I'm going to Brazil!!!

$400 airfare. Orlando to Rio de Janeiro on American Airlines

Upgrade cleared into business on outbound. Waitlisted for the return.

Staying 4 nights at the Sheraton on cash and points. Cost: 24000 Starwood points plus $440.

Brazil 10 year multiple entry visa approved TODAY.

Looking forward to my FIRST trip to Brazil and South America.

Journey to Top Elite Status on American and United Airlines UPDATE Feb 2013

UA trip was a DFW-IAH-HNL-IAH-DFW turn both into BusinessFirst on an international Boeing 767-400 cleared with 2 Regional Premier Upgrades.  I received 5,000 bonus miles from Customer Care on a service issue on the trip. Second trip was a quick turn to Seattle with outbound DFW-PHX-SEA on US airways and the return on United SEA-IAH-DFW.  I also received PQMs and RDMs credit for getting on an earlier flight on Lufthansa Business class from ZRH-FRA (originally booked on United Mileage Award Ticket). 

AA trip was DFW-MIA-JFK-ZRH on AA outbound Business Class cleared with an expiring eVIP from a friend.  Return was IST-LHR on BA Economy Class connecting to LHR-DFW on AA in Business Class with my last 2013 eVIP expiring at the end of the month. 

	United Airlines	American Airlines
January	Premier Qualifying Miles – 20,970   Premier Qualifying Segments – 20 Redeemable Miles – 41,940	Elite Qualifying Miles – 13,066 Elite Qualifying Segments – 10 Redeemable Miles – 26,132
February	Premier Qualifying Miles – 13,618 *Premier Silver Achieved* Premier Qualifying Segments – 8.5 Redeemable Miles – 27,611	Elite Qualifying Miles – 12,467 *Gold Achieved* Elite Qualifying Segments –  5 Redeemable Miles – 24,934
Totals to Date	Premier Qualifying Miles – 34,588   Premier Qualifying Segments – 28.5 Redeemable Miles – 69,551	Elite Qualifying Miles – 25,533 Elite Qualifying Segments – 15 Redeemable Miles – 51,064
Remainder Needed	Premier Qualifying Miles – 65,412 Premier Qualifying Segments –  91.5	Elite Qualifying Miles – 74,467 Elite Qualifying Segments – 85

Here's the monthly summary of the paths I took:

The sky is falling!

In minor news... I missed Pre-check today for the first time this year at DFW Terminal C today...

In major news... US Airways and American Airlines are merging officially... great... more downgrade for American's Service.  They better not take away my 8 eVIPs/System Wide Upgrades on any fare! I hope they don't use plastic cups in First Class on American in the future.  LAX/PHX hubs- redundancy? PHL-JFK- more redunancy? Let's see how it turns out? I'm not liking this direction.

Anyways... 2 week vacation for me stating now!

On the horizon: overnight in Seoul-Incheon... spending 2 days in Istanbul... Business Class on Malaysia Airlines... First Class on Asiana Airlines longhaul... gonna be fun!

6 hours in paradise

Just flew back from Honolulu on a BusinessFirst configured Boeing 767 aircraft. The seats were very comfortable and I even got a massage in Wakiki after taking the city bus there.

Unexpected celebrity sighting: former Dallas Cowboys Deion Sanders and wife were on my flight from Houston. 

Trip report to follow 

Malaysia Airlines awards now Available

I called both American Airlines and British airways at about noon central time today to inquire Huang their respective miles I book award ticket in February.

The AA agent said that it was imminent so I needed to check back later. The BA agent said that it could take months. I was flabbergasted by his response. Seriously? MONTHS? I thanked him and said that I will call back later.

When an airline joins an alliance, they have 12 to 18 month of prep work to do before they join. One would think that I would be taken care of the time they join (especially since the was join date of December was delayed a bit due to the holidays).

I checked back on BA.com at 6PM central time and found award seats available on Malaysia Airlines. Out of CDG and LHR to KUL on the A380, there were only coach seats available.

I tried for flights from HKG to IST via KUL and found business class availability on Cathay Pacific on the first segment and Malaysia Airlines on the second. There would be an 8 hour layover in between the flights which would give me enough time to meet up with a friend/college roommate in Kuala Lumpur plus enjoy the MH lounge at KUL as well.

Here's the kicker: BA wanted price out the award ticket as 120000 Avios and $230 in taxes/fuel surcharges. AA prices out the same intinerary as 55000 miles plus $15 taxes. I chose the later but the only problem was that I could only place a hold on the reservation. I have to wait until tomorrow to ticket it since I will be February 1 in the US.

BA.com is useful to show award inventory but the mileage program is heavily skewed on long haul since the award chart is distance based.

I am glad that I have another option using my AA miles wen flying in/out of Asia. Now if only AA can allow more flexibility in routing using their miles...

