Back-to-Back Tkting - How Bad is it?
Aug 3, 2001, 8:52 pm
#16
Join Date: May 2001
Location: SAN
Programs: AA GLD 1MM, WN CP, etc. etc.
Posts: 386
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by tvl4free:
Well, no one here, including the airlines, who occassionally lurk, would consider this as back-to-back. Actually, it's a nested itinerary - and is perfectly kosher.
</font>
Well, no one here, including the airlines, who occassionally lurk, would consider this as back-to-back. Actually, it's a nested itinerary - and is perfectly kosher.
</font>
Would it be back-to-back if it _were_ an equivalent city pair (e.g. LAX/BUR/SNA/ONT?)
Would it be if you did it with n tickets, where n>2? Would it make a difference if you did an equivalent city on the far end?
E.g.:
Ticket 1: LAX SFO
Ticket 2: SJC MDW
Ticket 3: ORD BUR
Ticket 3: BUR ORD
Ticket 2: MDW SJC
Ticket 1: SFO LAX
--Laird
Aug 3, 2001, 9:17 pm
#17
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: GSP (Greenville, SC)
Programs: DL Gold Medallion; UA Premier Executive; WN sub-CP; AA sub-Gold
Posts: 13,393
Adding a third city is still back-to-back. Delta's rule reads "Combining multiple round trip excursion fares ..."; "multiple" means at least two.
Using different airports is probably against the rule if interpreted liberally. I checked out some fares on delta.com and found that it still costs more to use co-terminals with one purchase than back-to-back, but less than one purchase using the same airports.
Delta.com priced a LGA-SFO "back-to-back" with a stop in DFW exactly the same as a straight back-to-back, namely $2,592.
[This message has been edited by JS (edited 08-03-2001).]
Using different airports is probably against the rule if interpreted liberally. I checked out some fares on delta.com and found that it still costs more to use co-terminals with one purchase than back-to-back, but less than one purchase using the same airports.
Delta.com priced a LGA-SFO "back-to-back" with a stop in DFW exactly the same as a straight back-to-back, namely $2,592.
[This message has been edited by JS (edited 08-03-2001).]
Aug 5, 2001, 5:42 pm
#18
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: DTW
Programs: Dirt Status w/ All
Posts: 5,045
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by EPS:
I'm not condoning this ...
If you're truly paranoid, pay for the tickets with two different credit cards from unrelated issuers. Make sure you've instructed both in writing not to share marketing information with unaffiliated companies.
i]</font>
I'm not condoning this ...
If you're truly paranoid, pay for the tickets with two different credit cards from unrelated issuers. Make sure you've instructed both in writing not to share marketing information with unaffiliated companies.
i]</font>
I booked a back to back several years ago DTW to EWR. Somebody at corporate decided it would be a good idea to have a meeting in EWR for all US centers the Fri before Labor Day. They wanted me to stay Sat night to reduce airfare, but I refused.
I booked DTW-EWR-DTW on NW and EWR-DTW-EWR on CO (this was before the NW/CO merger/alliance). I booked both using different credit cards and different spelling of my first name, one with middle name. Both were through Internet Travel Network (now AmEx Travel I think). I was surprised when both tickets showed up in the same envelope. I only used the first half of each ticket, and they never charged me extra later. Apparently ITN did not care and neither did the airlines.
Aug 5, 2001, 5:57 pm
#19
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: OnePass
Posts: 885
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Singapore:
Thanks everyone for your insights. I'm on the phone w/ my T/A booking LAX-NRT-ORD, as that IS the craziest LAX-ORD O&D booking I can imagine. Thanks again! : )</font>
Thanks everyone for your insights. I'm on the phone w/ my T/A booking LAX-NRT-ORD, as that IS the craziest LAX-ORD O&D booking I can imagine. Thanks again! : )</font>
I tried pricing a few such LAX-NRT/HKG-ORD routings, and some other domestic routes, and the prices I got were way up in the stratosphere. I just could not a find a good mileage run on any US domestic fare with a connection in Asia.
Asia is not in the "permissible routings" of any domestic fares like LAX-ORD, including the one you listed at the beginning of this thread...
So I remain puzzled by what routing trick tvl4free and dhammer53 are referring to...perhaps they'd like to shed some light on this?
Aug 6, 2001, 10:46 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: LAX
Posts: 7
Hello AnthonyAnthony...
I wasn't really serious is thinking I'd be able to get an LAX-NRT-ORD routing, although if someone could find one at a reasonable rate, I would be all over it. Help from some of the mileage run vets would be both useful and intriguing. Have a good week everybody.
I wasn't really serious is thinking I'd be able to get an LAX-NRT-ORD routing, although if someone could find one at a reasonable rate, I would be all over it. Help from some of the mileage run vets would be both useful and intriguing. Have a good week everybody.
Aug 6, 2001, 4:09 pm
#21
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: OnePass
Posts: 885
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Singapore:
I wasn't really serious is thinking I'd be able to get an LAX-NRT-ORD routing</font>
I wasn't really serious is thinking I'd be able to get an LAX-NRT-ORD routing</font>
Hehe, I thought I was missing out on a hot new mileage run stunt.I suppose the only way you can economically put an Asian connection city into your flight is if that Asian city is having sale fares and the price is so cheap it won't increase your pricing too much...
Anyways, I played around with LAX-ORD and this routing priced out to $257.00. It doesn't connect in Asia, but maybe it's sufficiently crazy for your purposes:
LAX-IAH-MEM-DTW-ORD-EWR-FLL-IAH-LAX
Have fun on your trip!