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 Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230375
01/25/12 10:47 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,658
cruisinfanatic
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Thanks Eugene, maybe by the time we fly AF will have upgraded those flights from IAD! Those will work for us. :rolleyes:
Guess Kathy those of you from LA get better aircraft.
JoAnn 
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230376
01/25/12 11:55 AM
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Posts: 732
peteropny
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Yes, but I think that for IAD, AF runs the A380 at least on some flights.
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230377
01/25/12 01:28 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 672
FDV72
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Just got off the phone with Delta Medallion desk asked if any 100k Biz seats to Paris were on AF available.. Got the Big NOPE!!!! Exactly what I expected... But go on Delta.com a and for 270k They surely are available...
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230378
01/25/12 02:02 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967
jhp
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You might want to try Ben at points pros, Frank, if you have enough points on other airlines. I think you need to find a new favorite airline other than Delta! Maybe another one would even transfer your status.
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230379
01/25/12 02:18 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 672
FDV72
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I agree Olivia, I am going to give Ben a try. Recently got Lifetime Gold on AA so started using them a bit more. Changing flights with them seems so much easier than Delta and the Awards seem to be less than Half of Deltas skypesos...
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230380
01/25/12 02:20 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,434
Dreps
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Yes AF flies a 380 on some flights to Dulles though it may be seasonal. However, I am pretty sure that even these have angled lie-flat seats.
Regarding mileage needed, I don't know the Boston situation but with two flights a day to Paris from IAD, I've been fairly successful getting low mileage seats on AF if I do it far enough out. As you may know, DL partner mileage is always at the low level.
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Eugene
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230381
01/25/12 02:35 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967
jhp
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I got my award for my April trip using the rest of my Delta points earned from the ROARS. Ben found a deal where it took only a 36K transfer from Amex MR points to get 50K points to Delta, but flight is on AF. I was glad to get rid of those Delta points.
The one thing I do not like about British Airways (for Grand Prix) is that unless you are either in First (in a 3 class aircraft), or have elite status, you cannot do seat selection until 24 hrs. before the flight.
Frank, you must fly a lot if you alread have Lifetime Gold on AA!
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230382
01/25/12 03:01 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
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FDV72
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Olivia:
I only fly a couple times a year.. On AA its usually down to FLL or Miami. Last year there was a Promotion that gave you something like a 35 percent bonus not including the SPG bonus when transferring SPG points to AA. so I did a bunch of transfers to get me over the 1 mill mark so I could get the small perks that come with AA Gold. The few times I have used it have been great and now if we decide to do an international trip I have the miles to redeem.
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230383
01/25/12 04:14 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,658
cruisinfanatic
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Frank has been lifetime Gold for many years now. It really doesn't get us a lot, but it does get us early boarding, and he has some upgrade certificates which we have used, but we never know until day of flight if the upgrade has been granted or not, and then we never get seats together unless someone is willing to trade with us.
But my question here is for those of you with a bunch of DL points that seem to be impossible to use, can you transfer them to one of their partners and use less miles for flying to Europe than DL would require? For instance would Pointspros be able to transfer something like 50k per person from DL to AF for a flight thru Paris?
Why I want to know this I'm not sure other than the fact that as I said above there are rumors that DL is trying to buy AA and thus AA points would be even harder to use by those standards and AA points are difficult enough as it is.
JoAnn
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230384
01/25/12 04:59 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967
jhp
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Originally posted by cruisinfanatic:
But my question here is for those of you with a bunch of DL points that seem to be impossible to use, can you transfer them to one of their partners and use less miles for flying to Europe than DL would require? For instance would Pointspros be able to transfer something like 50k per person from DL to AF for a flight thru Paris?
JoAnn, as I posted above, I used the rest of my DL points, and added to them via Amex with Ben to get my next free tix in April on Air France. When you book these flights, you can get any airline within whatever consortium they are in, is my knowlege. Like with Star Alliance, you could get Lufthansa, United, USAir, et al. for an award ticket. With my Dela points, I got AF because they are a Sky Team member. I think that's what it is called
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230385
01/25/12 05:09 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967
jhp
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Originally posted by Dreps:
Yes AF flies a 380 on some flights to Dulles though it may be seasonal. However, I am pretty sure that even these have angled lie-flat seats.
