Is this against the rules
May 17, 2004 | 12:35 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: HOUSTON, TX, USA
Posts: 246
Is this against the rules
I need to go from IAH to ORD to pick my up niece. Two round trips w/out a Sat stay are $575 each while with a Sat night $215.00. I will use all the legs of the trip. One ticket leaving IAH June 10 and returning June 20 the next leaving ORD June 11 and returning June 21. I have 500,000 miles and have been PLAT for 7 years now and don't want to jeopardize my status or my miles. Also I don't want to use the miles since they want 50,000 per ticket. I would really appreciate some help with this as I need to buy my tickets soon.
Thanks
Nitish
Thanks
Nitish
May 17, 2004 | 12:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Southwest Desert, under a rock, watch out! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<" You can get there, but it's gonna cost you!
Programs: Previously NonePass, now UA 1K (*Enhanced*)
Posts: 4,248
It's a No-no
Definitely prohibido, called back to back ticketing, If you're a cheapskate do one trip on AA or WN, otherwise pony up the bucks that Continental thinks it's worth. 
May 17, 2004 | 12:56 pm
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,681
Originally Posted by snake
Definitely prohibido, called back to back ticketing, If you're a cheapskate do one trip on AA or WN, otherwise pony up the bucks that Continental thinks it's worth.
May 17, 2004 | 1:04 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,092
What you're describing is classic back-to-back ticketing and is not allowed.
However, what you can do in this situation where your city is expensive, is stage yourself to another city that's both cheap to get to, and less restrictive to get in and out of.
The fare IAH-JAN + JAN-ORD combined is less than IAH-ORD without a Saturday stay.
So IAH-ORD-IAH = $575, but IAH-JAN-IAH-ORD-IAH-JAN-IAH = $374. You can do it all on one ticket to protect yourself, or you can split it up on two to get two online booking bonuses.
There may be other cities, so poke around some more...
However, what you can do in this situation where your city is expensive, is stage yourself to another city that's both cheap to get to, and less restrictive to get in and out of.
The fare IAH-JAN + JAN-ORD combined is less than IAH-ORD without a Saturday stay.
So IAH-ORD-IAH = $575, but IAH-JAN-IAH-ORD-IAH-JAN-IAH = $374. You can do it all on one ticket to protect yourself, or you can split it up on two to get two online booking bonuses.
There may be other cities, so poke around some more...
May 17, 2004 | 1:24 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Moreland Hills (CLE)
Programs: Over-entitled UA 1.3MM Gold, AA Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott L-T Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 5,526
Do not risk the back-to-back consequences. My biz partner did it a couple of years ago (has a summer home in Maine). Got tagged for $1400 and he only did it ONCE. (CLE-PWM, PWM-CLE, CLE-PWM, PWM-CLE)
Could U fly Southwest to/from (Midway/Hobby)?????
11 JUN WN 617 MDW-HOU (non-stop)
21 JUN WN 1642 HOU-MDW (non-stop) $232
Could U fly Southwest to/from (Midway/Hobby)?????
11 JUN WN 617 MDW-HOU (non-stop)
21 JUN WN 1642 HOU-MDW (non-stop) $232
May 17, 2004 | 2:27 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: northern NJ, CO Silver
Programs: Lifetime PC Member
Posts: 344
Why Worry?
You are Platinum and it is only a 935 mile flight (less than 2 hours)
Don't you think you'll get upgraded?
Don't you think you'll get upgraded?
May 17, 2004 | 2:59 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Kfar Saba, Israel
Posts: 4,172
Originally Posted by xyzzy
What would happen if you did one trip on CO and the other on NW/DL/AS and credited the mileage to CO? Technically that wouldn't be breaking the rules, would it?
The only way to do it is to credit the miles to different accounts, preferebly with non-partner airlines.
I would also recommend against checking into the PC in IAH if you are there while you are supposed to be in ORD.
Last edited by apirchik; May 17, 2004 at 3:03 pm
May 17, 2004 | 3:27 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,681
Originally Posted by apirchik
One of the major mistakes with back to back ticketing is when you try to credit the miles to the same airline.
The only way to do it is to credit the miles to different accounts, preferebly with non-partner airlines.
I would also recommend against checking into the PC in IAH if you are there while you are supposed to be in ORD.
The only way to do it is to credit the miles to different accounts, preferebly with non-partner airlines.
I would also recommend against checking into the PC in IAH if you are there while you are supposed to be in ORD.
One way around this would be to go IAH-ORD on one trip and MDW-HOU on the other -- if you could find an airline that served all these airports.
May 17, 2004 | 3:51 pm
#9
Join Date: Apr 2003
Programs: UA *G 1MM LT United Club & Global Entry
Posts: 2,756
Originally Posted by xyzzy
But what could CO do if you used CO on one ticket and NW on the other? They are not the same airline. What would their grounds be for charging you?
SunLover
May 17, 2004 | 4:26 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: HOUSTON, TX, USA
Posts: 246
I am using all the segments, I'm not wasting any so why is this considered against the rules. (Thanks very much for all the responses)
Nitish
Nitish
May 17, 2004 | 5:47 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,681
Originally Posted by NITISH
I am using all the segments, I'm not wasting any so why is this considered against the rules. (Thanks very much for all the responses)
Nitish
Nitish
May 17, 2004 | 7:26 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Southwest Desert, under a rock, watch out! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<" You can get there, but it's gonna cost you!
Programs: Previously NonePass, now UA 1K (*Enhanced*)
Posts: 4,248
Rules is rules!
