Trip report AA-Qatar-Airlink

[YancyW]

Another cure for the dopey-hangover feeling is to get an AMEX platinum card. They have a membership fee of $550 per year but there are benefits that self-fund this. 1.) You get a $200 credit each year for your favorite declared domestic carrier, 2.) You get free Boingo wifi access on flights that offer it. 3.) You get Priority pass lounge access so you can drink/eat/nap at every airport I've ever visited. 4.) You get AMEX centurion lounge access in cities that have it for more drink/eat/nap avoiding what would be uncomfortable and expensive fast food at airports. 5.) You get a statement credit for your Global Entry / TSA Pre every three years which is a substantial benefit. 6.) No foreign transaction fees when you need to buy something on CC. 7.) If you use AMEX travel for your booking, you get 5x points and if you redeem points for a flight they kick back 40% of them to you as an incentive. 8.) The AMEX point is the most powerful of any loyalty point and you can hit a button on your phone and convert them to miles, hotel rewards, or anything you need to do instantly to "top up" for enough points with your various airline and hotel loyalty programs for a free upgrade, room, flight, etc. 9.) It also gives you $25 in uber credits kicked back every month.

As a frugal person, this is one area where I pay the extra money. It pays for itself in just one round-trip visit with myself and a companion in the amount of food/drink we avoid buying at airports...and we get a decent nap during a connection stop too.

+1

If you travel at all, the Amex Platinum is well worth the money.

 

[Philip Glass]

Yes, once in DFW and flying Qatar, you have to go out of security and over to the Qatar check-in desks to do the rifle paperwork and then go back through security and to the gate agent to confirm again before you board the flight. However, once it’s all done, it was smooth from there on.

I also flew AA last year on my first leg but from from Denver to DFW, not San Angelo, and then to DOHA to JNB to Maun. The AA agents in Denver did not ask for my SAPS gun permit.

Coming up next month, I am going to Zambia but avoiding JNB altogether. I’m going DEN to DFW to Doha to Lusaka. I will let you know how it goes on AA and Qatar. Thanks for your report!!

Thanks Scott. This year is the first time I’ve ever had trouble with AA on guns. They have some directive in their notes that has everyone screwed up. next trip I will ask to check to DFW and recheck with Qatar. It will be easier. Plus everything at DFW is easy compared to other airports IMO. Hope your trip goes well.

 

[Philip Glass]

+1

If you travel at all, the Amex Platinum is well worth the money.

I have the AA executive card or whatever they call it. It is mainly for Admirals club access but has many of the benefits mentioned And is the same price. I would love the Amex card because the centurion lounges are so nice but they are few and far between. Admirals club lounges are pretty much crap in comparison to what other lounges offer. But they are in most airports and at least give me a quiet place to have a coffee or a beer.
I can take two people per credit card with me into the lounge. Is Amex the same?

 

[rookhawk]

I have the AA executive card or whatever they call it. It is mainly for Admirals club access but has many of the benefits mentioned And is the same price. I would love the Amex card because the centurion lounges are so nice but they are few and far between. Admirals club lounges are pretty much crap in comparison to what other lounges offer. But they are in most airports and at least give me a quiet place to have a coffee or a beer.
I can take two people per credit card with me into the lounge. Is Amex the same?

3

 

[Scott CWO]

Taking your own firearm really isn't much of a hassle as some of us make it out to be. Yes, you have to jump through a few hoops but if it is just one or two hunters in a group it will be a breeze.

As for airlines, unless you are set on Qatar United and Delta will get you there with zero hassle. No surrender permits, just check them through to Johannesburg. I would also use Rifle Permits or even Air 2000 for preapproved permits and a meet and greet if you are flying to another destination within South Africa, they are will worth the extra cash. If your PH will be picking you up in Johannesburg then perhaps just a preapproved permit, which is worth it's weight in gold to get through the SAP's office.

There is something special about taking your own rifle that you know how it shoots with ammo that you have loaded yourself. After my first safari I though that if I went back I would use my outfitters rifles but with what most of them charge for that service I figured that I would just take my own rifle back this last time. And if I go again I just may take it again.

