A quick question re: award ticket rules. I am getting ready to book the following ticket:
LAX-SFO-YYZ-IST for the outbound and a different (irrelevant to the question) straight routing on the return.
If I were to try to add CLT-LAX with an under 23 hour connection in LAX, that would be considered backtracking, correct? What about if it was over 24 hours, thereby making it a stopover? Still backtracking?
In a perfect world, the outbound routing would look like this: CLT-LAX-(connect/stop)-SFO-YYZ-IST.
Thanks!
FMLAX
Last edited by flyingmusicianlax; Dec 2, 12 at 10:23 pm..
Reason: Clarity
Programs: UA Platinum, AA, DL, BA, CX, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 727
i don't think so
previously i've successfully done FRA-BKK-TPE-NRT-PVG-ICN-SIN as a single one-way, so my guess is that within a region (NA, Europe etc), those are considered positioning flights and not backtracking
I know people have done the opposite and started @ LA and they returned to LA and then their final flight was say LA-Miami (they did that as a freebe) Now if a person can start out instead of finishing like that sorry I dont have any idea
What did they say when you called and asked them to do such a routing? you did call and ask didnt you for them to book it? if not why not, why ask on FT rather then ask UA worse come sto worse they will tell you you cant do it, then you wait a few mins and call back and try again, then and only then would I come onto FT and ask if anyone had any idea how I could do it
I know people have done the opposite and started @ LA and they returned to LA and then their final flight was say LA-Miami (they did that as a freebe) Now if a person can start out instead of finishing like that sorry I dont have any idea
What did they say when you called and asked them to do such a routing? you did call and ask didnt you for them to book it? if not why not, why ask on FT rather then ask UA worse come sto worse they will tell you you cant do it, then you wait a few mins and call back and try again, then and only then would I come onto FT and ask if anyone had any idea how I could do it
Mostly because I couldn't find a definitive answer on FT (and certainly not on UA.com!) and thought I'd ask the experts on here. I think you and I both know phone reps at UA are like snowflakes re: the rules... no two answers will be alike!
Also, before I go wasting hours barking up the wrong tree trying to get an agent to ticket something that could later get cancelled because it's not allowed.
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 529
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyingmusicianlax
Mostly because I couldn't find a definitive answer on FT (and certainly not on UA.com!) and thought I'd ask the experts on here. I think you and I both know phone reps at UA are like snowflakes re: the rules... no two answers will be alike!
Also, before I go wasting hours barking up the wrong tree trying to get an agent to ticket something that could later get cancelled because it's not allowed.
Thanks for the replies.
YMMV so while one agent might let it through, a route like that is just asking for a supervisor to refuse any changes citing an illegal route.
Mostly because I couldn't find a definitive answer on FT (and certainly not on UA.com!) and thought I'd ask the experts on here. I think you and I both know phone reps at UA are like snowflakes re: the rules... no two answers will be alike!
Also, before I go wasting hours barking up the wrong tree trying to get an agent to ticket something that could later get cancelled because it's not allowed.
Thanks for the replies.
Personally its never has taken me hours to get an answer to what Im trying to book and at times the rep (PMUA) when they shot something down actually came back with something that would be AOK Then again as a 1K I get the US call centers and dont deal with India or wherever
If I get nothing then I will post it to FT to see if anyone has any ideas. In all my yrs between PMCO & PMUA never once did any rep note my acct (no PNR existed yet) that Im trying to do something that isnt allowed, yes once a PNR exiisted and you try to change it to something that shouldnt be allowed a note might be placed but not for simply calling and trying to book something = a call wont be of any harm
Programs: 5 years EXP, LT AA PLAT, SPG P, CX G, NEXUS/GE, A3 G, DL KM
Posts: 9,411
I would try and avoid YYZ personally.
It costs too much to connect and it's already the worst airport in the country.
I would only use it if there are no spaces on any other airports.
It is backtracking but you can find space using other places (SEA, NYC/EWR, DEN)
__________________
Supporters of the CCP are ruining world affairs.
Programs: UA 1k, CO Plat, NW Plat, Priority Gold, Hilton Gold, Marriott Silver
Posts: 3,013
I know international tickets allow for 24-hour connections, but do they allow for them at a domestic connection? I'd expect the CLT-LAX-SFO connection to still be limited to 4 hours?
__________________
2011 Arrival at Destination Success: 100%
Well, hence my reason for arguing that it's a stopover in LAX instead. My girlfriend and I were originally ticketed on a domestic stopover on the outbound and that seemed to be legal, no problem (no backtracking on that one). However, we had a change of plans, hence the desire to do the (potentially) backtracking itinerary.
Goodness knows what the actual rules are, since the UA site does not address domestic connections/stopovers vs international.
Well, hence my reason for arguing that it's a stopover in LAX instead. My girlfriend and I were originally ticketed on a domestic stopover on the outbound and that seemed to be legal, no problem (no backtracking on that one). However, we had a change of plans, hence the desire to do the (potentially) backtracking itinerary.
Goodness knows what the actual rules are, since the UA site does not address domestic connections/stopovers vs international.
I do not know what is permitted in your case. However, I recently booked award travel from Washington to Germany, using AA miles and flying on AA + AB. I have ended up with flights via JFK in both directions. When booking online, I was offered a flight to Stuttgart via MIA and a return flight from MUC via LAX (with changes at TXL or DUS). A phone inquiry also indicated that a return flight via ORD would be possible on IB, though not on the day I wanted. So travelling from CLT via LAX may not be out of the question.
I would try and avoid YYZ personally.
It costs too much to connect and it's already the worst airport in the country.
I would only use it if there are no spaces on any other airports.
It is backtracking but you can find space using other places (SEA, NYC/EWR, DEN)
Do you ever back up any of your posts with facts or just regurgitate something you might have read somewhere?
This is the cost of connecting in YYZ:
Toronto Airport Improvement Fee (SQ) $4.00
T1 connections are extremely easy USA->INTL, its just a passport check, you dont even have to go thru security!
Programs: 5 years EXP, LT AA PLAT, SPG P, CX G, NEXUS/GE, A3 G, DL KM
Posts: 9,411
Quote:
Originally Posted by rankourabu
Do you ever back up any of your posts with facts or just regurgitate something you might have read somewhere?
This is the cost of connecting in YYZ:
Toronto Airport Improvement Fee (SQ) $4.00
T1 connections are extremely easy USA->INTL, its just a passport check, you dont even have to go thru security!
It's still 2 cents more expensive after HST than a connection in the US.
It is too expensive if I can get the same product somewhere else for cheaper.
5.6/10 on Skytrax isn't exactly a good rating.
Connecting in any other Canadian airport is free.
__________________
Supporters of the CCP are ruining world affairs.
I know international tickets allow for 24-hour connections, but do they allow for them at a domestic connection? I'd expect the CLT-LAX-SFO connection to still be limited to 4 hours?
Just make sure to arrive on the last flight of the day. I booked SLC-IAH-ORD-IAD-FRA-ZRH-DXB as a one way recently. Sadly there was no availability SLC-ORD, so after a 4-5 hour stop in IAH, I connect to ORD, landing in the early evening, staying overnight, then continuing the next morning (not on the first flight of the day) to IAD where I make a connection to FRA, then connect to ZRH as I prefer LX J to LH J on the flight to DXB.
