27-flight segment run - almost complete!
 

Hi MR pros,

I am about to embark on my first ever segment run to requalify for 1K. I weighed the cost/benefit carefully and decided to go for it (out of pocket spending was about $750). I did compromise on time, though -- it's going to take me the whole long weekend. Good thing I don't do Christmas anymore! :)

I'm looking for any tips you have on handling potential delays or other snafus, weather or otherwise. The lounge membership will come in handy, for one. ^

Here's my plan:

ORD-ATL-CLT-IAD
(Wednesday night)
DCA-PHL-ATL-ORD-PIT-IAD-ATL
(Thursday night)
ATL-IAD-PIT - 12/24 flights are expensive!
(Friday night)
PIT-IAD-ROC-IAD-IND-ORD-PIT-IAD-BNA
(Saturday night in Nashville)
BNA-ORD-IAD-PIT-IAD-PHL-DCA
(Sunday night)
DCA-PHL-ORD

It's not the most efficient or even the cheapest probably -- I didn't want to spend more than a few hours planning this last minute run. Suggestions for future improvement welcome!

Have fun at the A Terminal in IAD!

I guess you can run down to the LH lounge occasionally.

How many PNRs?

I love segment runs! My best advice its to pack eye masks, ear plugs and a pillow. Don't eat a lot of sugar just before a flight to avoid restless legs. Carry a backup plan for each important connection, that way you can tell the agent what you want. Take a look at some of my trip reports if you wish and have fun! Oh, and bring one good book. If you finish it set it free at an airport and buy a new one.

Don't fly through ORD... oh wait, too late. ;)

Definitely have printouts/easy access to of all the flight schedules so you can plan the re-routes if you hit snafus. You may also want a decent idea of alternate routings allowed by your fare rules. It's likely you will hit at least one major inconvenience in 27 flights over a major holiday in winter.

Also, when I travel Dec 24-25, I like to bring little gifts for the airline personnel who have to work the holiday. Of course, that could get expensive on this particular itinerary. :eek:

Unlike Gnopps, I don't think I would be able to sleep during any one of these short segments. But the restless legs thing is spot on -- I don't know if sugar brings it on for me, but I wouldn't sit down in the airport during the layovers, I would try to walk around briskly.

Gotta disagree - I'm not the religious type. :D

I was going to say the same about ATL. :D


Here's a thought, and this has worked well for me in the past. Drop by a Godiva shop, kiosk or mall cart (whatever's near you) and buy a little sack or two of truffles and/or foil-wrapped coins (IIRC they come in dark, milk and white chocolate, and also mint fondant-filled) and offer them to the TAs and GAs. Just proffer the sack and offer them some chockas. :D

With a little luck, your thoughtful gift may result in an operational upgrade; it's worked for me on Xmas Day flights before. And good luck this weekend -- I sincerely hope your MR works out well for you!

Thats pretty impressive...and all for $750. How many PQM's is that? Good luck on the run and cant wait for a trip report. Merry Chrismtas, wave to Santa as your flying around on Christmas Eve ;-)

Nice ticket, OP! How did you piece together the ticket? I've tried to build a number of segment runs, and find that they are three-five times more :mad: Damn routing rules :td:




PQMs??

all i can say is good luck on saturday and sunday. east coast is supposed to get a pretty widespread storm in practically every city you're going to

When weather delays come to play RJ's seem to get cancelled first then the larger planes. My exp on a simple MKE-ATL-LAX and back run, was completely ruined by 'ice' in ATL on DEC 11-12 weekend. IMHO seg runs are better off done in the Spring thru Fall periods. One ah crap and your whole itineray gets jacked.

Happy travels. and let us know how it goes.

Does $750 include hotel? Do you have places to stay in IAD/ATL/PIT/BNA/DCA?

Thanks for the input! It's already been an eventful first 5 segments.

To answer your questions:

This ended up being about 9 PNRs, many with ecerts (that's how the out of pocket cost is relatively low). I think I even managed to avoid nested tickets, not that it would have mattered with all these one-way fares. Total cost would have been closer to $2000 without ecerts. This is certainly not a well-planned "value" run.

I am based in DC; I will use 2/3 of the evening "layovers" out of town to pick up stays for PC Sweet Dilemma (it's like Hyatt FFN if you are unfamiliar) and will stay with a friend for another.

