Fare Deal- Los Angeles to Hong Kong for $430 !

Come on, let's go.

Here's another one that's worth checking out if you need a bunch of qualifying miles, though it won't get you many qualifying dollars.  Also, if you might happen to actually want to go to Hong Kong, that's a bonus.  I highly recommend it, even if just for a short time.  It's an accessible city that you can see a fair amount of quickly. 

Go for the miles, stay for the lounge...

The flights vary, but are either direct from LAX to HKG, or some routings will take you through Tokyo for a few hours.  If you're a Oneworld elite, this is no big hardship since the lounges at NRT are some of the best, probably closely following the embarrassingly good lounges at HKG.

Not bad.  Not bad at all.

There are some decent prices for the rest of this year, but the real 'deals' are mostly early 2017, with prices well under $500!  You can earn around 12,000 or more qualifying miles on this trip, plus it's a fun destination.  The long haul flights are on American planes, so systemwides and miles and co-pay upgrades are possible for the trans pacific segments.  Connections to and from Tokyo are on Cathay or JAL.

It probably won't last long, so get it on hold while you can if you're interested!

Fly well,

~CruisingAltitude

Fare Sale Alert- Los Angeles to Dallas

Sunset over DFW

It's that time again- American Airlines is having a quick (could end any time) sale on flights from LAX to DFW for this fall.  Dates are currently available for October through early December 2017.  Prices start at $79 round trip, including all fees!  This happened briefly last year & I made the most of it.

Google Flights at time of posting

 

To see what's available, the quickest way is to head over to Google Flights and search for LAX to DFW round trip and scroll through the calendar.  This year American seems to be rolling out some of these great fares throughout the year.  A month or so ago, they had round trips to Chicago for $81, so who knows what all they'll open up over the next month.

 

Even more fun, many of the cheap flights to Dallas put you on bigger planes- the 777 or 787, making upgrades a great experience since they'll be into lie-flat international style business class seats!  But these fares will disappear quickly, so grab them while you can!

 

~CruisingAltitude

Fare Deal: LAX to Liberia, Costa Rica

Impromptu trip to Costa Rica?  You could do worse....
 

** Note: this fare deal is good as of the time this was published.  These generally only stay active for a limited time, especially for certain dates.  If you're interested in this deal, I encourage you to hold your tickets as soon as you can!**

I don't usually post specific flight deals on this site, unless I'm in the process of planning for or taking the trip.  However, I've gotten multiple requests to share some examples of trips I'd recommend.  Usually I feel like my itineraries aren't for the casual traveler, as they're aimed at maximizing my miles and perks.  However, sometimes a deal pops up that serves both purposes of earning some serious qualifying miles, and having a great and comfortable trip too. 

This week's Los Angeles - Liberia, Costa Rica deal is one of those rare ones.  For around $670 round trip, including all taxes, you can fly to Costa Rica.... In business class!  Aside from having a good destination to spend a weekend, this trip will be comfortable start to finish, and earn 13,770 elite qualifying miles.  That's a good chunk of the miles needed to reach AA's Gold and Platinum levels, and doesn't hurt in your quest for the higher status levels either.

How to book it:

Both the AA.com site, and Google Flights are showing plenty of availability currently. To search for this fare, put in LAX as the starting point, and LIR as the destination.

Google flights showing tons of availability !

AA.com as well!

For bonus points, once a day American flies their biggest, nicest, plane between LAX and MIA.  For the same price, you can choose these flights and have a very comfortable lie-flat bed for most of this trip.  Just look for the flights (see photo above) that show "777" or "77W" as the plane type. 

This trip is similar to last year's Panama City and Quito deals, but comes even cheaper, with only a couple fewer miles.  All in all, this one's a great option. 

Happy travels!

~CruisingAltitude

If you want to know more about miles and points, or get help with booking tips like these (or any other travel) I'm happy to help.  Check out altitudeconsulting.net for more info!

The New Math, Mileage Style...

Welcome to Doha- Your destination for all your future mileage earning needs. 

