I am flying from Avl (asheville) to Bkk in the next week in Y class (although some what different from normal Y I believe? It is a volunteer relief flight).
I have been trying to figure out what routings I can do and havn't found a way to do this-- I tried expedia, but I think the rules are too long that it doesn't have space to show any of the routing rules. someone at NWA said it would be on routing rules 110 or 140 (depending on my day of departure I believe)-- is there anyway to find those rules online somewhere?

The typical flight looks like:
AVL-DTW-NRT-BKK
I figure since it is Y, and I am going anyways, I can try to turn it into more miles through routing-- I really have a lot of questions about this, so if you can address any that would be great- First the Avl-Dtw (or whatever hub i choose?) seems to be flown on a:
Northwest Airlines 3735
operated by
PINNACLE AIRLINES JET SERV/NW AIRLINK

Are these flights upgradeable? I have gold elite for the first time and wanted to take some advantage of it. But I am guessing this flight won't be upgraded- and then once in DTW i'm heading to Tokyo, so no chance there either. I was told I could continue on out, and connect in SFO or Portland or other west coast cities (even honolulu and alaska were options from one NWA rep but others didn't verify). That way I could get upgraded from DTW-SFO and breakup my flight a little bit- right?

Another thing- He (NW rep, whom seemed to tell me different stuff than the other reps I spoke to) said as long as I depart within 24 hours I can stay in any of those cities- I have friend I would like to visit in SFO, so I assume if that is true I could spend the night and pickup the next days flight? For some reason I thought the 24 hour rule was for international - not domestic (or does it only have to be a International ticket-- it doesn't matter what cities you stay at for 24 hours along the way?)

One last thing- I was hoping to pickup supplies to bring for donation in Austin, TX.... I don't think I can route through AUS (hopefully I'm wrong)- If I can't, does anyone know if i can go through Houston or Dallas maybe? The same guy also said I can take my one 100$ stopover at any of my domestic places as well-- which means if I can get close to Austin and take a stopover that would be really excellent!

If not, I guess a good mile maximizing routing would be of interest
Wow, i rambled way too much.. Well any advice would be great.. Thanks

If you play around, you should be able to route DTW-LAX/SFO/SEA/PDX-NRT and maybe even put another hub in between DTW and the west coast (DTW-MEM-west coast would probably add the most miles).
The challenge of routing through IAH is that you have to do an overnight, the same day connections leave before the first flight from AVL arrives.
Playing around with the mult-city option on the NW www site, I came up with
Feb. 5
AVL-DTW-IAH
Feb. 6
IAH-DTW-NRT-BKK
returning later in February on a normal BKK-NRT-DTW-AVL routing.
This prices at $1750 and change.
Backtracking through DTW probably adds more miles than IAH-west coast-NRT.

Good luck.
tom

One is commonly allowed a stop on a domestic routing <4 hours, and <24 hours on an international routing before this is defined as a stopover. So, a west coast stop works on your trip to BKK: it's an international itinerary.

Yes, you can take advantage of the free domestic upgrades, but only where you have a change of flight number; watch out for the infamous 'direct flight with change of gauge' as they'll use that as an excuse not to upgrade you on the domestic segment.

Great info- Thanks!
2 questions about it:

First, based on mot29 said, the itinerary with IAH I gues I could book through NWA or whatever-- But would that type of itinerary work for a pre-set (with its own rules) Y fare (which is setup for volunteers... therefore I have to place it via the phone and whatever the rep is able to do). It seems that they wouldn't let me do a DTW-IAH-DTW in the middle of there flight (which has a set price, thus i don't think I can just add in legs for a little extra). If the answer is NO-- do you think AVL-DTW-IAH-SFO-NRT might workk? And also, I probably couldn't just stick AUS in there instead of IAH, right?

2) I didn't really understand the : " Yes, you can take advantage of the free domestic upgrades, but only where you have a change of flight number; watch out for the infamous 'direct flight with change of gauge' as they'll use that as an excuse not to upgrade you on the domestic segment."
Is it saying as long as my AVL-DTW on pinnacle is a different flight number than my DTW-IAH or whatever flight, then I will get upgraded?