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Eugene For my flight in April, it is showing the 777-300, which has those angled seats Eugene referenced. I'm seeing same thing on www.seatguru.com for the 380 on AF.
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230386
01/26/12 05:00 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,512
Ms Understood
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I have flown AF and KLM with Delta points a number of times but I am not sure re; Joann question about transferring to the Flying Blue program from Delta and then book reward travel directly with AF. I have the AF flight from LAX to CDG booked 3 times in the coming months, 100k points for the flight that terminates at CDG, 120k points for the flight that goes on to Cairo (secured with the help of PointsPros) and 100k points for the flights that goes on to LIS. Come July it is an A380, presently it is a 777.
We flew Lufthansa's A380 to Roar III. Seats were lay flat seats, not lay flat beds.
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Helen
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230387
01/26/12 05:47 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,646
ChatKat...
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Maybe we at LAX are just lucky to get the good AF Flights. There are two a day NS to CDG.
VOYAGER:
MC to FLL 11/07
MC/Dover 6/06
MARINER:
BCN / Ven 10/11
Alaska 2001|2006
Panama Canal 2003
NAV
Caribbean 11/06
Bermuda|New Eng/Canada 6/04
PG 5/05
OCEANIA
Nautica |Ist/Athens 6/07
Regatta|Baltics 6/08
Riviera 2013 Crossing -Istanbul to Miami
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230388
01/26/12 06:05 AM
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,732
ColonelWes
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Contacted Ben at poinspro with JoAnn's ? above, his reply:
While there’s no way to efficiently transfer Delta miles to another mileage currency, you can use them for travel on partner airlines.
While Delta has three award levels for travel on their own flights (low, medium, and high), they only have low award space on their partner airlines. So that means if you’re able to find award space on their partner airlines (Air France, Alitalia, KLM, etc.), it would be
at the lowest level of 100,000 miles for oundtrip transatlanticbusiness class.
Air France generally has the best transatlantic award space,especially on routes like Atlanta to Paris, New York to Paris, and especially Washington to Paris. Then you can add on the intra-Europe connections at no additional cost.
Hope that helps!
Best,
Ben
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230389
01/26/12 06:25 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,084
petlover
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I just booked our Grand Prix flights...1 way AA LAX non stop to LHR/BA to Nice Biz class. Returning one way ticket on Continental. Biz seats from Rio to Houston/1st Class Houston to LAX.
I was happy there was lots of availability to pick from. Each one way ticket for Business Class was 50k miles so didn't get gouged.
Marcie 
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230390
01/26/12 09:28 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 672
FDV72
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Thats great news Marcie:
They should have more availability I would think this is not HIGH time in Europe....
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230391
01/31/12 03:14 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,026
Fogmalkin
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Since I did two one way awards I wish I had thought about the Delta partner angle before I booked our tix. I, too, have 50K+ miles on Delta that I have been trying to get rid of for some time. Could have transferred in Amex points to get two one ways in biz and burned those miles!
My mileage redeposit fee would be more than had I just booked Ben and his brain to begin with!
Edited this to say I just reread and now see that Delta has no one way awards. I may just leave this to the expert next time anyway!!
Suzanne
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230392
01/31/12 03:20 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
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FDV72
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I am totally going to use Ben for this trip. Whatever award flights I think I can find on my own I know he can do better.. Worth every penny...
Delta does not do one way Suzanne, so they booking the one way is the same as roundtrip.. Terrible...
FV
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230393
01/31/12 03:25 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,026
Fogmalkin
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Thanks Frank. I just reread the thread and picked that up.
I love one way awards. It gives you so much more flexibility when you have mileage in more than one basket!
Suzanne
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230394
01/31/12 03:53 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 672
FDV72
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I agree. I have spread out the mileage all over the place so hopefully will make Bens job a little easier when the time comes...
