Minimum connection times.
 

Hi

I am trying to book a OW Explorer ticket. I have been using the online booking system to find the flights I want, however this will really only allow me a minimum connection time of 3 hrs. When I call the AA RTW desk to book will they allow shorter connections (aorund 90 minutes - 2 hours).

Thanks

Mark.

What airport(s)?

Fred

And what flights? Domestic connections are generally shorter than international ones.

Ones I am particulary interested in is LHR-MCT-MCT immediate turn around. 1hr 55 between flights.

Another is MIA-JFK-LAX with 1 hr 45 at JFK.

Finally an immediate turn around in either CGK or DPS with 1hr 55 mins.

Is there any standard minimum connections, ie one for deomestic and one for international?

Thanks.

It varies by airport, but the same plane CX turnrounds at CGK and DPS are no problem (and for any CX-CX connection at HKG the MCT is 45 minutes). At JFK 1hr 45 is fine (always with the risk of the severe disruption that sometimes hits there). Can't comment on MCT.

KVS gives the MCT at MCT (always wanted to say that!) as 60 mins for both domestic and international.

MCT is a very manageable airport and it's a very easy turnaround. Loads of people have done it on xONEx trips. Also used to be especially popular as a tier point run back in the day when AUH-MCT gave long-haul tier points on BAEC.

The oneworld explorer online booking tool has a blanket MCT of 3 hours for all segments.

It's a programming shortfall and can be a real pain.

Even though I figured the same plane would be used to return to LHR after arriving in MCT, I decided that visiting the country was useful. Arriving 07 Oct departing 09 Oct @ 0001.

Anything useful to do in SDQ for about 4 hours?

Fred

I've done the MCT turnaround and it's dead easy. However I was flying on an AA code MCT-xLHR (-LAX) and had to have the AA MCT-LHR boarding pass issued by the very nice transit people (all Omani) at MCT. They admonished me for not visiting Oman, and when I told them I'd love to but couldn't get in with all those Israeli visa stamps in my passport, she sniffed and said that was a silly rule. If only...

Fun lounge if traveling in J or F.

It still is popular amongst QFF FTers as the only intra-europe flight over 3600 miles is LHR-MCT.

I have finally come up with the following DONE4 which fits into my schedule.

ARN-LHR-DXB-SYD-NRT-DPS-NRT-CGK-HKG-NRT-ORD-MIA-DFW-MIA-LAX-LHR-ARN

Initially I was going to spend the night in DPS, but am now going to turnaround in DPS and send the night in CGK. Should the following connections be okay?

ARR SYD: 20:20 DEP to NRT: 22:05

ARR DPS: 22:25 DEP to NRT: 23:55

Thanks.

There is no OW flight between DXB-SYD.
There are direct flights between LHR-SYD.
You have too many intra-asia flights (5, although you can buy one).
1:30 turn at DPS is fine.

What Kiwi Flyer said, plus if all you are going to do in SYD is a turnround is it really worth the extra continent cost just for those miles?

ARN-LHR-SYD-NRT-DPS-NRT-CGK-HKG-NRT-ORD-MIA-DFW-MIA-LAX-LHR-ARN is 49505 miles. You could easily get more than that with a DONE3 which would be SEK5850 cheaper, plus you could avoid the US$400 charge for the fifth segment in Asia.

Off the top of my head, for example, ARN-LHR-SIN-NRT-DPS-NRT-CGK-HKG-JFK-SJU-LAX-DFW-SFO-LHR-MCT-LHR-ARN is 52876 miles. I'm sure that could be fine-tuned more, and you can get a load more in summer if you go to ANC.

As posted, this is an invlaud xONEx routing.

There is a great tool referred to as "MileageMonkey" wich give a good pre-validation of planned routes.


http://slfft.allhyper.com/0.95/award.htm

Click ignore errors to get a full list.

MCT for CX/KA-CX/KA in HKG should be 50 minutes. Though illegal, I do believe 45 minutes is doable, however.

Changing DFW to ORD produces an extra 900 miles. Also, I think that Christep inadvertently changed your LAX-LHR segment to SFO-LHR, which doesn't exist on AA. I've changed it back, and you give a few miles back, too, since ORD is a little closer to LAX than SFO.

ARN-LHR-SIN-NRT-DPS-NRT-CGK-HKG-JFK-SJU-LAX-ORD-LAX-LHR-MCT-LHR-ARN.

Thanks for all your help and advise, I took it all on board.

I called AA today and booked ARN-LHR-DXB-LHR-SYD-PER-HKG-DPS-NRT-CGK-NRT-JFK-LAX-ORD-LAX-LHR-ARN

I know I could have routed differently for more miles etc, however timings didn't work out and I don't have the flexibility now to do things different. The main reason for including SYD is to try out the A380, although available to SYD it was not available for SIN anyday during the week I could leave. I also wanted to fly back from NRT to use an EVIP which will also get me to LAX as the flight leaves on the same day.

Unfortunately timing did not allow for a devation to SJU.

I have booked this now and am waiting for fares to come back with the price. It was suprisingly easy to do with AA, took just over 20 minutes on the phone.

Can they fare this is € or £ even though it is starting in ARN.

Where did you tell them you would purchase the ticket? If you said Sweden then they will come back with the ex-ARN price and it will be in SEK; you will then need to issue the ticket through AA's GSA in Sweden.

If you said UK or Ireland then you will get the ex-UK/Ireland price (much higher I believe) and it will be in pounds or Euros depending on where you make the purchase.

The question about where I was going to buy the ticket never came up. I shall find out later when I call back for the price. If it has been priced in £ or € can I ask them to reprice in SEK?

The currency follows automatically from where they think you are going to purchase it. If it comes back in SEK then you're good to get on the email/phone to AA's GSA in Sweden (TAL) and complete the purchase. Otherwise, yes they need to redo it, but if it didn't come up then I guess they'll do it in SEK.

They initially priced this is £, however I made a few changes and it was repriced in SEK.

I gave me CC details two days ago, but it still has not be ticketed. I called today and was told everything is okay with my booking and is just in the ticketing queue. If they don't hurry up the 1st upgrades on the AA flights may be gone.

Oh - sorry - yes, ECAA exception - you can buy in SEK from the US-desk or anywhere else for that matter... I keep forgetting that rule for some reason! In that case (assuming an Irish credit card) you might be better off getting it priced in Euros if possible since the airline exchange rate is almost certainly better than your credit card's.