Weird Advantage issue (not hahaha)

[aussiebochur]

It only counts as a segment.
The system may automatically count the land miles, but the rules clearly say they do not count.
They wanted to charge me zone 9 instead of zone 8 as I had DPO-HBA as an open jaw and the computer was counting the land segment as miles traveled, but a quick check with the rates dept. changed it back to a zone 8.

Very interesting! And very awesome!

I was also told by AAgent that the land miles also count but I do see now the rules clearly state only the segment count.

[aussiebochur]

That's not the issue, its kind of a nebech case, give a last throw with his bits of money to try some business deal.

He needs to pay the expert a biz tix otherwise the guy doesn't travel.

I already closed the deal for way cheaper using miles, and now, he will have to cough up another $1200 which he doesn't really have...

So what's THE cheapest route, Dan, with your latino experience you should know that.

Ps: I just add a segment, and it will automatically fall in the OW award, or I need to illuminate the path for those reps?

It dont see how it'll make much of a difference, zone 3 OW award is 80k miles...

[Dan]

I don't know the cheapest route.  Try AEP-IGR but I don't promise that's the cheapest.

You just need to ask for a oneworld ticket, if they're not familiar with it hang up and try again.  You will need to get them to go to the rate desk so that the land segment doesn't count in the mileage flown if you don't do DME-xxx as the bogus flight.

[aussiebochur]

I don't know the cheapest route.  Try AEP-IGR but I don't promise that's the cheapest.

You just need to ask for a oneworld ticket, if they're not familiar with it hang up and try again.  You will need to get them to go to the rate desk so that the land segment doesn't count in the mileage flown if you don't do DME-xxx as the bogus flight.

What am I missing with the "cheapest route"? Referring to taxes?

[Dan]

It dont see how it'll make much of a difference, zone 3 OW award is 80k miles...

40k more miles than intra-Europe=SF is selling at 3cpm

[Dan]

Very interesting! And very awesome!

I was also told by AAgent that the land miles also count but I do see now the rules clearly state only the segment count.

It is 100% awesome.  Most agents are clueless when it comes to these awards, but I had some great ones that were s enamored with my itin that they went above and beyond to make sure my "honeymoon" round-the-world trip passed the muster of the evil audit department that kept trying to kill our trip. 

[SuperFlyer]

Here, I'm just trying to do a damage control, and approach my original as much as possible.

It used to be 40k + $0 tax + $100 expedite.

[Dan]

What am I missing with the "cheapest route"? Referring to taxes?

Yes.
Obviously you need to avoid AA and BA, but other than that it's just a guess in the dark.
SYD and MEL have ridiculous fees, so those are out as well.

[Dan]

Here, I'm just trying to do a damage control, and approach my original as much as possible.

It used to be 40k + $0 tax + $100 expedite.

C'mon you mean you actually paid an AA expedite fee.
<Disappointed>

[aussiebochur]

40k more miles than intra-Europe=SF is selling at 3cpm

Right, that's the difference between All partner award and OW award. Hence me comment

Should work, but its going to cost you...

But once its a OW award what's the difference which added leg he uses? Taxes?

[SuperFlyer]

My trips are usually so short notice, and I try to make non-lakewood profits on it, so the $100-saving-trick, is actually a risk that I don't want to take. Add to it, that I bump more and more often onto the same aa reps...

[Dan]

Taxes?

Yes, now your job is to find the (non-AA) OW leg with the lowest taxes.

[Dan]

Add to it, that I bump more and more often onto the same aa reps...

That's because they automatically route your calls to the same agent. 
When SF calls:
"Thanks for the calling the AAmerican AArlines AAdvantage Desk.  Hello Superflyer, and welcome back!  I see that you're scheduled to travel on xx/xx.  Allow me to route your call to our special desk we created just for you!

[aussiebochur]

Yes, now your job is to find the (non-AA) OW leg with the lowest taxes.

Is it the same as a paid ticket? Looking on ITA, all the fees minus base fare?

[SuperFlyer]

On phone with them now.

I told them that I was very upset at what happened, and looked and found a fifth 'dan' american airlines master guru, who told me to write down the following.

[Dan]

Is it the same as a paid ticket? Looking on ITA, all the fees minus base fare?

Hard to say.
For AEP-IGR for example you're looking at
Argentina Domestic Value Added Tax (DL)    $35.40
Argentina Gross Receipts Tax (QN)    $11.40
Argentina Security Tax (TQ)    $0.40
Argentina Airport Tax (XR)    $8.80

If I had to guess I would say that DL and QN don't apply to award tickets and TQ and XR do apply to award tickets, making the cost $9.20.
But it's very possible that I'm wrong and the only way to know would be to call AAdvantage and find out.

[SuperFlyer]

They say that its not valid, because it crosses DME (which is the starting point as well).

Please fast I'm on the phone with them.

[Dan]

They say that its not valid, because it crosses DME (which is the starting point as well).

Please fast I'm on the phone with them.

Forgot about that rule!

[Dan]

I told them that I was very upset at what happened, and looked and found a fifth 'dan' american airlines master guru, who told me to write down the following.

Huh?

[SuperFlyer]

Should I split it into 2 one ways? 

Dme-yks. + dummy

Yks-dme + dummy

Here I might want to get rid of 2x $100 expedite