Author Topic: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread  (Read 13035 times)

Offline SuperFlyer

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #20 on: January 31, 2011, 05:12:37 PM »
IB isn't good, and even their new planes look old.

The itinerary is funny in the sense that you 'happen' to fly to LHR, and you keep on flying in and out for no apparent reason, and accumulating miles on your cc paying for your taxes.

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #21 on: January 31, 2011, 05:14:22 PM »
What other points/miles do you have?

I have a little idea.  ;-P

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #22 on: January 31, 2011, 05:14:30 PM »
IB isn't good, and even their new planes look old.

The itinerary is funny in the sense that you 'happen' to fly to LHR, and you keep on flying in and out for no apparent reason, and accumulating miles on your cc paying for your taxes.
It's OW, that's life.  The only top-tier carriers are BA, CX, and QF.  *A would be a whole different ballgame.
There's no better way to do it.  (Well maybe if you can sneak in a QF A380 in there somehow.)
I approve of the itin!  It's just a shame not to taste HKG for a day while passing through.
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Offline LAXtraveler

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #23 on: January 31, 2011, 05:18:07 PM »
Also, you are staying 20 days between CDG and ZRH.

Not sure what you are planning, but if you are travelling by train you might want to land in AMS and depart in GVA, or FCO, VCE etc.

This europe is not really on its place here (unless you would have 10 little flights within europe).
I would suggest that you stick to asian places, and cover that. You'd save 40k AA a person, if only DME wouldn't be on the list...

I don't quite understand your comment "this europe is not really on its place here".

We are looking to spend the 20 days or so going from Paris and either train/drive down to southern France then get over to Venice and then up to Zurich (probably via Interlaken/Lucerne or both).

What other points/miles do you have?

I have a little idea.  ;-P

I have about 200k Starwood as well.

It's OW, that's life.  The only top-tier carriers are BA, CX, and QF.  *A would be a whole different ballgame.
There's no better way to do it.  (Well maybe if you can sneak in a QF A380 from HKG to LHR)
I approve of the itin!  It's just a shame not to taste HKG for a day while passing through.

Dan got it right on the head... that's life with OW. I want the best and BA/CX are the way to go in this case. I am still pondering shaving a day off of Russia and spending one in HKG if its a possibility.


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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #24 on: January 31, 2011, 05:26:31 PM »
I want to go to sleep.

Just this last thought:

Fly Lax DME 62.5AA in F.

Return from WHR* to LAX F for 62.5AA in F. *=Whichever airport in europe.


For 45k aeroplan you can cover maybe 10 airports in europe (in C) if planned out carefully and pay maximum $200 tax on the whole.

I believe you get much more tachles here.

just adding this HKG, makes it a RTW trip, which isnt needed.



Trains + F is a bit a contradiction, but I guess you will have to experience it yourself.

Flying F is wow, and you are being brought and carried all over, whereas traveling with the train means shlepping (without carriages to drop luggage on) between trains, and keeping a constant eye on your luggage, or it WILL get stolen. Car rental with a good gps seems smarter.

« Last Edit: January 31, 2011, 05:30:12 PM by SuperFlyer »

Offline LAXtraveler

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #25 on: January 31, 2011, 09:20:40 PM »
I want to go to sleep.

Just this last thought:

Fly Lax DME 62.5AA in F.

Return from WHR* to LAX F for 62.5AA in F. *=Whichever airport in europe.


For 45k aeroplan you can cover maybe 10 airports in europe (in C) if planned out carefully and pay maximum $200 tax on the whole.

I believe you get much more tachles here.

just adding this HKG, makes it a RTW trip, which isnt needed.



Trains + F is a bit a contradiction, but I guess you will have to experience it yourself.

Flying F is wow, and you are being brought and carried all over, whereas traveling with the train means shlepping (without carriages to drop luggage on) between trains, and keeping a constant eye on your luggage, or it WILL get stolen. Car rental with a good gps seems smarter.

So you're idea of doing the F on AA would be OK except their product and availability is not as good or plentiful as the option outlined above. Additionally, I would rather use my Starwood points for hotels within Europe so I don't have to pay ridiculous rates (although for many places we are looking for smaller boutique hotels if possible).

Finally, although trains are not as "wow" as F on an airplane might be, they are often much more conveniently located within cities and also offer first class accommodations in terms of cabin experience.