Thanks

On a whim, I just tried pricing it through AUS and it works -- AVL-AUS on Feb 5, AUS-
BKK on Feb 6, returning BKK-AVL later. Prices at $1825 and change using B and M classes. Some of the routings use CO equipment, so be careful about 50% EQM.
Just use multi-city and route AVL-AUS, AUS-BKK, BKK-AVL.

To answer #1, I think I'd try making that reservation online and putting it on hold -- that is an option when you get to the purchase ticket page. Just click hold and not buy, note the reservation number -- it won't have a PNR yet, I don't think, but there will be a number associated with it. Then call and see if they can ticket it for you. That used to work.

To answer #2, if you are on a flight that has the same number all the way through, for example NW1 MSP-LAX, LAX-NRT you might not get upgraded on the MSP-LAX leg even if seats are available because you will not be upgraded on the LAX-NRT leg. But, I don't think NW follows the practice of using the same flight numbers on the US extensions of international flights too often. Some other airlines, do.

Hope this helps. And think about posting something about your experiences when you return.

tom

Thanks for all the info again! Great! I tried what you said about reserving the itn online-- but I didn't find exactly what you were talking about.. There was one option to save my ITN for later, but it doesn't seem to give me any sort of reservation number? Just an itinerary number--

Also-- I called again and picked up a bunch of info-- Apparently I can only route via cities that they would use under there "normal routing" for the destination (nothing in excess--rules based on routing fare vs mileage fare/whatever that is supposed to mean )... Anyways I got the list of cities that she said would work for this flight and they are as follows:::

I can do from AVL to
Memphis or Minneapolis
to Portland/LAX/Seatle/SFO/Honolulu
to Tokyo to BKK (if Honolulu is departure point it goes to either Nagoya/Osaka and then on to Tokyo to BKK)
OR
AVL to
DTW/Chicago/MSP (or all? i think she said)
to Portland/LAX/Seatle/SFO/Honolulu
and the same as above....

So my question is-- does this mean i can do ANY combination of these cities? I assume they make you at least head in the right direction the whole time (I can't go AVL-DTW-LAX-MSP-SFO and then on to BKK for instance, right?)
Also-- if I chose Honolulu for my final destination point would I be able to get an automatic upgrade to HNL (i am gold) or is Hawaii not part of that benefit.

Hopefully there is some way that I can reserve this online and call it in to get the special fare applied (I would hate to make them key in the most convoluted routing i could come up with ) Which, by the way... Any suggestions?

Thanks!

If you've held the itinerary, and then go to the My Info page -- the link is at the right end of the dark blue bar at the top of the shop for flights page. Log in and you will see a list of reservations you are "holding" with a number. They might be able to find your reservation that way. What kind of fare are you getting with you special Y -- better, I assume than the $1800 that I was finding through AUS?

Not flying DTW-NRT is probably the best way to maximize mileage and adding in HNL does even better. LAX-NRT is 5451, LAX-HNL-NRT is 6374, DTW-NRT is 6400, DTW-LAX-NRT is 7400, DTW-MSP-HNL-NRT is 8300. I do think you would have to overnight in HNL if you build it in.

HNL is not included in the free upgrades destinations -- we all wish it was.
The link to this information is:
http://www.nwa.com/freqfly/elite/benefits.html

Since you are on a special fare, and NW agents have to book it. I would think that you will have to fly on NW/klm metal when possible. Most special fares and discount certs are only valid on the issuing carriers planes.

And you are correct, you generally have to keep moving the same direction, so i do not think they would book you dtw-lax-msp-onward. I think you could choose either dtw-lax or dtw-msp and then on to NRT or Hawaii.

Thanks for more great info -- learning a lot... The no upgrade to HNL is too bad. And yes mot29, it is a volunteer asia relief flight they are offering for volunteers.. It is a set fare (based on regions of origination and destination)-- It cost about 800$ from avl to bkk. Thanks again!
Now all i need to find is a cheap way to get from BKK/SIN to BNE

In response to the OP's first question, is there a place to find legal routing possibilities if Expedia.com won't pull them up?