longest NA flight
Nov 20, 2002 | 11:48 am
#1
Original Poster
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longest NA flight
Looks like the longest N.America direct flight is now SJU-LIH (5958 miles!). Doesn't count as a transcon, but you get stuck in hawaii (can't backtrack to mainland) 
Nov 20, 2002 | 12:16 pm
#3
In memoriam
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,173
The rules state
143N . BACKTRACK BETWEEN HAWAII AND THE 144N . CONTINENTAL U.S/CANADA NOT PERMITTED.
Therefore if you could find a SJU - LIH - SJU r/t direct in both directions you could fly close to 36,000 miles using your NA segements.
Nov 20, 2002 | 3:20 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Manasquan, NJ
Posts: 1,413
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by RichLond:
The rules state
143N . BACKTRACK BETWEEN HAWAII AND THE 144N . CONTINENTAL U.S/CANADA NOT PERMITTED.
Therefore if you could find a SJU - LIH - SJU r/t direct in both directions you could fly close to 36,000 miles using your NA segements.
</font>
The rules state
143N . BACKTRACK BETWEEN HAWAII AND THE 144N . CONTINENTAL U.S/CANADA NOT PERMITTED.
Therefore if you could find a SJU - LIH - SJU r/t direct in both directions you could fly close to 36,000 miles using your NA segements.
</font>
Robin
Nov 20, 2002 | 3:30 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Manasquan, NJ
Posts: 1,413
Gosh darn it.. The outbound is direct SJU-LIH, but the return seems to require LIH-LAX-SJU. I assume its considered backtracking to have a JFK arrival in August, an SJU departure in Dec, and then back thru LAX... Great loophole on a westbound itinerary, tho, with a cheap SJU R/T picked up on the side.
Robin
Robin
Nov 21, 2002 | 2:45 pm
#6
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by LA2CDG:
I doubt any airline flies from San Juan to Lihue, HI. Which airline is this?</font>
I doubt any airline flies from San Juan to Lihue, HI. Which airline is this?</font>
Nov 22, 2002 | 3:52 pm
#7
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Scotland
Programs: AA Exec PLT; BA Silver
Posts: 273
Am I right that this applies because the outbound goes from island to island, so the return to LAX is the first landing in NA ?
Not from around these parts so just trying to learn how to max out and OWE !!
Not from around these parts
so just trying to learn how to max out and OWE !!
Nov 23, 2002 | 1:51 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2001
Programs: AA PLT 2MM
Posts: 577
No... actually, it's because one can fly SJU-MIA-LAX-LIH on one flight number (AA285). Although the plane lands twice enroute, the flight number doesn't change, so it only counts as one segment for mileage purposes, and presumably for the OWE as well.
On the return, there's no single flight number that goes from LIH to SJU (or from any other Hawaiian city, AFAIK), so the only possible flight combination violates the "BACKTRACK BETWEEN HAWAII AND THE CONTINENTAL U.S/CANADA NOT PERMITTED" rule.
On the return, there's no single flight number that goes from LIH to SJU (or from any other Hawaiian city, AFAIK), so the only possible flight combination violates the "BACKTRACK BETWEEN HAWAII AND THE CONTINENTAL U.S/CANADA NOT PERMITTED" rule.
Nov 23, 2002 | 10:02 am
#9
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Scotland
Programs: AA Exec PLT; BA Silver
Posts: 273
Thanks danang. To do this flight within an OWE looks like you'd have to flying westbound and have done all 5 NA segments before leaving SJU for LIH and then head to Australia. As AA285 doesn't count as the transcon route this really helps max out the miles
Nov 25, 2002 | 7:14 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Manasquan, NJ
Posts: 1,413
I'm certainly no expert on routing, but is there a way on Westbound to go from EUR to SJU without a USA/Canada touchdown? Say: EUR-SJU-LIH-LAX and onward? This shouldn't violate the rule.. Or perhaps, if added to a SA itinerary, like EUR-SA-SJU-LIH-LAX.... Hmmmm... Not that I plan to do it this trip, but love a good puzzle!
Robin
Robin
Nov 25, 2002 | 11:51 pm
#11
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Join Date: Mar 1999
Posts: 12,097
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by hauteboy:
This is AA flight #285, via MIA and LAX on a 757.</font>
This is AA flight #285, via MIA and LAX on a 757.</font>