I'm going to Japan twice this summer as a result of the favorable Expedia Special Rates at the Hiltons in Osaka and Tokyo. Also, I would like to complete the AA challenges.
I figure I'll do the Gold Challenge right away with the one way trip to Osaka. Then, on June 16, I can start the Platinum Challenge which would provide status for the rest of 2006 and all of 2007. Any thoughts?
$829.42 (N fare)
05JUN AA 1182 LAX 0745A AUS 1235P 1239 mi
05JUN AA 2486 AUS 0135P ORD 0410P 973 mi
05JUN AA 2361 ORD 0955P DFW 1210A+1d 801 mi
06JUN AA 0125 DFW 1145A KIX 0330P+1d 6674mi
9687 + (miles earned with flying between now and then) = more than 10,000 miles, with this being greater than the 5,000 points needed for the Gold Challenge
-------------------------------------------
16JUN AA 0154 NRT 0620P ORD 0400P 6286mi
17JUN AA 1655 ORD 1244P SFO 0308P 1851mi
17JUN AA 2246 SFO 0400P LAX 0518P 500mi
I'll finish the Platinum Challenge with later travel...
Any suggestions for improvement? Comments?
Remember with the challenge QSONG fares only get you partial q-points credit and will not get what you are looking for on the challenge.
This is only partially correct. Yes, Q, S, O, N, and G fares only give .5 Q-points per Q-mile, but the OP is doing more than enough flying to make up for that and get the Gold Challenge completed on the outbound leg.
I will grant that the return leg is not sufficient to complete the Plat challenge beginning on June 16, but the OP also notes (in the original post, in fact) that additional flying will be done to make up for that. Suffice it to say that I think the OP knows what they're doing here.
Mike
i calculate 4937 pts on the lax-kix itin and 4569 on the return....so, if you have at least 1 flight before leaving [and my calc is correct], you would have 10006 points min when you get back, enough for the plt chal....
i would do the plt chal to start....
when is the 2nd trip?
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Hi I have a friend who really needs help getting over the booze problem ::
I really feel for your friend, booze is always a problem in expat communities, but in japan, the land of the continual enkai it can be a real challenge. Strangely,
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good luck...
nako,
Thank you for the comments. This was my train of thought in designing these runs.
Ideally, I'd just wait until after the 16th to start and finish a challenge. The thing is, I'm designing the runs to match up against already booked hotel nights.
greatam,
Nice to "speak" to you again! Unfortunately, I bailed on Fiji for the $250 voucher. I'm going to Las Vegas in two weeks on my voucher trip.
For me, there are two huge advantages:
- complimentary drink vouchers when you visit the AAdmirals Clubs
- access to the US Airways Clubs
There are also disadvantages, mainly the requirement to have a boarding pass for a flight on the carrier operating the lounge for the partner clubs (or a QF boarding pass for the associated lounges).
i would do the plt chal to start....
Again, I disagree. If the OP wants the status to last the maximum amount of time, he should not start it until June 16 - the first date where a challenge will give 2008 expiration.
Doing Gold first means Gold benefits and bonus points for the return trip. As you note, it would take a few more Q-points before the trip to KIX to get Gold first, but the significant disadvantage to doing PLT first, in this instance, is that the status would expire a full year earlier than if the OP waits until June 16 to start the PLT challenge.
Mike
My bad. Faulty memory.
Any thoughts?
Your post leads me to believe that you have a firm handle on maybe 3% of the information needed to successfully complete a challenge. I would suggest that you head over to the AA forum, read the sticky on challenges, and then post your questions there. It's well worth the time that you would spend to make sure you complete your challenges successfully.
My goal is to start flying AA in earnest on the first of the year. I'd like to do so with Platinum status.
I plan on purchasing a Qantas Club membership in the next couple of days. Not only will it be useful for my AA flights, but also for my remaining travel on US.
Hello again from the FAR west side of the Valley.
Finally going to make the big jump to the AA side, huh ;)
Just a quick question. And I am too lazy to search for the answer. I know there is a benefit to buying a Qantas Club membership over an AA membership, but what exactly is it?? My AC membership expires in July, so maybe it would be better to buy Qantas? :confused:
Thanks
Gina
honestly, I suspect you'd get better comments in the AA forum.
Well, I've finally purchased my ticket. I have a new, improved itinerary! I purchased it using the Flyaow/CWT booking engine. When I called AA reservations to book, the agent I spoke with was rather rude and unaccomodating.
