Idle Dreaming

A little over half way to Melbourne. Need to rack up 165.000 points on my amex to get two tickets to Melbourne (and we'll need to get to SFO to use it, but that's okay.) Is it fine in September there? If I have 100.000 points now, I need to average about 65000/11 (11 months since I'd need to book at least a month out) = $5909 per month to get this by next fall (or spring, depends where you stand!). Assuming a balanced work schedule, it's just out of my reach. If airfare is suddenly a higher percentage of my spending due to more flights or higher costs, this could be obtainable. Isn't a shame the things I think about. That would also get $1,650 worth of Home Depot giftcards, but what's that all about?

I am a little annoyed at NWA for not linking up with Qantas. The only way to Melbourne on a northwest mileage game is Alaska air to LAX, Air TahitiNui to Papeete, Air TahitiNui to Melbourne. The mild advantage is that a stopover in Tahiti is included. I can't begin to imagine what the cost of this would be in miles.