EditingFX

FWIW, I did specifically ask about that scenario on this morning's call, and the rep said DL "would probably work with me" if there was a published issue with the VIE-AMS flight causing me to miss the AMS depart (ie, not just me no-showing).

Trying to figure the logic behind some fare structures can gave you a headache.

PV_Premier

statistically there is much ado about nothing in this thread. yes, DL in AMS could tell you to pound sand if you somehow don't show up for AMS-DTW in time the following day. but that's unlikely to occur, and there are train options probably.

i book way more sketchy things than this in Europe all the time, and have always gotten away with it when it comes to flight ops.

EditingFX

Right... I haven't, so hence the question.

roberta_h

i did something similar a few days before christmas -- Z fares from AMS to the US were basically half those from NCE so i booked from AMS and had a separate KL ticket NCE <-> AMS

things started to go a bit sideways as fog was causing lots of issues at AMS but in the end my NCE-AMS flight did go 2+ hrs late and i got to spend the night as planned at the citizenM

[to complicate things, my routing was actually AMS-LHR-US (w/ a few hrs at the VS clubhouse built in) but the first several KL flights AMS-LHR including mine were cancelled while i was delayed at NCE... i waited until i made it to AMS before calling DL to fix things (just in case i got stuck at NCE, as i thought they may help me out even though i had separate tickets), and i had no trouble getting moved to a AMS-ATL routing -- i realize this doesn't address your potential issues of not making it to AMS from VIE but i did have a completely unsubstantiated 'feeling' that DL would work with me if necessary given the serious fog issues AMS was having]

for the reverse, i only had a 1:35 'connection' between tickets on the way back and had no problems at all getting my bags checked through both tickets so i didn't have to exit security even with an in-app irrops switch 2 hrs before my first segment... (for those who may think i was playing it a little fast and loose, i had a flexible fare on KL and the short connection was simply a scheduling issue so worst case i'd move to the next direct AMS-NCE flight several hrs later -- otherwise i would not recommend only 1:35 between separate tickets!)

so all that's to say... go for it! (but don't rely on the train as a backup, vienna and amsterdam are pretty far apart)

dalehill

I've made similar plans quite a few times for legitimate reasons, but I've learned that my risk tolerance is highest when I'm safe at home planning the trip. Once I'm over there and the day of the must-make flight home approaches, the more distance/risk I've put between me and that airport, the more that fact hangs over my head like a black cloud. I've decided that I don't want to spend my last couple of days overseas practicing my Zen, so no more of that for me. But I know a lot of people who simply do not let this stuff bother them. They go with the odds which they know are in their favor. If you're the sort of person who makes a decision and then lets it go, trusting that things will work out, go for it.

mot29

I’ve done this a few times in AMS and CDG. Last summer 2 overnights in London to get a good fare on VN to Oz. And a few times in Toronto because DL fares to Japan were much cheaper from YYZ or KL fares to Europe were much cheaper than DL fares. As long as you can cope with ambiguity and not get too stressed, I’ve found it always works out and the few times it’s been disrupted, DL agents have worked with me. Maybe special treatment as a DM? But as I note, always worked out.

RaflW

I encountered similar problems a few weeks ago trying to book PE on an open jaw into BUD and out of ZAG. I could book the r/t in PE to BUD, but adding ZAG (or VIE) open jaw return pushed to D1 and a tripling of the fare (for a better class of service, sure, but not what I wanted to spend - and I want to try the A350 PE!).

For some reason, one day I could book PE on DL if I went via CDG (and, sad trombone, that means I get to try AF's strange hardshel PE on the return - but it's a day flight, I'll manage). After looking good, on the payment page ticket failed on the final screen. Then, got it to work on the DL App, and for the first time in a long while, after 'ticketing' it took 4 days for the payment to process via AMEX. That may have been unrelated, but I wonder if the fare construction got flagged and had to have some sort of manual review? Or was this AF needing to confirm their two segments? Or the one KL segment?

Long and short: PE fares with intra-Europe components seem tricky so far. Not 'seamless' with AF/KL just yet.

To the OP: I don't see any problem with a ~24 hr layover AMS. I'd agree that booking VIE-AMS on KL would be helpful IF somehow things go wrong, skyteam-skyteam should help if the issue getting you to AMS is not caused by you.