Connections on separate tickets
Looking at some holiday travel and was hoping to use points but one of my segments is on a double points required date. If I were to book that segment with cash and use points for the segment on either end is there a way to keep the benefits of a guaranteed connection? Ideally what I want to do is MSP-CHI on points in coach, CHI-PGH on a paid roomette, and PGH-LNC on points. Empire Builder connections are dicey pretty much year round now so want the guaranteed connection rather than being treated as a Chicago originating passenger that missed their departure.