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230395
02/03/12 02:54 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,658
cruisinfanatic
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Well finally have it all in place, air, hotel. We will be at the Le Meridien Beach Plaza with everyone else.....our friends Jack and Laura will be there too.
Due to FF miles availability on the return we will only be in RIO one night, but two full days and come back on the 27th. Ben did a great job getting air for both us and Jack and Laura. :app:
JoAnn
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230396
02/03/12 05:08 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,084
petlover
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Glad it all worked out for you 4 JoAnn. We have our flights worked out too which is good feeling. We have several hotel reservations so not sure which we'll keep and which we'll cancel.
Marcie
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230397
02/03/12 07:23 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,658
cruisinfanatic
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LOL Marcie.....how many do you need???? Hope we can maybe work something that night for dinner for a group of us, or drinks after or something.
we would have loved a night in Nice, but we didn't want to be there by ourselves and it seemed everyone else was leaning toward MC and the Le Meridein was less expensive there, and we had to think about Jack and Laura as well and probably Jim and Jill who are all on this too. We might have thought about going in two or three days early and spending a couple of days in Nice, but decided on Paris instead since we have never been there and are dying to go.
JoAnn
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230398
02/08/12 07:39 AM
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Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,335
AndreaN
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I'm a little late getting my flights in place for this trip. I was actually going to cancel since the single supplement hasn't decreased, but after spending time with the wonderful people on ZODIAC who will also be on this cruise I decided the money is worth it!
I got an AA biz award BOS-LHR-NCE.
I don't have the return from Rio booked yet. AA hasn't released any milesaaver awards yet but hopefully they will in the next few weeks. I've never been to Rio and would like to spend a couple of days there. Still working out those plans!
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230399
02/08/12 02:56 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,667
coffeecup
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Andrea--you traveling fool
Diane 
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230400
02/08/12 03:06 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 672
FDV72
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At least you have something booked Andrea.... We have not done anything as of yet: Have to make a move soon...
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230401
02/10/12 09:22 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 672
FDV72
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Called Delta last night around Midnight to see about flights.. I must really like self torture but I had to give myself a late night laugh.. Nothing on Air France or KLM for low mileage awards,or direct flights to Paris or Nice, BUT!!!! Delta has everything and anything available if your account balance is big enough... The woman on the phone was very nice and we were joking a bit: She thanked me for being a Delta Diamond Medallion member and I thanked her for trying to help and then I had to throw in the comment that from Boston I fly Jetblue most of the time or AA because they actually get you there without making a hundred stops, she agreed and said she hates connections herself, go Figure...
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230402
02/10/12 10:22 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,658
cruisinfanatic
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Time to call Ben I'd say. LOL. :rolleyes:
JoAnn
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230403
02/10/12 11:27 AM
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FDV72
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230404
02/11/12 09:46 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967
jhp
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Hi Frank, sorry you are still having difficulty, I guess I assumed you had already contacted Ben and he couldn't find anything. There was an interesting article on Gary Leff's website the other day about Delta and premium seats on international flights. In fact, if you do a search on that site for Delta award flights, there's even more. http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewf...book-international-premium-class-awards/ I don't think that any of those guys working with points awards make many favorable remarks about the ease of booking a Delta award flight.
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230405
02/11/12 10:52 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,352
Marc
OP
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I guess, I am in minority; I have done very well over the years getting Delta rewards. I just wish they would come out with one way rewwards so you can easily book outgoing prior to return.
For taj mahal, I might use ben or gary as I will have very few miles to spare and will need to use some MR points to augment delta skymiles.
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230406
02/11/12 12:49 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
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FDV72
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Thanks for the article link Olivia;
I emailed Ben yesterday,will see what he comes back with.
FV
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230407
03/01/12 02:13 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 5,658
cruisinfanatic
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Soooooo. Frank did Ben get it together for you? So glad you and Carla are on this, fun fun fun.
JoAnn
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230408
03/01/12 03:51 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 672
FDV72
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We are still working with Ben.. I have miles with Delta/AA/Us Air but it looks like the best deal on the return from Rio is United and I do not have any miles so working on getting the two CC and then topping off with SPG points to make it work.
