Leaving return Open / Getting miles on no-show
Aug 3, 2010, 5:48 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 4
Leaving return Open / Getting miles on no-show
Hello guys! I have a couple of questions I hope you can help me out with!
I'm about to move to the Netherlands from Argentina. The company I'll be working for is going to pay for the (economy class) ticket, and as usual the price for the one-way is almost the same as the round-trip... so the questions are:
1) Is there any airline you know of that would allow me to take the first flight then "cancelling" the return and get some sort of refund or "credit" for buying another ticket in the future? I've already checked with British and Lufthansa and they said no.
2) If that's not possible, do you know any airline that would allow me to open the return for an indefinite amount of time, when the ticket is either non-flexible or semi-flexible? I called a couple of them and they said that in general it's not possible but it depends on the class and that in order to find out I need to have a prior reservation... so if anybody knows something about this please let me know! It'd save me a lot of time and useless reservations.
3) If 1) and 2) are not possible, do airlines generally credit miles for a flight that was paid but not taken? British's call center guy was not very helpful on this...
And last but not the least, if you have any idea on how I could take advantage of this situation (where a round trip ticket is paid but I don't know when or if I'll take the return - mainly because if I'm living on the new destination I'll always have to buy a one-way return or a new round trip that leads to the same initial situation), please let me know!
Thanks a lot!
I'm about to move to the Netherlands from Argentina. The company I'll be working for is going to pay for the (economy class) ticket, and as usual the price for the one-way is almost the same as the round-trip... so the questions are:
1) Is there any airline you know of that would allow me to take the first flight then "cancelling" the return and get some sort of refund or "credit" for buying another ticket in the future? I've already checked with British and Lufthansa and they said no.
2) If that's not possible, do you know any airline that would allow me to open the return for an indefinite amount of time, when the ticket is either non-flexible or semi-flexible? I called a couple of them and they said that in general it's not possible but it depends on the class and that in order to find out I need to have a prior reservation... so if anybody knows something about this please let me know! It'd save me a lot of time and useless reservations.
3) If 1) and 2) are not possible, do airlines generally credit miles for a flight that was paid but not taken? British's call center guy was not very helpful on this...
And last but not the least, if you have any idea on how I could take advantage of this situation (where a round trip ticket is paid but I don't know when or if I'll take the return - mainly because if I'm living on the new destination I'll always have to buy a one-way return or a new round trip that leads to the same initial situation), please let me know!
Thanks a lot!
Aug 3, 2010, 7:09 pm
#2
In Memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
Welcome to flyertalk.
I don't believe any airline credits you unless you actually fly. It keeps people from just purchasing status.
You may be able to move the date of the return flight, but that will usually involve a change fee, and possibly paying the fare difference.
I don't believe any airline credits you unless you actually fly. It keeps people from just purchasing status.
You may be able to move the date of the return flight, but that will usually involve a change fee, and possibly paying the fare difference.
Aug 3, 2010, 7:10 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Back to Florida...... bye London
Programs: Hilton, AA,, Delta
Posts: 5,149
If you book a roundtrip and only fly one part, that is the only one you will get miles for. You will not get miles for the way you did not fly.
Will you be going back to argentina anytime during the first twelve months? If so then use the return portion of the ticket for this, then book another return for going back to the Netherlands, wash, repeat. It means you will always have a flight booked but it might be cheaper in the long run if you plan on regular trips back.
Will you be going back to argentina anytime during the first twelve months? If so then use the return portion of the ticket for this, then book another return for going back to the Netherlands, wash, repeat. It means you will always have a flight booked but it might be cheaper in the long run if you plan on regular trips back.
Aug 4, 2010, 9:02 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BOS
Programs: AC*E
Posts: 133
yeah, you'll definitely only get miles for the first leg that you fly, and not the return. recently i just barely made a connection home... when i got to the gate, they had just closed the doors and cancelled my ticket. i didn't have any checked baggage, so she kindly opened the door and told me to grab any available seat. i made it home but since they cancelled my ticket, i didn't get my miles on that leg, even though i was actually on that plane. it took me a few months to finally get credit for those miles!
Aug 4, 2010, 11:07 am
#5
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Home
Programs: AA, Delta, UA & thanks to FTers for my PC Gold!
Posts: 7,676
Like others said, you only get miles from flown segments.
You may also find some helpful suggestions in this recent thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ong-stays.html
You may also find some helpful suggestions in this recent thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ong-stays.html
Aug 7, 2010, 7:11 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: UA 1P, AA, Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,160
Did you consider buying an open ticket for your return? If I remember correctly, the fare basis is somewhere in the middle of coach. It may be cheaper than paying a change fee and possible fare difference for your return.
Aug 8, 2010, 1:18 pm
#7
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Depends on the carrier and if they offer open tickets. They are much less common today than they were 10 or 20 years ago. I'm actually not sure of any airlines that still offer them, though likely at least one does.
Originally Posted by u2fan
Did you consider buying an open ticket for your return? If I remember correctly, the fare basis is somewhere in the middle of coach. It may be cheaper than paying a change fee and possible fare difference for your return.
Aug 9, 2010, 1:09 am
#8
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Actually most carriers still offer it, that's why every airline always have 20 or more different fare classes.
Aug 9, 2010, 6:56 am
#9
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Depends on the carrier and if they offer open tickets. They are much less common today than they were 10 or 20 years ago. I'm actually not sure of any airlines that still offer them, though likely at least one does.
Depends on the carrier and if they offer open tickets. They are much less common today than they were 10 or 20 years ago. I'm actually not sure of any airlines that still offer them, though likely at least one does.
Aug 9, 2010, 12:26 pm
#10
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Well they have multiple fare classes so that they can have different inventory controls, price points and levels of flexibility. That doesn't mean that they offer such a thing as an open return. You may be able to book a ticket that doesn't have a penalty for date changes but I'm not entirely convinced that is the same thing. And even then the specific fare class used would potentially vary based on the route in question.