Journey to Top Elite Status on American and United Airlines UPDATE Jan 2013

These flight were booked in advance the year before.  I booked 5 DFW-IAH-BOS-IAH-DFW on United airlines for the month with a good fare published in July 2012. In December 2012, I booked 3 DFW-ORD-SEA runs for the both at a decent fare.  The first AA 2 runs consists of 3 segments each on AA metal and thus eligible for free elite upgrade. The last one is a DFW-ORD-SEA-LAX-DFW route with the SEA-LAX as AA codeshare (operated by Alaska Airlines) and will be my first flight on Alaska Airlines.

I'm 17% there for requalifying for AA Executive Platinum and UK Premier 1K. The year is just only 8.5% over.

	United Airlines	American Airlines
January	Premier Qualifying Miles – 20,970   Premier Qualifying Segments – 20 Redeemable Miles – 41,940	Elite Qualifying Miles – 13,066 Elite Qualifying Segments – 10 Redeemable Miles – 26,132
Totals to Date	Premier Qualifying Miles – 20,970   Premier Qualifying Segments – 20 Redeemable Miles – 41,940	Elite Qualifying Miles – 13,066 Elite Qualifying Segments – 10 Redeemable Miles – 26,132
Remainder Needed	Premier Qualifying Miles – 79,030 Premier Qualifying Segments –  80	Elite Qualifying Miles – 86,934 Elite Qualifying Segments – 90

 

Here's the monthly summary of the paths I took:

Nothing too exciting

OneWorld Welcomes Malaysia Airlines!

Malaysia Airlines joins oneworld

 

 

•  World's premier airline alliance adds another leading award-winning Asian carrier (In addition to Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines)
•  oneworld network expanded in one of world's fastest growing regional economies
•   Malaysia Airlines aircraft unveiled in oneworld livery as part of marketing drive
•   oneworld Visit Malaysia pass offered to encourage tourism throughout Malaysia
•   Double miles promotion for frequent flyers to celebrate
•   New benefits added for top tier oneworld frequent flyers (Extra baggage piece or weight allowance depending on airline... makes OneWorld similar to Star Gold and Skyteam Elite in terms of additional baggage allowance)
•   Malaysian Transport Minister witnesses its welcome on board at Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia Airlines becomes part of oneworld^® at midnight Kuala Lumpur time tonight, adding one of Asia's leading airlines to the global airline alliance that aims to be the first choice for frequent international travellers the world over.

From its first flight tomorrow morning - MH386 which leaves Kuala Lumpur at 1.40 am for Shanghai Pudong - the national airline of Malaysia will be offering oneworld's full range of services and benefits.  Another key focus flight for the airline tomorrow will be the first departure by the first of its aircraft featuring the full oneworld livery - an Airbus A330-300 operating flight MH 129 to Melbourne from Kuala Lumpur at 10.15 am.

For Malaysia Airlines, joining oneworld completes the latest phase of its repositioning plan. Becoming part of the world's premier global airline alliance will strengthen its competitiveness, enabling it to offer customers an unrivalled alliance global network served by partners including some of the best and biggest airlines in the world.

Customers benefit from expanded global network and increased competition

Malaysia Airlines, which serves more than 60 destinations in almost 30 countries, will substantially expand the alliance's network in one of the world's fastest growing economic powerhouses, South East Asia.

Its addition to oneworld makes Malaysia - which has one of the world's 30 biggest national economies and with a population of almost 30 million - a home market for the alliance.  Its capital Kuala Lumpur, the world's 10^th most visited city by international visitors according to the latest annual Mastercard survey, is now a oneworld hub.

Malaysia Airlines connects new 16 destinations and one country - Brunei - to the oneworld map.  More significantly, it will strengthen the alliance's connectivity between many key business cities in Asia and other parts of the world.

Its addition expands oneworld's global coverage to 842 destinations in 156 countries, served by some 9,000 departures a day operated by a combined fleet of some 2,500 aircraft, carrying nearly 340 million passengers a year, with annual revenues of US$ 110 billion.  Add oneworld's other members elect - Qatar Airways and Sri Lankan Airlines - and the alliance network will reach 860 destinations in 159 countries.
Currently three of oneworld's active member airlines serve three points in Malaysia, with Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Royal Jordanian flying to Kuala Lumpur, Cathay Pacific operating to Penang and its Dragonair regional affiliate to Kota Kinabalu.

New benefits for top tier frequent flyers 

As part of its strategy of positioning itself as the first choice airline alliance for frequent international travelers, oneworld is marking the addition of Malaysia Airlines by adding tomorrow two key new benefits for top tier frequent flyer cardholders in any oneworld member airline frequent flyer programme.
From midnight tonight, frequent flyer cardholders with oneworld Emerald status will be entitled to:

• An extra checked baggage allowance, above the standard limit for the cabin class in which they are traveling - either one additional item where the piece concept applies, or an extra 20 kg (44 lbs) where the weight concept applies - when they fly on any oneworld member airline.
• Use fast track lanes through security when flying from select key airports worldwide on select oneworld member airlines.