However, the problems with United and Delta are that they were scheduling flights that they weren’t sure they would conduct and then cancel some if they weren’t booked full. Hopefully this practice of theirs will subside as the pandemic rules go away but I don’t trust them. I’ve been using Qatar with no problems and way better service.

 

[Scott CWO]

For my last 2 trips and my upcoming trip I took United from PIT to Newark to JNB. United has Economy, Premium Economy and Business. Coach seems to run around 1000-1000, I have went Premium Economy 1700.00 and Business 3100.00 (yes, I did pay for Premium Economy 1700.00, then a box popped up offering an upgrade to Business for 1400.00 roundtrip, that was a no-brainer for me). This September I am doing Premium Economy for 1700.00. I feel the Newark airport is a PIA, but when I compare actual travel time, United is the right fit for me. Others go through DOH, and that is great too, but I do not want to spend an extra 10-14 hours getting to Africa.

Looks like you’ve figured out a way to get there that works well for you. However, keep in mind that United and Delta were not a good option at times during the pandemic. They both were canceling a lot of flights. Hopefully now they have stopped scheduling flights that they had no intention of conducting. I switched to Qatar and it was great, although sometimes longer. I don’t hunt South Africa and try to avoid JNB like the plague if possible. I also try to avoid New Jersey, NY and DC airports whenever possible due to gun control complications.

 

[Pheroze]

I don’t hunt South Africa and try to avoid JNB like the plague if possible.

If you find yourself in JNB I highly suggest @riflepermits.com Absolutely the best way to get through that security.

As an aside, the security folks in Addis seem very professional. The challenge is the crazy process to be taken to them. It always seems to work out in the end.

 

[Areaonereal]

My second notice from Qatar Air, on flight was cancelled 6 weeks ago and rebooked on a later flight, last nite, another flight arrival time changed to one hour later. Leaving mid August from ORD to WDH. Peace of mind not in the cards with changing flights and timetables.

 

[Ivorygrip]

Yes, once in DFW and flying Qatar, you have to go out of security and over to the Qatar check-in desks to do the rifle paperwork and then go back through security and to the gate agent to confirm again before you board the flight. However, once it’s all done, it was smooth from there on.

I also flew AA last year on my first leg but from from Denver to DFW, not San Angelo, and then to DOHA to JNB to Maun. The AA agents in Denver did not ask for my SAPS gun permit.

Coming up next month, I am going to Zambia but avoiding JNB altogether. I’m going DEN to DFW to Doha to Lusaka. I will let you know how it goes on AA and Qatar. Thanks for your report!!

We are leaving in 7 days going TUS-DFW on AA and Qatar from there to HRE.
Checking the guns just to Dallas then rechecking on Qatar, wouldnt that warrant paying for extra bags twice?
And can you do the check in with Qatar without the guns present (if they were checked thru to final destination) by just having the surrender declaration?
We also notified them a while back and they responded that they sent the information to their staff.
Im just wondering what would be more streamlined to check thru to Harare or check to dallas and recheck with Qatar?
Either way would work fine I suppose, Just curious what you think for that.

 

[JimP]

On my trip with Phillip Glass we checked our rifles all the way through from Denver to Joberg starting with American Airlines and then switching to Qatar in Dallas. In Dallas we had to go out of security and up to the main ticket agents where we did our firearm surrender forms, then back through security and to our flight.

Your problem with just checking your rifles and luggage just to Dallas may be the time frame that you have to get things picked up at the domestic luggage arrival and then heading all the way over to the international terminal. In my opinion anything less than 3 or 4 hours between flights would be a problem

 

[Scott CWO]

We are leaving in 7 days going TUS-DFW on AA and Qatar from there to HRE.
Checking the guns just to Dallas then rechecking on Qatar, wouldnt that warrant paying for extra bags twice?
And can you do the check in with Qatar without the guns present (if they were checked thru to final destination) by just having the surrender declaration?
We also notified them a while back and they responded that they sent the information to their staff.
Im just wondering what would be more streamlined to check thru to Harare or check to dallas and recheck with Qatar?
Either way would work fine I suppose, Just curious what you think for that.

