Originally Posted by
ncorman
direct. Mileage is IAD-HKG only.
Even with a change of aircraft in LA as the flight number is the same you will be given the miles IAD-HKG. Additionally if you choose to upgrade both flights need to clear as it is tied to the direct flight.
If only that were true. My (bad) experience on direct flights that have an international and domestic segment is that if you apply for an upgrade on the flight, you can be upgraded on one segment and not the other. Which is bad if the domestic segment upgrades and the international segment does not (bad because using SWU or 30K miles for a domestic segment is poor value).
FT taught me to (1) avoid such direct flights, and (2) if they cannot be avoided, fare them as a multi-city trip so that upgrades can be applied independently.