Award Chart Discrepancies

[Dan]

Why did you capitalize hooey?

Ask my phone.

[flyingace]

That is sick. I just booked business to italy on AB with avios (47,500) and AA miles (50K) because i wanted one way to be biz and the other to be coach (so now I will book home coach prob with United). Had I known about this, I would've done coach VA to LHR and then BA to Italy, and flown home in biz. Wasted a ton of points. Oh well... I'm a total noob at redemptions so this is a learning experience.

Or you could switch the BA route to coach. And use the Biz on the way home. BA to Italy via AB in coach was 24,500 avios. With the Amex transfer comes out to 16500 MR points and practically no taxes.

[KidOOO]

Or you could switch the BA route to coach. And use the Biz on the way home. BA to Italy via AB in coach was 24,500 avios. With the Amex transfer comes out to 16500 MR points and practically no taxes.

Which airport in Italy?

[Drago]

Interesting post about AB miles.
http://travelisfree.com/2013/07/22/consider-transferring-spg-points-to-air-berlin/

Gotta think about how it may be of a benefit (if any) ex-TLV.

FYI:
TLV - VIE RT has $141 of YQ
TLV - TXL RT has $141
TLV - DUS RT has $141
TLV - MUN ditto
TLV - CGN ditto

Interesting data point.

[flyingace]

Which airport in Italy?

Sorry, just saw this. JFK-TXL-VCE.

[Drago]

Did I read correctly? MUN/CGN - TLV (RT) has zero YQ??!

no, ditto means 'the same'
IE, $141 on every single route.

[Galitzyaner]

no, ditto means 'the same'
IE, $141 on every single route.

TY!

[Dan]

Interesting post about AB miles.
http://travelisfree.com/2013/07/22/consider-transferring-spg-points-to-air-berlin/

Gotta think about how it may be of a benefit (if any) ex-TLV.

FYI:
TLV - VIE RT has $141 of YQ
TLV - TXL RT has $141
TLV - DUS RT has $141
TLV - MUN ditto
TLV - CGN ditto

Interesting data point.

Was more interesting when this was alive:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/17174

[businessmachine]

Was more interesting when this was alive:
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/17174

I would personally prefer to use 60k avios with minimal tax then 40k SPG anyday

[Drago]

I would personally prefer to use 60k avios with minimal tax then 40k SPG anyday

100%
If there was a better way to accumulate AB, this would be a better deal.
But from TLV-Europe for 25k AB, is only 20k SPG, and if somehow a few stops could be had, it could be s/t. Especially with the 50% companion reduction.

[Drago]

I assume this is known, but BA doesn't charge YQ on S7.
I thought S7 had a direct flight to DME, but I'm not seeing it.

[Drago]

Wow.
Just checked HKT - DPS using BA miles flying on Malaysian, and all the YQ were taken out!
Down from $122 to $22 (+ 14.5k OW)
Don't know if it's on all Malaysian or if it's s/t else.

(EDIT: YQ are still being applied from KUL-CDG, so unsure why not in this case.)

[Drago]

Another option to keep in mind are the AA Explorer awards.
Suffice to say, they're quite complicated (see FT for details here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/american-aadvantage/1328727-new-oneworld-aa-explorer-awards-using-aa-miles-not-partner-awards.html), but they have sweet spots in them.

For example, flying economy for under 1.5k miles is 30k, but flying btw 1.5k-4k miles costs 35k! And if you're flying from TLV to Europe, biz class isn't anything special anyhow.

So for example, the following routing should only price out at 35k (and you're using 2+ OW carriers, HG, IB, and BA).
You can then fly back from LON on a discounted carrier, or take the train into CDG and return from there using miles.

Another sweet spot is to fly in biz class btw 4k - 9k for only 80k, while 1.5k-4k costs 70k miles.

[Drago]

Discussion on FT about flying from Korea to TLV w/ routing through NYC.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-mileageplus-consolidated/1495353-can-you-via-usa-tlv-all-united-metal-ua-awards-tix.html

(Good to see that Dan is still active over there)

I've always wondered about routing from TLV to the US through Asia. I guess that it should be possible, but I never tried pricing it out.

[AJK]

LAX-PPT on AF = 150,000 DL miles.

LAX-PPT on AF = 90,000 KE miles.

Savings of 40%!

[Dan]

LAX-PPT on AF = 150,000 DL miles.

LAX-PPT on AF = 90,000 KE miles.

Savings of 40%!

Ever see anything in J on that route though?

[AJK]

Ever see anything in J on that route though?

I've seen occasionally... booking is another story.

[Drago]

Anyone ever book TLV-South Pacific on AA?
Only 30/45 miles (each way).
Any issues with the published routings restrictions for this? And how is Qantas availability to/from Asia? And will they let you route through Dubai (to fly on Qantas) or Qatar? I see good availability in all classes from DXB for next year.

[AJK]

Shouldn't be a problem.

What problem would there be? You're not transiting a third region.

[Drago]

Shouldn't be a problem.

What problem would there be? You're not transiting a third region.

I was referring to a published routing by the overseas carrier. Does that come into play here?