Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Presented as Q&A format (Originally posted by Alex_B)
Q: What is a stopover?
A: A stopover on an international itinerary is any break in your air travel for more than 24 hours except at the destination.
Q: What is an open-jaw?
A: An open-jaw is where you travel by your own means (either land, sea or a separate air ticket) between two points in a journey.
Q: How many stopovers am I allowed on a roundtrip award?
A: One stopover, in addition to the destination, is permitted (an unlimited number of stops less than 24hours is allowable).
Q: How many open-jaws are allowed on a roundtrip award?
A: Two open-jaws are permitted. These must be at the stopover, destination or origin.
Q: Can I have a stopover or open-jaw on a one-way award?
A: No
Q: Can I have a open-jaw at both the stopover and destination?
A: Yes, plenty of posters have reported success in booking this
Q: Can I transit my destination multiple times (e.g. fly to JNB, fly to CPT and then return home via JNB)?
A: Yes, plenty of posters have reported success in booking this. You can only stop in your destination for > 24 hours once though.
Q: Can I cross both oceans?
A: Yes. The rule that prohibited crossing both oceans appears to have been removed from both MP and *A award rules. There are many many successful examples of people booking these itineraries.
Q: Is EWR-PVG transatlantic or transpacific?
A: US-East Asia/South East Asia is always transpacific no matter what geography might suggest.
Q: Do I pay more for a stopover or open-jaw?
A: Typically no additional mileage is required but additional taxes or fees are often payable (especially in UK with high Air Passenger Duty). Extra mileage will often be required if an open-jaw or stopover adds a higher cost region into the itinerary. Also awards wholly within CONUS, Canada and Alaska (formerly known as Series 0 awards) require additional mileage (10K miles) for a stopover of >4 hrs.
Q: What's this about a free one-way I can get on awards?
A: The concept of free one-ways is a misnomer and often confuses people, it is better to consider it a stopover in the city of origin. If you have a simple roundtrip award without a stopover, you can often create a stopover and open-jaw at your origin on the return leg to add an addition flight. E.g. I wish to book EWR-LHR (destination)-EWR which is a roundtrip US-Europe award. I could also book this as EWR-LHR (destination)-EWR (stopover)-SFO for the same mileage (and a few dollars of extra tax). The EWR segment would need to be within 330 days of booking and would be subject to the usual change fees.
Other notes:
Seeing your fare construction on an already booked award ticket:
In order to see your award fare construction to see where your stopovers and destination are, follow these steps.
Go to http://www.saudiairlines.com/
Then hit "Manage My Bookings" and select "E-Ticket"
Enter your UA ticket number (hint: 016 will go in the first box, and then everything else in the second box). Then your last name and hit "Retrieve My Booking". On the next page you'll see a line like this under "Fare Calculation":
CHI LH X/FRA LH ROM0.00CSM/YB52 /- FLR LH X/FRA LH X/DUS LH CHI UA SEA
This example is:
ORD-FRA-FCO
Open Jaw at Destination
FLR-FRA-DUS-ORD
Stopover at origin
ORD-SEA
Q: What is a stopover?
A: A stopover on an international itinerary is any break in your air travel for more than 24 hours except at the destination.
Q: What is an open-jaw?
A: An open-jaw is where you travel by your own means (either land, sea or a separate air ticket) between two points in a journey.
Q: How many stopovers am I allowed on a roundtrip award?
A: One stopover, in addition to the destination, is permitted (an unlimited number of stops less than 24hours is allowable).
Q: How many open-jaws are allowed on a roundtrip award?
A: Two open-jaws are permitted. These must be at the stopover, destination or origin.
Q: Can I have a stopover or open-jaw on a one-way award?
A: No
Q: Can I have a open-jaw at both the stopover and destination?
A: Yes, plenty of posters have reported success in booking this
Q: Can I transit my destination multiple times (e.g. fly to JNB, fly to CPT and then return home via JNB)?
A: Yes, plenty of posters have reported success in booking this. You can only stop in your destination for > 24 hours once though.
Q: Can I cross both oceans?
A: Yes. The rule that prohibited crossing both oceans appears to have been removed from both MP and *A award rules. There are many many successful examples of people booking these itineraries.
Q: Is EWR-PVG transatlantic or transpacific?
A: US-East Asia/South East Asia is always transpacific no matter what geography might suggest.
Q: Do I pay more for a stopover or open-jaw?
A: Typically no additional mileage is required but additional taxes or fees are often payable (especially in UK with high Air Passenger Duty). Extra mileage will often be required if an open-jaw or stopover adds a higher cost region into the itinerary. Also awards wholly within CONUS, Canada and Alaska (formerly known as Series 0 awards) require additional mileage (10K miles) for a stopover of >4 hrs.
Q: What's this about a free one-way I can get on awards?
A: The concept of free one-ways is a misnomer and often confuses people, it is better to consider it a stopover in the city of origin. If you have a simple roundtrip award without a stopover, you can often create a stopover and open-jaw at your origin on the return leg to add an addition flight. E.g. I wish to book EWR-LHR (destination)-EWR which is a roundtrip US-Europe award. I could also book this as EWR-LHR (destination)-EWR (stopover)-SFO for the same mileage (and a few dollars of extra tax). The EWR segment would need to be within 330 days of booking and would be subject to the usual change fees.
