May 5, 2011
There are so many places I want to go,but getting to some places are not cheap, thanks to frequent flyer/guest programs and great airline alliances, so I can travel to so many places in comfort and cheap.
Back to one month ago, I mentioned my planned trip in May.Now, I’d like to share the process of booking all these awards.
The completed trip will be like this
PVG-FRA-ALA-IST-AMM//AQJ-AMM-JED-DXB-HKG-PVG//PEK-HKG-RUH-AMM-ADD-FRA-LCA//ECN-IST-ALA-DYU-IST-FRA-PVG
all bold cities are places I will enter or at least attempt to enter.
Confusing? 
because they are 5 separate tickets using 3 different airlines miles, so let’s me break them one by one. All award search was done by kvstool
First part and last part, PVG-FRA-ALA//DYU-IST-MUC-PVG, Lufthansa A346 and A 330 First Class, Turkish Air B737 business class and Air China A340 First Class, Using US airways , taxes amount 100+ 50 processing fee. It only took 2 phone calls to get this ticket issued because first agent refused to let me backtracking. I did not have option to try any other airlines first class product on the way back because flight from DYU-IST only operates 2 times per week, Monday and Wednesday, and I needed to find a way connect back to China same day. Also, DYU-IST was the segment I booked as Economy and just moved to Business last week
Then I used BMI miles for ALA-IST-AMM(stopover)-ADD on Turkish Airways B737 Business and BMI A321 Business class. This was a easy one, 1 simple phone call finished booking。BD flight only had economy left, but since I am Gold member, revenue management released business award seat for me. Never been to Africa, always want to be there. Although days spend in ADD(Addis Ababa) will be very short, I don’t want waste a free stopover when using BMI one way award. Tax amount was very strange, I checked with ITA first with Point of Sale Boston, the taxes and fuel were not too high, but when I called to book the ticket, taxes and fuel were a lot higher than I checked. Then I went back to ITA again with POS London, exactly same kinds taxes line by line, but currency was UK AND amount was higher. I knew POS can affect the fare price, but I didn’t how this affected taxes amount. Total taxes include Cash + miles copay were 300+USD
Originally, I planed to tour around Jordan, Syria and Lebanon for around 3 weeks, but now Syria is not stable, so I decided to go back to home in middle of the trip. From middle east to China, the cheapest option of using miles was American Airline, but unlike above tickets, this one took me some checking and calling. I will travel in a single direction in Jordan, which means I will start from Amman and finish in Aqaba. When I called AA to book from AQJ-AMM-JED-HKG-PVG, flight AQJ-AMM was priced in addition to normal Middle East to Asia 2 business class. The explanation I got was there was no published fare btw AQJ-PVG. I then tried something like AMM-BAH-BKK-HKG-PVG and more such as via BOM, DEL, KUL, all came back with same result, 3 segments, correct pricing, 4 segments, miles increase. I mentioned before there are many restrictions with AA, so nothing to argue about it, move on. I eventually settled with AMM-JED-DXB(through flight)-HKG-SHA on Royal Jordanian A320 and Cathay Pacific A330 business class, but too bad, it’s regional A330.6 hours layover in JED, hopefully, I can get a transit pass to exit the immigration. As for AQJ-AMM, I bought a one way from AQJ-AMM for $75 on Royal Jordanian. Taxes were only 30+USD.
