Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Presented as Q&A format (Originally posted by Alex_B)
Q: What is a stopover?
A: A stopover on an international itinerary is any break in your air travel for more than 24 hours except at the destination.
Q: What is an open-jaw?
A: An open-jaw is where you travel by your own means (either land, sea or a separate air ticket) between two points in a journey.
Q: How many stopovers am I allowed on a roundtrip award?
A: One stopover, in addition to the destination, is permitted (an unlimited number of stops less than 24hours is allowable).
Q: How many open-jaws are allowed on a roundtrip award?
A: Two open-jaws are permitted. These must be at the stopover, destination or origin.
Q: Can I have a stopover or open-jaw on a one-way award?
A: No
Q: Can I have a open-jaw at both the stopover and destination?
A: Yes, plenty of posters have reported success in booking this
Q: Can I transit my destination multiple times (e.g. fly to JNB, fly to CPT and then return home via JNB)?
A: Yes, plenty of posters have reported success in booking this. You can only stop in your destination for > 24 hours once though.
Q: Can I cross both oceans?
A: Yes. The rule that prohibited crossing both oceans appears to have been removed from both MP and *A award rules. There are many many successful examples of people booking these itineraries.
Q: Is EWR-PVG transatlantic or transpacific?
A: US-East Asia/South East Asia is always transpacific no matter what geography might suggest.
Q: Do I pay more for a stopover or open-jaw?
A: Typically no additional mileage is required but additional taxes or fees are often payable (especially in UK with high Air Passenger Duty). Extra mileage will often be required if an open-jaw or stopover adds a higher cost region into the itinerary. Also awards wholly within CONUS, Canada and Alaska (formerly known as Series 0 awards) require additional mileage (10K miles) for a stopover of >4 hrs.
Q: What's this about a free one-way I can get on awards?
A: The concept of free one-ways is a misnomer and often confuses people, it is better to consider it a stopover in the city of origin. If you have a simple roundtrip award without a stopover, you can often create a stopover and open-jaw at your origin on the return leg to add an addition flight. E.g. I wish to book EWR-LHR (destination)-EWR which is a roundtrip US-Europe award. I could also book this as EWR-LHR (destination)-EWR (stopover)-SFO for the same mileage (and a few dollars of extra tax). The EWR segment would need to be within 330 days of booking and would be subject to the usual change fees.
Other notes:
Seeing your fare construction on an already booked award ticket:
In order to see your award fare construction to see where your stopovers and destination are, follow these steps.
Go to http://www.saudiairlines.com/
Then hit "Manage My Bookings" and select "E-Ticket"
Enter your UA ticket number (hint: 016 will go in the first box, and then everything else in the second box). Then your last name and hit "Retrieve My Booking". On the next page you'll see a line like this under "Fare Calculation":
CHI LH X/FRA LH ROM0.00CSM/YB52 /- FLR LH X/FRA LH X/DUS LH CHI UA SEA
This example is:
ORD-FRA-FCO
Open Jaw at Destination
FLR-FRA-DUS-ORD
Stopover at origin
ORD-SEA
Q: What is a stopover?
A: A stopover on an international itinerary is any break in your air travel for more than 24 hours except at the destination.
Q: What is an open-jaw?
A: An open-jaw is where you travel by your own means (either land, sea or a separate air ticket) between two points in a journey.
Q: How many stopovers am I allowed on a roundtrip award?
A: One stopover, in addition to the destination, is permitted (an unlimited number of stops less than 24hours is allowable).
Q: How many open-jaws are allowed on a roundtrip award?
A: Two open-jaws are permitted. These must be at the stopover, destination or origin.
Q: Can I have a stopover or open-jaw on a one-way award?
A: No
Q: Can I have a open-jaw at both the stopover and destination?
A: Yes, plenty of posters have reported success in booking this
Q: Can I transit my destination multiple times (e.g. fly to JNB, fly to CPT and then return home via JNB)?
A: Yes, plenty of posters have reported success in booking this. You can only stop in your destination for > 24 hours once though.
Q: Can I cross both oceans?
A: Yes. The rule that prohibited crossing both oceans appears to have been removed from both MP and *A award rules. There are many many successful examples of people booking these itineraries.
Q: Is EWR-PVG transatlantic or transpacific?
A: US-East Asia/South East Asia is always transpacific no matter what geography might suggest.
Q: Do I pay more for a stopover or open-jaw?
A: Typically no additional mileage is required but additional taxes or fees are often payable (especially in UK with high Air Passenger Duty). Extra mileage will often be required if an open-jaw or stopover adds a higher cost region into the itinerary. Also awards wholly within CONUS, Canada and Alaska (formerly known as Series 0 awards) require additional mileage (10K miles) for a stopover of >4 hrs.
Q: What's this about a free one-way I can get on awards?