 

So, so.... what can we say about current events?  Plenty, but this is not the blog for that.  As part of my angst over the past couple weeks, I decided to direct some energy elsewhere, and finish up planning my mileage runs for next year early.  I mean, it was that, or watching old episodes of "Commander In Chief" and killing a bottle of wine.  So, choices....

Now, I know that this type of early planning my not fit the traditional definition of 'Mileage Running' as it used to be, back when you'd just top up your mileage account in November or December on a few long flights, preferably with some added Double Miles bonus, or other incentive.  However, those days are over.  Since the revenue-based earnings and elite qualifying dollars have been introduced across the US's three major carriers, getting your status done each year has needed to get more creative.

Enter, the new Mileage Lifestyle.  Ironically, it's far more lucrative to renew you American Airlines status (or Delta for that matter) by trying to almost never step on an American flight on a mileage run.  Good job with that planning, AA leadership, we're all about to know way more about the Doha airport than we ever imagined.


"The Teddy Bear" at the DOH airport.  You will get used to it, I promise.

Instead, I'm heading to a few of the Oneworld partner airlines who, on occasion, have some very lucrative sales on premium class tickets to all corners of the world. What's important to know, is that partner flights in premium classes more or less earn redeemable miles like 'the good old days.'  For an Executive Platinum member, you stand to earn based on the miles flown, plus a 120% bonus, plus any cabin class bonus miles.  They also earn some extra elite qualifying miles, and more importantly, elite qualifying dollars based on a percentage of the distance flown.

Let's have a quick look at some 'sweet spot' examples.  First up, Qatar:

(Click on the chart for larger image)

So, what's the deal here?  The place to look on this chart is at those business R and I codes.  Qatar has been liking to sell promotional fares in these buckets for a fraction of what they're worth.  There have been discounts, holiday code sales, and 2 for 1 deals.  Simply put- this airline is growing, has a lot of business class seats to sell, and a lot of government 'equity.' 

What does this mean in terms of earnings?  How is it different than flying AA?  Well, for starters, let's do the math for each.  Let's take a hypothetical $1000 ticket for round numbers (yes, this is an expensive mileage run, but...math).  At the outset, on one of these fare deals you might be booking into business class for long haul on Qatar, while you almost certainly would be in coach on AA.  Let's say the ticket travels 20,000 base miles (this is like an itinerary from LAX-Doha-SE Asia and back, which is long, most average long haul ones lately have been in the 17-18k range for me but once again, math). 

On AA, in economy as an EXP, you would earn 11,000 redeemable miles (the $1000 you spent, times 11), 20,000 elite qualifying miles (the distance you flew), and $1000 elite qualifying dollars.  I'm assuming that the $1000 does not include the taxes that aren't included in the qualifying dollars under the new rules. So in short, the AA flight = economy travel (maybe you could standby for the upgrade) and 11k usable miles, 20k elite qualifying, and 1k elite qualifying dollars.

Now the same $1000 ticket on Qatar- at the start, you'd be in business class. So there's that.  Your earnings would look like this: 44,000 redeemable miles (20k + 120% bonus), 30,000 elite qualifying miles (the 20k with a 1.5 multiplier), and $4000 elite qualifying dollars (20k flown miles times .20).

Anyone see where I'm going with this???

I'll also note that I've recently been able to find some great deals on one way and shorter-haul Qatar tickets that book into A and D classes, making them even more lucrative.

Now, let's assume that in all honesty you're likely to pay a bit more for that Qatar business ticket, than the AA economy ticket.  Fair enough, but with current rates you're only going to be paying a few hundred more from what I've seen, if you're willing to dig around for the deals.  Add to that that at a $.02 value, those extra miles are worth in the neighborhood of $600, and with miles being harder to come by these days, I value them even more. Further, you don't need to burn a systemwide upgrade (someplace around a $350+ value) trying to make this trip comfortable, which is good, since we're only getting four now.  Save those for that trip with the family to Europe.

But, you say, 'What if I don't want to go to Doha? I'm trying to avoid 110 degree heat and questionable governments this year!'  Well, there are some other bright spots in the partner charts.  Take, for instance, British Airways' premium economy tickets.