Looks like it will be AA going over and then United coming back if it works out.
We are excited too, What a blast this will be..
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230409
03/01/12 05:43 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 7,967
jhp
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Frank, will you be flying British Air with American points?
Working with Ben, I did same thing. One way via American points, and one way via United points.
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230410
03/02/12 04:40 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,084
petlover
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Sounds like us...using AA points going (Iberia Airlines) and returning on UAL from Rio.
Marcie
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
#230411
03/02/12 04:49 AM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 672
FDV72
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The return could be AA or UAL we will see how it turns out..
Looks like it might be BA on the way over..
When all else fails I can always lean on my Trust worthy Delta at double the points so I have back up..
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air [b]FROM RIO[/b]
[Re: Marc]
#231856
05/20/12 08:36 PM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 365
count Florida
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We are now joining the many who will be leaving the Mariner in Rio Monday morning Nov 26 but won't be flying out till late that night. There are six non-stop flights from Rio to the USA on November 26th, all late that night: Delta to Atlanta at 10:20 PM; American to Miami at 10:20 PM, to JFK at 10:55; TAM (codeshare w/United) to Miami at 10:28 PM; United to Houston at 10:55 PM; and US Air to Charlotte at 11:55 PM (our flight, the latest of course).
So what do we do from say 9 or 10 AM till our plane leaves? How about touring a while, get a day room, have lunch, then perhaps tour some more, even go to the beach or just hang out or nap, then have an early dinner before heading to the airport to catch our flight. Here the message I posted on CruiseCritic to find cruisers to share, showing what I had sent to a couple of private tour guides in Rio:
LOOKING FOR A PRIVATE TOUR GUIDE IN RIO de JANERIO 26 November 2012
We are a small English-speaking group arriving in Rio by cruise ship (Regent Seven Seas Mariner) from Monte Carlo, Monaco about 9 AM Monday, November 26, and will be flying home late that same night. The final size of the group, which will have its luggage from an 18 day cruise with it, will depend upon the details of the services offered as well as the cost.
The group would prefer a tour of Rio‘s highlights followed by lunch at a nice hotel with “day rooms” to refresh themselves in, with the option to nap at the hotel, do some further touring or perhaps even go to the beach before an early evening dinner, say at a traditional Churrascaria restaurant, before being transferred to the Galeão International airport no later than 8 or 9 PM.
There are six non-stop flights from Rio to the USA on November 26th: Delta to Atlanta at 10:20 PM; American to Miami at 10:20 PM, to JFK at 10:55; TAM (codeshare w/United) to Miami at 10:28 PM; United to Houston at 10:55 PM; and US Air to Charlotte at 11:55 PM.
Any interest from LCTers going on Grand Prix only as far as Rio?
[size=8]Too Many To List - 416� days & counting on Radisson/Regent, and 150+� days on 8 other lines, with one cruise booked next month on the Mariner, Miami to Honolulu 22 days
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air [b]FROM RIO[/b]
[Re: Marc]
#231859
05/21/12 04:56 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,084
petlover
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we might be interested. I need to find out what Regent plans to do with us, and our luggage. We've been to Rio several times but hanging out at the airport all day is not an option. We're on the UAL @ 10:55pm flight.
Marcie
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Re: GRAND PRIX Air
[Re: Marc]
#231863
05/21/12 05:21 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,434
Dreps
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We were on our own when we disembarked from LLAMA in Rio. The Byrnes and we stored our luggage at the airport and then went to Persepolis for the day. I highly recommend this if you've seen the sights of Rio. However, a couple words of wisdom. Have cash for checking your luggage. You may recall that both the Byrnes and I had identity theft problems using ATMs at the airport. The luggage storage did not take credit cards at that time. Also, although the weather was much more pleasant in Persepolis than Rio, we were desperate for showers before the flight home. We were flying DL, but not in business class, but we were able to pay to use the AA lounge. I think it was $50 pp, but it was worth it. I'm sure the other passengers appreciated it too.  ------------------------- Eugene
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