A: The concept of free one-ways is a misnomer and often confuses people, it is better to consider it a stopover in the city of origin. If you have a simple roundtrip award without a stopover, you can often create a stopover and open-jaw at your origin on the return leg to add an addition flight. E.g. I wish to book EWR-LHR (destination)-EWR which is a roundtrip US-Europe award. I could also book this as EWR-LHR (destination)-EWR (stopover)-SFO for the same mileage (and a few dollars of extra tax). The EWR segment would need to be within 330 days of booking and would be subject to the usual change fees.
Other notes:
- The open-jaw portion must be smaller (in miles) than any other leg. -While technically true for revenue fare construction this is not strictly enforced on awards.
- For awards between CONUS/Canada/Alaska and South Asia award regions the maximum number of segments is 5 segments each way on a round-trip and 4 segments on a one-way. (Note that many FTers report recently being read a memo that imposes an eight segment maximum on a roundtrip (4 each way). It is unclear whether this eight-segment maximum is limited to South Asia routings through Europe or North Asia, or has broader application.)
- Stopovers and open-jaws are NOT additive. You do not get extra stops included in your itinerary simply by making an open-jaw out of it.
Seeing your fare construction on an already booked award ticket:
In order to see your award fare construction to see where your stopovers and destination are, follow these steps.
Go to http://www.saudiairlines.com/
Then hit "Manage My Bookings" and select "E-Ticket"
Enter your UA ticket number (hint: 016 will go in the first box, and then everything else in the second box). Then your last name and hit "Retrieve My Booking". On the next page you'll see a line like this under "Fare Calculation":
CHI LH X/FRA LH ROM0.00CSM/YB52 /- FLR LH X/FRA LH X/DUS LH CHI UA SEA
This example is:
ORD-FRA-FCO
Open Jaw at Destination
FLR-FRA-DUS-ORD
Stopover at origin
ORD-SEA
Rules for Open Jaw & Stopover Award Flights (Consolidated)
#2026
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1
Allowed round trip routing?
This forum and thread has been invaluable in learning the rules of award booking, so thanks everyone.
I'm trying to book a route with two open jaws and a stopover:
IAD-LON-BKK-KTM (destination)
(open-jaw) BOM-JNB-LVI (stopover)
(open-jaw) ADD-LON-IAD
I've spoken with two different United agents and they are telling me it's not an allowed routing. The first tried to tell me you are only allowed one open-jaw on a RT ticket, despite it being clearly documented on United website to the contrary. The other didn't know why.
Can anyone suggest why this doesn't work? Many thanks.
I'm trying to book a route with two open jaws and a stopover:
IAD-LON-BKK-KTM (destination)
(open-jaw) BOM-JNB-LVI (stopover)
(open-jaw) ADD-LON-IAD
I've spoken with two different United agents and they are telling me it's not an allowed routing. The first tried to tell me you are only allowed one open-jaw on a RT ticket, despite it being clearly documented on United website to the contrary. The other didn't know why.
Can anyone suggest why this doesn't work? Many thanks.
#2027
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Programs: UA Miles+, AAdvantage, Skymiles
Posts: 217
This forum and thread has been invaluable in learning the rules of award booking, so thanks everyone.
I'm trying to book a route with two open jaws and a stopover:
IAD-LON-BKK-KTM (destination)
(open-jaw) BOM-JNB-LVI (stopover)
(open-jaw) ADD-LON-IAD
I've spoken with two different United agents and they are telling me it's not an allowed routing. The first tried to tell me you are only allowed one open-jaw on a RT ticket, despite it being clearly documented on United website to the contrary. The other didn't know why.
Can anyone suggest why this doesn't work? Many thanks.
I'm trying to book a route with two open jaws and a stopover:
IAD-LON-BKK-KTM (destination)
(open-jaw) BOM-JNB-LVI (stopover)
(open-jaw) ADD-LON-IAD
I've spoken with two different United agents and they are telling me it's not an allowed routing. The first tried to tell me you are only allowed one open-jaw on a RT ticket, despite it being clearly documented on United website to the contrary. The other didn't know why.
Can anyone suggest why this doesn't work? Many thanks.
#2028
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: DL PM, MR Titanium/LTP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 10,130
On the Saudia website, does anyone know what "Exch/Reissued" means under coupon status. I'm a little concerned about my reservation because .bomb is no longer showing me the receipt with the fare information at the bottom (even though I have a confirmed receipt with all flights from August 13th). The fare calculation on the Saudia website also looks a bit odd.
I'm debating whether this warrants a call in since I know my routing was forced by an agent initially and I don't particularly want them to take it away
I'm debating whether this warrants a call in since I know my routing was forced by an agent initially and I don't particularly want them to take it away
#2030
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I'm not sure that splitting the open jaws across regions and routing via Africa on a return from S. Asia is valid, but that's a different issue.
