Trying to put together an 8 segment mileage run for early December. Most of the sites I have checked (Continental,Travelocity, Expedia) have a maximum of 4 segments.

Where else can I put together an 8 segment run. The first time I did this I called CO and got a mad scientist agent who worked it out for me.
Thanks
Joe

Is it all hub-to-hub flying or are there other intermediate cities involved? If it's not just hub-to-hub, you can generally get 8 segments out of a 4 stop multiple destinations engine (CO allows 5). Just leave out the hubs and just plug in the non-hubs (the hubs will get added back in). For example, early in the year I booked MCI-MEM-CMH-DTW-IND-DTW-CMH-DTW-MCI using nwa.com's standard engine by making my segments MCI-CMH, CMH-IND, IND-CMH, CMH-MCI.

Of course for certain segments, the engine will occasionally throw in more than 2 segments for one entry. MCI-MIA might actually come out MCI-CLE-TPA-MIA or something similar, but in general on NW and CO, the most you get are 2 segments per "destination" on the multiple destination selection if you stick with non-hub cities.

But since when are 8 little segments a 'MEGA segment run?'

In the past, prior to 9-11-2001, I was able to make a ten segment run all within Texas. Due to cut backs, I have had some difficulty in doing this again. So far, I have done 8 segmements with no problem; but very tight schedule. All done on continental.com.

Amen brudda. Preach it.

If your travels happen to take you to Houston IAH, be sure to book a "side trip" (for FREE) to EFD (Ellington Field). If you go into and out of EFD, you'll get 2 extra segments and 1000 extra miles, and best of all, it's usually free. (and if you LIVE in Houston, you can park free at EFD).

Isn't that usually spelled as pk4free?

I have originated all of my mileage/segment runs out of EFD. Make sure to arrive at EFD about 30 before flight and you should be ok. They are very fast over there and are (most of the time) very friendly. There is at the most about a 35 minute turn around between flights so make sure that you allocate enoughg time to complete the trip. The bonuses do kick-in for each segment going in and out of EFD.

Happy Flying and Merry Christmas to all!!

KittyCatFlyer--

OK. I give. How do you get 10 segments when you originate in EFD? What tricks do you use? How do you get Continetal.com to do multi-segments?

Actually, I would like more tips like Happymob provided. Any other ideas out there?

I have used the following tricks (with varying degrees of success):
1) ITN and Trip.com (to see which hub to hub and other segments are the cheapest -- so I can book them on a web site)
2) NWA.com and plugging in a secondary hub within part of a multi-segment trip (ex: Searched for MCI-DTW-SAN, by available flights and got MCI-MEM-DTW-MSP-SAN -- choose each flight manually and picked the ones with extra segments through hub airports). A lot of trial and error to find a decent fare.
3) I have also had some success with Happymob's suggestion of doing a multi-segment search with a non-hub as the second destination ... By the way, using CLE as the second segment on NWA.com also works well sometimes. Gets you on CO metal too!

But alas! Despite these tricks, my success has been hit and miss (usually the fare comes back several times the normal rate). I have particularly had problems finding multi-segment trips on Continental.com. NWA.com has been easier.

Any tips on using Continental.com for finding multi segment trips? Any other tricks out there for multi-segs (regardless of web site or source)? I gave you my tricks.

Well it may not be MEGA after all.

Neglected to mention I will be taking all 8 segments in ONE 12 hour span. Out at 6am return at 6pm.

When I read the comment, I knew who it was from...even before looking! You rule!

UpUp&Upgrade, if you don't already do this, you always should check the fare rules before trying intermediate cities. On the $60 MCI-IND fare that I used to get 8 segments, the fare rules allowed stops in BNA, MKE, CMH, CHI, CVG, and other cities along the way. CO fares are often less forgiving about this, though it is sometimes doable.

If the routing is allowed, and if there is availability in the appropriate fare buckets, and if the connections are all less than 4 hours, it should price ok.

I've done the EFD-IAH-SAT-PHX-LAX-PHX-SAT-IAH-EFD run before. It's currently pricing at $350 (on ITN) for a total of 4,686 base miles and 8 segments. I've seen it as cheap as $190 before. Bad news is that it's AW metal from SAT-PHX-LAX-PHX-SAT. Good news is that Elite bonuses are on top of the 4,686 base miles.

I just priced a DFW-IAH-CLE-EWR-BOS-EWR-CLE-IAH-DFW run at the end of Dec. and its $257 for 8 segs. Doing this twice to get my KLM bonus

OK, Here goes. I sincerely appologize for the delay.

I plan on departing EFD and goint to MAF with a ten segment total run. Six segments on day one and four on the return.

EFD to AUS => 2 segments
AUS to EFD => 2 segments
EFD to MAF => 2 segments, thats all for day one.

MAF to AUS => 2 segments
AUS to EFD => 2 segments
10 segment trip.

This can be done with a 6:00AM or 8:00AM departure out of EFD with a 10:00 PM arrival at MAF.

Eight segemnts can be done with back to back roundtrips to either AUS, SAT, or DFW depending on the fare offered or city preferred. If this is done, the flight connect times are very tight and does not leave much room for delays. I almost had this plan blown when the President Putin (not sure of spelling) departed from EFD to go have BBQ in Crawford TX with the George W. I have often referred to this type of flight plan as the Great Texas Mileage/Segment Run. A good run can be made when the fares drop to $60 each way to the above listed cities out of EFD.

Good Luck!!