I’m not an expert on extra bag charges but I can see your concern with that extra expense. You might incur those charges, depending on your airline and if booked on coach tickets. Are you taking more than two checked bags each? I only check a gun case and one other bag since laundry is done daily in every camp I’ve hunted. I carry all electronics, batteries, documents, optics and shave kit in my carry-on.

Even though you have submitted everything about your guns to Qatar in advance, you will still have to go through the process with the check-in agents and ALSO the gate agents. Make sure you go up to the gate desk well before boarding time to let them know you have guns and tell them you’ve already been to the check-in agent desk. Bring extra copies of documents and make sure your layover in DFW is sufficient. As for checking luggage all the way through to HRE, yes, I believe you can do that or reclaim luggage in DFW and recheck it. I don’t recall Qatar actually looking at my guns when checked all the way through. The agents are friendly so I recommend being patient and polite.

Others reading this should realize that my advice only applies to Qatar. When I went to Tajikistan on Turkish Air by starting in Denver on AA, it was mandatory to reclaim bags in Chicago (my first flight actually on a Turkish Air airplane) and recheck them on Turkish. Turkish will not accept firearms checked all the way through from other airlines or at least, AA. My companion, who started in Minneapolis on AA, was told by an AA agent in Minneapolis that he could check his gun all the way through. As Phillip has mentioned, agents are often wrong about rules of other airline companies! Well, his gun did not make the trip and was left behind in Chicago!

 

[wesheltonj]

. . . I can take two people per credit card with me into the lounge. Is Amex the same?

Currently, you can take 2 guests per card. That is going to change to no guests. The first “personal” card is $695 per year and the next three cards are $150.

You get Amex lounge access, Delta (when flying on Delta), Airspace, Plaza Premium, Escape and Priority Pass lounges.

Global Entry/Pre-check



“Primary” card benefits:

$200 a year airline incidentals credit.
$200 a year hotel credit booked by Amex.
$15 a month Uber, more in December.
$50 twice a year Saks Fifth Avenue.
$20 a month electronic entertainment credit.
Walmart+ service. 12.95 per month
Discounted Air and Hotels
Premium Hotel benefit.
Clear membership credit of $179 a year.

If you can make it work, the card is worth the price.

 

[Scott CWO]

If you find yourself in JNB I highly suggest @riflepermits.com Absolutely the best way to get through that security.

As an aside, the security folks in Addis seem very professional. The challenge is the crazy process to be taken to them. It always seems to work out in the end.

Thanks! I have also used Bruce at JNB with Gracy and that was great. If flying out of JNB the same day on a connection with a long layover, I reclaim my bags and recheck them. Once when connecting to Harare, I was the only hunter on the plane to receive my guns in Harare after a long layover in JNB. The JNB baggage room is a crap show if you have a long layover on the same day.

 

[Ivorygrip]

On my trip with Phillip Glass we checked our rifles all the way through from Denver to Joberg starting with American Airlines and then switching to Qatar in Dallas. In Dallas we had to go out of security and up to the main ticket agents where we did our firearm surrender forms, then back through security and to our flight.

Your problem with just checking your rifles and luggage just to Dallas may be the time frame that you have to get things picked up at the domestic luggage arrival and then heading all the way over to the international terminal. In my opinion anything less than 3 or 4 hours between flights would be a problem

Sounds good. I have 5 hrs in Dallas but I think we are gonna check thru to Harare if possible.
thanks

 

[Ivorygrip]

I’m not an expert on extra bag charges but I can see your concern with that extra expense. You might incur those charges, depending on your airline and if booked on coach tickets. Are you taking more than two checked bags each? I only check a gun case and one other bag since laundry is done daily in every camp I’ve hunted. I carry all electronics, batteries, documents, optics and shave kit in my carry-on.

