Q: status credit points on AA

[Myrna]

Does someone know the status credit points for flying with AA on LAX - SFO - LAX in YUP? I remember reading it on this forum that it will be 180 SC points (currently about US$800). Is this correct? I am going to be in the US next month (Feb) and have been thinking of getting some status credit points on AA - often mentioned in this forum, from LAX to SFO in YUP (on the AA website, they call it "instant upgrade").

I do understand that once booked and paid for YUP one gets to travel as a F pax. However, if I change a flight later and that flight has no F seat available, I will be in Y class instead. Is it correct that, as long as I do not make any change to the booking, I should get an F seat? Or, this is not guaranteed and I can still be in Y class?

I remember reading on this forum more than a year ago that someone did SFO - LAX - LAS - LAX - SFO in one day for 240 SC in YUP in one day! How does one make booking for this itinerary? Also, does anyone know of a similar itinerary originating from LAX instead? I think LAX - LAS - LAX in YUP will earn 120 SC (currently around US$700). Is this correct?

Another question, are the status credit points flying with Lan Chile on SYD - AKL - SYD (for about A$750) still 160 in J class?

Sorry for too many confusing questions (I have not been on the forum for a year). But any answer would be greatly appreciated!

 

[dfcatch]

LAX-SFO one way on YUPP will get you 60 SC.

Try LAX-DFW-TPA for 210 SC each way or SFO-LAX-SEA for 150 SC each way.

If there is a flight problem or misconnect there might only be a Y seat available on the next flight. You could always choose to wait for another flight where an F seat is available.

 

[samh004]

Another question, are the status credit points flying with Lan Chile on SYD - AKL - SYD (for about A$750) still 160 in J class?

Yes, New Zealand hasn’t moved closer

Cheaper if you fly AKL-SYD-AKL too

 

[Myrna]

Thanks, dfcatch, for your quick reply.

Your suggestion LAX - DFW - TPA is brilliant! it seemed to be a good one for 210 SC. If I get to Tampa, hire a car and drive to Orlando (not too cold) for Disneyworld in Feb is preferable than to SFO (too cold).

 

[Myrna]

Thanks, samh004, for confirming that SYD - AKL - SYD with LA is 160 SC (for A$750). Very good, but I think since I am going to be in the US next month I will be tempted to do LAX - DFW - TPA with AA for 210 SC (for A$1,100).

 

[straitman]

Thanks, dfcatch, for your quick reply.

Your suggestion LAX - DFW - TPA is brilliant! it seemed to be a good one for 210 SC. If I get to Tampa, hire a car and drive to Orlando (not too cold) for Disneyworld in Feb is preferable than to SFO (too cold).

That one works well as TPA is considerably cheaper as a destination than MCO.

 

[dfcatch]

That one works well as TPA is considerably cheaper as a destination than MCO.

A$1100 will get you LAX-DFW-TPA return which is 420 SC

Oh and don't thank me, I got the suggestion from some other very helpful folks here and did the run myself last November

 

[Myrna]

A$1100 will get you LAX-DFW-TPA return which is 420 SC

Oh and don't thank me, I got the suggestion from some other very helpful folks here and did the run myself last November

On the AA Australian website, it said for "instant upgrade" the fares were considered to be "business for certain routes, but first for others". I think the LAX - DFW - TPA "instant upgrade" fares will be considered first, and this is why it will yield 420 SC.

One question regarding your run in November last year, did you have any trouble with Qantas crediting the SC points? Did you have to keep your boarding passes and email them to Qantas?

What did you do in Tampa on your run? Did you just stay overnight? I read that it is 1.5 hours drive from Tampa to Orlando, so I may go to Disneyworld in Orlando.

An unrelated question - last year I bought cheap Y fares on AA for LAX - SFO - LAX, but Qantas did not give me any FF or SC points. When I phoned them, they said the fares I bought were not eligible for either FF or SC points! Does anyone know if this would be the case?

 

[dfcatch]

No problems at all. Flights and SC's were posted within a day or two. Of course I always keep boarding passes just in case

The more common AA cheap fares book into O class or similar. These are not eligible to earn FF points or SC's. You can check which AA fare classes are eligible on the Airline Earning Table on the QF website.

 

[Myrna]

No problems at all. Flights and SC's were posted within a day or two. Of course I always keep boarding passes just in case

The more common AA cheap fares book into O class or similar. These are not eligible to earn FF points or SC's. You can check which AA fare classes are eligible on the Airline Earning Table on the QF website.

Thanks, dfcatch. Good to know that flights and SCs were posted promptly. Also, thanks for clarifying that some AA cheap fares will not earn FF or SC points.

Been thinking of going to Orlando from Tampa, but I read that there has been a severe bed bug plague in most hotels in Orlando! (even 5* hotel ones) and in some hotels in Tampa.

 

[dfcatch]

Thanks, dfcatch. Good to know that flights and SCs were posted promptly. Also, thanks for clarifying that some AA cheap fares will not earn FF or SC points.

Been thinking of going to Orlando from Tampa, but I read that there has been a severe bed bug plague in most hotels in Orlando! (even 5* hotel ones) and in some hotels in Tampa.

I was only transiting Tampa so just stayed at the airport Marriott.

Bed bugs are an issue in all tropical and warm weather locations at certain times of the year. Check recent reviews on tripadvisor and decide where to stay.

