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)
May 18, 2015, 10:22 am
#106
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
Not that long ago
AA had a flight number that was SFO-DFW-ZRH (often arriving Terminal C, departing International terminal A in those days) or DFW-ORD-LHR (the latter's first segment on an MD-80!) and they counted only as nonstop SFO-ZRH and DFW-LHR respectively.
May 18, 2015, 11:29 am
#107
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: DCA/IAD
Programs: AA EXP; 1W Emerald; HHonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; UA dirt
Posts: 7,819
US has been a big user (or abuser) of this practice. As long as both segments are mainline flights, US can and does often operate one segment on one aircraft and then operate the same segment on a second aircraft - utilizing the same flight number.
Common: FLL-PHL on a A319 and PHL-FRA on a A333. A319 arrives at C19 and A333 departs out of A21. Same flight number.
Slightly less common, but seen on US: DCA-PHX on a A319 and PHX-LAX on a A321. Same flight number.
Common: FLL-PHL on a A319 and PHL-FRA on a A333. A319 arrives at C19 and A333 departs out of A21. Same flight number.
Slightly less common, but seen on US: DCA-PHX on a A319 and PHX-LAX on a A321. Same flight number.
May 18, 2015, 11:39 am
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,604
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
There is an upside (though not in your situation) to having "through" flights on AA/US. For people redeeming BA Avios, BA charges extra for each separate flight flown. ATL-CLT-DFW on a single flight number would cost 7,500 Avios in Coach; ATL-CLT connecting to a differently numbered CLT-DFW flight would cost 12,000 Avios (4,500 + 7,500).
Originally Posted by longtimereaderfirstimeposter
Very disappointing to hear. When I originally booked the ticket I did not realize the stopover since it was marketed as just ATL-DFW. I was hoping to at least get the additional and segment for the pain.
May 18, 2015, 2:10 pm
#109
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: I fly too much and stay at too many hotels
Posts: 489
Unfortunately not so. One of the worst nightmaees i have had was when my inbound direct flight was late and the next segment was on time. Trying to explain to the agent that i missed my connection for my direct fligt was straight out of Abbott and Costello. I only had my one boarding pass that showed RDU - BOS, no one in DCA could understand how I got there.
Aug 18, 2015, 10:01 am
#110
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SAN
Programs: AA-EXP; US-Silver; Marriott-Platinum; Starwood-Platinum; Hilton-Gold
Posts: 1,260
*CHECK ACCOUNT!* Incorrect posting of mileage on US through flights
Make sure everyone checks their AAdvantage account if they have flown on US on through flights (same flight number but with layover). I flew from SAN-PHX-ORD on US metal. These had different flight numbers.
On the return, the routing on US operated flight was ORD-PHX-SAN with the same flight number (AA452).
I checked my account balance and noticed that it posted properly on the outbound but on the return it posted as a direct flight.
OUTBOUND
RETURN
On the outbound, I accrued 3880 total miles, but the important part is that on the first leg I'm also guaranteed the minimum mileage guarantee (including EQMs [if I'm wrong about this please tell me]).
On the return, I was only credited 3446 total miles, but didn't get the guaranteed mileage bonus (including EQMs). Not a huge difference on this route BUT it could affect others with through flights with much greater differences.
I contacted AA customer service and he credited those miles back to my account but didn't seem too bothered when I mentioned that this should be brought up to IT. Please check your accounts if you were on any recent US through flights.
On the return, the routing on US operated flight was ORD-PHX-SAN with the same flight number (AA452).
I checked my account balance and noticed that it posted properly on the outbound but on the return it posted as a direct flight.
OUTBOUND
RETURN
On the outbound, I accrued 3880 total miles, but the important part is that on the first leg I'm also guaranteed the minimum mileage guarantee (including EQMs [if I'm wrong about this please tell me]).
On the return, I was only credited 3446 total miles, but didn't get the guaranteed mileage bonus (including EQMs). Not a huge difference on this route BUT it could affect others with through flights with much greater differences.
I contacted AA customer service and he credited those miles back to my account but didn't seem too bothered when I mentioned that this should be brought up to IT. Please check your accounts if you were on any recent US through flights.