(Click on the chart for a larger image)

Have a look at those W, E and T fares.  I've seen those get reasonably priced for some long haul flights.  What's even more interesting about those, is that if you have some Avios, or some AmEx Membership awards points that can be made into Avios, those fares can be upgraded to business class using them. Not a bad way to go to, say, Africa, and back in business class for well under 2k. 

So, this is the first iteration of the new mileage math.  It has its downsides: you're more limited in destination on average, though AA also has a few routes that always came up as well.  The initial price may be a shade higher, but you get more for it, and may need to do less.  The takeaway here, is that it's still possible to find some good deals to keep your status, and enjoy doing it.  

As an added bonus, we're about to finally know where Qatar is.

To see my preview of what a 'new math' mileage run looks like: Best Worst Decisions

Thanks for reading and travel well,

-CruisingAltitude

PS, if you don't want to spend your days and nights learning the ins and outs of mileage math, but still want to travel better, let me help you!  Check out Altitude Consulting and get in touch!

It's the end of the world as we know it....

British Airways tails at Heathrow from my last mileage run-your connection to Europe just got longer.

Well, this post could be about so very many things.  So very, very many things.

In the major headlines last week, a slim majority of UK voters decided to take their country out of the EU.  There are lots of feelings about this going around.  So very, very many feelings.  I have some, but that's not the point of this post, or this blog really.  What I will say though, is it's a sad week for the future of travel if you're considering transiting LHR on the way to other European cities.  Heathrow already isn't the smoothest connection, now add an exit from the EU passport control, possible additional tariffs, and no good can come of it.  On the other hand.... the pound and the euro are on the way down, so it's possibly a good time to snatch up some decent ex-UK tickets, if you're in the market.  So, you know, priorities.

So, there's that.  There are also quite a few other world events that could be in line with this post's title, but they're not what I'm supposed to be talking about here.

However, what is on topic for this blog, is American's decision to end the last great mileage program as we know it.  In fact, American was the first airline to 'invent' the frequent flyer program, advertising it with the simple "fly a mile, get a mile" slogan that has lasted decades, and became the model for the other carriers that followed.  Yet, under new management due to the US Air merger, starting August 1, this system will no longer be followed.  Instead of distance flown, all that will matter is how much you paid for your ticket.  This is extremely bad news for the large majority of flyers, your correspondent included. 

There is no point to this pic, I've just been typing far too many 'words' without a picture, so here's a nice view of takeoff from DUS.  Much better than the words.

The new system that has been set up, is targeted on two groups of travelers.  The first are the people who don't really belong to any mileage programs.  They don't use them, only travel a few times a year, and generally just book the lowest fare, no matter what airline it is, or how bad the product or service.  These people couldn't care less, and just want everything stripped down so that when they click purchase on Orbitz, they think they have a good deal (never mind that they'll probably end up getting nickel and dimed out of quite a bit of extra money along the way in fees for bags, food, picking seats, and the like.)  This new program allows AA to bottom-out the benefits they offer, scrape a few dollars per fare out of the overhead costs, and try and compete for these people with the likes of Frontier and Spirit.  Trying to be like the most hated airlines in the country.  Makes sense.  

The other, drastically smaller, group of flyers the new system is aimed at are the "1%" or less of flyers who habitually buy full fare business and first class tickets.  Everyone else in-between, they don't seem to care about retaining as loyal customers.  This is all allegedly well and good, I would suppose, for the bottom line according to current management.  However, if I'm being honest, if I had the corporate backing to be buying international business and first fares regularly there's no way I'd be picking any of the legacy US carriers at all.  I'd be going with the top service, and the flight and connection times that suited me best.  None of these criteria would lead me to a US based airline.  The product, and especially the service, is just simply better on most international carriers.  Even in economy the service on Japan Airlines, Qantas, or Malaysia puts any US airline to shame, jetbridge to jetbridge.

