[Rae]

I'm on a mission to maximise SC to get Gold for the partner. I've got 34,000 miles to play with (J Class Global Explorer) and I've spent ages with it and now I'm hoping some of you more experienced types will see a MUCH better way of doing it.

This is a business trip so there are certain rules I need to work with.

MUST start MEL-SYD
MUST go to London, New York, Los Angeles & Perth
Hamburg and Tokyo would be advantageous but are not must-haves
I'd prefer to (like everyone) have as few 'extra' flights as neccessary.
I prefer travelling westbound but if eastbound provides more SC...

Look forward to any responses and thanks so much for taking a look!!

[aubs]

Only MUST is maxing the 'A' class (First) class US domestic routes.

On a DONE4 would reccommend the May-Sep MIA-ANC routes, but you may have mileage constraints so probably want to look at flights that just tip over the QF mileage thresholds

[Rae]

could also do DONE4 if it allows more miles though

[Kiwi Flyer]

Originally Posted by Rae

could also do DONE4 if it allows more miles though

One World Explorer (xONEx) allows much greater mileage (up to about 2 times if carefully constructed) than a Global Explorer.

It doesn't appear as if you need the non-one world flights that Global Explorer provides for (that are not allowed in One World Explorer), so a DONE4 is probably better for you.

[Hawkeye]

Dont't forget to maximise the value of the intercontinental flight as well.

For example, if travelling eastwards (which I know is your less preferred option), travel directly to JFK (eg on QF107) rather than disembarking on the west coast at LAX, SFO etc. From there, you can work your way back westwards, and you still have the single transcontinental flight up your sleeve.

For my upcoming xONE4, I am doing SYD-JFK,EWR-ORD-SFO-LAX-IAD-DFW. The LAX-IAD leg counts as the transcontinental. I then leave N.America by DFW-FRA, adding extra mileage to that intercontinental leg as well. This, I'm sure, is not as honed as it could be, but sufficed for my basic requirements.

You may, of course, already know all that!!

[aubs]

My recently completed DONE4
CMB-HKG-LHR-BCN-IST-LHR-SFO-JFK-DFW-ANC-DFW-JFK-SYD-PER-ADL-AKL-SYD-PEK-HKG-CMB
split over 10 months in 4 separate trips

[Rae]

Did it. Taking this RTW in June and will need 1955 SC for partner to enjoy Gold for 21 months. I realise I could probably get more, but this allows me to ensure all Australian stops are work related and it's enough anyway

Congratulations!! Valid itinerary!!! - (54105 miles)

# of Qantas SC's earned 1960
Mel-SYD-PER-sin-nrt-cgk-nrt-sin-lhr-ath-lhr-jfk-dfw-jfk-lax-dfw-ord-lax-mel-PER-MEL

[aubs]

Don't think you can do Syd-per, mel-per and per-mel (only one perth-east coast flight allowed)
Latest mileagemonkey validator misses this as well
MileageMonkey 0.95012
bA simple change to get a few more would be ensuring you are maxing out the long flights eg.

Instead of
Mel-SYD-PER-sin-nrt-cgk-nrt-sin-lhr-ath-lhr-jfk-dfw-jfk-lax-dfw-ord-lax-mel-PER-MEL
try
Mel-SYD-PER-sin-nrt-cgk-nrt-sin-lhr-ath-lhr-SFO-dfw-jfk-lax-dfw-ord-JFK-SYD-ADL-MEL
(using QF108 and avoiding PER the 2nd time)

Also can probably do better than ATH on the LHR legs, and could use the ORD-ANC flights if really trying to max the US legs.

Also you will get more than 1,900 SCs as the US domestic legs will book into A (ie FIRST) and earn First SCs - 2150 on my above routing.

Could get to 2220 if you move to:
Mel-SYD-PER-sin-nrt-cgk-nrt-sin-lhr-dxb-lhr-SFO-ord-anc-ord-dfw-ord-JFK-SYD-ADL-MEL

[Rae]

Great suggestion - thanks. What would you suggest instead of Athens?

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by aubs

Instead of
Mel-SYD-PER-sin-nrt-cgk-nrt-sin-lhr-ath-lhr-jfk-dfw-jfk-lax-dfw-ord-lax-mel-PER-MEL
try
Mel-SYD-PER-sin-nrt-cgk-nrt-sin-lhr-ath-lhr-SFO-dfw-jfk-lax-dfw-ord-JFK-SYD-ADL-MEL
(using QF108 and avoiding PER the 2nd time)

<snip>

Also you will get more than 1,900 SCs as the US domestic legs will book into A (ie FIRST) and earn First SCs - 2150 on my above routing.

Not 100% certain about this, but operating aircraft for ORD-JFK direct are ususally one-class Embraer 145's. The MD80's operate a 2-class service from ORD to both EWR (Newark Liberty) and LGA (LaGuardia).

Given the desire for status, worth taking into account.