Q for the AA YUP/KUP afficionados

[Katie]

Hi,
I've just booked a BNE-LAX-SAN//LAX-BNE trip for Sept/Oct. As part of this trip, I am thinking of having a couple of days in our SFO office, and will be attending a conference in SEA.
I'm looking at the following YUP on the AA site:
SAN-LAX-SFO-SEA-LAX
(with SAN-LAX being Y only)

Do I have my calculations correct that this would earn 250 SCs? (10+60+90+90)??
Cost is $USD1111.80. Doesn't seem to be extra taxes listed for an Aus billing address?

Thanks!

 

[Will]

Hi,
I've just booked a BNE-LAX-SAN//LAX-BNE trip for Sept/Oct. As part of this trip, I am thinking of having a couple of days in our SFO office, and will be attending a conference in SEA.
I'm looking at the following YUP on the AA site:
SAN-LAX-SFO-SEA-LAX
(with SAN-LAX being Y only)

Do I have my calculations correct that this would earn 250 SCs? (10+60+90+90)??
Cost is $USD1111.80. Doesn't seem to be extra taxes listed for an Aus billing address?

Thanks!

SAN-LAX in Y is 20 SCs, as books into full economy.

 

[serfty]

SAN-LAX in Y is 20 SCs, as books into full economy.

Not always, carefully check the actual fare class before booking.

 

[Katie]

Thanks serfty and Will.
With our planned trip with the ILs to Europe next year, I might just hit SG for the first time ... this is addicting ... to think, I just started out with AFF to get QP on the cheap!

 

[drewbles]

You may want to considering originating in SFO as well, and doing SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO. SFO-LAX is on AA metal, LAX-SEA is on AS metal with an AA code (giving you 60+90+90+60 SC's) for around $780USD.

Sometimes you'll see these available on americanairlines.com.au but usually I book them via aa.com, put them on hold, and ring AA in AU and state it wouldn't let me book on the aa.com site (due to the CC limitation as you know) and the AU site has not got the same availability. I've always had them happily waive my phone booking fee in this case, although as always, YMMV.

Pickup a cheap SAN-SFO fare to start the trip, and it'll work out to be less than your quoted amount, and net your more SC's (providing you don't mind the flights to pick the run up). 300 SC's for ~$780USD. Much nicer

 

[Katie]

You may want to considering originating in SFO as well, and doing SFO-LAX-SEA-LAX-SFO. SFO-LAX is on AA metal, LAX-SEA is on AS metal with an AA code (giving you 60+90+90+60 SC's) for around $780USD.

Drewbles, sounds good, but I'm not sure how I could get the SEA-LAX-SFO(-LAX) to work for me. The conference in Seattle will be finishing around 4pm on 8 Oct, and I need to be on my QF flight to BNE at 11:30pm that night. I will also have luggage. Can't even comprehend 10-11 days in the US with 7kg of carryon.
Although, I guess I could always ditch the LAX-SFO leg?
Depending on flights, I might have time to do SFO-LAX-SEA, rather than SFO-SEA.
Hmmm ...

 

[serfty]

You'll really only have time for SEA-LAX on the 8th.

A one way fare in F (First) class on AA6844 departing 5:30pm (last AS flight) will earn 90 SC's and cost USD373. That's about AUD2.25 per SC.

That will be tight though for time with your "4pm" finish.

 

[Katie]

OK, I have figured I can do:
3/10 - SAN-LAX-SFO YUP, SAN-LAX in Y, LAX-SFO in AA F $USD397
5/10 - SFO-LAX-SEA YUP, SFO-LAX on AA metal, LAX-SEA on AS metal, AA code $USD321 - this will sneak in an extra 60 SCs
8/10 SEA-LAX YUP, AS metal AA flight code. $USD362

* all prices excluding taxes
I was able to hold them on aa.com yesterday, but can't ring the Brisbane office to book them until business hours on Monday. I tried calling the US, but that was useless. Couldn't remember what other countries might ticket it for me, and after QF not waiving my phone booking fee for multi-city Y+ booking, I'm thinking I don't have a charming phone manner.

