Looking for help with a NYC-GUM-LHR-NYC Itinerary

[ukinny2000]

1. What route are you looking for?

I am looking for a NYC-GUM // GUM-LHR // LHR-NYC

I would really like to do the United Airlines "Island Hopper" (UA154) from HNL to GUM, the one that stops off at the various islands along the way, but open to other ways of getting to GUM from NYC.​

2. What dates do you want to travel (mention how flexible you are)?

I need to be in London from May 27/28-May 30, and was looking to leave NYC on May 19​

3. Do you want to fly first, business, or coach? (maybe also "are you willing to fly coach for a positioning flight")

Ideally Business, but ok with coach in a pinch, or if a good F award can be found then I suppose I could let myself be pampered ​

4. How many passengers?

1 ​

5. How many points do you have, in which programs?

Mid 6-figures in AS, UA, AA, MR and UR​

So far I have a quote of 140,000 UA miles which would have me doing UA in Y as EWR-LAX-HNL-MAJ-KWA-KSA-PNI-TKK-GUM on May 19 (arr May 21), and then GUM-NRT-BKK-LHR in J on May 26 (arr May 27), and then LHR-EWR in Y on May 30.

Whilst this seems to be a decent price, they are pricing it out as two tickets, EWR-GUM-LHR, and LHR-EWR. Any idea if there is a way to have this be a single award?

I am open to other routings and ideas - suggestions?

 

[Chasing The Points]

While, not exactly the island hopper, but would get you to GUM, how about flying on BR in J to JFK-TPE-GUM?

I've done it 2x on BR from JFK-HKG and thought it was pretty awesome.

 

[ukinny2000]

I would, but wouldn't there be issues with cabotage as GUM is US territory, akin to going USA-ICN-ROR on a Korean-based airline?

 

[Chasing The Points]

My bad, I didn't know about cabotage rules. That's the same route I just read in Wikipedia that Asiana airlines was fine for that route.

It doesn't look feasible unless you stop in TPE for a little bit, right?

 

[ukinny2000]

yeah. What's TPE like?

 

[Chasing The Points]

I had a good time in TPE, I made a friend who works at Hotel Quote

https://www.hotel-quote.com/

They offered free breakfast/snacks, great location, very affordable cash rack rates + they're found on Visa Signature hotels (something like AMEX's FHR program, so possible upgrades).

The one thing I would have liked to have done was spend a little bit more time to explore the night markets in TPE

 

[smittytabb]

yeah. What's TPE like?

TPE is great. Stayed at the haunted Grand Hyatt which is an amazing bargain on cash and points. Great club lounge. Taipei 101 is in my opinion the most beautiful building in the world. Night markets are great fun. It's a fun stopover for sure.

 

[ukinny2000]

Thanks for the input - will have to check it out....

 

[Maverick17]

You could look into a Mini-RTW with Aeroplan. *A so you could do Island Hopper route. They have lots of fuel surcharges but a) UA and some others like BR not much, and b) routing through HKG after GUM limits YQ further. But I'm not an expert by any means on their MPM issues, so not sure though on your routing. The FT thread on it is pretty helpful.