Mar 6, 2013, 10:37 am
Last edit by: JDiver
[B]Through / direct with same flight number on multiple segments credit as single non-stop
Through or direct flights are those that use one flight number but may not be nonstop. Takeaway: all nonstop flights are direct; direct flights might not be non-stop. When speaking to agents and you want a nonstop flight, specify nonstop.
AAdvantage Terms and Conditions (link):
If one takes a through / direct flight consisting of two or more segments operated as one flight number, the miles earned are as if the flight was a nonstop. E.g. AA111 FCO-ORD (772) and AA111 ORD-LAX (738) would render miles and segment credits as if you had flown nonstop FCO-LAX, even if you had a change of aircraft, terminals and gates in ORD.
It's not uncommon to have different aircraft carry out different segments, even different "gauges" (narrow and wide bodied) and different terminals. Normally, passengers flying both segments must disembark with cabin / hand baggage at the intermediate stops.
The exception is for round trips using same flight numbers, e.g. a mileage run using AA 123 SMF-DFW-SMF would credit separately and properly.
Seat selection will normally be for seats offered on all segments (as opposed to being able to select different seats on different segments.
Upgrades must normally clear on all segments to clear.
There are other peculiarities (affecting upgrade requests, Five Star Services, etc.) discussed in this thread. Booking through / direct flights can cause challenges one doesn’t experience on connections ting flights with different flight numbers or nonstop flights.
Through or direct flights are those that use one flight number but may not be nonstop. Takeaway: all nonstop flights are direct; direct flights might not be non-stop. When speaking to agents and you want a nonstop flight, specify nonstop.
A direct (or through) flight in the aviation industry is any flight between two points by an airline with no change in flight numbers, which includes one or more stops at an intermediate point(s).
For any flights that earn mileage credit based on a percentage of distance flown, the distance is determined on the basis of nonstop distances between the airports where your flight originates and terminates. On connecting flights with different flight numbers, the distance of each segment will be used. On single-plane, through, or change of gauge flights, the nonstop origin-destination distance will be used and credit for a single elite qualifying segment will be given.
[*]AAdvantage flight mileage credit is determined on the basis of nonstop distances between the airports where your flight originates and terminates. On connecting flights with different flight numbers, you'll receive mileage credit for each segment of your trip; on single-plane, through, or change of gauge flights, you'll receive the nonstop origin-destination mileage credit and credit for a single elite qualifying segment. On American Airlines and other AAdvantage airline participants, you'll receive AAdvantage mileage credit only for the class of service on which your fare is based when you are ticketed. American Airlines is the final authority on the methodology used to calculate mileage and the amount of flight credit for a particular flight or routing. American Airlines is the final authority on qualification for mileage credit and reserves the right to deny or revoke mileage credit at any time if American Airlines determines that mileage credit was improperly given.
[*]AAdvantage flight mileage credit is determined on the basis of nonstop distances between the airports where your flight originates and terminates. On connecting flights with different flight numbers, you'll receive mileage credit for each segment of your trip; on single-plane, through, or change of gauge flights, you'll receive the nonstop origin-destination mileage credit and credit for a single elite qualifying segment. On American Airlines and other AAdvantage airline participants, you'll receive AAdvantage mileage credit only for the class of service on which your fare is based when you are ticketed. American Airlines is the final authority on the methodology used to calculate mileage and the amount of flight credit for a particular flight or routing. American Airlines is the final authority on qualification for mileage credit and reserves the right to deny or revoke mileage credit at any time if American Airlines determines that mileage credit was improperly given.
It's not uncommon to have different aircraft carry out different segments, even different "gauges" (narrow and wide bodied) and different terminals. Normally, passengers flying both segments must disembark with cabin / hand baggage at the intermediate stops.
The exception is for round trips using same flight numbers, e.g. a mileage run using AA 123 SMF-DFW-SMF would credit separately and properly.
Seat selection will normally be for seats offered on all segments (as opposed to being able to select different seats on different segments.
Upgrades must normally clear on all segments to clear.
There are other peculiarities (affecting upgrade requests, Five Star Services, etc.) discussed in this thread. Booking through / direct flights can cause challenges one doesn’t experience on connections ting flights with different flight numbers or nonstop flights.
