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Rules for Open Jaw & Stopover Award Flights (Consolidated)

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Old Apr 23, 2013, 6:22 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
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:
  • 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
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Rules for Open Jaw & Stopover Award Flights (Consolidated)

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Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:17 pm
  #31  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,193
Mileage award to Europe - free stopover allowed in the New UA

I have searched, but haven't been able to find any conclusive answer posts on this question.

I am taking my family to ATH this summer and would like to stop in LON for 5-7 days on the way. Am planning on redeeming miles for the full trip.

I called the priority line and the rep I spoke to said that no free stopovers are allowed, but i could do it open jaw (i.e. - go NYC-LON and return ATH-NYC). While that's not ideal, it is doble as flights from LON-ATH are pretty cheap if booked this far in advance.

It seems odd that would allow open jaw mileage awards, but not a free stopover in LON. Though the rep seemed adamant that the rule was as she said, prior experience with CO reps tells me she may or may not be correct.

Thanks in advance for any direction you can provide on what the current rule is for free stopovers on mileage awards.
sapman986 is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:29 pm
  #32  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: On the road in North America....
Programs: UA 1MM, *G, Global Entry
Posts: 579
Stopovers have been allowed on RT trips for a long time. I have ORD-BKK-DPS-BKK-ORD booked for September, with 3 day stopover in BKK on the outbound. Actually, it's ORD-NRT-BKK, but NRT is just a connection each way. So maybe it's changed post-merger, but when I did that itinerary last November it was certainly allowed.

joe
FlyingDiver is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:29 pm
  #33  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 414
You ARE ALLOWED both stopover and open jaw on award RT ticket!
nycvisitor is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:34 pm
  #34  
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: SFO, TPE, HNL
Programs: UA GS 4MM, RCC life member (paid), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, CLEAR
Posts: 1,824
Originally Posted by sapman986
I have searched, but haven't been able to find any conclusive answer posts on this question.

I am taking my family to ATH this summer and would like to stop in LON for 5-7 days on the way. Am planning on redeeming miles for the full trip.

I called the priority line and the rep I spoke to said that no free stopovers are allowed, but i could do it open jaw (i.e. - go NYC-LON and return ATH-NYC). While that's not ideal, it is doble as flights from LON-ATH are pretty cheap if booked this far in advance.

It seems odd that would allow open jaw mileage awards, but not a free stopover in LON. Though the rep seemed adamant that the rule was as she said, prior experience with CO reps tells me she may or may not be correct.

Thanks in advance for any direction you can provide on what the current rule is for free stopovers on mileage awards.
For round trip a free stop is allowed. I just did it. In fact the agent told me that if she constructed it as a three-leg loop the required miles will be higher, even though one leg that is EC will be considered BC in the RT itinerary, so it is better off for me to have just a RT award paying miles at BC prices.
PanAmWT is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:35 pm
  #35  
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: DFW
Programs: OWE AA EXP;*A TK Gold; Marriott LTT; Hyatt Globalist; IHG Plat; National VIP
Posts: 3,097
IMO having both OJ and a stopover on an award ticket is one of the main differentiators of MileagePlus program. I consistently use this feature and wish US had the same (they have either a stopover or OJ).

This saved me quite a few miles when travelling.
asnovici is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:38 pm
  #36  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: On the road in North America....
Programs: UA 1MM, *G, Global Entry
Posts: 579
Just for grins, I put in some random dates in August into the reservation system at united.com, and came up with this Economy Saver Award Itinerary. Less connections were available with Standard Awards:

8/1: UA 4945 EWR - YYZ
8/1: AC 856 YYZ - LHR

8/6: SN 2104 LHR - BRU
8/6: A3 621 BRU - ATH

8/14: AC 827 ATH - YYZ
8/14: AC 722 YYZ - LGA

60K miles and about $160 in taxes each

joe
FlyingDiver is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:45 pm
  #37  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,193
Thanks all. It looks like I'll have to resort to the old routine of calling back until I get someone who knows the rule.
sapman986 is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:47 pm
  #38  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: On the road in North America....
Programs: UA 1MM, *G, Global Entry
Posts: 579
Originally Posted by sapman986
Thanks all. It looks like I'll have to resort to the old routine of calling back until I get someone who knows the rule.
Have you tried just doing it on the website? Any reason you're trying to do it by phone, which will incur an additional fee?

joe
FlyingDiver is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:52 pm
  #39  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,193
Originally Posted by FlyingDiver
Have you tried just doing it on the website? Any reason you're trying to do it by phone, which will incur an additional fee?

joe
How do you book a stopover on the website?

I have found also that not all routings are available on the website.
sapman986 is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 3:58 pm
  #40  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Dubai / NYC
Programs: EK-IO, UA-1K2MM, ETIHAD-GOLD, SPG-PLAT LIFETIME, JUMEIRAH SERIUS GOLD
Posts: 5,220
Not only are you allowed 1 free stop over 24 hours but you are also allowed unlimited stops under 24 hours. That is still the rule. The only PM change is the new UA is much more liberal in what routes they allow (when looking at F class avail from BKK-LAX I saw BKK-SYD-LAX. thought that could not be correct. Called agent, supervisor and it IS allowed now at the lower mileage level S.ASIA VS AUSTRALIA. I am ticketed NYC-MUC-BKK-NRT-FRA-NYC W NRT as my dest and BKK as stop. They charged me only 135,000 miles VS 140 if BKK was dest
chinatraderjmr is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 4:00 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 60
Originally Posted by sapman986
How do you book a stopover on the website?

I have found also that not all routings are available on the website.
I've had no problems doing stopovers and open jaws using the multi-city booking feature. It even prices out correctly.
generic123 is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 4:07 pm
  #42  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,193
Originally Posted by generic123
I've had no problems doing stopovers and open jaws using the multi-city booking feature. It even prices out correctly.
I'll try again, but when i tried this it charged me for the extra segment.
sapman986 is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 4:15 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: On the road in North America....
Programs: UA 1MM, *G, Global Entry
Posts: 579
Originally Posted by sapman986
How do you book a stopover on the website?

I have found also that not all routings are available on the website.
The itinerary I posted above seems to be correct mileage. You just put in the three cities you want in the multiple destination form. Just don't try to over-specify. Like, don't try to force the return via LON as well.

joe
FlyingDiver is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 7:16 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,193
Thanks. Still having problems getting ticketed LHR-ATH on the direct flight with Aegean. It shows availability, but gives an error when i select it. Will call and find if there really is availability.
sapman986 is offline  
Old Mar 24, 2012, 7:53 pm
  #45  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: BOS
Posts: 267
Originally Posted by chinatraderjmr
Not only are you allowed 1 free stop over 24 hours but you are also allowed unlimited stops under 24 hours. That is still the rule. The only PM change is the new UA is much more liberal in what routes they allow (when looking at F class avail from BKK-LAX I saw BKK-SYD-LAX. thought that could not be correct. Called agent, supervisor and it IS allowed now at the lower mileage level S.ASIA VS AUSTRALIA. I am ticketed NYC-MUC-BKK-NRT-FRA-NYC W NRT as my dest and BKK as stop. They charged me only 135,000 miles VS 140 if BKK was dest
Glad to hear that you are still allowed a stopover in a third region. I've been a bit nervous about that since I read the following:

"Circle trips are not permitted. For example, you cannot fly from San Francisco to Hong Kong, to Auckland and back to San Francisco." under Star Alliance Air Travel Award Rules at http://united.com/web/en-US/content/...airawards.aspx
Henwurst is offline  


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