 

[serfty]

There's also LAX-xSFO-SEA in F class (not a YUP, FULLY refundable) on a AA flight numbers (Alaska Airlines metal SFO-SEA); earns 150 SC's

The return for 300 SC's costs USD767.

Of course it's a bit colder than Fl.

 

[BensAdventures]

Not sure about your concern with bed bugs in Orlando. I was there in December for a week and had about another 40 people traveling with me, all in seperate hotels, and I knew of no issues.

I stayed at the Peabody and it was brilliant. They have just done a major extension so the whole hotel feels fairly new & no bed bugs....

 

[dfcatch]

There's also LAX-xSFO-SEA in F class (not a YUP, FULLY refundable) on a AA flight numbers (Alaska Airlines metal SFO-SEA); earns 150 SC's

The return for 300 SC's costs USD767.

Of course it's a bit colder than Fl.

Wow, that's even cheaper than last time I looked!

 

[Myrna]

Another tricky question.

I would like to do the one-way LAX - TPA (via DFW) with AA, paying the "instant upgrade" fare (about $560). However, I want to get off at DFW to see a close friend (who has cancer). I don't want to go to TPA. If I do the one-way LAX - DFW paying the "instant upgrade" the fare would be over $900. It is crazy!

Do you think I can do this? Or, will I get into trouble with AA for not continuing on to TPA from DFW? Since there will be 2 different flights with a change of aircraft, will they give 2 separate boarding passes at LAX? If I only board the flight out of LAX, but not out of DFW, they will probably be paging me all over the airport?

Will I get 120 SC points for the LAX - DFW for the LAX - DFW - TPA? I will not be doing the DFW - TPA so I will not get the 90 SC points for it.

 

[drewbles]

Wow, that's even cheaper than last time I looked!

That's gone up a lot actually. Last time I did it (March 2009) it was around $600USD.

There's a lot cheaper SC's to be had than that if you have the time, but they do require overnighters which of course bump the overall cost up.

 

[drewbles]

Another tricky question.

I would like to do the one-way LAX - TPA (via DFW) with AA, paying the "instant upgrade" fare (about $560). However, I want to get off at DFW to see a close friend (who has cancer). I don't want to go to TPA. If I do the one-way LAX - DFW paying the "instant upgrade" the fare would be over $900. It is crazy!

Do you think I can do this? Or, will I get into trouble with AA for not continuing on to TPA from DFW? Since there will be 2 different flights with a change of aircraft, will they give 2 separate boarding passes at LAX? If I only board the flight out of LAX, but not out of DFW, they will probably be paging me all over the airport?

Will I get 120 SC points for the LAX - DFW for the LAX - DFW - TPA? I will not be doing the DFW - TPA so I will not get the 90 SC points for it.

I would imagine you'd just be classed as a no-show (I don't believe AA charge for these, I know QF tried it on me once, even though I flew, but that's another story). If you have checked luggage, you may have an issue as your bag will be checked thru to TPA. Carry-on only would be no issue.

You will only get the SC's for the segments you fly. If you want the SC's, i'd say fly to TPA then just turn around and fly back in Y or on another carrier if it's cheaper. That way you get the SC's, and still get to spend time in DFW with your friend (it's only a 2 hour flight from DFW to TPA).

It seems a waste of SC's (people around here want as many as possible so we don't like to see them wasted )

 

[Myrna]

Thanks, Drewbles, for your reply.

I agree with your view - since I will have checked luggage - not hand luggage only, it is probably better that I go all the way to TPA, overnight, then take a flight back to DFW the next morning. Unfortunately, flight from DFW getting to TPA late evening, so not possible to turn around on same day. I will be up for the overnight hotel plus the one way fare from TPA to DFW for about $250 in Y class with AA - but I get an extra 90 SC points from DFW to TPA. AA is the only airline flying non-stop between TPA and DFW, others have 1 stop.

Of course you are right about not wasting SCs!

 

[dfcatch]

That's gone up a lot actually. Last time I did it (March 2009) it was around $600USD.

There's a lot cheaper SC's to be had than that if you have the time, but they do require overnighters which of course bump the overall cost up.

Oh ok. I paid US$684 all in return SFO-xLAX-SEA in December.

When I was looking the LAX-xSFO-SEA version was dearer.

Myrna - I would agree with Drewbles' advice. Very easy to and cheap to get back to DFW from TPA.

 

[drewbles]

Thanks, Drewbles, for your reply.

I agree with your view - since I will have checked luggage - not hand luggage only, it is probably better that I go all the way to TPA, overnight, then take a flight back to DFW the next morning. Unfortunately, flight from DFW getting to TPA late evening, so not possible to turn around on same day. I will be up for the overnight hotel plus the one way fare from TPA to DFW for about $250 in Y class with AA - but I get an extra 90 SC points from DFW to TPA. AA is the only airline flying non-stop between TPA and DFW, others have 1 stop.

Of course you are right about not wasting SCs!

If $$ are important, you can get (on a randomly selected date, 10-Feb), TPA-DFW (as you say it connects) via CLT on US Airways for $164.90.

There are cheaper options if you don't mind the connection. The one above leaves TPA at 0515am and arrives in DFW at 9:42am so it's only a morning on the clock. In reality, it's 5hr 27min though.