Offline LAXtraveler

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #26 on: January 31, 2011, 10:48:06 PM »
OK, so I just had to make some major changes to my itinerary because my wife was not so keen on the Hong Kong part of the trip. My new itinerary is very simple:

July 31: LAX-LHR-DME in F on BA (with a 3 hr layover in the T5 Concorde lounge)
August 31: ZRH-LHR-LAX in F on BA

Any suggestions for using AA miles to get between DME and other parts of Europe? If not, I am thinking I will go price hunting for cheap flights/trains/cars for different parts of the trip.

As always thoughts, comments, suggestions, etc. are welcome.

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #27 on: February 01, 2011, 12:08:54 AM »
OK, so I just had to make some major changes to my itinerary because my wife was not so keen on the Hong Kong part of the trip. My new itinerary is very simple:

July 31: LAX-LHR-DME in F on BA (with a 3 hr layover in the T5 Concorde lounge)
August 31: ZRH-LHR-LAX in F on BA

Any suggestions for using AA miles to get between DME and other parts of Europe? If not, I am thinking I will go price hunting for cheap flights/trains/cars for different parts of the trip.

As always thoughts, comments, suggestions, etc. are welcome.
S7 is now part of OW and fly DME to a few destinations in Europe.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2011, 12:16:59 AM by aussiebochur »

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #28 on: February 01, 2011, 01:03:48 AM »
If only AA flights are available for the transatlantic, you could fly to LAS instead or so with BA.

Offline LAXtraveler

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #29 on: February 01, 2011, 11:40:02 AM »
If only AA flights are available for the transatlantic, you could fly to LAS instead or so with BA.

I am currently on only BA metal for all my flights.

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #30 on: February 01, 2011, 12:17:08 PM »
OK, so I just had to make some major changes to my itinerary because my wife was not so keen on the Hong Kong part of the trip. My new itinerary is very simple:

July 31: LAX-LHR-DME in F on BA (with a 3 hr layover in the T5 Concorde lounge)
August 31: ZRH-LHR-LAX in F on BA

Any suggestions for using AA miles to get between DME and other parts of Europe? If not, I am thinking I will go price hunting for cheap flights/trains/cars for different parts of the trip.

As always thoughts, comments, suggestions, etc. are welcome.
Meh...dislike.  Have you flown CX F before?
What are the taxes now?
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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #31 on: February 01, 2011, 12:23:42 PM »
Being that you are entering the US at LAX and not connecting, why not add a leg to Hawaii for a future vacation?
AA allows a stopover at the gateway city so it won't cost you anything.

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #32 on: February 01, 2011, 12:39:33 PM »
Meh...dislike.  Have you flown CX F before?
What are the taxes now?

Taxes are $620/pp. Weird how the pricing went up a bit. Never flown CX at all before, but I couldn't convince her to go the long way around.  :(

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #33 on: February 01, 2011, 12:40:04 PM »
Being that you are entering the US at LAX and not connecting, why not add a leg to Hawaii for a future vacation?
AA allows a stopover at the gateway city so it won't cost you anything.

That is a thought. How long can I be at the gateway city for since I wouldn't be able to get to Hawaii until after the hagim?

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #34 on: February 01, 2011, 12:46:31 PM »
Taxes are $620/pp. Weird how the pricing went up a bit. Never flown CX at all before, but I couldn't convince her to go the long way around.  :(
Not weird, you're on another long-haul BA flight.
CX F is an experience in itself...worth it just for the designer Shanghai Tang Pajamas :)  And I loved HKG as well and the fantastic W HKG, but if you can't stop for a day then I hear ya'
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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #35 on: February 01, 2011, 12:50:26 PM »
While we're on my trip planning... any suggestions for places to stay in Paris? How much should a good hotel cost? Are any of the Starwood properties there worthwhile?

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #36 on: February 01, 2011, 12:53:55 PM »
While we're on my trip planning... any suggestions for places to stay in Paris? How much should a good hotel cost? Are any of the Starwood properties there worthwhile?
There's only 1 place to stay in Paris as far as I'm concerned.
Park Hyatt Paris from a diamond account.
Nothing else compares, period.
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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #37 on: February 01, 2011, 12:56:36 PM »
There's only 1 place to stay in Paris as far as I'm concerned.
Park Hyatt Paris from a diamond account.
Nothing else compares, period.

How can I arrange something worthwhile to stay there?

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #38 on: February 01, 2011, 01:14:55 PM »
I have a diamond acc if that helps.

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Re: LAXtraveler's July/August 2011 Trip Planning Thread
« Reply #39 on: February 01, 2011, 01:39:33 PM »
I have a diamond acc if that helps.

Are you up for trading *wood for Hyatt points?