How do I get 500 SC before 31 Jul 09? (Conditions apply)

[bambbbam2]

I think these us trips are the best way. Was just offered to upgrade my mco-MIA flight to "first" class for usd45 while checking in. The machine offered it to me - now I get 90sc instead of 15 for an extra aud60 ish.

That's just sealed my SG requal (hope I get 90?!) do these check-in n
Machine upgrades count?

 

[Dave Noble]

I think these us trips are the best way. Was just offered to upgrade my mco-MIA flight to "first" class for usd45 while checking in. The machine offered it to me - now I get 90sc instead of 15 for an extra aud60 ish.

That's just sealed my SG requal (hope I get 90?!) do these check-in n
Machine upgrades count?

Do not be expecting to get the 1st SCs. These upgrades will, iirc, book into X class ( same as use of electronic upgrade credits ) and not credit as 1st. These should process the same as other upgrades and credit as per original basis

Dave

 

[anat0l]

So you're saying I can do a 100SC run of BNE-MEL-ADL-SYD-CBR-SYD-ADL-MEL-BNE for at most $600? That's not bad value I guess. I just would of thought it'd cost more. Do you have to book well ahead to get these earn rates?

Does this schedule allow any time to meet others at the various QP's. Or is the schedule really tight?

Given the sale at the moment and seeing that today is the last day, of course YMMV as far as locating the lowest prices for those sectors. The main things are:

• Use the multi-city engine (domestic) to reduce your c/c charges, i.e. squash as many sectors in the same itinerary. This does place limits on the itinerary, for example, can't have more than 4 different locations, can't repeat the exact same sector (intentionally). You also can't have more than 2 selected flights per day, but you can get over this easily by choosing "Flexible with Dates".
• When using the multi-city engine, use origin-destination as BNE-ADL or ADL-CBR or vv as necessary. Don't type in BNE-MEL then MEL-ADL or ADL-SYD then SYD-CBR; that won't work.

BNE-MEL-ADL-SYD-CBR can be achieved in 1 day; the other half the next day. As I said, you need to overnight with this run, which reduces its "real" value (although mitigated if you have contacts in CBR). Also, I did these runs on the weekend. Weekends have less flights, and the "return" flights on Sunday can get very expensive - this may require lots of searching and re-searching to locate flights that are at their cheapest.

The turnaround times can vary. Sometimes you'll have a decent margin up your sleeve; other cases it'll be bare MCT of 40 minutes. Here's a TR of my last such run; I had a small scare at the beginning, but apart from that it went OK. And finally, it's naturally much easier to do this run with cabin baggage only!


P.S. Just doing some dummy searching/booking at the moment, and the sale fever seems to have engulfed everyone, because I'm having a lot of trouble locating the cheapest fares for a BNE-MEL-ADL-SYD-CBR-....-BNE weekend run. If you can run on the weekdays your chances may be better (possibly more cheaper airfares (viz. middle of week), more flights, plus all flights > 4pm = free wine/beer )

 

[bambbbam2]

Do not be expecting to get the 1st SCs. These upgrades will, iirc, book into X class ( same as use of electronic upgrade credits ) and not credit as 1st. These should process the same as other upgrades and credit as per original basis

Dave

Boarding pass said A class so I'm hoping it should all come through..

I'm hoping my ord-dfw-lax sectors later this week offer something similar

 

[Alanslegal]

Chasing and going out of my way to earn 500SC's isn't just worth it IMO - but that's my view and in my circumstances. Even at $4 per SC which is probably as good as you can get, that's $2,000. You could easily enjoy 6 fine dining meals for 2 for that price.

However everyone's circumstances and desires are different, so enjoy whatever you choose

 

[Evan]

And thats $2000 you could just put towards a DONE4 or similar.
I am WP now and i like it but i will try to keep it in my own sensible way by xONEx and visiting places i want to visit.
E

 

[Dave Noble]

Boarding pass said A class so I'm hoping it should all come through..

I'm hoping my ord-dfw-lax sectors later this week offer something similar

Mileage upgrades to A class quite correctly post to QFF as the appropriate economy rate; you may get lucky ,but I wouldn't hold your breath

Dave

 

[Voyages]

So many members online... Aren't we meant to be at work this time of the day? :mrgreen:

 

[Dave Noble]

Chasing and going out of my way to earn 500SC's isn't just worth it IMO - but that's my view and in my circumstances. Even at $4 per SC which is probably as good as you can get, that's $2,000. You could easily enjoy 6 fine dining meals for 2 for that price.

However everyone's circumstances and desires are different, so enjoy whatever you choose

I agree entirely. Personally, rather than try to get Platinum to try n get better chance of a 1st upgrade, use the money saved to upgrade the paid business to paid 1st and be sure of getting 1st class. This will also accrue additional SCs to help attain Platinum in the membership year in which it occurs

Dave

 

[Alanslegal]

So many members online... Aren't we meant to be at work this time of the day? :mrgreen:

What? Surely today is public holiday Easter Tuesday! :mrgreen:

 

[Evan]

I am at work
But i am waiting for a job to finish so filling some time since the only other option is paper work and thats no fun !

 

[Flashback]

I am at work
But i am waiting for a job to finish so filling some time since the only other option is paper work and thats no fun !

I am at work, also .. and uh .... yeh.

 

[Evan]

I could be looking how to make another easy 500sc but i think that will be next year i need them.

I did check my flight tomorrow....

RC F2 A2 J2 C0 D0 I0 W4 T4 B0 H0 K0 M0 L0 VC SC NC QC OC XC E0

hmmm.... rather full i would say.

