allbrosca

Should be. Skips Asia, uses US. Not sure if that's a valid criterea, but seems to work.

Pseudo Nim

This does not seem to be the case. I just checked, and it looks like economy is 50K vs 60K, and business is 84K vs 87K. A ripoff, but not a radical difference, sadly.

KatCanuck

Booked!!

YUL-EWR (UA)
EWR-FRA (UA)
FRA-SIN (SQ) stop
[SIN-BKK to book separately for 20000 or on own dime]
SIN-SYD (SQ) destination
SYD-AKL (NZ) stop
AKL-YVR (NZ)
YVR-DEN (UA)
DEN-ORD (UA)
ORD-YUL (UA)

80,000 + Taxes $310 + booking fee $30 + scamcharges $0 = $340.

The milk-run home is nasty but literally the only way home either from YVR or LAX (would've happily paid the minimal AC scamcharge for that segment if available).

Haven't decided how to do the sidetrip to BKK, found "Air Asia" which seems could do round-trip for $250 (vs. $600++ I'd found via Expedia), in which case might not be worth using 20000 Aeroplan? But flies into DMK instead of BKK - is there a difference??

I also asked about potentially inserting a stop before FRA (e.g. EWR-BRU-FRA-SIN-SYD), and was told that was legal as still fell under "published routing". Decided to stick with my original idea of BKK, since I'm more likely to make it back to Europe in the nearer future than another trip Asia/Aus, but might be usful for someone else.

THANK YOU so much to those who dealt with my newbie questions, amidst the headaches definitely learned a lot.

rankourabu

Congrats.

There are lots of airlines on SIN-BKK, Jetstar, Air Asia, Scoot, etc. No need to spend 20000 points

I wonder how YVR-DEN-ORD-YUL is legal.... but I guess it is

Pseudo Nim

Congrats KatCanuck - nice itinerary (although a bit long in Y ... should sign up for an Amex and upgrade to J, hehe) but even nicer (lack of) YQ. Will be a fun trip

KatCanuck

Thanks, will look into those other airlines. Maybe the crazy routing home fell within MPM? The first agent who found it got it checked out, but then every subsequent agent initially balked laughing "no way", before discovering and confirming it was in fact legal. One of them who asked a supervisor said something about a rule that if returning from international you can go back down through US after arriving in back Canada.

rankourabu

Its called cabotage - its usually illegal to fly Canada-USA-Canada on UA. They legally cannot carry people between two Canadian cities via USA. Maybe with a larger ticket its allowed... I dont know... maybe someone else can reassure you.

Use skyscanner.net for fares within Asia. Air Asia is fine - if you prepay for luggage, DMK is the old airport, but it really makes no difference.

Pseudo Nim

.... I have just learned a new word

guessaaa

UA can carry people between two Canadian cities via USA, they just can't operate one stop flights between Canadian cities via USA. Do a search of YYZ-YVR on united.com and you'll see an example. I did a random sampling on Nov 13 and return Nov 20. On UA YYZ-DEN-PDX-YVR and YVR-PDX-ORD-YYZ is $783 all in, while on AC the same days, non-stop, T+ is $828 all in.

arcticbull

To be clear, legally they cannot SELL a flight between two points in Canada as a single fare. They can sell you YOW-ORD-YYZ so long as each of them is billed as a separate fare, which turns it into a multi-city.

You can totally buy:
YOW-ORD on UA for $xxx.xx + a separate
ORD-YYZ on UA for $xxx.xx
With less than 24 hours layover for yourself. Just book a multi-city at United.com in this example.

Ottawa (YOW) to Chicago (ORD) - Wed, Nov 14
United 6128 Dep: 6:34AM Arr: 8:00AM 2h 26m Embraer ERJ-145 Economy (S)
Chicago (ORD) to Toronto (YYZ) - Wed, Nov 14
United 8342 Dep: 9:00AM Arr: 11:28AM 1h 28m Embraer RJ-175 Economy (K)

Fare 1: Carrier UA SA14FS YOW to CHI (rules)
Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code S
Covers YOW-ORD (Economy)
CA$186.50
Fare 2: Carrier UA KA14FS CHI to YTO (rules)
Passenger type ADT, one-way fare, booking code K
Covers ORD-YYZ (Economy)
CA$101.50
Canadian Goods and Services Tax (XG) CA$15.01
USDA APHIS Fee (XA) CA$5.00
US Immigration Fee (XY) CA$7.00
US Customs Fee (YC) CA$5.50
Ottawa Airport Improvement Fee (SQ) CA$20.00
Canadian Harmonized Sales Tax (ON) (RC) CA$2.60
US International Arrival Tax (US) CA$16.80
Canadian Air Travelers Security Charge (CA) CA$12.10
US International Departure Tax (US) CA$16.80
US September 11th Security Fee (AY) CA$2.50
US Passenger Facility Charge (XF) CA$4.50

Subtotal per passenger CA$395.81
Number of passengers x1

TOTAL AIRFARE & TAXES CA$395.81

okazon69

While I realize this is diverting from the RTW discussion, a question: if you book such a trip, and the YOW ORD flight is delayed, is UA obliged to accommodate you on another ORD YYZ flight? After all, this is not simply the continuation of a journey (e.g. YOW ORD LAX) but is poor planning on your side for making your "meeting in Chicago" so short prior to your return to Canada.

arcticbull

It's a good question that requires more investigation. As pointed out earlier you can book YVR-YYZ on united.com as a one-way with no trickery (although it will price with a minimum of 1 fare break (2+ fares) as I explained). So if your itinerary is origin-destination I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Pseudo Nim

Has anybody been monitoring FRA-BKK on the TG 380? I refuse to believe it's full, even if it is Xmas. I guess it's new so they don't want to release seats? Wonder if a week before departure is more likely... hmm

allbrosca

No, but I did get 2 seats in J in a TG 380 in May from NRT to BKK

allbrosca

Question - in my mini RTW in F, I booked the last leg in J from BRU to YVR via YUL on AC. I now see that I could change to BRU - ORD on UA in F in a 767 with their international F configuration (suites) and then go ORD YYZ on AC in J. It would cost the $90 change fee (X 2 since it's 2 seats), but I'd save about $300(X 2) in YQ so I would be ahead, but I was hoping to change to BRU FRA and then FRA YYZ on LH in F if availability opened up in the month before the flight. I wouldn't save any YQ on this, I think I would get to experience the LH F terminal iFRA, but I would need to find 2 seats.

Can anyone offer any thoughts or advice? Did I miss any pros and cons? Should I wait it out or do the switch now and either change to LH later if it opens up or just stay on UA?

Thanks in advance