Originally Posted by
sthubbar
Isn't the maximum stopover time 24 hours? Longer than this, isn't it considered two one way tickets? This trip's stopover time is 30 days between first arrival and final departure from SFO.
No. Less than 24 hours is called Layover, or a connection. Above 24 hours is a Stopover. You should get the terminology correct - else when you call to book your award you would confuse the agent when you use the wrong terminology.
UA/CO programs allow one stopover if you book the award as a r/t. As OneWay award you do not get stopover - but then a OneWay award by default would allow you open jaw.
Originally Posted by
sthubbar
Air China (PhoenixMiles) 26,584
China Southern (Sky Pearl) 18,706
Continental Airlines (OnePass) 15,076
Ctrip 8,610
Starwood Hotels, etc. (Preferred Guest) 5,426
Chase online 3,840
If these are all you have, you basically have nothing to work with. None would do you any good for your travel plan. Even the SPG pts are way too small a balance to be of much use even with the C+P option which is not always available. BTW, I am surprised that as a SPG Plat, you have only a few SPG pts in your account...
Even if you have the "currency", trying to line up 3 award seats for travel in a few months down the road is not an easy task. Booking award is not like booking revenue tickets... the seats are capacity-controlled - there are plenty of others compete with you for the limited availability.
Originally Posted by
sthubbar
Other ideas are appreciated. San Diego and San Fran are both nice. If we had to spend 2 or 3 weeks in either location I would choose San Fran. Another reason to go to Hawaii is we have 4 free Starwood nights from their recent promotion and all hotels in Hawaii qualify and should be able to enjoy the beaches even in December. San Diego beaches in December are still quite cold.
Los Angeles has a resort that qualifies for the 4 free nights so could go down there for 4 free nights, though still leaves about 2.5 weeks in San Fran.
So far it looks like we may be spending the $8000 for this trip.
I dont know if you have ever been in Hawaii in December, or have been in San Diego in December.
Hawaii in December is not necessarily warm - sometimes it can be quite rainy. Temp would be in the 70's to 80's if not raining. Many folks do not realize that Hawaii winter time is actually not warm enough to let one stay in water for long, plus the winter rain can be really annoying. Yet, you will pay a premium for Hawaii in December because it is the high season. And hope you do not need a rental car which would cost you an arm and a leg during your time frame, especially if you still have not booked now.
Finally, San Francisco can be REALLY COLD and again RAINY during that period you intend to visit. Sometimes it can have Winter Wind Storm that can really cause some havoc in the area. However since you are from PEK, a 40F temperature may not bother you.
On the other hand San Diego can be quite warm in December - it all depends on the year's weather.