Originally Posted by Stanford_1K
I've been toying around with some *A award possibilities (using MP miles), and the "most direct routing" issue leaves me with considerable uncertainty as to what I will and won't be able to book. (Most important for me is managing to do a stopover somewhere interesting, but, as I understand it, you can't have a stopover except at a city on the most direct routing between your origin and destination.) I don't have a specific itinerary in mind, and my question is more general anyway.
Is there any source for what is and isn't the most direct routing? Surely it isn't taken literally -- for example SFO-SYD nonstop is literally the "most direct routing," but even the UA website gives you the option to book an SFO-LAX-SYD award. Are the available routings taken from some paid tarriff? Or are they based on MPM (maximum permissible mileage)? Or are they just unpublished rules you have to call up to find out about?
It has to do with regions (see below) as well as MPM. You can't exceed MPM no matter what. (try booking a MEL-NRT *A award booking--can't be done on one award) You also have to take the "most direct routing", but that is loosley defined IME.
Originally Posted by Stanford_1K
I've seen references in other threads to various UA/MP-specific rules (e.g., no routing via Asia on a US-Australia award using MP miles). Are those "most direct routing" rules, or a separate set of (also unpublished) restrictions?
The reason there is because you would be transitting a third region when there are direct flights between the USA and Australia. Either NZ or UA would be an option. Not to mention you would throw MPM out the window. Transitting a third region is sometimes allowed, if there is no direct flight, but otherwise, you must take the "most direct routing" which is obviously the direct flight.
For example, SFO-BOM can not be booked in any way without transitting a third region. Usually an Asian one, but Europe is possible too. It can be booked as one award, provided you do not stopover in the intermediate region and stay under the MPM. E.g. SFO-NRT-SIN-BOM.
Originally Posted by Stanford_1K
Sorry to throw so many questions out there, but I've yet to find anything systematic about what are permitted routings. This thread is a great example of a route-specific question, and folks have answered the OP's question with helpful anecdotal advice. But surely it must be written down somewhere that "thou shalt not transit PVR when going from Australia to Canada"?
"thou shalt not transit (or stopover) a third region when there exists direct flights between the two" would be the more accurate rule. Lack of award availability does not change this rule either. Mexico is in the Central America region, not the NA region, like the Continental US and Canada.
If you want to know which region your destination falls into, look at the *A MP award chart on
united.com