PanHam

Hey, folks,

I tried performing a search on the Forum and wrestling with this question myself, but how does one find MPM for fares within the fare rules? For example, on Expedia, for a UA flight from SFO - FRA, I see the following, but cannot find an explicit MPM listing; I only see small pieces of text that seem as if they might lend itself to MPM:

or,

Am I simply looking in the incorrect places?

Thanks for any and all help!

PanHam

And, what is an "intermediate point check," and how does it affect my international routing?

When constructing international MRs, is the basic point that transfers are unlimited, but, one cannot exceed the MPM with the various transfers?

camachinist

Try googling "HIP-check" and "MPM" specifying "site:flyertalk.com"

There was much discussion of this in the CNZ mistake fare thread...

GrizShel

For those who need help with flyertalkspeak.

From Flyertalk glossary:
http://flyertalk.com/glossary/?letter_start=M

MPM: Maximum Permitted Mileage. Many tickets especially RTW have a maximum number of miles permitted under the fare.

Unfortunately HIP check hasn't been added to the glossary yet - it needs to be. There is some good discussion of it on the Auckland / New Zealand United business class deal from San Francisco thread. I am not aware of the mistake fare deal to Angola but I am sure some fares to there have HIP checks as well.

mechteach

In addition to your search, and since the CA->NZ thread is so long, here's a brief summary of a HIP check, as I understand it.

Say you are traveling SFO-FRA-TXL. You decide that you want to break your trip in FRA for more than 24 hours. If the cost of SFO-FRA is greater than the cost of SFO-(FRA)-TXL, then you cannot add the stopover without increasing the price (the intermediate point price is higher than the total price). If the cost of the SFO-FRA flight is lower, then adding the stopover is fine, pending any other restrictions on the ticket.

(This is relevant in the LAX/SFO-SYD-AKL thread due to the bargain price that was available by flying all the way to AKL but not for stopping in SYD.)

wanaflyforless

The Expedia version of the rules for this fare are cut off before it gets to where is says what the MPM is. Assuming you are looking at an MPM fare.

There are two types of routing rules for international fares:
- Routing fares: The sequence of flights must be along one of the usually many paths dictated by the rules.
- MPM fares: The sequence of flights can be along any path so long as the Maximum Permitted Mileage as specified by the fare rules is not exceeded (and no other fare rules are violated). There are no specified cities I am allowed to transit; rather any sequence of cities is OK so long as my total distance is not too much.
An MPM can be exceeded by up to 25% for a surcharge. If the distance you fly is under the MPM, you pay no surcharge. The surcharge goes in increments of 5%. So if I exceed the MPM by 10%, 10% of the base fare is added to the ticket price. If I exceed the MPM by 11%, 15% of the base fare is added to the ticket price.

ExpertFlyer.com is a sure way to see the MPM on any MPM fare.

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HIP - See other threads for a detailed explanation. This rule can only affect you when trying to do a stopover on a fare that allows stopovers. The HIP can kick in making the lower through fare no longer applicable because your stopover is at a higher intermediate point, so the fare to that intermediate point where you are stopping kicks in.

PanHam

So, the HIP check is important if one wants to find a complimentary stopover AND increase the mileage? Or is it only the former? Are finding appropriate HIP checks a way to finagle more mileage out of a trip?

AvalancheZ71

That looks like a pretty restricted fare. It does not allow for fare breaks. So one would have to meet the requirements on this fare and fly through on that fare basis. So you would not be able to mix fare basis on that particular fare and are bound to using whatever the fare states to use that fare.

wanaflyforless

The HIP check is not distance traveled related.

It has very little to do with true mileage runs. It affects those who want stopovers in more expensive cities.

The HIP check checks to see if you are stopping in a place with a higher fare than your destination, and if so, does not allow you to use the lower fare.

A few fares are exempt from the check; most are subject to it.

Example:
You are traveling on a business class fare from Singapore to Los Angeles. This fare is subject to the HIP rule.
The Singapore to Los Angeles fare is $4000 and allows stopovers. It also allows routing via Tokyo or Hong Kong.
The lowest Tokyo to Los Angeles fare is $5000.
You cannot stopover in Tokyo on your way from Singapore to Los Angeles paying $4000 because the HIP check is checking the fares from your intermediate points and will find that Tokyo is a higher intermediate point because the Tokyo-Los Angeles fare is higher.
Say the Hong Kong to Los Angeles fare is also $4000.
You can stopover in Hong Kong using the Singapore-Los Angeles fare because Hong Kong is not a HIGHER intermediate point.