Now 50 % Bonus Miles Until Feb 28 2013

[JohnK]

To buy or not to buy?

Offer is a little too good to be true as it makes a business class return to Asia ~AUD1,300 + taxes and a business class return to Europe ~AUD2,200 + taxes.

Haven't use the miles I have purchased for the past 2 years. Hoard more miles?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

To buy or not to buy?

Offer is a little too good to be true as it makes a business class return to Asia ~AUD1,300 + taxes and a business class return to Europe ~AUD2,200 + taxes.

Haven't use the miles I have purchased for the past 2 years. Hoard more miles?

absolutely! this is a good offer from AA. And it beats the current USDM offer. You never know if these offers will stick around. So better to buy now!

 

[burmans]

absolutely! this is a good offer from AA. And it beats the current USDM offer. You never know if these offers will stick around. So better to buy now!

Which current USDM offer given the choices are 2) none, b) 50% or c)100%

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Which current USDM offer given the choices are 2) none, b) 50% or c)100%

well - better than a) or b) and isn't c) only if you hold a US Airways matercard or something?

 

[ncm]

Definitely worth it imo. Booked two QF F A380 LHR-MEL o/w for Dec only earlier today.

AA was 160,000 miles and £474 all inc.

QF wanted 384,000 and £970...

Called AAdvantage and had my QF number substituted for my AA one. Got seats 2A & 3A selected already

First time in QF F. It's going to be a long year waiting for it!

 

[burmans]

well - better than a) or b) and isn't c) only if you hold a US Airways matercard or something?

It is for this month. I'm not really a betting man but would have to say I'd take a bet that USDM will have another 100% promo sometime relatively, even more so now that AA have come out with this offer. Maybe AA have decided they will follow the USDM route on this!

 

[burmans]

It is for this month. I'm not really a betting man but would have to say I'd take a bet that USDM will have another 100% promo sometime relatively, even more so now that AA have come out with this offer. Maybe AA have decided they will follow the USDM route on this!

An now we have an Avianca Lifemiles opportunity in the mix too! Choices, choices.

 

[Jleno]

An now we have an Avianca Lifemiles opportunity in the mix too! Choices, choices.

I think AA still works out cheapest? for 90,000 miles on AA (60K + 30K free) = USD 1,650. for 90,000 Avianca miles, it's 45K for USD 1350 to buy, and 45K for USD 675 to transfer = total of USD 2,025.

Not sure what the redemption cost with Avianca for Star Alliance partners is though, but when I looked at the US Airways 100% bonus offer and check their redemption chart (Star Alliance), it was almost twice as many points as AA for redemptions.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I think AA still works out cheapest? for 90,000 miles on AA (60K + 30K free) = USD 1,650. for 90,000 Avianca miles, it's 45K for USD 1350 to buy, and 45K for USD 675 to transfer = total of USD 2,025.

Not sure what the redemption cost with Avianca for Star Alliance partners is though, but when I looked at the US Airways 100% bonus offer and check their redemption chart (Star Alliance), it was almost twice as many points as AA for redemptions.

you've got LM all wrong, mile are available at $15 per 1000 (once you have an initial 1000 at $30) then you only need 40% of miles to book with the 60% costing $12.50 per 1000 at time of booking (approx).

suggest you read that thread or ask there for more info.

 

[casanovawa]

For simple straight there and back redemptions AA might be better (or LM), but for more complicated stops in 2 continental zones i think US Air still works out better doesn't it??? And the simple fact of getting an F return to Asia (that is zone 2 not zone 1) from this offer is moot if QF doesn't really offer F seats anymore to hardly any destinations... Does CX??

And yes, for any flights needing more than 90,000 for the return you are going to have to wait another year to get the miles, or get them some other way by moving miles through other programs into AA etc... Usually best to take advantage of one promo near the end of one year and then straight away again early the next year to get your miles totals up to the level required for return J flights... Unless you go the route of getting multiple family accounts set up...

Doesn't help a lot in that respect but instead of needing 120,000 miles for a J return Oz-Eur, are there still any of those routes where you book an Oz-Asia2 for 35,000 miles in J but it can only be routed there by going through Europe and you just ditch the last flight and stay in Europe, then get a 60,000 Eur-Oz return and so only pay 95,000 miles or there abouts (still just outside this limit)??? I'm sure Shayne2233 would probably know the dodgy routes that may qualify for this if the loopholes haven't all be closed...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

For simple straight there and back redemptions AA might be better (or LM), but for more complicated stops in 2 continental zones i think US Air still works out better doesn't it??? And the simple fact of getting an F return to Asia (that is zone 2 not zone 1) from this offer is moot if QF doesn't really offer F seats anymore to hardly any destinations... Does CX??

