So, what are you burning your AA miles on?

[djfuzz]

I have just put a SYD-NRT JL J *2 On Hold, using my 90K miles purchased last year. Looks like I need to call the Australian centre to get it ticketed .....

El Segundo method won't work?

 

[kempvet]

El Segundo method won't work?

I think that the issue is that JL is not available as a choice in the AA award online booking engine, if you are on a JL flight and can book online with the AA booking engine, the JL flight almost certainly has a QF flight number

 

[kamchatsky]

I think that the issue is that JL is not available as a choice in the AA award online booking engine, if you are on a JL flight and can book online with the AA booking engine, the JL flight almost certainly has a QF flight number

JL option is definitely not available online. Unfortunately there is no QF21 (my preferred flight actually) available for entire 2 months. So no web booking for me.

Ironically, I had to use BAEC award engine to find JL availability before calling AA for booking. Sometimes I wonder the OW carriers don't integrate all the awards into one engine. QF and AA does not show JL, but BA does.

I will try to call late tonight for ticketing in US again. Will add extra zero in front of my postcode to see if I can get away with it.

 

[grussellt]

You can see online JL availability on Awardnexus . You should be able to call AAdvantage anytime (free call on Skype or Gmail). If credit card doesn't work try putting the award on hold and try online later. When you see an award you like I would book it immediately.

 

[dragonman]

Used the 90000 I bought this way - one way TLV-LHR in J on BA and one way SYD-JNB in J positioning flight for next DONE5. The great thing really is the taxes/charges less than $60 US. Still have 10000 points left.

 

[kempvet]

Used the 90000 I bought this way - one way TLV-LHR in J on BA and one way SYD-JNB in J positioning flight for next DONE5. The great thing really is the taxes/charges less than $60 US. Still have 10000 points left.

Same here, positioning flights in J to then use mainly AA metal where system wide upgrades can be used on international flights and complimentary upgrades on the US domestic and Central American and Caribbean regions

 

[drron]

JL option is definitely not available online. Unfortunately there is no QF21 (my preferred flight actually) available for entire 2 months. So no web booking for me.

Ironically, I had to use BAEC award engine to find JL availability before calling AA for booking. Sometimes I wonder the OW carriers don't integrate all the awards into one engine. QF and AA does not show JL, but BA does.

I will try to call late tonight for ticketing in US again. Will add extra zero in front of my postcode to see if I can get away with it.

Just make sure your postcode with a zero in front is a valid US zipcode-just google US zipcodes to check.I use my PO box in caloundra with a 04551 zip.It actually is a village in Maine so if i was ever asked i can say yeh a tiny place in the backwoods of Maine.

 

[kempvet]

Just make sure your postcode with a zero in front is a valid US zipcode-just google US zipcodes to check.I use my PO box in caloundra with a 04551 zip.It actually is a village in Maine so if i was ever asked i can say yeh a tiny place in the backwoods of Maine.

This can be hit or miss in the USA, sometimes this doesn't work as the zip may need to match the zip on the credit card billing address as a security measure, where it does work it usually means that the zip is used for data collection and marketing reasons only and not security reasons but as you mentioned, it needs to be a valid zip even for the marketing reason.

 

[drron]

This can be hit or miss in the USA, sometimes this doesn't work as the zip may need to match the zip on the credit card billing address as a security measure, where it does work it usually means that the zip is used for data collection and marketing reasons only and not security reasons but as you mentioned, it needs to be a valid zip even for the marketing reason.

But my PO box is my CC billing address so putting a zero in front has never been a problem.

 

[diningdecadence]

has anyone tried out BA new first? SYD-SIN for 45k or SYD-LHR for 80k with looks like ok availability on BA through SIN.

 

[rcn]

has anyone tried out BA new first? SYD-SIN for 45k or SYD-LHR for 80k with looks like ok availability on BA through SIN.

Did it once. Do note BA redemptions require you to pay the fuel surcharges, which are about $300 or so.
New first is very nicely designed, although its small. Feels very similar to business class on CX. Usual coughpy BA service. Got to use to Flounge in Sydney, although you dont get the perk of advance spa bookings as per QF First. For better value, add on CX First SIN to HKG for a token cost.

 

[Pumbaa]

I've managed to complete all my AA bookings for next year.

I have ticketed:
PER-MEL-DXB-LHR: PER-MEL J and MEL-DXB-LHR F on Qantas - 80 000 points
MAD-LHR-JFK: MAD-LHR J and LHR-JFK F on British Airways - 62 500 points
JFK-HKG-SIN: JFK-HKG F and HKG-SIN J on Cathay Pacific - 67 500 points

Excellent value!

