Is it possible to start RTW itinerary in one city and end in a different city???

Sure - you just have a tag segment you do not fly

From my reading of the rules I believe you can only do this if the different city is in the country of origin - not just the same continent. e.g. Start from SYD end in MEL, but not for arguments sake AKL.

Well, both previous posters are correct but a little expansion may be helpful.

You cannot fly a segment (or two or three or ...) that you have booked at the end of the trip but you will be liable for the point to point fares for the segments you have flown if the issuing carrier chooses to come after you. We have not had any reports of this happening to an FT'er but it could. (Note that special exceptions apply to deaths, illnesses, etc.)

To adhere to the letter of the rules you have to end up in the same country or, in some cases, in the same geographic region (e.g. US/Canada; Middle East; Africa; South America; and a few other less likely spots) that you started from.

I'm not sure how clear the sum of the replies have been.

Afaik (based on several booked and completed OWE's) there is no reason to include an unused segment showing you returning to your originating city, mgm's quote of a rule notwithstanding. Your booked itin will have to show a segment that returns you, as exmo said, to the country or region from which you started.


(On the other side of the coin, while we're talking rules, remember that you are not allowed to pass through your originating city near the end of your rtw. If you start e.g. from LAX and fly back into LAX (or co-terminals) your trip is over. So if you intent is to fly some additional segments in the country of origin be sure to return, in this example, to SFO or some other place.)


[This message has been edited by JohnAx (edited Dec 22, 2003).]

I'm always confused by this stuff-- even having done a few myself. When you say "return to the region"-- in the case of CAI, you can't just end the trip elsewhere in "Europe"-- right? You have to return to CAI? At least that's what i thought I was told when I bought mine.

Jon - exactly right. Unless a oneworld carrier flies to somewhere else in Egypt you have no choice but to finish the journey in CAI (where you started). I think the simple version of the rule is if you start your journey in a country that is served by one or more oneworld carriers to several cities in that country then your choice of starting and ending cities can be different. But you may not start your journey in one country then finish in another, even if they are in the same region.


[This message has been edited by mgm (edited Dec 22, 2003).]

This is not correct. As I noted previously, there are exceptions to the "same country" rule. While you cannot start in CAI and end in LHR you could end in DXB or TLV, as they are all classified as "Middle East"; or start in YVR and end in LAX (US/Canada exception); or start in SCL and end in EZE (South America exception).

Here is the specific rule;

Ahhhhh, now I see. Boy am I glad you 'splained that to me-- I'd much rather finish the trip in DXB than CAI (unless I buy another ex-CAI ticket in the next few days.....)

Crap... I wish I'd known about that a few days ago. I also would have much rather gone to DXB than CAI again. Oh well.

Whoops. I stand corrected. It's a pretty cool option for structuring an itinerary if you start in one of those regions. Annoying that the copy of the rules I have doesn't have that section at all - just what I quoted above. Out of interest where is everyone getting the latest rules from?

Hmmm - the option of starting in CAI and ending DXB is very appealing - time to try yet another itinerary variation - LOL.

You can get current rules for most of the OW programs here.

Thanks ExMo. Just changed my itin. and hopefully will be ticketing today. Also snagged a very decent F award through AA: SYD-HKG-LHR-CAI//DXB-LHR-HKG-SYD for 120K. Ties it all up very nicely.

Well, I am starting to think that when I next make a booking for an owe I am going to have the reservation agent put a comments in the booking for every sector to show how it fits in with the rules. My itinerary ex CAI ending in DXB was rejected by the Dublin rate desk with a message "Must end in CAI". Oh well now the local AA office (SYD) are going to battle it out for me.

My advice is to save yourself the hassle and get the res agent to comment anything that might seem unusual.

I certainly agree in principal, but IME, there's no notation that your friendly, helpful AA RTW desk agent can make that will sway the meticulous persnickety folks in DUB-- I find what DUB says over-rides... In fact, now I'm wondering-- are we sure you can end in DXB if starting in CAI?