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05JUN AA 0280 LAX 0830A MIA 0420P 2341mi
05JUN AA 1758 MIA 0851P DFW 1052P 1115mi
06JUN AA 0125 DFW 1145A KIX 0330P+1d 6674mi
16JUN AA 0154 NRT 0620P ORD 0400P 6286mi
16JUN AA 1953 ORD 0735P STL 0844P 500mi
17JUN AA 1875 STL 1245P SFO 0251P 1732mi
17JUN AA 2246 SFO 0400P LAX 0518P 500mi
Fare Details: LAX AA X/MIA AA X/E/DFW AA OSA Q66.00 20M 317.40/-TYO AA X/E/CHI Q66.00AA X/STL AA X/SFO AA LAX 5M 303.97NUC 753.37END ROE1.00AA ZPLAXMIASTLSFO XT30.34US 13.20ZP5.00XA10.00AY17.82SW18.00XF LAX4.5MIA4.5STL4.5SFO 4.5
Taxes/PFCs: USD 106.36
Total: USD 859.36
Service Fee: $10.00
Total Price:USD 869.36
All booked in N.
Now my outbound flights alone will qualify me for the Gold Challenge (10130/2= 5065 points). My return will garner 5009 points (9018 miles) toward the Platinum Challenge, which I will sign up for to begin on 16JUN after I have completed the Gold Challenge.
If you think you'll fly enough this year to maintain PLT, I'd go ahead and just start the PLT challenge as soon as you can, and as long as you get 1900 points prior to your first Japan leg, you'll earn PLT on that NRT-ORD leg and get your 100% mile bonus starting on that one.
If you don't think you'll fly enough before 12/31 to maintain the status, I'd say your idea of starting a PLT challenge 6/16 would be the way to go.
I also agree this probably belongs in the AA forum.
Enjoy Japan! :)
...That said, why not just go for Plat right away and make sure you qualify on or after the June 16 flight? If it's the NRT-ORD flight that puts you over 10K points, then you'll get the Plat bonus for that as well as later flights, plus because you qualify after June 16 you'll keep Plat status until 2/08.
Fewmiles' website said:
"Start date - You can choose to start your Challenge on the 1st or 16th date of any month. The start date you choose determines how long your elite status will last. Challenges started in the first half of the calendar year (01Jan - 01Jun) will give you elite status to the end of the current membership year only. Challenges started in the latter half of the calendar year (16Jun - 16Dec) will earn you elite status for the remainder of the current membership year as well as for the following membership year."
Isn't it the start date, not the end date, that determines how long status will last?
[QUOTE=TransWorldOne]I'm going to Japan twice this summer as a result of the favorable Expedia Special Rates at the Hiltons in Osaka and Tokyo. Also, I would like to complete the AA challenges.
I figure I'll do the Gold Challenge right away with the one way trip to Osaka. Then, on June 16, I can start the Platinum Challenge which would provide status for the rest of 2006 and all of 2007. Any thoughts?
$829.42 (N fare)
Remember with the challenge QSONG fares only get you partial q-points credit and will not get what you are looking for on the challenge.
That said, why not just go for Plat right away and make sure you qualify on or after the June 16 flight? If it's the NRT-ORD flight that puts you over 10K points, then you'll get the Plat bonus for that as well as later flights, plus because you qualify after June 16 you'll keep Plat status until 2/08.
This is incorrect. The length of status earned by the challenge is determined by the date the challenge is started, not by the date of completion. Were the OP to begin the PLT challenge before June 16, the PLT would only be good until February of 2007.
Otherwise, I think that the OP has a better grasp on the whole concept than posters here are giving credit for. The LAX-AUS-ORD-DFW-KIX leg leaves the OP just short of hitting GLD - a single segment beforehand would be enough to get to the 5k Q-points for GLD. Assuming subsequent travel following the return, a PLT challenge with a June 16 start date would give the OP PLT until February of 2008.
Mike
I've read the post, I've read FewMiles old website... I just thought I'd solicit some assistance before I pulled the trigger.
3%?
Yes, probably better on the AA board.
That said, why not just go for Plat right away and make sure you qualify on or after the June 16 flight? If it's the NRT-ORD flight that puts you over 10K points, then you'll get the Plat bonus for that as well as later flights, plus because you qualify after June 16 you'll keep Plat status until 2/08.
Unfortunately, I don't think I'll fly enough this year. I still need to use up several US Airways vouchers, a couple of Rapid Rewards tickets, and unused credit on other airlines.
My goal is to start flying AA in earnest on the first of the year. I'd like to do so with Platinum status.
I plan on purchasing a Qantas Club membership in the next couple of days. Not only will it be useful for my AA flights, but also for my remaining travel on US.
Fewmiles' website said:
"Start date - You can choose to start your Challenge on the 1st or 16th date of any month. The start date you choose determines how long your elite status will last. Challenges started in the first half of the calendar year (01Jan - 01Jun) will give you elite status to the end of the current membership year only. Challenges started in the latter half of the calendar year (16Jun - 16Dec) will earn you elite status for the remainder of the current membership year as well as for the following membership year."
Isn't it the start date, not the end date, that determines how long status will last?
wish i knew that earlier :td:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=550587&highlight=made+plat
oh well had no choice anyways... ^
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Japan for the AA Challenge