Originally Posted by
kangarooflyer88
Just thought I'd throw this question out as I think I'm starting to see a pattern emerge: Is it possible to book complex multi-transcontinental routings that involve AC segments or does the flexible pricing mess things up? From what I've read so far it seems like the answer is a no, but would be curious if it was possible what pre-requisites would be required to ensure it is bookable on such an itinerary?
You ask whether it's possible. Yes, definitely.
You ask whether flexible pricing messes things up. In what way? From a technical perspective? Not necessarily. But does the ridiculous pricing render it unattractive to include AC segments? Often, but not always.
I've recently booked or changed several complex itineraries to include AC segments without much difficulty and at reasonable cost (all in J). In one case, CPH-EWR-YYZ-YYC (SK-AC-AC) was cheaper than the partner-only pricing for the same route would have been. In another, tacking on SFO-YYC to an all-partner TATL round trip cost me 6K extra points gross (3K net after the priority reward discount). The same flight would have cost 31K points (gross) to book in J on its own.
On the other hand, if I had taken other EWR-YYZ-YYC flights, or the EWR-YYC non-stop, on that CPH-YYC bound, it would have cost me 130K points or 200K+ (for the non-stop) rather than the 68K or whatever it cost for the flights I did book. So that sucked. But in the old days, that itinerary wasn't bookable, period. The SK CPH-EWR could have been booked on its own, then a separate Market Fare reward for the AC flight(s), but not on one ticket. Or it would have been something ridiculous like EWR-YYZ-YOW-YWG-YYC in 27 hours, all in Y.