 

[anat0l]

Chasing and going out of my way to earn 500SC's isn't just worth it IMO - but that's my view and in my circumstances. Even at $4 per SC which is probably as good as you can get, that's $2,000. You could easily enjoy 6 fine dining meals for 2 for that price.

However everyone's circumstances and desires are different, so enjoy whatever you choose

Agreed on that one. I only pushed myself for WP because I combined a sale (hard to pass up) on JQ *C with a trip to somewhere I never been to before (albeit fairly short - 4 days). After that, WP seemed rather small so I just said, "Stuff it - just do it".

Many people would disagree with the amount of runs I had to do to get WP, but each to their own. Also, it wasn't my intent to head towards a DONE4 at the time - after Euro trip this year (and after losing WP next Mar), perhaps it'll be on the cards....

 

[anat0l]

So many members online... Aren't we meant to be at work this time of the day? :mrgreen:

I reckon. Get back to work, Voyages! :mrgreen:

 

[JohnK]

Chasing and going out of my way to earn 500SC's isn't just worth it IMO - but that's my view and in my circumstances. Even at $4 per SC which is probably as good as you can get, that's $2,000. You could easily enjoy 6 fine dining meals for 2 for that price.

I would not chase 500SCs just to get Platinum status but I would route a lot of the trips during the year in a way as to maximise SC earn.

Now if I had a spare $2,000 I would be off to Thailand playing golf instead of sitting around at work wishing the time would pass....

 

[DTM1]

one other issue to consider is the fact that the OP has a cople (or more) o/s trips planned next year. If that's the case, then the 100% mile bonus (or, in his case, the additional 50%) might translate to some very significant miles. Those miles would then be worth significantly more than $2k if used to upgrade some o/s flights from Y to J...

 

[Wannabee]

one other issue to consider is the fact that the OP has a cople (or more) o/s trips planned next year. If that's the case, then the 100% mile bonus (or, in his case, the additional 50%) might translate to some very significant miles. Those miles would then be worth significantly more than $2k if used to upgrade some o/s flights from Y to J...

I realise that there are those for and against what I am doing, but the above point is one of my major reasons. Currently getting the 50% bonus points now and getting 100% next year would be great as I have a trip to the UK with work and possibly USA too. Also have our annual overseas holiday. The perceived better chance of upgrades is really a minor point. I also have plenty of time on my hands (when gf is working and not dishing out jobs).

It looks like we will be going *C to Honolulu in July (280SC) and I might just have to go to Tokyo for a few days and a look and another 280 SC, so all in all it will mean a bit of a treat for me and missus to Honolulu and a little trip to Tokyo for around 4-5 days.

Thanks all for your advice and help and I will be more conscious of SC earning next year during my travels

 

[Evan]

Now since you make a holiday out of it then its not really a MR is it and more fun that way.

 

[samh004]

Given the sale at the moment and seeing that today is the last day, of course YMMV as far as locating the lowest prices for those sectors. The main things are:

• Use the multi-city engine (domestic) to reduce your c/c charges, i.e. squash as many sectors in the same itinerary. This does place limits on the itinerary, for example, can't have more than 4 different locations, can't repeat the exact same sector (intentionally). You also can't have more than 2 selected flights per day, but you can get over this easily by choosing "Flexible with Dates".
• When using the multi-city engine, use origin-destination as BNE-ADL or ADL-CBR or vv as necessary. Don't type in BNE-MEL then MEL-ADL or ADL-SYD then SYD-CBR; that won't work.

BNE-MEL-ADL-SYD-CBR can be achieved in 1 day; the other half the next day. As I said, you need to overnight with this run, which reduces its "real" value (although mitigated if you have contacts in CBR). Also, I did these runs on the weekend. Weekends have less flights, and the "return" flights on Sunday can get very expensive - this may require lots of searching and re-searching to locate flights that are at their cheapest.

The turnaround times can vary. Sometimes you'll have a decent margin up your sleeve; other cases it'll be bare MCT of 40 minutes.

Thanks for those tips. I just did a dummy booking for August and managed to get $397.50 return. That's pretty good value I reckon. A hotel in Canberra might be the sticking point at about $115 a night so far, might find something cheaper (but that doesn't earn points) on wotif if I do decide to pursue such a trip.

Besides, I wont be booking tonight, so will have to wait till the next sale anyway.

Here's a TR of my last such run; I had a small scare at the beginning, but apart from that it went OK. And finally, it's naturally much easier to do this run with cabin baggage only!

Loved the TR, I'd try plan it out with a bit more time between flights if I did this. Plus I'd be going mid-week and I found an interesting combination in Sydney, taking an international connection which would get me into a nicer lounge I presume (QP). Obviously, changing terminals is not without it's hassles so I'd need enough time between flights, but it looked like a great idea.

P.S. Just doing some dummy searching/booking at the moment, and the sale fever seems to have engulfed everyone, because I'm having a lot of trouble locating the cheapest fares for a BNE-MEL-ADL-SYD-CBR-....-BNE weekend run. If you can run on the weekdays your chances may be better (possibly more cheaper airfares (viz. middle of week), more flights, plus all flights > 4pm = free wine/beer )

What's this about free wine/beer after 4pm? I though they started serving it in the QP after 1pm, not forgetting all day in the international lounges. So why would I have to wait till after 4pm?

Would be keen to do a SC run with others at some point, but as long as another sale comes along, I could quite enjoy such a trip.