NZ to US: Can't stop in Asia?
Aug 12, 2011, 2:31 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 2P, US, B6, CO
Posts: 69
NZ to US: Can't stop in Asia?
I'm planning my first trip to the southern hemisphere for myself and Mrs. XC-flyer to visit a friend in NZ. Thanks to the many good threads on hunting down award seats to AKL, I snagged seats in C on SFO-HNL-AKL for the outbound. However, on the return, I'd scoped out routing of AKL-KIX-SFO, flying NZ on AKL-KIX and UA on KIX-SFO, mostly because I could snag C seats on AKL-KIX and this would minimize the time we were forced into Y. But the *A award line denied the return routing, citing that you can't stop in Asia. I have never heard this rule and am a bit confused by it, especially since on a previous attempt to book this trip, I had outbound routing of IAD-NRT-AKL. Is the restriction on Asia only when flying into the states? For the moment, I think we can get E+ on AKL-SYD-SFO return routing instead, if we decide we can live with that. I *really* wanted C though. What's the deal with the Asia stop, and are there any final tricks to find C seats on the return? Oh, and for what it's worth, I don't currently have MP status. :-(
thanks!
thanks!
Aug 12, 2011, 3:01 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
When you book an award ticket the origin & destination city pairs have a maximum permitted mileage. Most likely the stop at KIX puts you over the top.
Aug 12, 2011, 4:02 pm
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
If you booked via OnePass it would be permitted. Mileage Plus has much more restrictive routing rules for awards. If it isn't booked yet I'd call CO and see if they can hold the seat for you while you link the account and transfer the miles over.
Also double-check the service quality on the HNL-AKL flight. I think it is pretty mediocre. And unles you are on the CO 767 with the BF seats for SFO-HNL that will be pretty mediocre, too. You'll be spending a lot of miles for a decent chunk of the trip to be in a so so product.
Also double-check the service quality on the HNL-AKL flight. I think it is pretty mediocre. And unles you are on the CO 767 with the BF seats for SFO-HNL that will be pretty mediocre, too. You'll be spending a lot of miles for a decent chunk of the trip to be in a so so product.