You guys are right that the weather looks like it's going to be a cluster this weekend. Well, at least "chance of" cluster. It's probably unlikely that it'd get original routing credit for all of this, right? I can't imagine trying to explain a segment run to UA CS.

Thanks for the questions and tips! Now, here's a brief summary of the trip so far...

Update #1 (posting late, 6pm EST)
5 down, 22 to go
Thursday lunchtime
Mood: Optimistic
Stomach: Satiated
Mental State: Great!

I tried to check in online for my US flights early on Wednesday, but the US website was giving me errors and not allowing me to print boarding pass. An hour on the phone (2 agents and a supervisor) later, "Marcelle" managed to push through the check-in. Not that United's mobile boarding pass is without its glitches, but this is one of the reasons I don't fly US anymore (that and the Dividend Miles Credit Card Speech on every flight, which has thankfully stopped).

Wednesday evening's ORD-ATL was on UX explus, and I missed the upgrade by 1. So much for status! On-time and smooth arrival into T concourse, but my US ATL-CLT was in D, so I made a quick stop at the D concourse CO President's Club. Pretty nice lounge with great view, and the staff is super nice.

Got to Charlotte in time to see the US Club close in B, and hopped on the CLT-IAD. My ATL-CLT plane (and flight#) was actually continuing onto DCA (and arriving earlier), but I needed the segments!

Got into Dulles early, and got 5 solid hours of sleep before being awoken by an angry cab driver who was to take me to DCA to start the core of this run...

Somehow, the main USAir pier at DCA doesn't have a priority lane, so I had to stand in line for a full 10 minutes with the hoi polloi. Breakfast at the Club made it better, though! The DCA-PHL plane delayed arriving from ALB, so we left the gate 20 minutes or so late and had to go into ATC flow control. Wheels up about 1 hour later, at 8:52 (7:51 scheduled push from gate). Remind me again why I'm flying US?

My PHL-ATL was departing from B8, and the DCA-PHL was coming into C25. A bit of a hike, but should have been manageable despite the delay. This means I wouldn't get to check out the US Club between B and C, but club-hopping is a decidedly secondary goal of this shindig.

PHL runway was in sight! Until the engines thrust into full gear just before wheels down -- my first go-around! Word on the street was a plane on/near the runway. 5-10 minutes later, we approached again and this time touched down. Pulled into gate C25 about 14 minutes before PHL-ATL was scheduled to depart. Luckily I was in 2F and was able to make a mad dash (eschewed my rollerboard for backpack despite 4-day itinerary -- great decision) through the C concourse dodging babies, golf carts, and a senior citizen or two. Sprinted down the moving walkway over to B and got to B8 as the last to board, with the plane door closing behind me. Safe!

Got into ATL early and spent some time at the CO lounge in D again before meeting up for lunch with a friend at One Flew South, which claims to be the "only upscale dining" in ATL airport. Mushroom ravioli (pics to come later) was decent, but probably not worth the price tag ($18).

And now, ready to end the 3-hour ATL layover and head to O'hare!

Next flights:
ATL-ORD (explus F)
ORD-PIT (explus F)
PIT-IAD (explus F)
IAD-ATL (explus F)

With almost a full day to explore Atlanta. Can't be that bad, right?

I'm posting twice in a row because of some recent drama.

My ORD-PIT (UA 7258) is delayed by an hour, which throws a bit of a kink to the rest of my evening (ORD-PIT-IAD-ATL).

Fortunately, it is the same plane that will be departing PIT and continuing through to ATL (yes, the PIT-IAD-ATL was a through flight I could not avoid -- this is not optimal segment-hopping, so I am only getting 26 out of this).

The ladies in the ORD C RCC fixed it and allowed me to check in despite .bomb disallowing check-in due to "misconnect."

Additional point: I have a DM card for PIT-IAD but a boarding pass for IAD-ATL. Bump?!?

Got a bump :)

Happy now. Won't be happy if affected by delays later!

If these are ticketed separately, don't you run the risk of a delay in one itinerary impacting the start of the next? If due to WX or other reasons in the airlines control, I don't know how much recourse you would have. Glad it's going smoothly so far.