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Did you call AA?
Yes, I was flexible with dates and sectors.
A common theme that no one has mentioned is that the points in your program are only valuable if you can exchange them for something.
Over the weekend have completed joint multi city bookings for travel in MAR 20 in J (in the opposite direction to most), using AA points and booking on EY, IB and QR, all online. Journey begins at SIN as EY no longer fly to PER: SIN-AUH EY , AUH-MAD EY, MAD-LIS IB, MAD-FCO IB, FCO-SIN QR for 180k points and $258 fees each. Only hassle was for the first time came across the inability to pay for the first time using my AU card, but resolved that fairly quickly. QF couldn't get the same result with many of the legs being in economy, and at 240K points and $1244 fees each.
It is a problem paying AA with an AU located credit card. The issue is that our postcodes have 4 digits, while AAdvantage expects the US 5 or 6 digits. You have to call AA and ask the agent to add a leading zero to your address zip code. But a hint. No need to persevere with all the "push 1 for bookings" or whatever. At the first prompt, just say "Agent", and the automated attendant will immediately push your call to a real, live, nice person in Dallas. The funniest time I had was paying for intra-Argentina flights on LAN Argentina (from BA to El Calafate). The fees for each of us was, from memory, $5. It must have cost AA $20 in agent time to take my money!!!
drron
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No problems really.I add the zero and it is a valid zip code in Maine which I enter as the State.Never been knocked back by Amex.Zip codes starting with 0 are in New England.There are no 06 or 07 zip codes.
Valid zip codes here-
Valid zip codes here-
U.S. ZIP Codes: Free ZIP code map and zip code lookup
Find the ZIP for an address, see ZIP maps, compare demographics, and spreadsheet download.
www.unitedstateszipcodes.org
AAdvantage used to be really good, once upon a time, when I was top tier on it. It was so easy to just buy miles through various offers. One of my favourite ones was buying some A$5000 worth of US magazines and you got some 500,000 miles. Availability, on QF was also good, using AA miles. They knew me by name and face in QF 1st cabin on flights between SYD - LAX and SYD - LHR. Those were the times...
It still is a generous program while considerably watered down but if you fly enough required sectors on AA metal, which is a punishment enough, IMHO, then well worth it. I doubt that you ever get such generous award availability in QF program.
It still is a generous program while considerably watered down but if you fly enough required sectors on AA metal, which is a punishment enough, IMHO, then well worth it. I doubt that you ever get such generous award availability in QF program.
Read our AFF credit card guides and start earning more points now.
earlyriser
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Was in Maine two days ago and at the petrol station, they had me add a zero in the front!
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