Booked our Oneworld Award tickets for next September!!
Nov 20th, 2007, 06:38 AM
#1
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Booked our Oneworld Award tickets for next September!!
Well, not totally booked yet - I have this itinerary on hold right now as a Oneworld business class flight (80,000 miles):
9/17 - ORD to Frankfurt non-stop
Rent car upon arrival, spend week traveling between Black Forest region, Salzburg, Tirol region (maybe Alsace region of France too?) eventually end up in Munich
9/25 - Munich to Helsinki on Finnair (stay in Helsinki one night, probably close to the airport)
9/26 - Depart Helsinki for Amsterdam on Finnair
9/29 - Amsterdam back to Chicago on Iberia (connect in Madrid)
I had to get such a convoluted routing because Oneworld tickets require you to use 3 different airlines. If I could figure out a way to eliminate the whole Helsinki/Amsterdam portion of the trip and just do a Germany/Austria trip that'd be fine too, but because I needed to throw in that Finnair airline I am visiting Amsterdam for a few days...
So excited - there's nothing like the chase of booking frequent flyer tickets!!
9/17 - ORD to Frankfurt non-stop
Rent car upon arrival, spend week traveling between Black Forest region, Salzburg, Tirol region (maybe Alsace region of France too?) eventually end up in Munich
9/25 - Munich to Helsinki on Finnair (stay in Helsinki one night, probably close to the airport)
9/26 - Depart Helsinki for Amsterdam on Finnair
9/29 - Amsterdam back to Chicago on Iberia (connect in Madrid)
I had to get such a convoluted routing because Oneworld tickets require you to use 3 different airlines. If I could figure out a way to eliminate the whole Helsinki/Amsterdam portion of the trip and just do a Germany/Austria trip that'd be fine too, but because I needed to throw in that Finnair airline I am visiting Amsterdam for a few days...
So excited - there's nothing like the chase of booking frequent flyer tickets!!
Nov 20th, 2007, 06:51 AM
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One little correction.
AA OneWorld award requires 2 OneWorld partners and AA does not count nor is it needed.
Why not fly AA to LON and connect to FRA on BA? Then fly IB from Germany/Austria through MAD?
AA OneWorld award requires 2 OneWorld partners and AA does not count nor is it needed.
Why not fly AA to LON and connect to FRA on BA? Then fly IB from Germany/Austria through MAD?
Nov 20th, 2007, 07:03 AM
#3
If your dogleg via HEL is to include a second OW carrier and to avoid Heathrow (which I would certainly support) you could also go ORD-MAD on Iberia (1) and MAD-FRA on Lan Chile (2.) Lan's flight originates in Santiago and stops in MAD en route to FRA. Then take a train or car from Munich to Amsterdam, then Iberia from AMS to MAD to ORD. The open-jaw is allowed and might help expedite things.
You could also fly Munich-Budapest-Amsterdam on Malev, but I believe the MUC-BUD segment (short hop) is on a regional jet or prop plane, so no business class service.
Or, keep what you have and enjoy a night in HEL.
You could also fly Munich-Budapest-Amsterdam on Malev, but I believe the MUC-BUD segment (short hop) is on a regional jet or prop plane, so no business class service.
Or, keep what you have and enjoy a night in HEL.
Nov 20th, 2007, 07:18 AM
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AAFF - I know I don't *have* to use AA. Everyone gets caught up on semantics. 
And your suggestion of ORD to LHR is fine but I really really want to avoid Heathrow. We had a horrible experience connecting there in May.
And your suggestion of ORD to LHR is fine but I really really want to avoid Heathrow. We had a horrible experience connecting there in May.
Nov 20th, 2007, 08:13 AM
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Well I'm using AA already because of my flight to Frankfurt, so I guess yes I have to use 3 airlines. I don't want to use Iberia both ways (I like to try out different business classes) but I guess I could if I had to.
C'mon AA, help a woman out!! You are my mileage hero, just so you know. (is shameless flattery getting me anywhere?)
C'mon AA, help a woman out!! You are my mileage hero, just so you know. (is shameless flattery getting me anywhere?)
Nov 20th, 2007, 08:25 AM
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I posted some ideas already and so did <b>Gardyloo</b>.
If you don't mind flying the long way you can always try JL or CX through Asia. I believe both airlines fly to FRA.
Returns from Germany/Austria and avoiding LHR? As posted, either Iberia through Madrid or Malev through BUD and JFK.
If you can take another LHR connection, you can fly up to Canada and fly BA to LHR.
Many possibilities. Good luck!
Of course you can do the R/T described above in reverse.
If you don't mind flying the long way you can always try JL or CX through Asia. I believe both airlines fly to FRA.
Returns from Germany/Austria and avoiding LHR? As posted, either Iberia through Madrid or Malev through BUD and JFK.
If you can take another LHR connection, you can fly up to Canada and fly BA to LHR.
Many possibilities. Good luck!
Of course you can do the R/T described above in reverse.
Nov 20th, 2007, 10:34 AM
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as posted by <b>wally34949</b>
<i>Stop picking on Heathrow!</i>
WHY? It's a freaking nightmare....long queues, high taxes, high airport fees, dungeon like terminals, long walks, stupid security procedures, etc, etc,...
oh, they did get one thing right. Make passengers walk through dozen shops before or after a flight...
should I go on?
<i>Stop picking on Heathrow!</i>
WHY? It's a freaking nightmare....long queues, high taxes, high airport fees, dungeon like terminals, long walks, stupid security procedures, etc, etc,...
oh, they did get one thing right. Make passengers walk through dozen shops before or after a flight...
should I go on?
Nov 23rd, 2007, 11:25 PM
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Gardyloo, I'm seriously considering your idea of doing ORD-MAD and then MAD-FRA on LA. However, the flight to Madrid gets in at 7:45 a.m. The flight to Frankfurt doesn't depart Madrid until 2:20 p.m. This is over the 6 hours allowed for a layover, therefore, do you think this will work?
There are other flights on Iberia that are available earlier than the LA flight, so I would imagine the agent would try to put me on one of those.
There are other flights on Iberia that are available earlier than the LA flight, so I would imagine the agent would try to put me on one of those.
Nov 24th, 2007, 06:35 AM
#17
That's a longish layover; however the lounges at Madrid (to which you'd have access as a business class traveler) are quite wonderful. Shower, meal... really not a bad place. I'd do it for the convenience, but people have different tolerances for sitting around...
Nov 24th, 2007, 07:45 AM
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There was a long thread on the Europe board a few months ago about a ~4 hour layover and a trip to Prado. And that Fodorite made it. So, with a 6-hour layover, you may want to go into Madrid and take a look.
Nov 24th, 2007, 01:20 PM
#20
Oh, I see - sorry for the misinterpretation.
I'd be very surprised if AA didn't allow it since the object is to use a second OW carrier. The connection rules are somewhat obscure on situations like yours, so I'd just phone AA and ask them, explaining why you want to switch to LAN at MAD.
I'd be very surprised if AA didn't allow it since the object is to use a second OW carrier. The connection rules are somewhat obscure on situations like yours, so I'd just phone AA and ask them, explaining why you want to switch to LAN at MAD.
