dordal

So FWIW, I've been playing around with this ex-SFO. As a couple people have noted, sometimes the AA website goes into a spinning loop of 'your fare has changed', or gives a system error, when trying to book some of these.

From what I can tell, the tickets can generally be purchased if you have a > 12 hour connect time, or you're connecting overnight. For example, if I fly SFO->CLT/ORD/DFW/MIA->BOG, and my ex-SFO flight both leaves and arrives the day before, it prices fine. If I try to book a redeye, both Google Flights and the AA website will offer it as an option, but I go into system error hell.

I couldn't get any redeyes to even come up on the OTAs; it was all day before stuff. So I have to think there's some weird block AA has here that's not in the fare rules, although I'm not sure.

Best one I found ( which I just booked ) is SFO->ORD 5:50->11:59pm. Connects to MIA with departure at 5:00am, arrives into BOG 1:31pm.

11:59pm is the day before, technically. Overnight in ORD is gonna be rough, though.

dordal

So if you want to do an after-work weekend turn, with no hotel and 12 hours to enjoy BOG, here's what you do:

American Airlines 1540
San Francisco (SFO)
October 23, 2015 05:35 PM
Travel Time : 3 h 59 m
Cabin Class : Economy
Chicago (ORD)
October 23, 2015 11:34 PM


American Airlines 233
Chicago (ORD)
October 24, 2015 05:00 AM
Travel Time : 2 h 54 m
Cabin Class : Economy
Seat : unassigned
Miami (MIA)
October 24, 2015 08:54 AM


American Airlines 913
Miami (MIA)
October 24, 2015 10:00 AM
Travel Time : 3 h 44 m
Cabin Class : Economy
Seat : unassigned
Bogota (BOG)
October 24, 2015 12:44 PM


American Airlines 1122
Bogota (BOG)
October 25, 2015 01:30 AM
Travel Time : 5 h 52 m
Cabin Class : Economy
Seat : unassigned
Dallas/ Fort Worth (DFW)
October 25, 2015 07:22 AM


American Airlines 1183
Dallas/ Fort Worth (DFW)
October 25, 2015 08:40 PM
Travel Time : 3 h 48 m
Cabin Class : Economy
Seat : unassigned
San Francisco (SFO)
October 25, 2015 10:28 PM
Booking Code : N

$240 AI, 8453 miles, for 2.8cpm.

The only real killers are the 5 hours on the floor of O'Hare, and the 14 hours in Dallas on the return. But hey... 2.8cpm.

PbodyPhoto

I am sure it wouldn't be too hard to standby on to one of the other essentially hourly DFW-SFO flights on AA. I have 13 hours in DFW on my return to EWR next week but I plan to standby.

dordal

Personally I'm planning to go to the Amex lounge, take a shower, get a massage, and the pig out for the rest of the day. Actually doesn't sound like a half bad way to spend the day.

PbodyPhoto

A massage would be nice, I was there just last week but will go again! I was planning to go to Salt Lick BBQ by gate A16 too. Anyone going to be in DFW on Sept 8th?

nov11

For those flying from SFO, the fare difference between N and V (for 1.0 EQP) is $50 each way (so $100 more for a RT). Worth it to get 10k+ EQP RT IMO.

tradecki

95$ Ow from SFO via DFW or 112$ via MIA

brewdog11

How friendly will the Bogota customs and immigration folks be to mileage runners? Should extra scrutiny and hassle be expected, or will it be an easy experience?

I know the U.S. CBP officials would have some questions, so thank goodness I have GE.

Madmax4797

Does anyone know if I'm able to apply a mileage upgrade (15k + $150) to the SFO-JFK/LGA-MIA-BOG leg below, since it's 3 segments?

12/3: JFK-SFO (overnight)
12/4: SFO-JFK (overnight)
12/5: LGA-MIA-BOG
12/6: BOG-MIA-EWR

Thanks!

drvannostren

Bogota, your biggest worry is probably going to be the customs line. If you have to go down there sometimes it's kinda long.

There is signage for INTL-INTL connections that I've been told go through a much smaller security and not full customs procedure, but I haven't ever transferred internationally in BOG so I can't be 100% sure.

brewdog11

Awesome, thanks! Very good to know. I plan on coming in on the 22:30 flight and leaving on the 01:00 flight a few hours later.

I might have to get a passport stamp, though... I guess I'll see how things are looking when I get there.

dordal

There's also the issue of the damn departure tax. You have to stand in line at the tax booth to get a stamp that says you paid it ( on AA its included in the price of the ticket, but they still have to stamp you ).

For the INTL-INTL connections I don't know how they'd handle that. You'd be originating in BOG but wouldn't have the stamp because you never made it to the departure hall tax desk.

This shouldn't dissuade anyone though... Absolute worst case is that you have to pay it again at the gate; its $38 IIRC.

abcx

You can do hidden city for transcons using this...

ComplexAnalysis

I wouldn't hidden city for domestic flights heading to an international destination .. especially S. America as that could bring some problems (one time is fine, but multiple I could see issues coming up)

abcx

Yeah, I was thinking more as a one off.