Other notes:
- The open-jaw portion must be smaller (in miles) than any other leg. -While technically true for revenue fare construction this is not strictly enforced on awards.
- For awards between CONUS/Canada/Alaska and South Asia award regions the maximum number of segments is 5 segments each way on a round-trip and 4 segments on a one-way. (Note that many FTers report recently being read a memo that imposes an eight segment maximum on a roundtrip (4 each way). It is unclear whether this eight-segment maximum is limited to South Asia routings through Europe or North Asia, or has broader application.)
- Stopovers and open-jaws are NOT additive. You do not get extra stops included in your itinerary simply by making an open-jaw out of it.
Seeing your fare construction on an already booked award ticket:
In order to see your award fare construction to see where your stopovers and destination are, follow these steps.
Go to http://www.saudiairlines.com/
Then hit "Manage My Bookings" and select "E-Ticket"
Enter your UA ticket number (hint: 016 will go in the first box, and then everything else in the second box). Then your last name and hit "Retrieve My Booking". On the next page you'll see a line like this under "Fare Calculation":
CHI LH X/FRA LH ROM0.00CSM/YB52 /- FLR LH X/FRA LH X/DUS LH CHI UA SEA
This example is:
ORD-FRA-FCO
Open Jaw at Destination
FLR-FRA-DUS-ORD
Stopover at origin
ORD-SEA
Rules for Open Jaw & Stopover Award Flights (Consolidated)
#2611
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 368
I know this is a YMMV kind of thing, but if you have any sort of complex routing or connection crazy itinerary like I did... just immediately ask to speak to the International Reservations desk as they are all PMCO agents who are not only much more experienced with booking these in shares, but also a lot less lenient on the rules...
#2612
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: CO *G, UA 2P, Starwood Gold, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 149
I've read through the thread, and I think this is valid but if someone can please confirm.
LAX-TPE-BKK-SYD (destination) SYD-BKK-HKT (stopover - open jaw) HKG-NRT-LAX
Thanks in advance.
LAX-TPE-BKK-SYD (destination) SYD-BKK-HKT (stopover - open jaw) HKG-NRT-LAX
Thanks in advance.
#2613
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,480
I've been getting a lot of pushback on this reservation - just want to make sure it's valid.
SFO-SEA
SEA-FRA
FRA-KIX
KIX-HKG (destination)
HKG-BKK
BKK-LON (stopover)
VIE-ORD (open-jaw)
ORD-SFO
(ideally it'd be OSL - VIE - ORD - SFO, but it wouldn't price. Think it's too many segments. I'd be okay dropping either OSL-VIE or ORD-SFO)
SFO-SEA
SEA-FRA
FRA-KIX
KIX-HKG (destination)
HKG-BKK
BKK-LON (stopover)
VIE-ORD (open-jaw)
ORD-SFO
(ideally it'd be OSL - VIE - ORD - SFO, but it wouldn't price. Think it's too many segments. I'd be okay dropping either OSL-VIE or ORD-SFO)
If there is no stopover at ORD, it is technically legal. Nonetheless, I'm not surprised you're getting pushback. Trying to book SFO-HKG via Europe, especially in both directions, is likely to spark resistance.
#2614
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Gold, AS Gold, SPG Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 113
Why did you put "open-jaw" after VIE-ORD? It appears your OJ is LHR/VIE. Do you mean that you are stopping for more than 24 hours between ORD and SFO? Because that would not be allowed.
If there is no stopover at ORD, it is technically legal. Nonetheless, I'm not surprised you're getting pushback. Trying to book SFO-HKG via Europe, especially in both directions, is likely to spark resistance.
If there is no stopover at ORD, it is technically legal. Nonetheless, I'm not surprised you're getting pushback. Trying to book SFO-HKG via Europe, especially in both directions, is likely to spark resistance.
#2615
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,480
Well if you have the patience you can keep trying. Although I personally would not try to route the outbound to HKG through Europe and Japan. That is just a huge waste of time.
#2616
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Gold, AS Gold, SPG Gold, HH Gold
Posts: 113
As for the outbound routing… just wanted to really try LH F and the LH FCT so… couldn't help myself
#2617
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 35
RT open jaw vs 2 one ways difference?
What is the difference between booking an international roundtrip with an open jaw vs two one ways? I'm trying to transfer miles between accounts to get a trip and not sure which way to xfer miles. Dont really want 1/2 a trip from my account and the rest from my wife's. BUt hate paying $15 per every thousand to xfer miles. thanks for thoughts.
#2618
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
If you don't need the stopover and are confident you won't need to make changes, there's no particular reason to avoid this.
#2619
Moderator: Midwest, Las Vegas & Dining Buzz
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 17,976
Starting a new thread for 2014:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ts-2014-a.html
iluv2fly
Moderator, UA
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ts-2014-a.html
iluv2fly
Moderator, UA