Return from China to continue my trip also used AA miles PEK-HKG-RUH-AMM on Dragon Air A330 and Cathay Pacific A330 business class regional and Royal Jordanian A320 in Economy. From Riyadh to Amman there was no way to get business class award(I did some checking) . Unlike above flight, I added a exactly 24 hours connection in Hong Kong and 17.5 hours connections in Riyadh. I picked Riyadh because of final arrival time in Amman to connect to ADD on the same day on BMI flight was perfect. All other options including Bahrain, Delhi, Mumbai and Dubai were not working either because of finally arrival time in Amman or India visa issue. I knew I should try different airlines, but for this one, I just had to stuck with Cathay. Total taxes for these flights were also only 30+ USD
The final part: ADD-FRA-LCA//ECN-IST-ALA on Lufthansa A340-300 and A321 business class and Turkish airline B737 business class using BMI miles. This was an interesting part. Again, I don’t want to waste BMI miles one way stopover, but not too many options. I did not want stopover in Egypt, could not stopover in Europe according to BMI redemption rules, holding PRC passport, so need to find a country visa free and there was no *A flight from ADD continued to Southern Africa until Ethiopia airline joins *A. With so many restrictions, I decided Cyprus, which still part of Europe, but I did not think BMI agent had knowledge where it located. Then my friend suggested me to try to make agent believde Larnaca and Ercan airport were co-terminals. My luck was very good, first agent believed me LCA and ECN were co-terminals and she had no idea where the Cyprus was, so ticket issued, total taxes were 400+USD including cash portion for C+M.
let’s recap here:
US Airways for PVG-FRA-ALA//DYU-IST-MUC-PVG, Lufthansa A346 and A 330 First Class, Turkish Air B737 business class and Air China A340 First Class
BMI miles for ALA-IST-AMM(stopover)-ADD and ADD-FRA-LCA//ECN-IST-ALA, Turkish Airw ays B737 Business, BMI A321 Business class and Lufthansa A340-300 and A321 business class
AA miles for AMM-JED-HKG-PVG and PEK-HKG-RUH-AMM Dragon Air A330 and Cathay Pacific A330 business class regional and Royal Jordanian A320 in business and Economy
Cash paid for ALA-DYU on Air Astana and AQJ-AMM on Royal Jordain
Total miles used for all tickets: 115,000
Now, let’s go to hotel part, fairly easy and straightforward
Almaty: Hyatt just rebrand to different hotel, so I still have not decided where to stay yet
Amman: Le Meridien, C+P
Petra: Marriott, Cat 1-4 certificate
Riyadh: Marriott, Cat 1-4 certificate
Nicosia: Hilton, standard award redemption
Dushanbe: Hyatt, stay certificate, Classic level.
I hope I did not make you guys fall in sleep while reading!
Posted by Troy under 2011 Trip, Africa, American Airlines, Asia(Including Central Asia and Middle East), Award redemption, BMI Diamond Club, Hilton, Hyatt Gold Passport, Marriott, Starwood Hotels, US airways |
February 5, 2011
Not too long ago, Gary mentioned Hyatt Reward Certificate to use at reduced rate(include taxes), but the stay is a non eligible stay. The certificate gives some headache when I need to decide btw points/certificate now
1 One hotel is selling for nearly $500 per night(their everyday price, not rack rate) or require 12000 points per night or Premier $185 level certificate
2 Another hotel is selling for $250 per night(average price with tax) or 8000 points per night or a Classic $109 
I guess many people will choose to use certificates rather than points for both properties.
Posted by Troy under Hyatt Gold Passport |
December 30, 2010
I picked Grand Hyatt for 2 simple reasons, one I need 2 more nights to keep diamond, second this is the only hotel I can have a confirmed Suite(without paying suite rate) in Hong Kong Island. After I made the booking, the standard suite was sold out, so I had to keep checking for Standard Harbor view Suite to open up, few days before our arrival, the suite showed. I immediately contacted Hyatt to use my Suite upgrade certificate. After I got confirmation, no more suite for sale. Consider the suite is so popular, I had feeling that we will be upgraded again.
We took private car from Shenzhen to Hongkong(no need to get out during border crossing) and arrived hotel around 12:30 noon, waited for another 30 mins before they directed to our room-Diplomat Suite, located on 34th floor. All Suites located from 31-36th floor, and requires Elevator change on 30th floor.
I did not eat anything from Lounge for the next 3 days, but the view from the lounge are beautiful.