From the Continental Contract of Carriage:
And don't forget that they got the "Super Dupe Snooper" to help find you evil doers 
RULE 6 TICKETS
J) Prohibited Practices
1) Fares apply for travel only between the points for which they are published. Tickets may not be purchased and used at fare(s) from an initial departure point on the Ticket which is before the Passengers actual point of origin of travel, or to a more distant point(s) than the Passengers actual destination being traveled even when the purchase and use of such Tickets would produce a lower fare. This practice is known as Hidden Cities Ticketing or Point Beyond Ticketing and is prohibited by CO.
2) The purchase and use of round-trip Tickets for the purpose of one-way travel only, known as Throwaway Ticketing is prohibited by CO.
3) The use of Flight Coupons from two or more different Tickets issued at round trip fares for the purpose of circumventing applicable tariff rules (such as advance purchase/minimum stay requirements) commonly referred to as Back-to-Back Ticketing is prohibited by CO.
K) COs Remedies for Violation(s) of Rules Where a Ticket is purchased and used in violation of the Contract of Carriage or any fare Rule (including Hidden Cities Ticketing, Point Beyond Ticketing, Throwaway Ticketing, or Back-to-Back Ticketing), CO has the right in its sole discretion to take all actions permitted by law, including but not limited to, the following:
1) Invalidate the Ticket(s);
2) Cancel any remaining portion of the Passengers itinerary;
3) Confiscate any unused Flight Coupons;
4) Refuse to board the Passenger and to carry the Passengers baggage, unless the difference between the fare paid and the fare for transportation used is collected prior to boarding;
5) Assess the Passenger for the actual value of the Ticket which shall be the difference between the lowest fare applicable to the Passengers actual itinerary and the fare actually paid;
6) Delete miles in the Passengers frequent flyer account (COs OnePass program), revoke the Passengers Elite status, if any, in the OnePass program, terminate the Passengers participation in the OnePass program, or take any other action permitted by the OnePass Terms and Conditions in COs OnePass Members Guide; and
7) Take legal action with respect to the Passenger.
J) Prohibited Practices
1) Fares apply for travel only between the points for which they are published. Tickets may not be purchased and used at fare(s) from an initial departure point on the Ticket which is before the Passengers actual point of origin of travel, or to a more distant point(s) than the Passengers actual destination being traveled even when the purchase and use of such Tickets would produce a lower fare. This practice is known as Hidden Cities Ticketing or Point Beyond Ticketing and is prohibited by CO.
2) The purchase and use of round-trip Tickets for the purpose of one-way travel only, known as Throwaway Ticketing is prohibited by CO.
3) The use of Flight Coupons from two or more different Tickets issued at round trip fares for the purpose of circumventing applicable tariff rules (such as advance purchase/minimum stay requirements) commonly referred to as Back-to-Back Ticketing is prohibited by CO.
K) COs Remedies for Violation(s) of Rules Where a Ticket is purchased and used in violation of the Contract of Carriage or any fare Rule (including Hidden Cities Ticketing, Point Beyond Ticketing, Throwaway Ticketing, or Back-to-Back Ticketing), CO has the right in its sole discretion to take all actions permitted by law, including but not limited to, the following:
1) Invalidate the Ticket(s);
2) Cancel any remaining portion of the Passengers itinerary;
3) Confiscate any unused Flight Coupons;
4) Refuse to board the Passenger and to carry the Passengers baggage, unless the difference between the fare paid and the fare for transportation used is collected prior to boarding;
5) Assess the Passenger for the actual value of the Ticket which shall be the difference between the lowest fare applicable to the Passengers actual itinerary and the fare actually paid;
6) Delete miles in the Passengers frequent flyer account (COs OnePass program), revoke the Passengers Elite status, if any, in the OnePass program, terminate the Passengers participation in the OnePass program, or take any other action permitted by the OnePass Terms and Conditions in COs OnePass Members Guide; and
7) Take legal action with respect to the Passenger.
May 17, 2004 | 11:02 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Kfar Saba, Israel
Posts: 4,172
Originally Posted by xyzzy
But what could CO do if you used CO on one ticket and NW on the other? They are not the same airline. What would their grounds be for charging you?
May 17, 2004 | 11:22 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,092
Originally Posted by apirchik
They can close your account and take away all your miles. NITISH said he/she is 7 years Plat with 500K miles, that's a lot to lose.
We'll ignore the fact that I literally just got off the phone from holding 2 in BF to GIG at the Standard level.
May 18, 2004 | 12:36 am
#15
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Central Florida
Programs: Bonvoy-Gold, HH-Gold, UA-Gold, *A-Gold, Hyatt-Discoverist
Posts: 2,046
Did this for friends a couple of years ago EWR-PIT
Arranged something similar. One trip on US and the other on CO. Credited CO flights to CO and the US Flights to US. No problemo.
The regular fare would have been almost $1000 on an RJ to PIT!!!!! times that by 2 and would have $2000.
Did the split ticket on each carrier and it came to $500 total for both.
Did not break either US or CO contract of carriage to save $1500.
I would take the suggestion of doing one pair on ATA/WN or doing the one ticket deal with all the cities that someone suggested.
- HF
The regular fare would have been almost $1000 on an RJ to PIT!!!!! times that by 2 and would have $2000.
Did the split ticket on each carrier and it came to $500 total for both.
Did not break either US or CO contract of carriage to save $1500.
I would take the suggestion of doing one pair on ATA/WN or doing the one ticket deal with all the cities that someone suggested.
- HF