Patty

An existing EC member can create a household account and invite other existing EC members to join or setup new EC member accounts during the householding process if those joining aren't already members (I think for minors you have to use the latter option).

I don't think it matters if you apply for the credit card before or after householding. Each member still earns miles individually but miles are pooled for redemption.

christabir

So to pay lower fees we should use our AA miles on BA and our BA miles on AA or other oneworld airline? That actually works out OK - only 75,000 AA miles needed for LHR - JNB business, but need 100,000 BA miles. Similar but opposite for JFK - Buenos Aires. Good to know!

Leslie - I think most airlines are cutting things pretty tight right now. There may be exceptions (I've never flown the great middle eastern or asian airlines) but flying is just no fun anymore. Just try to get from here to there for as little as possible.

Patty

<i>So to pay lower fees we should use our AA miles on BA and our BA miles on AA or other oneworld airline?</i>

Basically yes, with the exception that you can't redeem AA miles for BA transatlantic flights to/from the US and you can't redeem BA miles for AA transatlantic flights. The examples you cite would be fine.

LAleslie

Christa, I continue to hear positive things about Virgin, and I've considered joing that FF club since I've just used up the last of my mega miles (on Delta, for an upcoming trip to Africa). So I'm considering who to use for international trips where I have to pay for a seat. We don't fly much domestically.
I had great experiences on board on both Air FRance and Iberia, but both were business class from the U.S. to Paris and Madrid, which I assume are profitable business traveler routes and therefore have better "metal" (as Patty calls it) and service. (I stress on board because Iberia was a nightmare departing from Johannesberg.) In my admittedly limited experience, the foreign carriers still have the US ones beat by a longshot.
Those extra airline charges (fuel, baggage and the like) are being scrutinized right now by the US regulators who believe they're really fare hikes masquerading as fees.

Patty

I actually find Air France pretty bad (comparatively) for onboard service in business. Most of my AF flights have been on the LAX-CDG route. I like their seats which I find to be the most comfortable angled lie flats I've come across but generally find the service leaves much to be desired. I actually think the onboard service on Delta (and I'm not including NW) in business is better than either AF or KL.

LAleslie

I guess we got lucky on the LAX-CDG flight Patty. Service was good. But those seats....oooooh, the best (ours were lie flat), as was the entertainment system. Almost a tie was the business class seats on Cathay, which had duvets and silk covered pillows, which, as a charter member of the GameSit Club, I favor. Delta's certainly better than AA, tho I've had some awful experiences and acceptable ones.

Patty

Oooo yes, the Cathay duvets... Delta has some pretty nice duvets now too.

LAleslie

Oh goody. I'll find out on the Delta ATL-AMS flight next Aug., then KLM business to Dar Es Salaam. I'm praying for lie flats, but not getting my hopes up.

Gordon_R

BA miles used to be a great way to travel cheaply many years ago, but as others have pointed out, the tax and other charges you have to pay on a long-haul redemption flight are really high.

Patty

All our BA miles posted this week and I just booked Australia for August, yay!

cary999

Carolyn and I both got the card and now have 100,000 mile credit. Likely use it for next African safari, i.e., USA probably to/from JNB.

regards - tom

christabir

I was denied the stupid card!!!!! It is a Chase Visa and I already had one (and I guess my credit score isn't as good as it should be) but my husband got his and the first 50000 miles posted. We'll see about the next 50000. We'll use it for either a trip to the Pantanal or back to southern Africa next year. Yeah, next year - bummer. Have to use them before they expire, so at least we have a deadline.

Patty and tom - Really glad to hear it. Patty - if you don't mind sharing, how much were the fees for your booking? I understand BA miles flights are still pretty pricey.

cary999

Yeah, me too about BA fees.
The card is for "oneworld alliance" airlines which includes AA. http://www.britishairways.com/travel...d/public/en_us

regards - tom

safarimama

I booked my First Class BA ticket with my Alaska Airlines miles. I takes 160,000 miles. The fees and taxes are over $1,000.00. I'm flying from Seattle to J-burg r/t. Last time it was around $100.00, but now they charge the fuel surcharge too, which is priced according to the value of the ticket. As if sitting in FC cost them more fuel!!!

Patty

My Qantas booking in business was just under $300 per ticket. That included the fuel surcharge, taxes and a telephone ticketing fee because I needed a stopover and you can't book those online (except for London stopovers). Qantas does charge a fuel surcharge but it's not nearly as bad as BA flights.

LAleslie

Safarimama, what a ripoff! So you are paying the surcharge based on a retail price of a FC seat? Adn you have to pay that even though you are using Alaska miles? That's really lame. I guess when it comes time to use my 100,000 miles I'll try for a partner airline that has lower surchanrges.
Patty, I'm also thinking Australia or maybe BKK. Do you happen to know if Hawaii is a possible stopover? I know how hard it is to get FF seats on those flights, so I'm curious.

Patty

I don't think a stopover in Hawaii would work. First I believe HNL-SYD is operated by Jetstar which is not available for BA redemption. Even if it was, it would require a greater number of miles as you couldn't do it on a single partner.

safarimama

Not sure what price BA is using to figure out the fuel surcharge amount. But it has to do with the value of the ticket somehow. I do know it's a lot more for F/C than in BIZ, which is more than econ. Still, it's F/C for $1000.00 some $$. I can hardly ever find room in biz class with mileage. I'm never very flexible, just a few days on either end.
I have to rethink my options next time. This is a ripp-off. I can understand if everyone regardless of class, paid the same amount for the fuel. The going rate is around $160 each way on other airlines.

LAleslie

I was thinking partner American perhaps, Patty. And I plan to have more miles by 2011! Anyway, I always figure something out.
SM, that's tough not being flexible cuz that's the trick with the airlines, and even then it's a crap shoot. Still, first class for $1,000 for that far is a pretty good deal when you think about it. I'm guessing that's at LEAST an $8,000 ticket, probably much more. And the BA first class lounge in Heathrow (assuming you stop there) is amazing.

safarimama

LAleslie,
Yes, believe it or not ... but that SEA-JNB-SEA F/C ticket is about $25,000 retail, so yes, I'm OK paying $1000.00 for it, but I could go coach for around $1,350.00 on NW and accumulate the miles on AS! The reason I suffer that pain is to be able to go F/C on BA every other year or so. I still think the BA fuel surcharge is a rippoff!!

Yes, the First Class lounge at Heathrow is AMAZING!!!! I spend at least 15 hours there! The connections are not good.