Nirvana91

Hi all,

One of my favorite things about Alaska miles is that you can be pretty creative with routings and stopovers, even domestically. I have an itinerary that I am thinking of booking but wanted to ask a few questions and get thoughts before actually pulling the trigger. Ultimately the routing is ORD-BUF-DFW-PDX, which I've found online in F for 25k AS miles. Given that this is going from Chicago to Portland (OR), I can't be quite as creative with stops that are too long if I go East first, but here is what I found:

1. ORD-BUF on AA on a Thursday, 8:30am-11:09am
2. BUF-DFW on AA the next day (Friday), 7:05am-9:21am
3. DFW-PDX on AS on Friday, 3:15pm-5:25pm

This whole itinerary may seem stupid but I kinda like it. First off, I've been lots of places domestically but have never seen Niagara Falls, I'd like to do that and it seems that this would offer plenty of time. Regarding the Dallas section, I have a cousin that lives in Dallas with whom I'd like to have a BBQ lunch. I could have her pick me up or possibly take cab/Uber/Lyft/DART to somewhere in downtown Dallas, and it would appear that I'd have plenty of time for that if BUF-DFW is anywhere close to on time. For the DFW-PDX leg, I don't have anywhere specific to be in Portland that evening, and timing isn't important.

My main question is in the case of IRROPS. For example, if flight #1 is cancelled and AA can't get me to BUF in time for flight #2 , what is AA's responsibility, and what is AS's responsibility? If this whole thing goes to crap and I'm at ORD, could either put me on ORD-PDX either Thursday or Friday? Similar question regarding BUF-DFW-PDX: what happens if I misconnect? There aren't any BUF-PDX nonstops so I'd assume that would be an even bigger problem. In the event that I am somehow completely screwed over somewhere along the way, is there some sort of travel protection (I'd book with the Citi Prestige) that would kick in?

Is this whole thing dumb enough that I should just look for something safer?

VegasGambler

Your don't have any stopovers, so they can certainly reroute you through different cities.

But of course you can refuse a rerouting. Technically if you can't agree on a routing your only options might be to accept what they offer or cancel, but in reality they tend to be flexible about this sort of thing. Before your trip, find acceptable alternatives so that if something happens you can just suggest what you want (be ready with flight numbers)

One thing to keep in mind is that if they're is a flight cancelled there are a lot of people to reacommodate so your first choice might not be available. It's best to call in as soon as you know there is an issue -- you have a better chance of getting your first choice.

MSPeconomist

VegasGambler

Actually I've never quite understood this. For the purposes of the carrier treating it as a destination, is 4hr the minimum or is it 24hr?

For the purposes of ticket pricing it seems to be some combination (4 hr or next available flight if nothing is available within 4 hr, but never exceeding 24 hr, to be considered a transfer and not a stopover?)

eponymous_coward

Operating carrier (the one flying the plane) owns getting you to your onward destination, so it's AA for BUF and DFW, AS for PDX. You can invoke "trip in vain" if you need to with AS and get refunded/sent home if operational needs make it such that the whole thing is screwed up, though if PDX-ORD is on a different ticket you would have problems getting that taken care of (though if you booked it with AS you might get them to refund it). Your credit card trip interruption insurance could also help.

Often1

Primary rule is that on the day of travel, it is the operating carrier, e.g. AA which handles the reroute. Prior to the day of travel, it is the ticketing carrier, e.g. AS. So, who is responsible is determined by when the IRROPS occurs.

General rule of thumb, and I stress general, is that domestic transfers exceeding 4 hours are stopovers while up to and including 4 is a connection. I strongly suspect that the BUF transfer is a stopover and it is likely that DFW is a stopover as well. If so, the reroute is the same, e.g. AA gets you to BUF, then DFW, then PHX. If either or both are a connection, the reroute is to PHX and the connections are irrelevant.

Nirvana91

Thanks for all the responses. I think the above makes sense (although for clarity I'll just reiterate that I'm going to PDX, not PHX, and also the first two legs are AA and the last one is AS). So let me try to answer one of my own original questions then, and somebody can tell me if I'm wrong here...

Based on the above it seems that BUF and DFW are probably both stopovers, which means I would indeed have to go there. So if any of my earlier flights are delayed to the point of misconnect it's tough luck, I still need to go there. Is that correct? In that case though, what would happen if I misconnected and missed DFW-PDX, which is where I'd be going from AA (BUF-DFW) to AS (DFW-PDX)? It sounds to me like AA's responsibility would end when I got to DFW, however would AS still then be required to give me some other option to PDX for no extra charge, even though AS had nothing to do with me missing the final leg?

Also, to answer an earlier comment from eponymous_coward: This whole thing is considered one-way, and I am not booking any return on AS. I would likely be returning later the following week on WN (long story).

VegasGambler

I think it's good to have a backup plan but you are probably putting more effort into this than it's worth. Just look up the next few flights on AA and AS that go where you want, and make a record of them. If something does go wrong, call immediately and tell them your preferred re-routing.

Most likely nothing will go wrong. It sounds like you have gotten good value for your miles. Enjoy your trip.

Often1

No.

In IRROPS, AS or AA, depending on when they occur, will likely reroute you in any reasonable manner. In other words, if you simply want to fly ORD-PDX, you can have that.

But, presuming that you have a reason to be at BUF and DFW and that they are stopovers, AA/AS must reroute through those stations. If either or both are connections, then AS/AA need not reroute you through BUF/DFW.

As with all journeys, it makes sense to have done the homework in advance. Calling and asking for options generally gets you the solution which seems best to AA/AS, not to you.

eponymous_coward

Yeah, the problem being you will have missed your DFW lunch, and if things got REALLY bad (as in "days until we can get you to PDX" bad), you might miss your return on WN. Invoking "trip in vain" would get you home, though, and WN lets you cancel a flight right up until a few minutes before the plane takes off, so you could cancel that and retain the ticket value towards a later trip for up to a year. So you're OK between all that and travel insurance on the credit card.

See above comment; a WN return is fine since they are flexible with cancelling flights. I think you're covered.

Aliquot

I dont understand your response, but to clarify for the OP, if things go bad getting to DFW the day of the flight it will be AA's responsibility. If a schedule change occurs in advance, it will be AS's.

On all interline tickets, milage or paid, the carrier causing the missed connection is responsible for getting you to tour destination unless it is due to a schedule change published in advance, then the ticketing carrier has to deal with it.

PDXPremier

I've found AS to be pretty good about taking care of you during those "trip in vain" situations....last summer I was on an AS award with AA segments (25K saver first) and got stuck in LAX on my way east and they refunded me the 25K AS miles and flew me home to PDX for no charge or miles....I was very impressed. As for the question about whether or not this is a "crazy" routing? Well, not really since you don't have that many segments and you're not exactly going very far out of the way...also, even if the reservation system puts together connections that are over 4 hours, on domestic awards with AA segments you're still technically not allowed any stopovers so for all intensive purposes, they are "connections" and AS/AA is under no obligation to route you through those cities if things go bad (although they may just to be nice). If I need to use a 25K saver first award, I usually tack on a Caribbean/Mexico segment which will give me a free stopover and thus an extra trip in F/J for only 27.5K.

Often1

To be precise, it is the operating carrier on the day of travel. Otherwise the ticketing carrier. It need not be a schedule change. Could be a cancellation 24 hours out. That would be the ticketing carrier.