Even though you have submitted everything about your guns to Qatar in advance, you will still have to go through the process with the check-in agents and ALSO the gate agents. Make sure you go up to the gate desk well before boarding time to let them know you have guns and tell them you’ve already been to the check-in agent desk. Bring extra copies of documents and make sure your layover in DFW is sufficient. As for checking luggage all the way through to HRE, yes, I believe you can do that or reclaim luggage in DFW and recheck it. I don’t recall Qatar actually looking at my guns when checked all the way through. The agents are friendly so I recommend being patient and polite.

Others reading this should realize that my advice only applies to Qatar. When I went to Tajikistan on Turkish Air by starting in Denver on AA, it was mandatory to reclaim bags in Chicago (my first flight actually on a Turkish Air airplane) and recheck them on Turkish. Turkish will not accept firearms checked all the way through from other airlines or at least, AA. My companion, who started in Minneapolis on AA, was told by an AA agent in Minneapolis that he could check his gun all the way through. As Phillip has mentioned, agents are often wrong about rules of other airline companies! Well, his gun did not make the trip and was left behind in Chicago!

Sounds good
yes 1 gun Case and 1 pelican box for my regular luggage.
Perfect, I’ll just check them thru to HRE.
I sure appreciate it.

 

[CoElkHunter]

On my trip with Phillip Glass we checked our rifles all the way through from Denver to Joberg starting with American Airlines and then switching to Qatar in Dallas. In Dallas we had to go out of security and up to the main ticket agents where we did our firearm surrender forms, then back through security and to our flight.

Your problem with just checking your rifles and luggage just to Dallas may be the time frame that you have to get things picked up at the domestic luggage arrival and then heading all the way over to the international terminal. In my opinion anything less than 3 or 4 hours between flights would be a problem

It was also $100.00 for the rifle case going to JNB and $240.00 coming back. Some agreement AA has with Qatar for the transfer of the rifle case coming back or so was told to me by the travel agent. SA Airlink gets $37.00 each way to PE for the rifle case. Although I was charged double that coming back to JNB, because I told her I had two rifles. I guess she thought I had two rifle cases. I didn’t care as I just wanted the HELL out of her office!

 

[rinehart0050]

Currently, you can take 2 guests per card. That is going to change to no guests. The first “personal” card is $695 per year and the next three cards are $150.

You get Amex lounge access, Delta (when flying on Delta), Airspace, Plaza Premium, Escape and Priority Pass lounges.

Global Entry/Pre-check



“Primary” card benefits:

$200 a year airline incidentals credit.
$200 a year hotel credit booked by Amex.
$15 a month Uber, more in December.
$50 twice a year Saks Fifth Avenue.
$20 a month electronic entertainment credit.
Walmart+ service. 12.95 per month
Discounted Air and Hotels
Premium Hotel benefit.
Clear membership credit of $179 a year.

If you can make it work, the card is worth the price.

Also, free Global Entry membership, which is key coming back into USA.

 

[Novice Huntress]

Hi Philip, enjoyed your write up!
Qatar Airways most definitely worth doing. We flew from London Heathrow T5 to JNB via Doha in May 2022. Used A380 and 777(?), service was excellent.

We used Airlink to PE and I will add my husband booked online the charge for carrying firearms so made check in a little easier. Used PHASA for rifle permit in JNB.
I will add as a surprise my husband booked business class for our return to London , Qsuite possibly the best at the moment?

Not used Emirates as they use A380's, but if we go again would most certainly use Qatar, no charge for carrying firearms as yet, service miles ahead of BA!

 

[Areaonereal]

Airlink charge is $37.00 per firearm, even if in the same case. So 2 firearms one case $74.00. I had one firearm one case last March, my wife and I traveling to East cape, she tried to charge me for two firearms since there was two of us…I had to open case and prove there was only one firearm…

 

[CoElkHunter]

Airlink charge is $37.00 per firearm, even if in the same case. So 2 firearms one case $74.00. I had one firearm one case last March, my wife and I traveling to East cape, she tried to charge me for two firearms since there was two of us…I had to open case and prove there was only one firearm…

Oh OK. I thought the $37 was per gun case. That’s what I was charged going to PE from JNB. Thanks!