Actually, I am quite skilled at finding opportunities to combine business with leisure; I've been practicing this art for years. It's just that after making 10+ trips to LHR in one year it quickly drops off the leisure destination list.
In the mean time, I researched the other options, decided the various Visa and MasterCards didn't do enough for me, and in the end signed up for Diner's Club.
But alas, after one year, I'm sticking with Amex. There have been a few minor benefits added (like the 2-for-1 which I'll probably never use.) But the lack of customer support from Diner's Club, as well as several "detail" problems, have kept me at Amex. I recently paid my $399 for yet another year. I won't be renewing my DC next year, regardless of how many AP points they offer me.
While Amex Customer Support can be variable, they are always available, 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world, their contract language is clear, consise and sensible, and even when you do have a problem, it's fairly easy to escalate to someone who can actually resolve the problem.
It's not perfect, but compared to the rest, it's a far sight better (at least for me.)
Maybe I'll wait until to day arrives where I actually want to buy a long haul, full-fare business/first ticket and then apply.
And BA's Club World business class is comprised of sleeper bed/seats which are staggered along the length of the cabin, so the 2-4-2 arrangement is not similar to the normal row seating using this configuration.
]
Thanks for the information - I can honestly say I have not flown BA so I was speaking out of ignorance ... however I am not sure I understand your statement above? Are you saying that the 2-4-2 configuration is comprised of sleeper seats so I would assume quite ample in space? Thanks for your time...
I may in the future be interested in the Amex Platinum card, for the 2 for 1 feature, if more airlines are added (in addition to Alitalia, BA, and CX).
I understand that the US Amex Platinum card has a 2 for 1 benefit with well over a dozen airlines.
Is it possible that further airlines (such as those currently in the US program, but not yet in the Canadian program) will join the Canadian Amex Platinum 2 for 1 program, including some Star Alliance carriers, so that the passenger with the revenue ticket can earn qualifying miles with Aeroplan?
I would think an easy way to get around it is do:
YYZ-LHR
... LHR-YOW
... YOW-LHR
LHR-YYZ
This would make you look less guilty if AC ever question you because you could say AC's website didn't allow me to book YYZ-LHR-YOW so i split it into 2 tickets. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif
If I was so inclined, I could this very instant purchase 2 Air Canada Executive First seats on YYZ-LHR for a grand total of CAD$1531.04. Getting 2 Exec 1st seats for $2K would be even easier.
If I was so inclined, I could this very instant purchase 2 Air Canada Executive First seats on YYZ-LHR for a grand total of CAD$1531.04. Getting 2 Exec 1st seats for $2K would be even easier.
What is the change fee on a V fare? i.e. if you travelled and decided you wanted to come after three days, are you looking at $125 or so, or are you looking at a full J-fare?
I guess we just have different reference points for our travel. You obviously do primarily short notice, short duration trips, and thus have limited awareness of the range of options for taking advantage of combined business/leisure situations. Many more of us have the luxury of being able to plan aheard enough in most circumstances to take advantage of such benefits, and thus also achieve significant savings to our travel costs.
Yes, actually, and in fact on their 747-400s they only have 20 J seats as opposed to the 24 on a CP 747-400, regarded as one of the roomiest J cabins in North America, with a 65" seat pitch. Here's the Seating Plan for Boeing 747-400 (http://www.britishairways.com/flights/factfile/seatplan/docs/b747400_2.shtml) on BA's web site, (BTW, my favourite seat is 4K http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif) and you can see how much "More space and comfort (http://www.britishairways.com/21stcentury/21stcentury/popup/world/mn_space.shtml)" you have in this graphic.
I'll think on this one to see whether it's worth the $399 annual fee.
[This message has been edited by Empress (edited 07-09-2001).]
Also, Amex has changed the way points are credited to the MR account. It used to be one had to pay your Amex bill before the previous month's points went into that account. Now, the points will be added [in theory] to the MR account when the charges are posted to your Amex account(s).
Since most people appear to have abandoned this program since the airline partners are less attractive for exchanging MR points to FF program miles, there are few awards of perceived value. I have used my almost 40K accumulated points -- I had been one of the fortunate few to have cashed out much of my account for CP points in early April, so missed the dreaded Easter weekend massacre -- for $100 travel vouchers [at the specially discounted rate of 8,000 MR points per $100 voucher, rather than the usual 10,000 MR points]. Today is the final day to order these at the discounted rate, so if you want to clean out your account, better do so now...
