Planning in advance-2007 Platinum challenge

[Tiki]

Thanks again, Dave, I really am learning a lot from you, maybe others who are basically budget travellers and new to the world of upgrades and status will learn from this thread too.

OK, so it looks like I would miss the 20,000 threshhold by 770-ish miles. I don't have any trips planned between this RTW in 2007 and the States in 2008, except Rarotonga but that's on NZ. So more questions (sorry Dave, hope you're not sick of me!)

Should I tweak the RTW, maybe come back SIN-MEL/SYD-BNE? The domestic SYD-BNE should score the 500 mile minimum.

Would buying flowers from FTD count towards the upgrades? (I do this anyway for Mothers Day, etc) Or does it have to be BIS miles? (bum in seat)

Maybe when JL joins OW, they will offer more miles than QF's 50%?

Does the counter reset each year or is it continuous, every 10,000 triggers 4 x 500 upgrades?

How long does it take them to post? On the US trip, I will still be platinum and would hit 10,000 miles 4 days into the trip and would still have enough domestic US flights to burn them. Otherwise, next visit would be 2011-its on a 3 year rotation. The US trip is roughly 21,000 miles but the 2nd batch of 4 x 500 mile upgrades won't post until we are home, so will they expire or what? Or can we sell them?

I won't get enough miles in 2008 to maintain the platinum so I will soft-land to gold for the Europe trip in 2009, then by 2010, I will be a nobody again!

 

[Dave Noble]

Should I tweak the RTW, maybe come back SIN-MEL/SYD-BNE? The domestic SYD-BNE should score the 500 mile minimum.

Would buying flowers from FTD count towards the upgrades? (I do this anyway for Mothers Day, etc) Or does it have to be BIS miles? (bum in seat)

If you can tweak it over the 20k, that'll help nicely. SYD-BNE will earn 500

Maybe when JL joins OW, they will offer more miles than QF's 50%?

Unfortunately not ( unless they adjust their mileage earning rules ) , since L is currently not valid for mileage accrual to AA

For economy travel on JL
B, G, H, K, M, N, Q, S, W, X earn 70% mileage currently and
A earns 100%

Does the counter reset each year or is it continuous, every 10,000 triggers 4 x 500 upgrades?

It resets on March 1st

How long does it take them to post? On the US trip, I will still be platinum and would hit 10,000 miles 4 days into the trip and would still have enough domestic US flights to burn them. Otherwise, next visit would be 2011-its on a 3 year rotation. The US trip is roughly 21,000 miles but the 2nd batch of 4 x 500 mile upgrades won't post until we are home, so will they expire or what? Or can we sell them?

They post a day or so after qualifying. They do not expire , however if you have no status , then tey can only be used on Full fare (B or Y class) tickets. If Gold or higher, can be used on most fares


Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

The US trip is roughly 21,000 miles but the 2nd batch of 4 x 500 mile upgrades won't post until we are home, so will they expire or what? Or can we sell them?

You can convert them to redeemable miles.

 

[Tiki]

OMG look at the taxes! I am not sure what exactly counts-which metal you are flying or which airline the ticket is plated on. But according to this QF has a basic $104 fuel fine for every international sector unless stated otherwise?

In the case of AA, it looks like they don't charge fuel fines on non-US sectors, just $99 to/from South America? Is that true or am I reading this wrong?

The country taxes for my itinerary are around $300.

Taxes

 

[Dave Noble]

OMG look at the taxes! I am not sure what exactly counts-which metal you are flying or which airline the ticket is plated on. But according to this QF has a basic $104 fuel fine for every international sector unless stated otherwise?

In the case of AA, it looks like they don't charge fuel fines on non-US sectors, just $99 to/from South America? Is that true or am I reading this wrong?

The country taxes for my itinerary are around $300.

Taxes

Yes. That is why I always recommend getting OWEs et al ticketed through AA. Other than the Transpacific and Transatlantic sector, there are no other fuel fines from AA, whilst QF has a fuel fine frenzy

Dave

 

[Tiki]

Wow, what a difference! Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Dave!

If I did the math right, QF would be $1101 (if domestic Peru counts, $789 if they don't), LA $220 & AA $99. Plus the country taxes of $301.

 

[Dave Noble]

AA will have 2 fuel fines, one for the transatlantic and one for the transpacific

Dave

 

[Tiki]

Which leg? We are doing BNE-SYD-PPT-IPC-SCL. The tax website specified AA flights only. We will be on QF/TN & LA. It's not really a trans Pacific, more like a few puddle jumpers. What about the GIG-JFK-LHR? Is that 2 fuel fines or one? JFK is only a transit.

 

[Dave Noble]

Which leg? We are doing BNE-SYD-PPT-IPC-SCL. The tax website specified AA flights only. We will be on QF/TN & LA. It's not really a trans Pacific, more like a few puddle jumpers. What about the GIG-JFK-LHR? Is that 2 fuel fines or one? JFK is only a transit.

mebe. Well, the best way to get the accurate taxes et al to be applied is to put an itinerary in to AA and then await the pricing to come back

Dave

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Which leg? We are doing BNE-SYD-PPT-IPC-SCL. The tax website specified AA flights only. We will be on QF/TN & LA. It's not really a trans Pacific, more like a few puddle jumpers. What about the GIG-JFK-LHR? Is that 2 fuel fines or one? JFK is only a transit.

