September 15, 2010
Again, I redeemed many tickets in past few days, all for myself and family. Let me share some again, very interesting work.
1 Flight to PPT from China, Tahiti is a special place, a place I can not even go with one award. if you read my post few days ago, I tried to use AA miles for the ticket, but unfortunately it will not working for reasons I mentioned in previous post. routing via NRT will be considered Asia 2-Asia 1, then another award Asia 1- south Pacific, total 150000 per person Roundtrip. routing via AKL will be considered as Asia2 -South Pacific+ South Pacific-South Pacific, so 130000 per person R/T. I need to save some of my AA miles, so I give up this option.
Then, I was going to try AA to AKL in business, then US airways from AKL-PPT R/T, that will be 70K for AA+30K on US airways. However, business class award seats on Air New Zealand for AKL-PPT are nearly impossible to find and the flight arrival and departure time is not very good. So I give up this option too.
Then I was going to try 90K using US airways mixed of All Nippon+Hawaii Air, return via AKL, but Hawaii Air to PPT only 1 per week, seats are extremely limited.
Finally, I decide to use my “favorite program-Delta Sky Dollars”. First, I tried PVG-NRT-PPT in business, just same as AA routing, but it priced out 150K per person, the reason was PVG-NRT counted as 1 R/T, then NRT-PPT counted as another one. I know many people don’t remember anymore, although Delta award within Asia are pretty much same, but they are 2 zones in Asia, Japan and Korea is one zone, all else are another. so Japan/Korea to South Pacific is 110K in business, all else are 120K. But we are talking about Delta, 120K to South Pacfic does exist, but again, not routing via Japan/Korea. There is alternative on Malaysia airline, but I was disappointed on my last trip.
After I figure this out, I asked agent to do ICN-NRT-PPT, Return PPT-AKL(stopover)-ICN, now it came up with 110,000 total in Business class. How am I gonna get to ICN? easy, buy a ticket cost $150 for 1 hour flight
2 After spending a lot of time try to figure out Tahiti flight, I successfully redeemed 2 tickets using Us airways miles from China-Africa, the whole process took less than 30 minutes, most time are calculating taxes, the trip are
CA 930 PVG-NRT, overnight
LH711 NRT-FRA, Airbus 380
SA 261, FRA-JNB, Flat bed
SA 190 JNB-MRU
return open jaw
TK 41 CPT-IST, A330
TK 50 IST-NRT, B77W flat bed
CA929 NRT-PVG
total taxes are $177+50 processing fee
3 Also, I redeemed three tickets using delta miles for my family go to Japan and Korea in Economy class, the route are PVG-ICN-NGO//KIX-ICN(Stopover)-PVG, total 20K each.
Lots of work, but very happy about outcome with Delta miles.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, 2011 Trip, American Airlines, Award redemption, Delta, US airways |
September 11, 2010
Reader Hendrik pointed out yesterday, LH is only running one R/T on A380 from FRA-PEK per week, I checked my booking, it become B747, although they allow one free rebooking, but my schedule are fixed, I just have to take OLD B747.
I think one r/t is the max they can do, there are not that many people to fill the plane.
According to Beijing airport Official, they are not ready to accept too many A380 at same time because EK is running too. Is this some kind of joke? PEK is claiming they are the largest airport on earth!they can even accept few A380s.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, Star Alliance |
September 2, 2010
I have a lot want to talk about, like my trip on Continental new aircraft last week, but I am extremely busy this week because I am going to back to China permanently this Sunday with my entire family and have 8 bags to pack! At the same time, I am helping reader on Delta awards and my internet was down again, I have been “living” in *bucks for past 2 days already.
Anyway, the flight was the BEST FLIGHT EVER in term of EVERYING, seats, food, entertainment system, service, I will talk about it when I got time sometimes next week!
Also, the blog will talk more about China in the future, because I will be there 80% of time now.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip |
August 31, 2010
It’s very interesting to write about this today. I just took a flight from PRG-LHR in Business class, which was just first few row of the plane with middle seat blocked. There are minor difference with UK carriers, seats on left side are two bigger seats with one very small middle seat.
5 years ago, I took a flight from LHR-DUB on BMI with seat assignment 3C, at that time, I was general member of all airlines. The middle seat next to me was very very small, I was wondering who can fit in that seat at the time, not even a kid.
5 years later, I finally realized I was actually seating in the Business class, the seat was not intended for anyone.:P
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, BMI Diamond Club, British Airways |
August 27, 2010
I had flights from ONT-IAH-FRA-PRG, the flight from ONT-IAH scheduled to depart 12:25pm. Since I live pretty close to ONT, I normally don’t leave home until 1 hour prior to departure. For some reason, I thought my flight was actually 12:55pm, so my plan was to leave home around 12:00.