#2031
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 350
Well, the computers wouldn't price my SYD-BKK-PEK-KIX-GUM-FUK-TPE-SGN or HKG// (open jaw + stopover) SIN-MEL (second open jaw) at all. If it can't even do an open jaw at the stopover point in the SAME region (SGN and SIN), then I wouldn't be surprised that it can't price out an open jaw/stopover between Africa and South Asia.
#2033
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 9
Adding a free one-way to existing LAX-SYD-BKK-LAX itinerary
Hello,
I'm fairly new to the miles game but dove in and swam my way to booking first class LAX-SYD-BKK-LAX on United miles for my wife and I @ 180k each. Awesome! But as I understand it Sydney is my destination and Bangkok is my stopover. Am I missing a maximization by not having any Open Jaws? Can't I add a free one way ticket to anywhere in North America sometime later in the year and call that an Open Jaw? If so, can I add 2 because United allows 2 per trip?
Sorry if this question is been beaten to death but I guess laying out my specific itinerary and asking in relation to that will save me having to piece it all together from various forums and websites.
Thanks in advance!
Sean
I'm fairly new to the miles game but dove in and swam my way to booking first class LAX-SYD-BKK-LAX on United miles for my wife and I @ 180k each. Awesome! But as I understand it Sydney is my destination and Bangkok is my stopover. Am I missing a maximization by not having any Open Jaws? Can't I add a free one way ticket to anywhere in North America sometime later in the year and call that an Open Jaw? If so, can I add 2 because United allows 2 per trip?
Sorry if this question is been beaten to death but I guess laying out my specific itinerary and asking in relation to that will save me having to piece it all together from various forums and websites.
Thanks in advance!
Sean
#2034
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,954
Moderator action
Welcome to Flyertalk. I have transferred your question to our dedicated MileagePlus forum because it pertains to redeeming UA miles.
#2035
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,852
.... I'm fairly new to the miles game but dove in and swam my way to booking first class LAX-SYD-BKK-LAX on United miles for my wife and I @ 180k each. Awesome! But as I understand it Sydney is my destination and Bangkok is my stopover. Am I missing a maximization by not having any Open Jaws? Can't I add a free one way ticket to anywhere in North America sometime later in the year and call that an Open Jaw? If so, can I add 2 because United allows 2 per trip?...
OJs need to be in conjunction with a stopover, destination or return (because OJs effectively create a stop).
more discussion in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...solidated.html
or http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ad-merged.html
#2036
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Maybe, but only if you want the open-jaw in the existing trip.
Absolutely not.
Also, the award should have been 160K each in F, not 180k.
#2037
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 9
Sorry. I think I may have been a little unclear. I live in Los Angeles and I've read a few articles like this one which talk about using an OJ in your itinerary to tack on another flight to somewhere else unrelated to your current trip:
http://themilesprofessor.com/2013/07...-way-stopover/
So in my case it would be an LAX-? ticket that we could use to fly somewhere since we didn't use any OJ on the LAX-SYD-BKK-LAX part.
Thanks again!
http://themilesprofessor.com/2013/07...-way-stopover/
So in my case it would be an LAX-? ticket that we could use to fly somewhere since we didn't use any OJ on the LAX-SYD-BKK-LAX part.
Thanks again!
#2038
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,454
Sorry. I think I may have been a little unclear. I live in Los Angeles and I've read a few articles like this one which talk about using an OJ in your itinerary to tack on another flight to somewhere else unrelated to your current trip:
http://themilesprofessor.com/2013/07...-way-stopover/
So in my case it would be an LAX-? ticket that we could use to fly somewhere since we didn't use any OJ on the LAX-SYD-BKK-LAX part.
Thanks again!
http://themilesprofessor.com/2013/07...-way-stopover/
So in my case it would be an LAX-? ticket that we could use to fly somewhere since we didn't use any OJ on the LAX-SYD-BKK-LAX part.
Thanks again!
#2039
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
You were not. I 100% understand your inquiry and assure you that my prior response is correct.
The "free one-way" is really just using your stopover at home and then continuing on at a later date. You are using your stopover in BKK and you only get one of them so you cannot add a second one back at LAX before continuing on elsewhere.
The routing you've booked is likely saving you quite a bit more money than the domestic one-way segment would cost. You're going just fine overall here.
The "free one-way" is really just using your stopover at home and then continuing on at a later date. You are using your stopover in BKK and you only get one of them so you cannot add a second one back at LAX before continuing on elsewhere.
The routing you've booked is likely saving you quite a bit more money than the domestic one-way segment would cost. You're going just fine overall here.
#2040
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 350
Perhaps. Then again, it was a reduced mileage sweet spot ticket, so I can't really complain that much, can I? And unfortunately GUM is only accessible from Japan, HKG or MNL, which makes things slightly more difficult...