longmanzz

say, I need 8 1-ways or 4 round trips and I already completed 2 round trips. First of all, do I have to complete 2 more round trips? Does going for 4 1-ways count?
I am planning a new trip and can book it via multi-city, wonder how it would be viewed for the status challenge?
I will fly from A-B-C and then C-B-A. layover in B in both ways are just a couple ways. I can book it either as A-C round trip, or A-B-C and C-A multi-city, or A-B-C and C-B-A round trip.
does the latter two booking count as 1 round trip, or 2 or 3 or 4 1 ways?

xliioper

Is this a promo challenge (like the one from last year) or the normal challenge as published here -- https://www.delta.com/us/en/skymiles...atch-challenge ?
If it's the normal one, it's based on segments, not "one-way's". If it's the promo one, they have been stricter according to a number of accounts and individual segments do not count as one-ways. Booking via multi-city won't necessarily cause a fare break and result in multiple one-way's. If it's a valid routing for a fare, you will typically need a 6-hour layover or more (domestically) to create a fare break resulting in it counting as multiple one-way's. If the segments are on a single fare component, it will be treated as a single one-way. The fare components breakdown can be found in the "Fare Rules" link when pricing tickets. Even if they are on separate fare components, I'd be a bit hesitant booking a less than 6 hour layover as they might try to count it as a one-way.

flyerCO

Each fare rule is technically a OW. A RT is simply two OW fare rules. Multi city counts as however many fare rules used. If you flew three different routes then at least three OW have been flown. If you book four different routes, 4 OW have been flown.

longmanzz

thanks, mine is the promo one from last year. So effectively the 2 RTs I already have also count as 4 1 ways? Taking either 2 more RTs or just 4 1 ways will bring me to the finish line?

xliioper

Correct. Just as long as you understand that using multi-city will not automatically create fare breaks and result in additional one-way's . And when using layovers of longer than 6 hours to force fare breaks, it will generally cost more (since you are purchasing multiple fares instead of just one). All-in-all, it may likely be cheaper to just purchase two roundtrips than trying to get tricky with multi-city.

TomMM

I've encountered this when trying to book an overnight stopover. Is this a DL or ST rule?

simonsuo

for the promo one, more discussion is at New Status Match promo from delta you probably need to go through the posts for a while

xliioper

It's a part of the fare rules in Delta fares. You can find the fare rules at the "Fare Rules" link when you price out a ticket on delta.com. ITA Matrix fare search also has them --
"NO STOPOVERS PERMITTED. NO STOPOVER OCCURS IF PASSENGER TAKES NEXT AVAILABLE FLIGHT WITHIN 6 HOURS."
It used to be 4 hours prior to Covid hitting. AA and UA also had extended their domestic layover allowance after Covid, but have since reverted back to 4 hours. For international flights (other than Canada which are treated like domestic), up to 24 hour layovers are allowed in fares (due to international flights generally having fewer frequencies).
The domestic layover rule is also likely to target business flyers who might visit more than one location in a day. While that can sometimes be down with only 4 hour layover, many will book a stop longer than that to conduct business and make next flight.

MSPeconomist

What happens if delta.dumb gives you a fare break, for example two different fare codes on different segments in the same direction, with less than four hours (now six) connecting time? Would this count as one segment or two?

flyerCO

A segment is one flight.
A OW trip can have has many segments as fare rule allows, it's still one OW regardless of booking class even if the segments are in different fare classes. (Happens frequently when one segment is on a CRJ with no F but buying a F fare for other segments) Time between flights doesn't matter. Booking say SAT-ATL and four hours later ATL-JFK as separate fares, even on one ticket means you flew 2 OW trips. Same flights but as one fare, means one OW trip.