I've read at least several times that when a passenger accepts a VDB/IDB, they can earn miles for the original itinerary, even when it results in flying on a different airline. So I know there are cases where earning EQMs on the original itinerary prevails.

With that in mind, several months ago, I was scheduled on a flight TYS-DTW-LAX, but missed the flight on account of heavy traffic getting to the airport. The GA was very helpful in rebooking me TYS-MEM-LAX. I was a bit bummed at the time thinking I'd lose out on some of the EQMs from my original flight, but when the flights posted, I was actually credited miles for the original segments, not the actual flights taken (this of course, worked out in my favor.)

My question is, was that a fluke or not?

I'm doing the same trip again this weekend, but scheduled to come home TYS-MEM-LAX. I see there's an earlier flight that appears to have plenty of room going TYS-DTW-LAX. If I am able to change to this route via FlyNow, will I only receive miles for the original itinerary or will I (or better, should I) get miles for the actual flights flown. (Yes, this is reverse of the circumstances from a few months back... but I want to know if I can have my cake and eat it too??)

Yes, in this situation you can have your cake and eat it, too. If you are able to successfully change your itinerary to get on the DTW connection (maybe using FlyNow just after midnight or something), your flights *should* post with what you flew - LAX-DTW-TYS.

It's odd that your outbound posted with the DTW connection. Curious...did you happen to check-in online for those flights before you realized traffic would be bad and you couldn't make those flights? That's the only reason I can see those flights posting. Even then, you actually flew the MEM connecting flights which means your BP was scanned and they should have posted. I'm guessing, though can't confirm, that your account was originally posted with TYS-MEM-LAX but was later manually corrected. Did you happen to check your account the day or two days after the flight?

-RM

Yes, that's actually what happened.

I did a MR, used OLCI for the outbound flight, but usually opt to print my BPs at a kiosk rather than at home. At the kiosk, it recognized the return flight was < 24 hrs, so it asked if I wished to check in for those flights too. I did.

On the return trip, for some reason they had to issue paper tickets. Maybe that had to do something with it? The flights posted as I was originally booked and stayed that way... never saw it as TYS-MEM-LAX on my account summary.

With my trip this weekend being Fri-Sun, I'll be doing my return check-in the standard way, not at the same time as my outbound flight.

Thanks for the info...