One or multi-stop, single flight numbers: through / direct flights (master thd)
Aug 12, 2013, 2:06 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
Anyone know about meal options in first for these types of situations?
For example, I'm booked SFO-DFW-DCA on AA 1432. 1:15P SFO- 6:50P DFW. Then 7:40 DFW- 11:25DCA.
All the information I can find says that there is lunch served on the first portion, but no info about the second leg. I'd assume it is a dinner flight, but then again we all know what assumption gets you...
Thoughts?
For example, I'm booked SFO-DFW-DCA on AA 1432. 1:15P SFO- 6:50P DFW. Then 7:40 DFW- 11:25DCA.
All the information I can find says that there is lunch served on the first portion, but no info about the second leg. I'd assume it is a dinner flight, but then again we all know what assumption gets you...
Thoughts?
Expert Flyer says it's lunch on the first leg and dinner on the second.
Aug 12, 2013, 2:08 pm
#62
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 44
Question - if I do not clear the first portion of the upgrade, is there a possibility I can clear the second leg? For example, since it is one flight number, SFO-DFW-DCA, and there are plenty of openings on the DFW-DCA leg, but not the SFO-DFW, would it be possible to get an upgrade on the second leg if the first does not clear? I'm assuming I'd have to see a GA once in DFW.
Since it asks for 5 segments instead of individual 3 and 3, this is confusing.
Aug 13, 2013, 12:56 am
#63
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Platinum, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,978
Question - if I do not clear the first portion of the upgrade, is there a possibility I can clear the second leg? For example, since it is one flight number, SFO-DFW-DCA, and there are plenty of openings on the DFW-DCA leg, but not the SFO-DFW, would it be possible to get an upgrade on the second leg if the first does not clear? I'm assuming I'd have to see a GA once in DFW.
Since it asks for 5 segments instead of individual 3 and 3, this is confusing.
Since it asks for 5 segments instead of individual 3 and 3, this is confusing.
If you do clear both you will have saved yourself a sticker, as the sticker mileage is based on the distance between SFO and DCA. However, since the two segments are themselves tough upgrades, the single flight number significantly decreases your chances of upgrading at all. And you will get miles based on SFO-DCA, not for the segments separately.
DL used to do this much more often than they do now, and AA almost never did. Now they seem to have reversed. It stinks.
Aug 22, 2013, 10:24 am
#64
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: FAT
Programs: AA LT GLD, AS 75K, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 181
Has anyone had any experience with immediate turns for the AALAX promo? The PIT, IND, CMH, RDU, and one of two EUG flights have the same inbound and outbound flight numbers. I'd like to think IT wouldn't be dumb enough to consider these a "direct flight" and give you zero miles on the round trip...
Aug 22, 2013, 12:33 pm
#65
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
This new change has been discussed expensively in another thread; it is not likely you will get miles LAX-LAX=0.
Has anyone had any experience with immediate turns for the AALAX promo? The PIT, IND, CMH, RDU, and one of two EUG flights have the same inbound and outbound flight numbers. I'd like to think IT wouldn't be dumb enough to consider these a "direct flight" and give you zero miles on the round trip...
Aug 22, 2013, 12:54 pm
#66
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SFO
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 44
FYI: When I did not get upgraded on the entire one way flight SFO-DFW-DCA (5 stickers) I asked for my name to be readded to the list once we got to DFW and I cleared the second half DFW-DCA easily (3 stickers).
In fact, 3 upgrades cleared and there was an empty seat in 3B from DFW-DCA.
In fact, 3 upgrades cleared and there was an empty seat in 3B from DFW-DCA.
Aug 22, 2013, 1:31 pm
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,949
Has anyone had any experience with immediate turns for the AALAX promo? The PIT, IND, CMH, RDU, and one of two EUG flights have the same inbound and outbound flight numbers. I'd like to think IT wouldn't be dumb enough to consider these a "direct flight" and give you zero miles on the round trip...
