Open jaw costing double the miles???
 

I was looking to fly into YVR, and back from ANC for a cruise to Alaska, and Delta is charging double the miles to do so, (50,000 on Sky Saver instead of 25,000). When I try to put it roundtrip from LAX to ANC, or roundtrip from LAX to YVR, a 25,000 Skysaver reward is available. I had thought one stopover or open jaw return is allowed. It seems it is pricing two one way flights instead.

Any explanation anyone?

Regards,

Rob

It may be because the open jaw leg distance YVR-ANC is longer than one of the flown legs (LAX-YVR). That often is an exclusion for an open-jaw rule, and it will then be booked as two one ways.

just call SMS and they can book it for you....$25/ticket more of course

Are you sure that SMS would book it for me for only 25,000 miles? What Geoflyer said seems reasonable. The leg from LAX to YVR is shorter than the open jaw distance of YVR to ANC.

If I used a further away originating city like FLL, it prices out at 25,000 miles so what Geoflyer said seems to be the reason.

Can anyone confirm this?

If that's the case, can I just book a roundtrip flight from LAX to ANC for 25,000 miles with a connection in YVR, but just don't get on the connecting flight? Will they cancel my return if I do that?

Rob

In line with my recent experience, geoflyer seems to have the answer. Just today I tried to book an open jaw award LGA-PFN-FLL (both over ATL) and the cost was quoted as double. I guess that the distance LGA-FLL is greater than the distance from either FLL or LGA to PFN and certainly longer than any of the segments making up the trip.

It is interesting that the SMS agent who answered my call and looked for a reason while I was on hold did not come up with any answer and told me that she was stumped.

Could it possibly be because YVR and ANC are in different award zones (Canada v. Alaska)? For example, are you allowed to book an open jaw NYC-IST and TLV-NYC?

FWIW I was able to book a huge open jaw SS ticket, being charged half the RT for Europe and half the RT for Asia. Routing was JAX-EDI and return PEK-JAX. (But maybe EDI-PEK is shorter than PEK-JAX?)

bump...

Anyone know if it's possible to book a roundtrip flight from LAX to ANC for 25,000 miles with a connection in YVR, but just don't get on the connecting flight? Will they cancel my return if I do that?

Rob

I was able to book the following open jaw using the 25,000 award level.

FAT-SEA
IAD-FAT

The award ticketing engine is really troublesome. I wouldn't trust it. Pick up the phone.

MO

I think that an answer to this question might more likely be found on the Alaska board since I presume that is the airline that is actually servicing your award ticket.

IF you fly and stop inside canada from the us you need passport
 

IF you book LAX-YVR-ANC, and don't get on the connecting flight
YVR-ANC that will be a "no show" and YES it will cancel the return.

Try the multi-city tool for LAX-YVR, (YVR stopover), YVR-ANC,
ANC-LAX and see if that works. Of course it could have something
to do with the daytes you want also.

Please rememberr IF you're planning to FLY and stopover inside Canada,
you WILL need a passport (NOT a passport card which is NOT good for
flying.

Also please remember Vancouver BC YVR is very EXPENSIVE and that
Canada no longer offers tourists the GST Rebates they used to.

MachOne,

Did you book your ticket over the phone and only cost 25,000 miles? When I check it online with your routing, it also shows 50,000 mile redemption, probably because the open jaw distance between SEA and IAD is greater than either of the two legs of the flight.

Boston_Bulldog,

I tried pricing it with 3 separate legs, LAX to YVR, YVR to ANC, and ANC to LAX, and it still shows 50,000 mile redemption. Out of curiosity, doing it this way, and dumping the YVR to ANC portion, would it still cancel the return flight from ANC?

Rob

On the phone.

MO

It is true. Last year I wanted to book FLL-STL-ATL and it would have cost twice the Skymiles as FLL-STL-FLL -- even though I would still have had to take the STL-ATL flight in order to connect to FLL.

OK Online I tried the following combinations with the IAD-FAT leg.

FAT-SEA prices at 50k

FAT-BOI prices at 50k

FAT-ORD prices at 25k

FAT-MSP prices at 25k

Obvisously they have some mechanism that is pricing the tickets higher based on the long open jaw.

All of my FAT connections were thru SLC. The thing that does not make a lot of sense, is the SLC-MSP and SLC-ORD flights would cost DL more, than if I took the SEA routing.

Amazingly, there were loads (i mean loads) of date in late September and early October that had Skysaver availability!

I'd give it a try on the phone.

MO