Rocco, there are two ways to earn frequent flyer miles in connection with each flight: first, you can earn miles if you pay for the flight with a mileage-earning credit card; and second, you can earn miles by flying.

So, for example, you can purchase your Qantas ticket with your American Express Platinum Card and earn Membership Miles (and you are correct, those can later be redeemed for Delta Skymiles). However, you cannot earn Delta Skymiles by flying on Qantas. Qantas is a member of One World, so it partners with American Airlines, and you can earn American Airlines Aadvantage miles for your flight. You can also earn Continental miles on some Qantas flights (I think you can earn on the leg from LAX to SYD, but not from SYD to JNB).

So, you may want to get a Continental number or American Aadvantage number. Delta is not going to work on the Qantas flights.

Thit Cho,

Thanks...I wonder how many tens of thousands of miles I have wasted by not knowing this information! :(

This should be a nice start...probably about 26,000 miles altogether! :)

I don't know if this would help right now but I just got Celeste a return ticket from Johannesburg to Sydney using my American Experess Platinum Card. It was 170,000 points.
What a win.
Mark

Mark,

Thanks.

However, I can get a Delta Biz Class seat from USA - JNB for only 120K miles.

Going through Europe on Air France to JNB is only 80K miles, I believe, in Biz Class.

The next interesting route I wish to take is Sao Paulo, Brazil to JNB, a mere 8.5 hour direct flight.

Rocco
Brazil, yeah,,, I am coming with you.
Mark

Skymiles redemption from Europe to Central/South Africa on AF/KL is 70K in economy and 100K in business. It was 50K/80K on SA from the UK to Southern Africa when SA was a partner.

I just redeemed a combination of KL/AF into CPT and out of JNB. As much as I dislike connecting through CDG, I found the DL flights to/from JNB inconveniently timed for connections. I hope AF finishes installing new business class seats on their 772s by next September :)

Mark,

I double dare you!


---Just wrapping up a few loose ends now...renewed my membership to MedJetAssist (www.medjetassist.com) for medical evacuation insurance...joined AA Advantage...printed out confirmations from all my destinations...not much left to do now except pack a few things and then it is off to the airport in just about 8 hours.

Given that I slept under 2 hours last night and I am not yet tired, I expcet to be exhausted by the time I am on the plane to Sydney...hopefully I sleep at least 1/3 of the 14 hour flight and then another 1/3 of the next 14 hour flight to JNB.

Rocco
If I go I am going single what about you.
Mark

Mark,

You have my e-mail. :)

Keep in mind that you only get 50% of actual mileage flown for certain discounted economy fare classes (M,V,L,R,G,O,S) on Qantas credited to AAdvantage and any fare class not listed here (I think Q and N) http://tinyurl.com/yfrwrq is ineligible for credit.

With Continental Onepass, you get 100% mileage credit for Qantas economy fare classes listed here http://tinyurl.com/ymo34q and zero for any fare classes not listed. However, it does appear that only your LAX-SYD flight would qualify for Onepass credit and not your SYD-JNB flight as Michael had stated.

You can also credit Qantas flights to Alaska Mileage Plan, but they don't list the eligible fare classes or qualifying routes on their website http://tinyurl.com/ylajzb so you'll want to confirm what is/isn't eligible directly with Mileage Plan.

If all else fails, I believe you can get credit in Qantas' own FF program for any Qantas fare class.

The above is based on the assumption that you purchased your ticket as a Qantas coded flight. If you purchased your ticket under another carrier's code, then a whole other set of rules may apply.

Give me a call when you are in JHB. 4655678

Sounds like guys on the prowl.

Seeking growls, meows or purrrrrs!