Hi all,

I perused this subforum but didn't find a dedicated thread for route help. I'm hoping one of you might have some creative ideas for an open-jawed itinerary in J. I'm planning on departing May 26.

I want to do DFW-DXB/DWC connecting through DOH on Qatar flight 734. Then SIN-DFW on June 12, preferably connecting through HKG on a layover of less than 24 hours.

As discussed in another thread, I know the OW routing tool doesn't display routings where Qatar is the first flight, so I have tried using AA and Qatar's online booking matrices. Unfortunately, AA's booking matrix also has difficulties pricing the outbound Qatar flights. Here's my ideal setup:

Departing May 26
QR 734 DFW-DOH
QR1014 DOH-DXB

Departing May 12
CX734 SIN-HKG
AA138 HKG-DFW

This itinerary will not price online, and a call to the pricing desk reveals something north of 14k per person. My budget is 7k per person. I'm flexible and open to ideas, subject to these caveats: 1) I would prefer to keep flying westbound or eastbound. QR has an SIN-DOH-DFW option which does not appeal to me 2) I would prefer to have at least one leg on QR or CX for the novelty of the experience.

Of course, I could just fly roundtrip on Emirates for $4,900 in J, but that's quite a few miles to miss out on

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated @:-)

Of course, by "May 12," I really meant June 12th. No edit function for new members. Sorry about that!

Very simply your itinerary is not open jawed because its in one direction so it will display as 2 one way flights. An open jaw only works if you fly as a return.

Your best option is to return the same way you go.

Cheapest fare is DFW- DXB / SIN- DFW entirely on QR , $7887 inc tax
Any other routing , and you'll be subjected to higher oneway fares.

If you want the 'novelty' of the experience of flying the way you want, then you pay for it that way. Cheapest price I found for you is $9K inc tax.. DFW-DXB on QR, SIN-NRT-DFW on JL/AA. Fare is more if you route through HKG on CX.

Then in this case, its cheaper for you to go on a IONE3 fare that's around $8K before tax.

You want it cheaper ? Then go on EK !

How are you getting between DXB and SIN?

Thank you for your response. Luckily I can get $4900 on QR round trip in J, but I'm trying to explore other options. @:-)

RCCL Quantum of the Seas

But that's only to DXB, no?

No. With taxes and fees, it's $5096 for all the flights on Kayak and a few other third parties. DFW-DOH-DXB; SIN-DOH-DFW. It's amazing what a little digging can yield. Emirates is roughly $4233 for DFW-DXB; SIN-DXB-DFW.

In any case, I have worked out a routing that I'm quite happy with. I will likely book a one-way on QR to DXB and then CX from SIN to HKG (a nice 24 hour stopover) and AA direct back to Dallas. All in, about $7900, thanks to the help of a particularly knowledgable AA phone agent.

Thanks for your help! Cheers!

If you'd planned on doing any additional travel, say over the winter in the US, another option would be to use the current mileage sale at aa.com, purchase 55,000 miles for around $1200 (or better, 105K miles for $2100) and redeem them for a business class ticket to Tokyo, maybe some weekend in January.

In Tokyo, pick up a DONE3 business class RTW for around $6000 all in ($5500 plus taxes) then fly home via HKG. Between then and your departure for the cruise, use the 6 available North America segments (book into first class if no business class on the plane) to travel to... where? Caribbean? California? Central America?

Then off to DXB - you could ride QR to DOH, or maybe stop somewhere en route, if time permits - Paris? Spain? Italy? Petra?

Then after the cruise, go from SIN back to Tokyo via Hong Kong (or KL or nonstop) and use the return mileage ticket (or miles you've earned in the meantime) to get home.

Total cost for the one-way + RTW would be less than the $7900 you've been quoted, but will earn a much larger quantity of miles, and your choice of carriers.

Imaginary itinerary - one of thousands of possible routes.