I would like to standardize the rules & tips for doing multi-cities, so I can somehow go from confused layperson to quick as the fare comes out, multi-city bookie.

Some help separating fact from layperson's assumptions would be much appreciated. Please pretend there is a question mark after each numbered statement. Thanks.
____________________________

Rules - read: will not increase the fare and will allow the booking -

1. Each seg doesn't exceed the miles from origin to final destination.

2. Each seg must be going in the direction of the final destination.

3. Total segs must not exceed max for the fare. (There is a seg max on every fare.)

Tips - read: help figuring out what cities to try and squeeze in between origin and final destination -

1. Use Travelocity's Dream Maps for a map with major airports shown.

2. Use ITN or Travelocity's Mulit-City function to do the routing. (These are the only two sites available for doing multi-city routings.)

3. Use FT's thread re: extending multi-city functions to manipulate a site into allowing more than only a few cities.

5. Use an OAG to see where your airline flies and at what times, to insert flights into your routing. (OAG still makes its paperback flight guide.)

4. Just keep inputting cities you think your airline flies to, to insert flights into your routing. (There is no other way to know which cities you can squeeze into your schedule.)

5. Must book over the phone as most airline online website will not accomodate you. (The above-mentioned FT trick for manipulating the multi-city function to allow for more cities than just a few, for those airlines that even have a mulit-city function, won't work on airline sites.)
____________________________

[edited because I shouldn't've tried italics]

[This message has been edited by lisamcgu (edited 10-09-2001).]