Nevertheless, AA has decided to forgo staying as the one international US airline with a true mileage program, rather than a spend based program, in favor of just doing what the others did.  I suppose if there's no competition doing any better, why bother.  My eventual reaction to this will be a post for another time, or not, if I know what's good for me.

So..... anyway.....to the point, and on a much better, if a bit nostalgic, note....

Given this particular 'end of the world as we know it,' with the blessing of Mrs. CruisingAltitude, I hurried up and booked one "last" true mileage run before the Aug 1 deadline.  As luck would have it, there was one weekend left where Hong Kong was still within mileage run territory.  As I've said over and over again, I love Hong Kong as a mileage destination.  It is an intersection of cultures, new and old architecture, and beautiful natural sights, all wrapped up in an accessible and visitor friendly urban landscape.  It really is one of the finest cities in the world.  Plus, and almost as importantly, it is very, very far away. 

Morning views from my last HKG run: Beautiful Hong Kong island in the foreground, Kowloon in the distance.

My itinerary this time takes me on the overnight flight to Dallas from LAX, letting me start off the journey at the Qantas 1st lounge, followed by time for a nap, shower, and breakfast in the DFW Centurion, before getting on the ultra-long haul flight to HKG.  At 17 hours, and over 8,000 miles one way, it's still the longest flight on AA metal you can fly.  My return, just under two days later, connects through Tokyo's Heneda airport on Cathay Pacific, before heading on home to LAX on one of AA's new 787s.  The HND-LAX is a relatively new route, and it will be my first stop at that airport, as I usually connect through Narita.  Unfortunately, the 5 hour stop will be just shy of enough time to really justify going into the city, but I've never complained about time spent in the JAL 1st lounge!

From the northeastern vector into TYO- beautiful sea and sky!

So, all in all, I'm trying to make the best of the 'last' real mileage run.  This trip will earn me over 33,000 miles.  If I take it after August 1 this year, it would barely have earned 8,000.  End of the world as we know it, indeed. 

With that in mind, I have some plans for my time on the ground.  I'll see how many of them I get to in the end, but for now I'm hoping to hit up any (or all of the following):

-At least one night of the 'Symphony of Lights' laser show.
-Enjoying the views from Kowloon from the waterfront, and possibly from the 118th floor of the Ritz at the 'tallest bar' in the world, Ozone. 
-Running the 5k loop path at the top of "The Peak."
-Finding the old "Checkerboard Hill" in Kowloon (See my ramblings about this HERE)
-Dim sum
-Possibly some time at the rooftop pool/spa of the Kowloon Sheraton Towers Hotel.
-Finding the perfect cocktail (after I find the way in) at Foxglove, and/or Quinary...and/or....and/or...
-Of course, some quality time before my outbound flight at the many fantastic lounges at HKG.

Yes, this is what I mean by 'quality time' at the HKG lounges.

In other words, I don't plan to waste this opportunity to send real 'mileage running' off with a memorable weekend.  Sure, there will still be mileage trips to gain status, but it's the end of an era for sure. 

I suppose the best light to cast this in, is to be thankful for the experiences that the AAdvantage program in it's last incarnation has allowed me, both on mileage runs and redemption trips-  I've seen every continent (save Antarctica), with stops in over 20 cities I otherwise wouldn't have been to, pet lions in Africa, been harassed by monkeys in Malaysia, and yes, had my share of memorable (if a bit strange) foreign airport and plane experiences.  What's more, I've made quite a few good friends who are just crazy enough to feel the same way about the occasional one-day trip to Tokyo (or Brazil...Doha....). 

So, what else is there to say about the end of this particular little world?  Where do we go from here? Another airline? (*cough* Alaska Air *cough*)  Something else entirely?  I'm really not sure yet.  For now, I'm just looking forward to the next adventure. 

~CruisingAltitude

A last backward glance at the 'old AA' - sunset over DFW and an endangered MD80 'Mad Dog' to go with.

The Violet Hour....

"This is the violet hour ... when the affectations glow and valor is reborn, when the shadows deepen along the edge of the forest and we believe that, if we watch carefully, at any moment we may see the unicorn."  (Photo is actually first early light south of Tokyo on approach to NRT #nofilter)

Yesterday was a big day.  Well, a big about 90 minutes.  What happened?  Glad you asked....

