iadisgreat

This was my interest as well haha, what purpose does taking the longest route possible serve.

mster

I just want a better understanding of AA routing rules since I have AA miles to burn. I don't have a specific goal at the moment, but if I have time and it's convenient / possible to build in a 23 hour stopover in HKG/HEL or a long lounge stop in DOH...

I fly Asia to Europe with AA miles once or twice a year too and availability of direct or one stop routings is often poor (OW network < *A). In my case I'd much much rather take a creative or less ideal routing than try to book 6+ months out or stress about availability opening up close in.

pbd456

Japan has other ports beside Tokyo. Eu has other ports beside london

DWFI

Not correct.

MPM is not carrier specific.
MPM is an IATA measure that does not vary carrier to carrier.

Dave Noble

It does, since the MPM varies depending on what Global Indicator the fare permits travel on

On the fares that allow mileage based travel , CX uses the EH allowance of 9812 , whilst AY uses the TS allowance of 7456

DWFI

My impression has always been that AA selects the MPM based on the most appropriate routing choice. i.e. where Asia 1 - Europe travel permits connections in Asia 2, the EH allowance is selected.
I could be wrong on this however.

Dave Noble

AA does not select the MPM - AA uses the governing carrier's routing rules for determing flight eligibility

If AY is the governing carrier, then it is AY's rules that apply

That Asia 1 may allow travel via Asia 2 to get to Europe, does not mean that the governing carrier would allow that route

mster

If a fare is available for sale from a OW carrier (CX, JL, IB, QR etc.) and does not run afoul of AA's routing rules it should be ticket-able as an award right? CX will sell you TYO-HKG-MAD-VIE as a single fare. AY will also sell you TYO-HKG-HEL-VIE as a single fare.

Dave Noble

It depends - if AY is selling it as a single fare component published fare ( not constructed ), then yes
If it consists of end-on-end ticketing , then no
If it is a constructed routing, then probably no
It also has to not be based on a YY fare

Looking at TYO-HKG-HEL-VIE on matrix, it doesn't seem to come up with a through fare for TYO-HKG-HEL-VIE , but as a TYO-HKG fare plus a YY fare for HKG-VIE

stephem

OP, you should put the longest segment in hold and then call in w some of these creative ideas and see what you can get to ticket. For all the talk of these rules, the main thread linked above is filled w examples of people getting something ticketed that should technically not be allowed. Pretty much everything that i have booked over the years violates one or more of these rules.

mster

So agents might be more flexible routing wise when adding additional segments to an existing award on hold (consisting of the primary desired long haul segment) than they might be if you fed them a similarly creative itinerary segment by segment? Makes sense.

Dave Noble

No - the system auto prices the award. Some itineraries that do not meet routing rules do get through , but most seem to me , that have been reported, to be ones that include travel on AA

Indeed , rather than just posting speculative routings , I would suggest finding availability on a routing and then get AA to price it up - that will give a definitive answer

Regardless of what an airlines fares permit, there is also a sector limit on AA awards which istr is 4 segments

stephem

I’ve had different results, but agree at least in the first instance their system does an initial calculation. What i find is that by calling in to add a second segment, then getting the agent to get it manually repriced as one award, then calling back later to add a third, etc, has resulted in different resukts than calling in to feed thrm 3 or 4 random segments. I have sometimes heard “let me put you on hold and find out why this isnt pricing as one award” and then had the agent come back and say they got it to price as one award by calling another department. Other times i have fed them subsequent segments and despite expectations that it wouldn’t price as one award, it did. It’s a crap shoot worth investing some time in if you want (or need) a particular routing/combination.

BTW, maybe one of mine has included AA, most have been tickets that involve no AA flights at all.