I tried to redeem NW miles today for a pair of Alitalia flights -- Vienna to Milan, and Milan to Bilbao. The NW agent said she was itinerary wasn't valid for award travel because each of the two legs I was flying (VIE->MXP = 400 miles, MXP->BIO = 596 miles) were both "shorter than the leg I wasn't flying" (VIE->BIO = 985 miles).

I had never heard this explanation given before. Can anyone confirm that this is correct?

Thanks.

- John

It sounds like a load of baloney,

First rule of flyertalk, if at first you don't succeed, call, call again. Hang up politely and call back for a different (more helpful) agent.

Welcome to Flyertalk!

I think the explanation and definition given by the agent you were speaking to is actually correct. I have been given a similar definition be several other airlines. To be valid as an open jaw (i.e., instead of being viewed as two separate one ways, which are not allowed under most award plans) the two legs must pass this test. I had a similar issue with NW this winter, we were going to be in Stockholm and wanted to go somewhere in Europe and then take a second leg to CDG. It was damn hard to find something that met this test because CDG to STO is a fair distance.

But what you are trying to do is probably doable via another means, investigate the rules some more and I'm sure you can find a way. I'm not sure if you can do a stopover on an intraEU award. But if you can, then do VIE-MXP-BIO, with a stopover in MXP and just book another leg (that meets the open jaw req) and throw that coupon out.

Hi,

I spoke with Alitalia MilleMiglia award Customer Service today. She informed me that stopovers and open jaws were only allowed if at least one leg of the trip was on a different airline. So for example, I wanted to do NYC - Istanbul with a stopover in Milan, but she said if I flew Alitalia for the entire itinerary, a stopover is not allowed.

Can anyone confirm or deny this?

thanks very much