Few suggestions though, if you are going Hong Kong for a shopping trip, this may not be the property because it’s 10 mins walking distance to Subway station and traffic can be very bad in Hong Kong. The standard room is small, more like Grand Hyatt Beijing. Other than that, I think this is great hotel with good service.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, Baby and Me, Hyatt Gold Passport |
December 13, 2010
SPG just released their new promotion, double points+500 bonus per night on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday with 10% of hotels don’t participanting. I would not say this is a great offer, but as always said, something is better than nothing.
Marriott will release their new Mega bonus 3 days later, as always, diff people got diff promotion, let’s see what we got this time
Hilton already leaked their promotion, which is similar to SPG last year Q1 promotion, 2 nights double, 3 nights triple and 4 nights Quarple.
so Hyatt, what will be yours?
Posted by Troy under Hilton, Hyatt Gold Passport, Marriott, Starwood Hotels |
November 3, 2010
I had no plan to visit Shanghai Expo, but my mom really wants me to go, so I finally decided to join them. Since my decision was almost last minutes, it’s almost impossible to find hotel award rooms with SPG, Marriott or Hilton unless we wanted to stay far away from the area. Grand Hyatt shanghai was the only hotel I found offering both award rooms and paid rooms. I don’t have too many Hyatt points, so I only redeem 1 room for 2 nights and paid for other 2 rooms.
We had no plan to take our baby, but she won’t eat formula, so we had to take her at last minutes. We arrived Grand Hyatt Shanghai around 6:00 pm, the hotel was extremely busy considering it was last few days of Expo. Also, due to china law, every guest ID/passport needs to be scanned into system, that makes the process even longer. After20 mins waiting, we finally got our key.
One of our room was upgraded using Suite upgrade certificate, the room was very nice. The hotel also brought us a crib and shower amenity for our baby. To honestly, both I and my wife feel this hotel is better than Park Hyatt next door. don’t why though.
Park Hyatt
Other than small TV, the other 2 standard rooms were also nice and much better than I expected because I was expecting the room similar to standard room of Grand hyatt Beijing, where has the smallest 5 star hotels room I ever seen.
I left the hotel around 7: 45 in the morning with car provided by World Expo and was able to visit China pavilion before it opened to general public. The pavilion had three sections, first one showed how the living standard change for Chinese household in the past 30 years, second one showed the the country/cities changed in past 30 years and the last one showed the future-living with reduced CO2. After exiting the main area, there were small pavilions for each providence. I did not have time to visit those small ones, had to rush to Shanghai-GM pavilion.
Entrance to World Expo
China Pavilion(left)
Household in 1978
Household in 1988
household in 1998
2008
Second show area of China Pavilion
After exiting the China pavilion around 9:30am, the expo already opened for 30 minutes, I saw a shocking long line waiting for Saudi Arabia pavilion. I heard about this famous place along with China petroleum pavilion before, both are the most popular places to visit, the line is about 8-12 hours wait, YES! You heard right, 12 hours. Basically, most times, 30 minutes – 1 hour after expo open, lines close for these two . Whoever already in the line will spend rest of their day in line just to visit one pavilion. Unbelievable, isn’t it?
This is line for Saudi Arabia pavilion after 30 mins of opening, you may think the line is not that bad, but in fact, this is just a tiny portion of the line. Shanghai-GM Pavilion is also another poplar one besides Coca-cola, Korea, Japan and other two mentioned above, it has a 4D show. I did not go inside because I was carrying my baby with me all the time. All my family member went inside, but too bad, no pic. Shanghai was freezing cold and windy on the day I visited, despite we had a car with us all the time to take us btw pavilions, it was still freezing the moment I stepped out the car. After lunch I and my wife decided to go back to hotel with baby, rest of my family continued to visit Spain, Portugal, Belgium and one more I don’t remember.