[KVS Availability Tool 7.2.4/Diamond - Operational Info: AA 1329/01 Nov 2013]
Code:
Planned Flight Info
Segment Departure Arrival Duration
------- --------- --------- --------
LAX-RDU 08:05/Fri 16:00/Fri 04:55
RDU-LAX 16:50/Fri 19:20/Fri 05:30
Segment Flight Note
------- -----------------------------------------
LAX-LAX A/ NO LOCAL TRAFFIC
LAX-RDU MEMBER OF ONEWORLD
RDU-LAX MEMBER OF ONEWORLD
LAX-RDU DEPARTS TERMINAL 4
RDU-LAX DEPARTS TERMINAL 2
LAX-RDU ARRIVES TERMINAL 2
RDU-LAX ARRIVES TERMINAL 4
LAX-RDU MCT FLIGHT TRACKING D/D
LAX-LAX MCT FLIGHT TRACKING D/D
RDU-LAX MCT FLIGHT TRACKING D/D
LAX-RDU ON-TIME PERF 6JUL13
RDU-LAX ON-TIME PERF 8JUL13
ENTIRE FLT- 1/ MOVIE
ENTIRE FLT- 12/ IN-SEAT POWER SOURCE
ENTIRE FLT- 4/ AUDIO PROGRAMMING
ENTIRE FLT- SECURED FLIGHT
ENTIRE FLT- ET/ ELECTRONIC TKT CANDIDATE
LAX-RDU 065/006/N/000/ JUL13
RDU-LAX 087/006/N/003/ JUL13
Aug 23, 2013, 3:00 am
#68
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
Aug 23, 2013, 12:16 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Worldwide
Posts: 12,949
Mileage credit is based on ticketed flight coupons, so the single flight number will have no impact (unless booked as a direct flight, which is not possible).
Aug 24, 2013, 1:25 pm
#70
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MI
Programs: NW/DL Plat->Gold->Silver, AA EXP 1MM
Posts: 855
Question about mileage credit
With the much higher fares this year it is a struggle to maintain status. Every few hundred miles count. Hence this question:
Wife (alsoEXP) flew DTW-DFW-PDX and earned correct number of miles.
Returned PDX-DFW-DTW and only awarded 1953 miles, the direct mileage between PDX and DTW. EVEN THOUGH the flight was PDX-DFW, change of planes, then DFW-DTW. Apparently because the flight number was the same on the 2 segments. Really? And if I disagree, exactly how do I go about contacting them by email?
Thanks
Wife (alsoEXP) flew DTW-DFW-PDX and earned correct number of miles.
Returned PDX-DFW-DTW and only awarded 1953 miles, the direct mileage between PDX and DTW. EVEN THOUGH the flight was PDX-DFW, change of planes, then DFW-DTW. Apparently because the flight number was the same on the 2 segments. Really? And if I disagree, exactly how do I go about contacting them by email?
Thanks
Aug 24, 2013, 1:32 pm
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SJC/VCE
Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT
Posts: 10,161
Returned PDX-DFW-DTW and only awarded 1953 miles, the direct mileage between PDX and DTW. EVEN THOUGH the flight was PDX-DFW, change of planes, then DFW-DTW. Apparently because the flight number was the same on the 2 segments. Really? And if I disagree, exactly how do I go about contacting them by email?
/Moderator
Sep 9, 2013, 8:59 pm
#74
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 7,710
Does anyone know what happens if you book two segments with different numbers, say 288 PVG-ORD and 1296 ORD-BOS, upgrade them into C/A with a SWU and then stand by from A on 1296 to A on the ORD-BOS 288 segment? Will AA's system give me credit for both 288 segments, merge them after the fact or implode and spew out gibberish?
Sep 9, 2013, 9:07 pm
#75
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,186
Believe DL has (or had) a LHR-DTW-LAX flight with a single flight number that was an A330 for the first segment, and an A320 for the second (or some other substantial change such as that). If you paid to be in J, that's a real downgrade in aircraft.
Many stories of NW having 1-stop single flight-number flights through DTW that had change in gates (and even aircraft). Seem to remember there were some FL->CA flights that would have their mileage almost halved, by not having a "true" connection.
Many stories of NW having 1-stop single flight-number flights through DTW that had change in gates (and even aircraft). Seem to remember there were some FL->CA flights that would have their mileage almost halved, by not having a "true" connection.