For what it's worth, at least as far as AA goes, getting a "cheap" flight SAN-LAX does not seem possible. I checked Y pricing for just that sector, and it was over $USD500! YUP combo with the LAX-SFO leg is much better.

Now a question, if I fly on AS metal, but AA flight num SEA-LAX on 8/10 in F, connecting to my QF16 flight (Y+) in T4 at LAX, can I access the flagship lounge due to the inbound F flight?
Don't expect to, and not at all perturbed if I can't access it, but thought I'd check here.

 

[serfty]

If you have used AA.com to hold a booking; then you can finalise the booking online - you don't need to call. (Aside from that, AA in OZ will charge $60 per booking for the privilege).

For the bookings with AA flight numbers on AA metal, look to save 10% off the base fare using www.centuryinthemaking.com. (Note - you can't Hold a booking if you use this discount.)

No F/L access unless WP or Emerald.

 

[drewbles]

If you have used AA.com to hold a booking; then you can finalise the booking online - you don't need to call. (Aside from that, AA in OZ will charge $60 per booking for the privilege).

For the bookings with AA flight numbers on AA metal, look to save 10% off the base fare using www.centuryinthemaking.com. (Note - you can't Hold a booking if you use this discount.)

No F/L access unless WP or Emerald.

AA in BNE have regularly waived the assisted booking fee for me when called and mentioned the flights I booked were not available on the AA AU site. I've heard people say the reverse as well, but i've never had a problem.

 

[pauly7]

AA in BNE have regularly waived the assisted booking fee for me when called and mentioned the flights I booked were not available on the AA AU site. I've heard people say the reverse as well, but i've never had a problem.

Confused... Why do you need to? I just book everything on aa.com with my aus based Amex...

 

[MelUser]

If you have used AA.com to hold a booking; then you can finalise the booking online - you don't need to call. (Aside from that, AA in OZ will charge $60 per booking for the privilege).

For the bookings with AA flight numbers on AA metal, look to save 10% off the base fare using www.centuryinthemaking.com. (Note - you can't Hold a booking if you use this discount.)

No F/L access unless WP or Emerald.

I don't think that the promotion works for Aus based people.

It certainly doesn't seem to work with Aus based AA website.

Does anyone know what the travel dates are to get 10% off?

 

[serfty]

I have used the promotion successfully on the US AA.com site. (Search for el segundo)

The last flight date for the discount is October 26th.

 

[serfty]

Confused... Why do you need to? I just book everything on aa.com with my aus based Amex...

In some cases the AU site is cheaper, especially if you note the lack of currency conversion fees.

 

[pauly7]

In some cases the AU site is cheaper, especially if you note the lack of currency conversion fees.

Ah ok

Has never worked out cheaper for me

 

[drewbles]

Confused... Why do you need to? I just book everything on aa.com with my aus based Amex...

So have I when I put the UK office address in, which then changes it to GBP insteadl of USD, and I then have to pay the currency conversion fee if I use my Amex.

Unless there's something i'm missing, there wasn't a way to book on the US site with an AU card unless you stated you were in the UK?

 

[serfty]

...
Unless there's something i'm missing, there wasn't a way to book on the US site with an AU card unless you stated you were in the UK?

El Segundo, El Segundo, El Segundo!

 

[Katie]

I have used the promotion successfully on the US AA.com site. (Search for el segundo)

The last flight date for the discount is October 26th.

Thanks for posting that link serfty. I was going to ask what particular machinations I should use to get by the US address. I have used others with various websites, normally using one of my company's US addresses.

 

[Danger]

On Saturday I used an alternative to serfty's El Segundo method, above. The AA website states that the credit card you use must have a US billing address; it does not say it has to be US-issued. I simply called my credit card provider, told the agent I was going overseas for four months and wanted to change my billing address. I changed it to the address of my former company's New York office and there were no questions asked. AA has processed my payment. At the end of the week I'll change my billing address back to Australia.

 

[serfty]

Ah ok

Has never worked out cheaper for me

More often than not this is the case - or you can't get the routing on the Oz portal.

However, sometimes it is less expensive.