After Burner: You missed the point, what Shareholder meant was a SE can get 2 YYZ-LHR for under $2K because they can just buy V fare and upgrade at the time of booking. He wasn't talking about full J fares.
I'm a relatively new SE, so I might be a bit unfamiliar with the upgrade rules. But my understanding was that even if you purchase a V fare and upgrade it, the same V fare restrictions still apply -- in particular a minimum stay (7 days?). Is this not the case? So this fare would require using (illegal) tricks such as back to back.
So the real value of the 2-for-1 business fare offer comes only if one is not an SE who could buy two V-class transAt tickets, and upgrade both at the time of booking. This means getting two ExecFirst seats for about $2K versus two BA Club World seats with the Amex offer for about $5K.
I must be missing something. How can you possibly get 2 business Exec 1st YYZ-LHR seats for $2K?
I don't know about back-to-back, but there's probably something in the contract that says you are committing to using all the coupons (flying all the segments) which is why throwaway breaks the contract.
andrew
So the real value of the 2-for-1 business fare offer comes only if one is not an SE who could buy two V-class transAt tickets, and upgrade both at the time of booking. This means getting two ExecFirst seats for about $2K versus two BA Club World seats with the Amex offer for about $5K. But remember, BA has a lot more international destinations on which this offer can be used than AC has its own flights which can be upgraded. [And you have to be SE to do this with AC.]
e.g.
YYZ-LHR 16/7
...LHR-YYZ 19/7
...YYZ-LHR 30/7
LHR-YYZ 3/8
This would allow you to fly to London for three days (16/7-19/7). And also to fly to London for another five days (30/7-3/8). You don't actually spend a Saturday night in London, and the two cheap tickets cost considerably less than one full-fare (much less both full-fares).
If you bought both cheap tickets on AC, you'd be breaking their rules. If you bought one on AC and one on BA or VS, you might still be breaking airlines' rules but they wouldn't have much chance of detecting it.
But didn't AC say they were okay with ticketing like this, as long as you use them all? ("Throwaway ticketing" is the really bad one for all the airlines, that's where you buy the two tickets as above, and don't take the third or fourth flights (throw away the second half of each)).
andrew
[This message has been edited by Andrew Webber (edited 07-11-2001).]
sorry, but what is back to back and why is it illegal? Thanks.
I use the web to book cars and hotels. The upgrades could be pure luck and unrelated to using Amex Platinum. However, I seem to remember that one of the benefits of Amex Platinum was upgrades at certain hotels.
My Hertz location has always given me a 1 - 2 car upgrade if using the AMEX platinum card. They indicated it is one of the benefits they extend to AMEX Platinum CHARGE card (not credit card) members.
FWIW - I am sticking for 1 more year with my AMEX platinum charge card, but when I went and compared prices, AC business class to the UK was cheaper than either British Air business and alot cheaper (< 1/2) of BA first class (10K!). I found the seat layouts on the BA flights to be very strange in biz class. 2 -4-2 ... I have never seen 4 across the middle in a biz class flight before ... anyway am going to keep it one more year since I used the Canadian companion ticket twice so I figure I have some grace http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
SimonC
But simply paying the change fee does not allow you to violate the rules of the fare, such as the minimum stay. If you wished to return home early you would have to upgrade the entire ticket, including the portion you had already flown, to a fare that allows a shorter stay. This would most likely be a substantial sum of money, possibly even a full Y fare.
One of the advantages of the Amex Platinum is that I seem to get frequent non-flight upgrades when I use it. I'm currently sitting in an upgraded hotel room booked with the Amex Platinum card. The daily rate for this room is about US$400 more that the rate I'm paying. Also, Hertz upgrades me quite often.
Interesting. How did you book the rooms/cars whenever you've been upgraded? Through AmEx PTS or other means? I don't think I have ever received a car or room upgrade in the 10 years I've had my card (U.S.-issued one) unless there was nothing better or I had status with the hotel (or car agency).
[This message has been edited by terenz (edited 07-10-2001).]
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