Trip within a trip allowed by airlines????
May 11, 2009 | 9:32 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 6
Trip within a trip allowed by airlines????
Does anyone know if the airlines let you book a round trip, say on Monday the current week to DC returning the following week on Wednesday, but book another trip within the time frame leaving from DC on Wednesday the current week and returning to DC on the following Monday? The fare is much lower than if you book 2 trips leaving Monday, returning Wednesday and then leave Monday returning Wednesday
May 11, 2009 | 10:13 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: D.R.E.A.D. Gold card holder
Posts: 53,184
May 11, 2009 | 10:40 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Purgatory
Programs: Too many to list. Status is a half dozen.
Posts: 9,236
Which is why I do this occasionally but on separate airlines, preferably mileage-earning partners.
You might even explore one way ticketing options. Perhaps to DC on Monday, then a round-trip ticket departing DC Wednesday, returning Monday, and another one way departing again Wednesday. Or if you're going to do this repeatedly, just buy a single one way ticket to your destination and book a bunch of round trips starting from DC. Often a round-trip is cheaper depending which side you start from. Need to look at every option.
You might even explore one way ticketing options. Perhaps to DC on Monday, then a round-trip ticket departing DC Wednesday, returning Monday, and another one way departing again Wednesday. Or if you're going to do this repeatedly, just buy a single one way ticket to your destination and book a bunch of round trips starting from DC. Often a round-trip is cheaper depending which side you start from. Need to look at every option.
May 12, 2009 | 11:18 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Victoria, B.C.
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Plat, AA Gold LT, WS Plat, AC 50k
Posts: 1,999
Is back-to-back legal if you use two different airlines.
Say you book SEA-ORD on AA, and a back to back ORD-SEA on AS.
Would AA say that it is back to back and charge you extra? Could you use your AA account for both?
Say you book SEA-ORD on AA, and a back to back ORD-SEA on AS.
Would AA say that it is back to back and charge you extra? Could you use your AA account for both?
May 12, 2009 | 4:29 pm
#6
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: ATL, BHM, DUB, County Wexford
Programs: DL DM, AA ExPlt, Diamond HH, HY, BW, & Titanium Elite Marriott
Posts: 5,221
How would they know if it is two different airlines. Posting occurs after flight not before. But don't do something that would get their attention.
May 12, 2009 | 4:38 pm
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
It is never "illegal" but it is a violation of the CoC. They can cancel your tickets or terminate your FF program membership but you're not going to jail.
That being said, using two different airlines is quite fine since you are following the CoC of each airline for the ticket you have with them. A codeshare is a rather gray area (AS code on AA metal and then AA code on AA metal) but I wouldn't risk that one.
That being said, using two different airlines is quite fine since you are following the CoC of each airline for the ticket you have with them. A codeshare is a rather gray area (AS code on AA metal and then AA code on AA metal) but I wouldn't risk that one.
May 14, 2009 | 12:40 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2008
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA GS 1.86MM, Hyatt Lifetime Glob, Marriott Titanium/Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 1,275
Separate airlines should be fine. I once did EWR-PVG-EWR on CO and did a one-night trip PVG-NRT-PVG on Ana in the middle. Didn't think anything of it.
Last edited by CopperSteve; May 14, 2009 at 12:59 pm Reason: Added name of second airline
May 14, 2009 | 12:52 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: AUS
Programs: AA Exec Platinum/MM, DL Gold/MM, Hilton Diamond, Accor Silver, Hertz Five Star
Posts: 7,492
I have done this a couple of times without a problem on NW:
Ticket 1: AUS-MSP-DTW on day A, DTW-AUS on day B.
Ticket 2: DTW-AUS later on day A, AUS-DTW earlier on day B.
Ticket 2 is entirely within ticket 1. The only difference is that I had a companion on ticket 2.
Ticket 1: AUS-MSP-DTW on day A, DTW-AUS on day B.
Ticket 2: DTW-AUS later on day A, AUS-DTW earlier on day B.
Ticket 2 is entirely within ticket 1. The only difference is that I had a companion on ticket 2.
May 14, 2009 | 12:52 pm
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
It is only a problem for the airlines when you nest trips to avoid fare rules.
May 14, 2009 | 1:13 pm
#11
Original Member and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kansas City, MO, USA
Programs: DL PM/MM, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Glob, HH Dia, National ECE, Hertz PC
Posts: 16,619
I believe all the other legacy carriers have similar rules in their contract of carriage.
May 14, 2009 | 1:25 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,377
Yeah, the safest thing is--different metal, different code, and different ticket stock.
May 14, 2009 | 1:39 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 30,343
OTOH, if your ticket 2 is DTW to somewhere else then back to DTW, then it is not a violation of rules.
May 15, 2009 | 11:21 am
#14
Join Date: May 2009
Location: BNA
Programs: US SD, HH Silver, MR Silver, Hertz #1G
Posts: 50
I haven't had issues with back-to-back trips; granted they were flown with different airlines/alliances.
Roundtrip 1 on UA: Depart IND-MHT Sunday week 1, return MHT-IND Thursday week 2
Roundtrip 2 on NW: Depart MHT-BNA Thurdsay week 1, return BNA-MHT Sunday week 2
As long as you use different airlines, you should be fine.
Roundtrip 1 on UA: Depart IND-MHT Sunday week 1, return MHT-IND Thursday week 2
Roundtrip 2 on NW: Depart MHT-BNA Thurdsay week 1, return BNA-MHT Sunday week 2
As long as you use different airlines, you should be fine.