Around 11:15, my internet at home was down, so I decided to go to the airport a little early. Checkin, security all was pretty quick, I got to my gate around 11:50. All of sudden, I saw the boarding already started, I then looked screen TIME 12:25 pm. Had internet working properly at home, I would definitely missed the flight!!!
The flight had directTV on board, so I had various selections of entertainments! It was a great flight, but my connecting flight from IAH-FRA are much much much better and I was impressed by the brand new aircraft!
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, Continental Airline |
August 19, 2010
Instead of using BMI miles for the return, I used AA miles instead because I need to save some of my BD miles for travel with my baby. BMI miles award doesn’t charge anything for lap child, only infant taxes, which is very low.
Award is mix of British airways and Alaska airline via YVR with a overnight in YVR because not enough time to make connection back to States. Total is 50000 miles+ 99 in taxes. The entire reservation was completed less than 10 minutes. PRG-LHR-YVR-SEA-ONT
Really like one way award now.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, American Airlines, Award redemption |
August 17, 2010
Many readers had already told me that MH may impose fuel surcharge for miles ticket issued by Delta, especially for flights originate from KUL because if delta charges them, they will keep them, so MH just collect themselves at the airport instead .In my case, the flight originated from Beijing, then connected on China Airline from KUL-TPE, then from TPE-LAX. I was not asked for anything at PEK, then nothing from KUL-TPE obviously, I thought I could just get away with it because I doubt MH had the way to collect them in TPE.
MH flight check in was processed by China airline employee at connection desk, as soon as they typed my name in the system, they told me I was due $66 USD for fuel surcharge. I had no problem paying that, but the wait was long. They had to run out of terminal to MH office to charge my credit card, at least 20 mins. The fee was charged in Taiwan dollar, but I used my Fidelity AMEX to pay, the actual total is just a little over $66 including foregin transaction fee.
TPE airport is the worst major city airport I have ever been to, T1 has 4 sections, but only one restaurant in each section and most food have been sold out already. They are currently doing the expansion work, hopefully, it can become better.
As for Malaysia airline long haul flight, I was not impressed at all, service was good, food was good, but nothing special and the food portion was small, I felt pretty hungry even after the dinner service.
Anyway, despite nothing special from MH, it’s still a good option to burn your Delta miles on, because it’s fairly easy to score 2 Business class seats for trans Pacific flight, then you can connect to many places in Asia.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, Airports, Award redemption, Delta |
August 8, 2010
I left home this morning for flight to SIN via NRT on AA/JL, When I checked in, AA staff did not put “Premium” baggage tag for, it’s not really a big deal. After I collected my baggage in SIN, I saw my handle had Japan Airline Premium tag, how did JL baggage handler found out? I think most airport employees don’t even bother to add a tag on the baggage since it’s just connecting.
Quite impressed.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip |
July 4, 2010
As you probably know Shanghai airline and China Eastern will merge together and become China Eastern later this year, but during the transition period, FM already gives some flights to Chna Eastern to operate, which means your original reservation will be canceled and you will arrive airport without a ticket! This is exactly what happened to me few days ago!
I arrived SHA check in counter for FM 9103 flight from SHA-PEK, the agent told me there was no such flight and I don’t have ticket and asked me to go to ticket service counter. At Service counter, I was told the flight was given to MU already, I need to provide TICKET NUMBER in order to retrieve information! Since I had my ticket number with me, they were able to retrieve and rebook me on the MU flight. they told me Ticket number is the only way for this situation to be solved, without it, nothing can be done!
So a reminder here, if you have *A award travel involve Shanghai Airline, bring your ticket number with you, not just your confirmation number, you need ticket number(the most important information on your reservation), United airline ticket number is 016xxxxx.
Update: it turns out be not just flight from PVG-PEK, it can happen on any FM operated flight because my brother in law just had same issue for CAN-WNZ on BD miles ticket.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, General Frequent Flyer Advice, Star Alliance, United Airlines |
June 30, 2010
Today is my first time buying something at airport DFS other than cigarettes because I always travel UA or AA and their international departure terminals don’t carry the cosmetic brand my wife uses. When I pay for the cosmetic, I notice the amount is not a whole number, the sales person told me Hawaii state adds 4% sales tax on cosmetic even in DFS store for international departure. This is really funny, I ended up paying more than what I paid in the US mainland because if online purchase, I have cashback, if in store purchase, I can get lots lots of samples.
hard to understand why the charge taxes in Duty free shop for international departure.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, Airports |
