Lowest mileage cost for one-way to Middle East?
Aug 11, 2014, 5:43 pm
#1
Original Poster
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Lowest mileage cost for one-way to Middle East?
Hi all-
I'm trying to book a one-way standard award from SFO to TLV.
If I book it as a one-way, delta.com charges for the round-trip at 230K miles (it's a standard tier business class).
If I book a throw away return of LHR-SFO in economy low tier, then the mileage cost goes down to 145K miles (115K going there, 30K for the return).
My question is: can I do even better? If I could replace the 30K LHR-SFO leg with a domestic leg or a different international leg, I could potentially save 12.5K-17.5K miles. However, I've tried doing this on delta.com, and I haven't had any luck. For instance, if I do SFO-TLV in standard tier business, SLC-SFO in saver tier economy, delta.com prices me at 255K miles.
Thanks!
I'm trying to book a one-way standard award from SFO to TLV.
If I book it as a one-way, delta.com charges for the round-trip at 230K miles (it's a standard tier business class).
If I book a throw away return of LHR-SFO in economy low tier, then the mileage cost goes down to 145K miles (115K going there, 30K for the return).
My question is: can I do even better? If I could replace the 30K LHR-SFO leg with a domestic leg or a different international leg, I could potentially save 12.5K-17.5K miles. However, I've tried doing this on delta.com, and I haven't had any luck. For instance, if I do SFO-TLV in standard tier business, SLC-SFO in saver tier economy, delta.com prices me at 255K miles.
Thanks!
Aug 11, 2014, 6:34 pm
#2
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Your approach isn't going to work.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...oj-2-x-ow.html
A disqualified open jaw like your SFO-TLV, SLC-SFO journey will price as two one-ways, and, until 1/1/15, in the Delta world that means two round-trips.
If you really need to book a DL one-way and are willing to do throw-away ticketing, find a saver coach return Europe-SFO on any date and add it to your SFO-TLV business flight. Not LHR - that's expensive for airport taxes and UK air passenger duty.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...oj-2-x-ow.html
A disqualified open jaw like your SFO-TLV, SLC-SFO journey will price as two one-ways, and, until 1/1/15, in the Delta world that means two round-trips.
If you really need to book a DL one-way and are willing to do throw-away ticketing, find a saver coach return Europe-SFO on any date and add it to your SFO-TLV business flight. Not LHR - that's expensive for airport taxes and UK air passenger duty.
Aug 11, 2014, 9:40 pm
#3
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Is it possible to come up with a ridiculous north america routing in order to only burn 12.5K miles instead of 30K (and probably save on taxes+fees as well)?
Presumably, I'd be looking at trying to get back to SFO by starting at the north-east tip of Canada or something.
Presumably, I'd be looking at trying to get back to SFO by starting at the north-east tip of Canada or something.
Aug 12, 2014, 6:28 am
#4
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No. That would not be a qualifying open jaw. Please see the link to the open jaw thread and specifically the remarks on unflown distance in the open jaw.
Aug 12, 2014, 7:45 am
#5
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You might be able to save miles by booking your ticket after January 1 when DL will have genuine one way award tickets. (OP doesn't specify travel dates.)
Aug 12, 2014, 3:07 pm
#7
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What if I did:
SFO-JFK-TLV in business class
return:
YHZ-LGA-MIA
stopover MIA
MIA-JFK-SFO
According to webflyer, the distance is 5366 miles for the return. The distance from TLV to YHZ is 5070 miles.
Does that mean that I could book all of this flying for the cost of the SFO-TLV one-way plus 12500 miles for the throw-away return?
SFO-JFK-TLV in business class
return:
YHZ-LGA-MIA
stopover MIA
MIA-JFK-SFO
According to webflyer, the distance is 5366 miles for the return. The distance from TLV to YHZ is 5070 miles.
Does that mean that I could book all of this flying for the cost of the SFO-TLV one-way plus 12500 miles for the throw-away return?
Aug 12, 2014, 3:14 pm
#8
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No.
SFO-TLV = 7422 miles.
TLV-YHZ (surface/unflown) = 5080 miles.
YHZ-SFO = 3039 miles.
Your unflown segment is longer than YHZ-SFO, which makes this not an open jaw.
Not to mention YHZ-LGA-MIA-JFK-SFO is most certainly not an allowed routing for YHZ-SFO, so that is going to split into more than one fare.
SFO-TLV = 7422 miles.
TLV-YHZ (surface/unflown) = 5080 miles.
YHZ-SFO = 3039 miles.
Your unflown segment is longer than YHZ-SFO, which makes this not an open jaw.
Not to mention YHZ-LGA-MIA-JFK-SFO is most certainly not an allowed routing for YHZ-SFO, so that is going to split into more than one fare.