DCA-DFW-SAN-NRT Award Trip Connection Advice Please!

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Sep 17, 2014, 8:07 pm

aoumd

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DCA-DFW-SAN-NRT Award Trip Connection Advice Please!

Managed to score DCA-DFW-SAN-NRT sAAver award space next spring for a trip to Tokyo (the oddball routing is because I want to try a 787). DCA-DFW-SAN are in AA F, SAN-NRT is in JL J.

I'm booked to leave DCA 7am-ish and have 85-minute connections at DFW and SAN to connect to the once-daily JL SAN-NRT flight which leaves shortly after 1pm. I'm now wondering if these connections at DFW and SAN are tight considering the goal is to get to a 1x/day flight.

I've also read contradictory things on AA connections for Int'l award travel. I know AA doesn't allow stopovers, but I also read AA allows up to 24 hours to connect to the next international flight. Could I rebook my award trip so that I fly DCA-DFW-SAN (or DCA-[somewhere else reasonably direct]-SAN) the night before, spend the night in SAN and then continue on to NRT the next day? This hypothetical overnight connection would still be under 24 hours and I would still be booked to leave SAN on "the next flight SAN-NRT".

Any advice would be great. Thanks!

Sep 17, 2014, 8:23 pm

3Cforme

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Quote:

Originally Posted by aoumd

Could I rebook my award trip so that I fly DCA-DFW-SAN (or DCA-[somewhere else reasonably direct]-SAN) the night before, spend the night in SAN and then continue on to NRT the next day? This hypothetical overnight connection would still be under 24 hours and I would still be booked to leave SAN on "the next flight SAN-NRT".

On an international itin one has 24:00 to connect to a scheduled flight. You don't need the next SAN-NRT flight.

Sep 17, 2014, 8:28 pm

aoumd

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Cforme

On an international itin one has 24:00 to connect to a scheduled flight. You don't need the next SAN-NRT flight.

Great, thanks for the advice 3Cforme!

Sep 17, 2014, 8:40 pm

aoumd

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Cforme

On an international itin one has 24:00 to connect to a scheduled flight. You don't need the next SAN-NRT flight.

Actually, I just thought of a follow-up: is the "24 hour rule" good at SAN where I'm connecting to the international leg, or at either SAN or DFW since the ITINERARY is international? Just want to know ALL of my options!

Thanks!

Sep 17, 2014, 9:43 pm

jridge

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Quote:

Originally Posted by aoumd

Actually, I just thought of a follow-up: is the "24 hour rule" good at SAN where I'm connecting to the international leg, or at either SAN or DFW since the ITINERARY is international?

It is good for all points because it is an international award.

I personally wouldn't feel too nervous about 85 minutes, although spring is a time for weather disruptions at DFW, so I'd be inclined to leave a flight in hand somewhere if your travel dates are important.

Sep 17, 2014, 10:24 pm

rabtech

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85 minutes should be more than enough time at DFW.

Sep 17, 2014, 10:50 pm

taxicabnumber

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You could also go DCA - LAX (overnight layover) // LAX - SAN - NRT, so that if anything looks fishy at LAX the morning of your JL flight you can get to SAN via other means.