Personally, I consider the expo is a joke, I have no idea what they are trying to show, but every country is having a spot there, it’s a free opportunity to make money. Expo provides all kinds of taxes free(import, income etc) for foreign government. let’s using Germany as example. They have a restaurant with average price of a meal+drink of $35 dollar per person, at least 10000 people visit the restaurant per day for 180 days, plus the earning for souvenirs, I don’t see a reason not attending. On the other the hand, The world expo makes Shanghai better. For the past two years, most Pudong side of Shanghai was just like a public construction zone, but expo developed many areas that Shanghai would otherwise take years to do. I really like shanghai now, a beautiful modern city
Spain pavilion
The world most popular office paper is from Portugal.
My baby behaved extremely well, thanks to Baby carriers, she was able to sleep most the time, especially during our lunch time. I think I got the most attention in the expo because in china, very few people traveling with 5 months old baby, let along I am visiting one of the most busiest places.
I personally don’t like to visit crowd area, maybe this is the one exception I made I doubt I will go to places with that many people again.
Posted by Troy under 2010 Trip, Hyatt Gold Passport |
October 30, 2010
We all know there are some people addict to miles world, some enjoy flying experience. I have two friends, what they have done make me want to LOL every time.
Friend #1 lives in a small town in Montana, where only served by UA and DL. He likes to fly, so he flies almost every week, his flight memory gives me headache. so what does he do when he goes out every week? He is not just Mileage running, he is doing grocery shopping. There is no Chinese supermarket in his town, so he is basically taking air taxi to do grocery shopping. One time, he arrived home Helena(HLN) without checked luggage because the bag went to Honolulu(HNL), two days later when he got his bags, everything inside were threw away by Honolulu agricultural inspection-meat, fresh seafood, vegetable……
Friend #2 is a student in Chicago, he doesn’t have car, but he still likes to do Mattress Run/Mileage Run. When Hyatt had stay 2 get 1 free promotion, he took his bike with him on the train, then get off at nearby station, ride bike to Hyatt place. The next day, he ride from one Hyatt place to another. There is not many good Mattress Run promotion going on right now, but there is AA STL double EQM promotion, so he is taking “Red eye Megabus” from Chicago to STL to do Mileage run.
I just couldn’t stop laughing.
Posted by Troy under American Airlines, Delta, Hyatt Gold Passport, Uncategorized, United Airlines |
October 22, 2010
Earlier last month, someone was selling Hyatt Diamond status on Ebay by PS competitor membership card and got caught, Hyatt immediately changed Status match policy, which will only give you 60 days trial diamond membership and you need to complete 12 nights within 60 days to keep your diamond for next year.
Unless someone has immediate need to stay with Hyatt, otherwise, the challenge are extremely hard to complete.
Posted by Troy under Hyatt Gold Passport |
August 31, 2010
The Hyatt Co brand credit card is out today, you can signup here. It looks like the signup bonus are not great at all, not 100K bonus points, not even 50K. You only got 2 free nights and 3 points per $ at hyatt and 1 point else where+ Platinum status.
Nothing worth to sign up for. Period!
Posted by Troy under Hyatt Gold Passport |
August 31, 2010
Y to register here, then stay btw sep 1st to Nov 15th, earn 3K after first three stays and 1K for each additional stays for up to 10K.
This is stackable with current Hyatt 60K AA promotion and Hyatt 10K points for every 5 stays promotion.
Posted by Troy under American Airlines, Hyatt Gold Passport |
July 19, 2010
Just FYI, you can now book hyatt award rooms online even as late as same day arrival.
Before, you can only book awards online 7 days advance, after that, you have to call to book.
Posted by Troy under Hyatt Gold Passport |
May 2, 2010
from May 3rd-7th,2010, book Hyatt place/summerfield suite at 30% discount for stay btw May 28th-July 5th, the link is here, the rate is valid for FFN and American airline 25K bonus promotion and is prepaid.
The promotion bring some hyatt place in Atlanta and DC area to as low as 41.3 on weekends
but the hyatt place around my area is still $81 including taxes, which around the same cost if I use Costco Hyatt Gift Certificate at 20% discount.
Posted by Troy under American Airlines, Hyatt Gold Passport |