 

[Paddy55]

... SYD-DFW-RSW in J in early Sep for 62,500 points. Bargain

 

[Chesty]

I've managed to complete all my AA bookings for next year.

I have ticketed:
PER-MEL-DXB-LHR: PER-MEL J and MEL-DXB-LHR F on Qantas - 80 000 points
MAD-LHR-JFK: MAD-LHR J and LHR-JFK F on British Airways - 62 500 points
JFK-HKG-SIN: JFK-HKG F and HKG-SIN J on Cathay Pacific - 67 500 points

Excellent value!

how do you acquire so many points Pumbaa?

 

[knasty]

I can't speak for Pumbaa, but you could have bought 60,000 + 30,000 bonus in December for USD1,808 as a lot of us did, and again earlier this year (February IIRC?). Add in a few miles actually earned through AAdvantage or transferred from American Express via SPG and you're there...

 

[anat0l]

how do you acquire so many points Pumbaa?

I'll also let Pumbaa explain if desired, but for most people, as knasty alluded to, it's not hard to accumulate AA miles if you participate in the Christmas promotion each year.

That said, depending on your ultimate redemption goals, it could take you anywhere between one and a few years to achieve your goal if you don't try any other avenues.

 

[Princess Fiona]

I've managed to complete all my AA bookings for next year.

I have ticketed:
PER-MEL-DXB-LHR: PER-MEL J and MEL-DXB-LHR F on Qantas - 80 000 points
MAD-LHR-JFK: MAD-LHR J and LHR-JFK F on British Airways - 62 500 points
JFK-HKG-SIN: JFK-HKG F and HKG-SIN J on Cathay Pacific - 67 500 points

Excellent value!

Well played

 

[kempvet]

I'll also let Pumbaa explain if desired, but for most people, as knasty alluded to, it's not hard to accumulate AA miles if you participate in the Christmas promotion each year.

That said, depending on your ultimate redemption goals, it could take you anywhere between one and a few years to achieve your goal if you don't try any other avenues.

Probably this year I will complete 150k with AA , BA, AY flights credited to AA, so base and status bonus miles at least 300k plus a few cabin bonuses along the way, but the rewards are now tiered to something like pass 40k get 10k bonus, pass 75k get 20k bonus, pass 125k get 30k bonus, pass 150k get 40k bonus, so just getting to 150k would give me at least 100k bonus simply getting to 150k in one year, so really 400k in one year at least, plus cabin bonuses sometimes.

Finally I soon get the citibank credit card of AA with 60k bonus and and probably spend 20k using the card, finally I bought the 90k mile promotion.
I guess close to 600k AA miles this year which I now tend to use on J routes where there is no AA metal or codes such are SYD-DBX and also SYD-PVG or SYD-NRT but to be honeset SWMBO and the apprentice SWMBO tend to take the cream of these AA miles.

 

[Pumbaa]

how do you acquire so many points Pumbaa?

My AA Strategy:

1) Purchase maximum points from AA during their promo periods each year

2) Purchase 20k SPG points each year when they are on sale (20-25% discount) and credit to AA for 25k
(roughly the same price as purchasing AA points during promos)

3) Stay @ SPG hotels wherever possible, especially during promo periods and then transfer to AA when I reach 20k to get the 5k bonus

4) Transfer any extra points I need AMEX --> SPG (2:1)
(40k AMEX points at a time to get 20k SPG points to credit to AA for 25k)

Its quite exciting because I haven't flew OW airlines much. Been mainly flying Singapore Airlines and Star Alliance carriers with US Dividend miles. I for one am quite excited about the prospect of all my US points being possibly converted to AA 1:1. I have purchased many extra US points in that "hope"!

I also added SIN-MLE in J using my US Dividend points.

So for my honeymoon its ...

PER-MEL(J)-DXB(F)-LHR(F)-BCN(Y) | MAD-LHR(J)-JFK(F)-HKG(F)-SIN(J)-MLE(J)-SIN(J)-PER(J)

We get to visit the Melbourne QF First Lounge, the BA First Concorde Room and the Cathay Pier/Wing Lounges! This should be a trip to remember!

 

[anat0l]

So for my honeymoon its ...

PER-MEL(J)-DXB(F)-LHR(F)-BCN(Y) | MAD-LHR(J)-JFK(F)-HKG(F)-SIN(J)-MLE(J)-SIN(J)-PER(J)

We get to visit the Melbourne QF First Lounge, the BA First Concorde Room and the Cathay Pier/Wing Lounges! This should be a trip to remember!

Congratulations to you and lucky partner :!:

Just out of interest, how much did you have to front up in co-pay (taxes and so on)? I'd imagine it'd be a bit elevated purely due to the BA YQ (but you have saved yourself the UK APD at least).

How much time will you have and at what time of the day will you be in the Concorde Room?