AA miles should be held as part of a portfolio. There are redemptions HKG-SIN-SYD on CX F/BA F. There is QF F to HKG followed by KA F to PEK or PVG. There is ok availability on CX non-stop business class from most AU capital cities to HKG and beyond to asia - all for 35K miles and full flat beds for the long-haul.

Having AA miles available means you cantake advantage of F class if it happens to be available for when you want to fly. If it doesn't, then LM is good, or if you want a stop then USDM (but i guess quite importantly for USDM they allow mixed class!). Each has their own benefits..

 

[burmans]

AA miles should be held as part of a portfolio. There are redemptions HKG-SIN-SYD on CX F/BA F. There is QF F to HKG followed by KA F to PEK or PVG. There is ok availability on CX non-stop business class from most AU capital cities to HKG and beyond to asia - all for 35K miles and full flat beds for the long-haul.

Having AA miles available means you cantake advantage of F class if it happens to be available for when you want to fly. If it doesn't, then LM is good, or if you want a stop then USDM (but i guess quite importantly for USDM they allow mixed class!). Each has their own benefits..

Yes agree with this, AA has its advantages, probably the big downside for many is 90K really gets you half a trip. For LM you can get 75K points but that only has to be 40% (points + pay option) so you can use this for up to 187.5 K trip. Each program has their sweet spots to but you really need to check some are actually viable. I thought I had one on AA but haven't been able to find more than about 2 flights its actually available over a 6 month period!

 

[JohnK]

absolutely! this is a good offer from AA. And it beats the current USDM offer. You never know if these offers will stick around. So better to buy now!

I am having second thoughts. I tried searching online for availability SYD-ATH/SKG and also SYD-BKK for travel 6 months out and the results were extremely poor. I hope it is a glitch and not indicative of the actual availability otherwise I have got miles that are useless to me.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I am having second thoughts. I tried searching online for availability SYD-ATH/SKG and also SYD-BKK for travel 6 months out and the results were extremely poor. I hope it is a glitch and not indicative of the actual availability otherwise I have got miles that are useless to me.

no no - oneworld availability is awful in premium cabins! We all know that when we try to redeem through QF. AA doesn't generally create more space than is available for QF members.

The aadvantage of AA miles is really if they happen to have an option on the day you want to fly (and one ways too!). So if I'm returning from hong Kong and QF or the CX/BA combo happens to be available then its a great deal for 45K one way. But if you are buying with the intent to ticket your dream holiday, unless you're going to do that 365 days in advance then it could be hard.

edited to add: CX J is ok and that's usually not too bad for asia ex AU for availability

 

[ermen]

AA miles should be held as part of a portfolio. There are redemptions HKG-SIN-SYD on CX F/BA F. There is QF F to HKG followed by KA F to PEK or PVG. There is ok availability on CX non-stop business class from most AU capital cities to HKG and beyond to asia - all for 35K miles and full flat beds for the long-haul.

Having AA miles available means you cantake advantage of F class if it happens to be available for when you want to fly. If it doesn't, then LM is good, or if you want a stop then USDM (but i guess quite importantly for USDM they allow mixed class!). Each has their own benefits..

I don't understand. Are you able to do a mixed airline redemption? In your example:
E.g. CX F HKG - SIN and then BA F SIN - SYD will be counted as TWO redemptions no?

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I am having second thoughts. I tried searching online for availability SYD-ATH/SKG and also SYD-BKK for travel 6 months out and the results were extremely poor. I hope it is a glitch and not indicative of the actual availability otherwise I have got miles that are useless to me.

CX does not appear on AA online bookings, you have to call.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I don't understand. Are you able to do a mixed airline redemption? In your example:
E.g. CX F HKG - SIN and then BA F SIN - SYD will be counted as TWO redemptions no?

AA awards are based on zones. My examples (which I have previously redeemed) are simple Asia-SWP awards.

 

[ermen]

AA awards are based on zones. My examples (which I have previously redeemed) are simple Asia-SWP awards.

OK maybe I am getting confused.

I thought that AA oneworld awards were limited to a single carrier whilst AA oneworld explorer awards allowed you to mix and match.

Given that you have redeemed those awards before, I would obviously take your advice! So that's a handy thing for me to keep in my back pocket!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

AA awards are based on zones. My examples (which I have previously redeemed) are simple Asia-SWP awards.

Aa awards can be distance based too. There is 2 types of award .

 

[MEL_Traveller]

OK maybe I am getting confused.

I thought that AA oneworld awards were limited to a single carrier whilst AA oneworld explorer awards allowed you to mix and match.

Given that you have redeemed those awards before, I would obviously take your advice! So that's a handy thing for me to keep in my back pocket!

the award chart is just 'one world and partner airline' awards, with a nite that IB and BA will slog you for fuel fines.

edited... I just saw there is an explorer award chart. but i've never used it! like the qantas version, the redemption levels are quite high.