What is the maximum allowed connection time?
Jan 13, 2011, 4:59 pm
#1
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What is the maximum allowed connection time?
There are times that when flying from the west coast to the east coast with a connection, I would like to go ahead and fly the first leg in the evening to get a head start followed by the first flight the next morning.
For example, if I was flying FAT->SFO->IAD, I may like to take a late flight Thursday from FAT to SFO, spend the night (or portion thereof) at a SFO airport hotel and then leave bright and early the next day on the first SFO to IAD flight.
My logic is that if I would have paid for the hotel in FAT anyway, what difference does it make then if I spend the night at SFO instead.
What I'm not sure is if United considers this a connecting flight or two flights.
Comments? Advice?
For example, if I was flying FAT->SFO->IAD, I may like to take a late flight Thursday from FAT to SFO, spend the night (or portion thereof) at a SFO airport hotel and then leave bright and early the next day on the first SFO to IAD flight.
My logic is that if I would have paid for the hotel in FAT anyway, what difference does it make then if I spend the night at SFO instead.
What I'm not sure is if United considers this a connecting flight or two flights.
Comments? Advice?
Jan 13, 2011, 5:06 pm
#2
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Generally, if you want to exceed four hours on a domestic itinerary, I believe you need to be on the first flight out, and it may be the case that you can't have skipped over any intervening flights the previous night.
Jan 13, 2011, 5:15 pm
#3
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Depends on the particular fare rules, but in general, it's 4 hours or the next available flight if longer.
IME, .bomb has issues with the latter and will often create a fare break, but you should be able to call and book.
If you wanted to overnight in SFO, you'd best hope your flight is scheduled to arrive past the last redeye to IAD's departure, or you'd have a legitimate fare break.
Finally, IIRC, if there is an available flight which would satisfy the <4 hour connection rule, you'd have to book it, even if it's more expensive (e.g. suppose you're going IAD-SFO-BUR; you couldn't book without a fare break the 6:30am-ish flight ex-IAD because it gets into SFO >4 hours before the next available SFO-BUR flight at 1:48pm... you could stand by for it, though).
IME, .bomb has issues with the latter and will often create a fare break, but you should be able to call and book.
If you wanted to overnight in SFO, you'd best hope your flight is scheduled to arrive past the last redeye to IAD's departure, or you'd have a legitimate fare break.
Finally, IIRC, if there is an available flight which would satisfy the <4 hour connection rule, you'd have to book it, even if it's more expensive (e.g. suppose you're going IAD-SFO-BUR; you couldn't book without a fare break the 6:30am-ish flight ex-IAD because it gets into SFO >4 hours before the next available SFO-BUR flight at 1:48pm... you could stand by for it, though).
Jan 13, 2011, 5:25 pm
#4
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Altho you did not ask about internat'l itineraries .... a layover of less than 24 hours is not incur additional fees.
Jan 13, 2011, 5:36 pm
#5
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Depends on the particular fare rules, but in general, it's 4 hours or the next available flight if longer.
IME, .bomb has issues with the latter and will often create a fare break, but you should be able to call and book.
If you wanted to overnight in SFO, you'd best hope your flight is scheduled to arrive past the last redeye to IAD's departure, or you'd have a legitimate fare break.
Finally, IIRC, if there is an available flight which would satisfy the <4 hour connection rule, you'd have to book it, even if it's more expensive (e.g. suppose you're going IAD-SFO-BUR; you couldn't book without a fare break the 6:30am-ish flight ex-IAD because it gets into SFO >4 hours before the next available SFO-BUR flight at 1:48pm... you could stand by for it, though).
IME, .bomb has issues with the latter and will often create a fare break, but you should be able to call and book.
If you wanted to overnight in SFO, you'd best hope your flight is scheduled to arrive past the last redeye to IAD's departure, or you'd have a legitimate fare break.
Finally, IIRC, if there is an available flight which would satisfy the <4 hour connection rule, you'd have to book it, even if it's more expensive (e.g. suppose you're going IAD-SFO-BUR; you couldn't book without a fare break the 6:30am-ish flight ex-IAD because it gets into SFO >4 hours before the next available SFO-BUR flight at 1:48pm... you could stand by for it, though).
Jan 13, 2011, 5:51 pm
#6
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We had a SFO-ORD-SJU flight a number of years ago. The arrival at ORD was about 5pm, we got a room at the airport Hilton. The SJU flight left at 8:30 am the next day. I guess they could have required a redeye into ORD, but they didn't.
So, this meets the "next possible flight over 4 hours comment", but is a 13.5 hour layover. And it is domestic.
So, this meets the "next possible flight over 4 hours comment", but is a 13.5 hour layover. And it is domestic.
Jan 13, 2011, 5:55 pm
#7
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Oh, and one thing to keep in mind on standbys with connections... although in practice you can thus create >4 hour connections, I believe technically UA can consider that a fare break and ding you for the difference.
IIRC, we had a FTer a few years ago who booked a late afternoon p.s. flight from LAX into JFK, but stood by for the first morning flight, spent the day in NYC, and then showed up for his original JFK-IAD flight. The GA claimed he was cheating the system and tried to charge him a walk-up one-way fare! (He ended up taking the bus back I think. I recall this as I was on the same p.s. flight outbound with him and ran into him on Metro a few months later...)
My guess would be no; it has to be a legal connection. But sometimes logic and UA do not go in the same sentence. 
IIRC, we had a FTer a few years ago who booked a late afternoon p.s. flight from LAX into JFK, but stood by for the first morning flight, spent the day in NYC, and then showed up for his original JFK-IAD flight. The GA claimed he was cheating the system and tried to charge him a walk-up one-way fare! (He ended up taking the bus back I think. I recall this as I was on the same p.s. flight outbound with him and ran into him on Metro a few months later...)
Jan 13, 2011, 5:59 pm
#8
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IIRC, we had a FTer a few years ago who booked a late afternoon p.s. flight from LAX into JFK, but stood by for the first morning flight, spent the day in NYC, and then showed up for his original JFK-IAD flight. The GA claimed he was cheating the system and tried to charge him a walk-up one-way fare! (He ended up taking the bus back I think. I recall this as I was on the same p.s. flight outbound with him and ran into him on Metro a few months later...)
Well, last week, I told the guy he no longer had a ticket. He was a 1K, and knew exactly what I was referring to as soon as I said it. He was surprised I caught it. He bought a new ticket (walkup fares weren't that outrageous, it was a highly competitive market and low booking classes were available with fares existing in them,) and he said that it was worth the try as he doesn't get caught very often and he has saved more than he has lost in the long run. Who am I to argue with that, as his credit card worked real fast and he was on his way...he paid his money and took his chances, that day he lost, but evidently, he wins more than he loses.
Be careful though, if it isn't such a highly competitive market, the walkup fare could be astronomical, so be prepared to pay the going rate if you wish to risk it. I guess if it was a $$ market, he could have just used miles as well.
(I told him when I was about to process his standby, but I looked at his etkt and saw the gap in time on the usage of flights.)
Be careful though, if it isn't such a highly competitive market, the walkup fare could be astronomical, so be prepared to pay the going rate if you wish to risk it. I guess if it was a $$ market, he could have just used miles as well.
(I told him when I was about to process his standby, but I looked at his etkt and saw the gap in time on the usage of flights.)
Jan 13, 2011, 6:21 pm
#9
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I like, I like... :-)
Guess I'll know once I give it a shot.
Guess I'll know once I give it a shot.