Safe separate tickets gap through LAX?
Feb 20, 2024, 2:22 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: BOGish. VLCish. It's complicated.
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Posts: 709
Safe separate tickets gap through LAX?
Annoyingly, it would seem that AA has put a crazy price rise on one of my oft-flown TP-harvesting routes (I'm taking that personally), and I'm looking for an alternative. The best I can come up with though, so far, involves two separate AA tickets, ...-LON-...-LAX and LAX-...-BOG with all the exposure to irrops that that entails.
I read here that "If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the minimum compensation doubles (400% of your one-way fare, or $1,550, whichever amount is lower).", which suggests that AA would very much want to keep delays under 2/4 hours. Yet BTS shows delays into LAX in 2023 of up to 33 hours.
If you guys were booking separate tickets through LAX, how many hours would you want between flights to make sure everything doesn't go pear-shared? Given AA's recent announcement that only AAdvantage members will get favorable irrops rerouting would you want a full 2 days between flights?
I read here that "If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the minimum compensation doubles (400% of your one-way fare, or $1,550, whichever amount is lower).", which suggests that AA would very much want to keep delays under 2/4 hours. Yet BTS shows delays into LAX in 2023 of up to 33 hours.
If you guys were booking separate tickets through LAX, how many hours would you want between flights to make sure everything doesn't go pear-shared? Given AA's recent announcement that only AAdvantage members will get favorable irrops rerouting would you want a full 2 days between flights?
Feb 20, 2024, 2:35 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: PHL
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Posts: 579
Feb 20, 2024, 4:13 am
#3
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: ORD/LHR
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K, 1MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,319
Annoyingly, it would seem that AA has put a crazy price rise on one of my oft-flown TP-harvesting routes (I'm taking that personally), and I'm looking for an alternative. The best I can come up with though, so far, involves two separate AA tickets, ...-LON-...-LAX and LAX-...-BOG with all the exposure to irrops that that entails.
I read here that "If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the minimum compensation doubles (400% of your one-way fare, or $1,550, whichever amount is lower).", which suggests that AA would very much want to keep delays under 2/4 hours. Yet BTS shows delays into LAX in 2023 of up to 33 hours.
If you guys were booking separate tickets through LAX, how many hours would you want between flights to make sure everything doesn't go pear-shared? Given AA's recent announcement that only AAdvantage members will get favorable irrops rerouting would you want a full 2 days between flights?
I read here that "If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the minimum compensation doubles (400% of your one-way fare, or $1,550, whichever amount is lower).", which suggests that AA would very much want to keep delays under 2/4 hours. Yet BTS shows delays into LAX in 2023 of up to 33 hours.
If you guys were booking separate tickets through LAX, how many hours would you want between flights to make sure everything doesn't go pear-shared? Given AA's recent announcement that only AAdvantage members will get favorable irrops rerouting would you want a full 2 days between flights?
Are you able to book a multi-city ticket, or use something like matrix to force the routes you want? I've been able to easily get 4 different fare components on one AA ticket before.
Feb 20, 2024, 5:20 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Posts: 12,574
If you guys were booking separate tickets through LAX, how many hours would you want between flights to make sure everything doesn't go pear-shared? Given AA's recent announcement that only AAdvantage members will get favorable irrops rerouting would you want a full 2 days between flights?
A 4-5 hour connection will give you tons of cushion for all but the most extreme irrops.
AA pads its schedules so much that even if you take a 1-2 hr delay leaving LHR you'll still probably arrive close to on-time or only slightly delayed.
And I wouldn't let AA's rebooking policy "announcement" sway you one bit, there's zero evidence so far of how this will play out in reality or if there will be any negative side effects for members of other partner programs (highly highly doubtful).
Feb 20, 2024, 8:24 am
#5
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Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
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Annoyingly, it would seem that AA has put a crazy price rise on one of my oft-flown TP-harvesting routes (I'm taking that personally), and I'm looking for an alternative. The best I can come up with though, so far, involves two separate AA tickets, ...-LON-...-LAX and LAX-...-BOG with all the exposure to irrops that that entails.
I read here that "If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the minimum compensation doubles (400% of your one-way fare, or $1,550, whichever amount is lower).", which suggests that AA would very much want to keep delays under 2/4 hours. Yet BTS shows delays into LAX in 2023 of up to 33 hours.
If you guys were booking separate tickets through LAX, how many hours would you want between flights to make sure everything doesn't go pear-shared? Given AA's recent announcement that only AAdvantage members will get favorable irrops rerouting would you want a full 2 days between flights?
I read here that "If the substitute transportation is scheduled to get you to your destination more than two hours later (four hours internationally), or if the airline does not make any substitute travel arrangements for you, the minimum compensation doubles (400% of your one-way fare, or $1,550, whichever amount is lower).", which suggests that AA would very much want to keep delays under 2/4 hours. Yet BTS shows delays into LAX in 2023 of up to 33 hours.
If you guys were booking separate tickets through LAX, how many hours would you want between flights to make sure everything doesn't go pear-shared? Given AA's recent announcement that only AAdvantage members will get favorable irrops rerouting would you want a full 2 days between flights?
Feb 20, 2024, 8:54 am
#6
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Annoyingly, it would seem that AA has put a crazy price rise on one of my oft-flown TP-harvesting routes (I'm taking that personally), and I'm looking for an alternative. The best I can come up with though, so far, involves two separate AA tickets, ...-LON-...-LAX and LAX-...-BOG with all the exposure to irrops that that entails.
Feb 20, 2024, 10:56 am
#7
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 561
Feb 20, 2024, 11:12 am
#8
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
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It might work by using the multi-city booking engine to hold the flights, and then calling AA to book, asking the agent to ensure that everything goes on one PNR. But if that does not work, then you're right: the OP would need to go through a travel agent.
Feb 20, 2024, 2:30 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: DTW
Programs: AA Exec Plt , Marriott Ambassador
Posts: 592
About 8-10 years ago I had a combined revenue ticket and an award ticket in one PNR, the revenue ticket was on AA into LHR and the award ticket was on Etihad from LHR-AUH-MLE. I was shocked when this happened, the agent automatically did it. I got separate schedule change announcements for each ticket and got some confused agents every time I called to adjust the AA revenue ticket (I've never seen this before, I can't believe this was allowed, etc.). It should come as no surprise that on the few occasions I have asked for this since, all agents have been clueless.
Feb 20, 2024, 3:26 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Posts: 1,008
5-6 hours is sufficient buffer IME. 8-10 hours would afford enough time for an excursion outside the compound of LAX for lunch or dinner if that tickles your fancy.
I did a 7hr layover there one time to save a significant # of miles on an award routing.... even with the decent lounge scene (this was pre-covid mind you), I was bored by hour #4.
Any more than that, you might as well just make enough buffer to get a hotel room and have a decent night of sleep in a real bed.
I did a 7hr layover there one time to save a significant # of miles on an award routing.... even with the decent lounge scene (this was pre-covid mind you), I was bored by hour #4.
Any more than that, you might as well just make enough buffer to get a hotel room and have a decent night of sleep in a real bed.