I've done several xONExs and have spent a lot of time researching on this board, yet everytime I book a new trip, I feel like a neophyte and end up posting some basic questions on here!

I'm NYC based, but plan to start my trip elsewhere so I can fly back to NYC without terminating the ticket. I'm thinking:

MIA-LAX (to get the 3-class 777) on AA

LAX-SYD on a QF A380, followed by four segments in the region

SYD-HKG, followed by four segments in Asia, probably ending up in BKK

BKK-LHR, so I can get another ride on a QF A380, followed by four segments in Europe

LHR-JFK.

So here are my questions:

1. Am I correct that if I do this as planned, I will still have five segments available in N. America?

2. Am I correct that my LHR-JFK flight can not be less than 10 days following my LAX-SYD flight? Any way around this (e.g., flying to Canada instead of JFK)?

3. Is there anywhere along my route where I might be able to buy a second, cheaper xONEx? In the past, I've saved a lot of money purchasing tickets in BKK and ICN, but looking at current fares I'm not seeing anything all that convenient (I'm not planning to hop over to Sudan or South Africa!).

1. I don't think so. I think you've used up your max 16 segments by maxing out the in-continent (ha ha?) limits. You'll need to skip some allowed segments someplace. Otherwise, yes, you'd have any remaining segments of the 16 allowed within the US/Canada.

2. I believe Canada doesn't qualify as "international" in this context, but Mexico probably does. Probably depends on who at the airline (presumably AA) is looking at it.

3. If you wanted to use TLV or AMM as one of your European stops, premium-cabin OWE's are favorably priced in USD terms in Israel and Jordan. I'd be tempted to try RJ's longhaul J service to JFK or ORD myself - it's gotten great reviews.

Thanks, Gardyloo. Although I am aware of the segment limits, I clearly hadn't thought about that. But it seems that I can use any remaining N. America segments, subject to the overall segment limitation, correct?

While you can have up to six flight segments in Nth America, don't forget the rule on stopovers in the continent/country of origin, namely:

8. STOPOVERS
Permitted
NOTE: 1. Maximum two stopovers permitted in the continent of origin of which a maximum
of one stopover is permitted in each direction in the country of origin.

As per the rules linked and posted, the 'one stop over in each direction' is for the country of origin, not continent.

Isn't that exactly what pandaperth said, and you quoted?

Always remember on an xONE that you can normally fly QF107/108 (Qantas B744 LAX-JFK) although this normally precludes flying on the A380 unless you have a long transit.

QF does not flythe A380 to BKK.
Only SYD/MEL-SIN-LHR and SYD/MEL-LAX at present.
Would expect it to go on the HKG route before BKK.

So would need to fly either in or out of SIN.

But you can always fly CX BKK-SIN to meet up with the A380.

Thanks for the reminder. I was thinking it operated SYD-BKK-LHR, and had forgotten it actually is SYD-SIN-LHR (even though I flew it LHR-SIN in November!).

I was clarifying the situation.

Although the quoted text does not mention continent in relation to "one stopover in each direction", pandaperth indeed mentions "continent/country" which may be confusing.

I had an issues booking xONEx's last year where an AA ATW desk agent was trying to deny the following routing:

AKL-xLAX-BOS-...-NRT-SYD-MEL-AKL

He was telling me I could not have stopovers at both SYD and MEL, I needed:

...-NRT-SYD-xMEL-AKL or

...-NRT-xSYD-MEL-AKL.

I had a hard time convincing him the difference between "Continent of Origin" (ie. SWP) and "Country of Origin" (i.e. NZ).

Just curious, Blumie--you mentioned starting somewhere other than the US? Is that still the plan?