Aug 18, 2015, 10:21 am
#113
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Aug 18, 2015, 10:21 am
#114
Join Date: Aug 2011
Programs: AA Gold, Marriot Titanium
Posts: 65
Its really about having one flight number. If you have one flight number but still change planes, as is somewhat common for some international flights, you still only get the direct mileage.
Aug 18, 2015, 10:22 am
#115
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SAN
Programs: Lots of faux metal
Posts: 6,425
From the T&Cs
◾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.
Last edited by Microwave; Aug 18, 2015 at 10:41 am Reason: Merged consecutive posts for readability
Aug 18, 2015, 10:30 am
#116
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP - Marriott LT Platinum - National Exec Elite
Posts: 1,112
I'm not sure this is a bug. On AA for at least as long as I can remember, a domestic flight with a continuation internationally with the same flight number would be treated as a single flight. ie MCO-MIA-BCN on AA 112 would be treated for mileage purposes at MCO-BCN.
But maybe I'm misunderstanding your post...
I'm sure there's a master-thread around somewhere...
But maybe I'm misunderstanding your post...
I'm sure there's a master-thread around somewhere...
Aug 18, 2015, 10:32 am
#117
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 may be how it worked on US, but AAdvantage credits through flights as nonstop. What you got is what you earned (in AAdvantage miles, per AAdvantage terms and conditions).
You may not like it, but Parker and Kirby have chosen AAdvantage going forward. You lucked out in getting those miles posted, but don't expect it going forward, and it's certainly not anything IT has to "fix"; that's how the system is designed, unfortunately for some of us who have been burned over the years.
Wrong; AAdvantage is the Frequent Flyer Program of American Airlines. 
You may not like it, but Parker and Kirby have chosen AAdvantage going forward. You lucked out in getting those miles posted, but don't expect it going forward, and it's certainly not anything IT has to "fix"; that's how the system is designed, unfortunately for some of us who have been burned over the years.
Last edited by JDiver; Aug 18, 2015 at 11:22 am
Aug 18, 2015, 10:44 am
#118
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: SAN
Programs: AA-EXP; US-Silver; Marriott-Platinum; Starwood-Platinum; Hilton-Gold
Posts: 1,260
This may be how it worked on US, but AAdvantage credits through flights as nonstop. What you got is what you earned (in AAdvantage miles, per AAdvantage terms and conditions).
You may not like it, but Parker and Kirby have chosen AAdvantage going forward. You lucked out in getting those miles posted, but don't expect it going forward, and it's certainly not anything IT has to "fix"; that's how the system is designed, unfortunately for some of us who have been burned over the years.
You may not like it, but Parker and Kirby have chosen AAdvantage going forward. You lucked out in getting those miles posted, but don't expect it going forward, and it's certainly not anything IT has to "fix"; that's how the system is designed, unfortunately for some of us who have been burned over the years.
Aug 18, 2015, 11:06 am
#119
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
Wow that's a real kick in the dink. I even had a supervisor on the phone and she credited the EQMs back as well. I'll just take it as a win for the little guy. Not a huge difference because of the connecting location but for those with a drastic change talk about getting screwed. I will know now never to book a through flight. Thanks for everyone's input.
It's a small PITA to be sure you're not booking through flights, but it's often worth the small extra time and hassle.
Aug 18, 2015, 11:06 am
#120
Join Date: May 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, UA *S, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Exp, IHG Plat, National EE, Sixt Plat
Posts: 648
This may be how it worked on US, but AAdvantage credits through flights as nonstop. What you got is what you earned (in AAdvantage miles, per AAdvantage terms and conditions).
You may not like it, but Parker and Kirby have chosen AAdvantage going forward. You lucked out in getting those miles posted, but don't expect it going forward, and it's certainly not anything IT has to "fix"; that's how the system is designed, unfortunately for some of us who have been burned over the years.
You may not like it, but Parker and Kirby have chosen AAdvantage going forward. You lucked out in getting those miles posted, but don't expect it going forward, and it's certainly not anything IT has to "fix"; that's how the system is designed, unfortunately for some of us who have been burned over the years.
OP seems to have gotten lucky with an either misinformed or generous agent.