Doesn't SYD-PPT need to be separate to your xONEx? Can fly TN or NZ on that route. Can't do SYD-SCL-PPT since it means you go from IATA area 3 to 1 and back again to 3 - not allowed.

 

[NM]

Doesn't SYD-PPT need to be separate to your xONEx? Can fly TN or NZ on that route. Can't do SYD-SCL-PPT since it means you go from IATA area 3 to 1 and back again to 3 - not allowed.

QF codeshares on TN are permitted on xGLOBxx fares.

 

[serfty]

From her first post, methinks Tiki is considering a L#GLOB34, even though she called it a LONE4 in that post.

 

[Tiki]

Yes, Serfty is right. I wasn't up with the lingo in my first post. Its the mileage fare not the continent one.

If the UK still is not allowing cabin bags, I may switch LHR to ZRH for the Europe gateway. No way am I checking my camera!

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

If the UK still is not allowing cabin bags, I may switch LHR to ZRH for the Europe gateway. No way am I checking my camera!

As of today they are allowing carry-on. However it is more restrictive than pre-this weekend. No liquids. Only 1 piece. Smaller size limit.

Unless your trip is in the next week or two I wouldn't worry about it (I'm not for my travel). Things are bound to change again at least a couple of times between now and then.

 

[Tiki]

I just hope they go back to normal. We were planning to do this whole trip with just carry on backpacks and layered clothing.

 

[Dave Noble]

I just hope they go back to normal. We were planning to do this whole trip with just carry on backpacks and layered clothing.

I wouldn't be betting on the UK hand luggage restrictions abating soon

Dave

 

[Tiki]

Will wonders never cease? I was playing around with the One World timetable on oneworld - Home. Just getting ready to book it. I found out that Finnair codeshares the QF SIN-BNE segment. This is a huge find because it means I will get 100% of the miles on that segment instead of QF's stingy 50% miles! Still only 50% EQPs on Finnair but who cares, I will hit platinum on the LIM-GRU segment, after that it's all about redeemable miles.:mrgreen:

23:35 21:10 HELSIN AY 0097
18:15 06:45 SINBNE AY 5896* (2 days later)

I keep trying to copypaste it here but it won't do it right!

 

[Tiki]

ROUTE        MILES        REDEEM       EQP          PLT BONUS
 
BNE SYD        461           500       500
SYD PPT       3807          1904      1904
PPT IPC       2645          2645      2645
IPC SCL       2337          2337      2337
SCL LIM       1543          1543      1543
LIM PEM        534 (domestic LP no miles or points)
PEM CUZ        196
CUZ LIM        363
LIM GRU       2154          2154      2154               2154
GRU GIG        219 (surface but counts in 34,000 miles RTW)
GIG JFK       4807          4807      4807               4807
JFK LHR       3446          3446      3446               3446
LHR HEL       1146          1146       573               1146
HEL SIN       5766          5766      2883               5766
SIN BNE       3824          3824      1912               3824 (AY codeshare instead of QF)
 
TTL MILES   33,248        28,160    24,704             21,143
 
 GRND TTL   47,391

Cheated and used Serfty's coding again! So this is hopefully the final routing. I assume the platinum bonus which starts accruing when I tick over to platinum status is also what the 500 mile upgrades are based on? Base miles, not EQP's, is that right? So I will get 8 x 500 mile upgrades based on the 21,143 miles? Please verify I did this right before I book it!

 

[Dave Noble]

Cheated and used Serfty's coding again! So this is hopefully the final routing. I assume the platinum bonus which starts accruing when I tick over to platinum status is also what the 500 mile upgrades are based on? Base miles, not EQP's, is that right? So I will get 8 x 500 mile upgrades based on the 21,143 miles? Please verify I did this right before I book it!

Not going to verify that you have the distances correct, but the basis of the calculation seems valid. The miles towards upgrades are indeed based on base miles , so you would get 8 UCs (which you could convert to 4,000 miles if you wish )

Dave

 

[Tiki]

BOOKED!! Driect with AA ATW office in the USA! I got all the flights I wanted in L class except the JFK-LHR one. She couldn't put us on the 0830 one, she waitlisted us there and confirmed us on the red-eye at 1815 one. If the waitlist doesn't clear, not a major tragedy, we still have a full day in London to see some highlights, plus 5 hours in Helsinki between flights to peek around (will be daylight until 10 pm!)

More questions!!

How long do we have to wait for the price including taxes to come back? Do I have to call or will it show up under our PNR#?

She put it on hold until 9 Oct. How many times can I postpone the ticketing? I prefer to stall it until Jan-Feb next year.

She was a bit concerned we have too many stops in South America. We really just have IPC, PEM, CUZ, LIM, GRU. The rest are transits, though some are overnight in LIM.