AA.com put up a flash sale for domestic tickets from several major hub cities, selling insanely discounted tickets for various dates through the fall.  I mean insanely discounted, "unicorns" if you will, like these:

LAX-ORD and return- $65
LAX-DFW and return- $71

That's round trip. All taxes included. Yes, for serious, I can even prove it:

Yes, I know this ticket goes to Chicago for 2.5 hours.  What's your point?

This is not the first time this has happened.  Last year I picked up a couple of $81 dollar fares to Chicago and used them to visit our favorite restaurant (The Green Zebra), and on a later trip meet up with a friend from law school for coffee & later a new traveler friend for drinks.  All in a day's trip.  As an aside, the name of this post, as well as being pertinent to the actual point of this entry, is also the name of a cocktail bar I really meant to go to with said travel buddy...but there was a line...and ain't nobody got time for that on a 'same day turn.'

I'm just going to pause at this point to address what any of the maybe... 5...on a good day, maybe, people who might read this and are familiar with the recent changes to the AA earning system's brains are exploding with at the moment.  Yes, I am painfully well aware of the changes going down on Aug 1 that will make these tickets virtually worthless in terms of redeemable miles (there were actual tears).  However, depending on my year, I very may well be in need of some cheap EQMs, and you can't do better than this.  Even with my anger at AA, I've resolved myself to "one more year" of going for EXP status, since I've come this far already.

So, that being addressed, to the point.  Fare deals like this one only come around once in awhile, and once it gets out to the flyer community the mad dash to pick up the one or two seats per flight that are being discounted per day, I can only compare the ensuing chaos of booking to my childhood memories of the annual county fair's "barnyard scramble." 

What's the barnyard scramble?  Glad you asked...

This was an event that entailed a flock of chickens, rabbits, and the like, being herded into the main event arena, to eventually be pursued by an equally disorganized heard of the young attendees of the fair.  The kids got to keep what they could catch while chasing, screaming, and shoving other kids out of the way.  It was insane (but fun, when you're 7), PETA-angering chaos.  As a disclaimer, I grew up in a pretty rural part of the country, and most of these kids' parents had a nice little farm that said captured animal would be going home to.

So, to the point yet again.  At the end of the about 60 minutes where I was still able to find these fares, I amassed about 8 or 9 bookings put on AA.com's 24hr 'hold.'  I barely knew what all I'd grabbed, forgoing the time to select seats in favor of putting google flights to good use. In the end I emerged with 4 Saturday same day turns, and two 2 night weekend trips that I managed to get two tickets on, so Mrs. CruisingAltitude & the new BabyFlyer can join in.  One of these even has an outbound on the 787 Dreamliner, making it even harder to pass up!

The result of the scramble...

Which brings us to what I've come to think of as The Violet Hour.  This is the sometimes stressful time at about 9 or 10pm the night that hold expires, where you suddenly remember you have to fish or cut bait on all those tickets you have sitting there.  This happens to me a lot, usually on things a whole lot more of a commitment than $64.60.  If I had a dollar for every time I'd gotten into bed, and immediately said, "oh &^#@*&, I still have those tickets on hold" I'd have like...a lot of dollars by now.  I find at this point a glass of wine helps...or a cocktail... depending on the ticket price and itinerary to help make the call.  You contemplate, plan, bargain, and think if you REALLY want to go to Chicago in November, Kuala Lumpur in the rainy season, or Hong Kong any time for 18 hours (the answer's yes, always yes to HKG). 

There is no bad time to go to Hong Kong.

This Violet Hour, I conquered the challenge.  I scrambled for those unicorns, and managed to go through with several Chicago turns, as well as picking up a longer visit to DFW so Mrs. CruisingAltitude can visit her sister for a few days.  It's even better when the deals actually take you someplace you need to be.  It should help me finish out my EXP for the year, and besides, who doesn't want to spend their Saturdays in airports and on planes!?! 

Come on, let's go!

~CruisingAltitude