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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 16, 2013, 4:01 pm
  #901  
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: San Francisco
Programs: Hilton Gold; Marriott Silver
Posts: 118
I have on hold SFO-NRT-DEL and return for DEL-MUC-YUL for late summer.
System wont let me add YUL-SFO online, so looks like I would have to call.
And I am assuming I would be able to add SFO-OGG for a later date (since SFO is a stopover).

If at a later date a shorter route opens for the return, would I be able to change (eg DEL-MUC-SFO)? Would they allow change from MUC-YUL-SFO on AC to MUC-SFO on LH?
pmat2009 is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2013, 9:48 pm
  #902  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: IAH & HOU
Programs: UA GS & Marriott Titanium
Posts: 443
Hi - is it possible to do the following on a mp award ticket? I can't figure out how many miles this would be in saver business and also whether I'm limited to a pacific route going to bom. Thanks!

Iah-bom (10 days)
Bom-Syd (5 days)
Syd-iah
ajhun9 is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2013, 10:02 pm
  #903  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Once upon a time...
Posts: 863
Originally Posted by jasonvr
You can change routing, but if there is a carrier change involved, you'll probably get hit with a change fee. Purely adding/deleting/changing connection points is supposed to be free.
I just sent you a PM with specifics, but are you saying if I had and two Air China flights and two Asiana flights and changed the return to add United and US Airways flights, I'd get hit with fees? But if I booked with all four carriers and changed my dates and routing I'd pay no fees?
veeRob is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2013, 10:06 pm
  #904  
Moderator: United Airlines
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,856
Originally Posted by veeRob
I just sent you a PM with specifics, but are you saying if I had and two Air China flights and two Asiana flights and changed the return to add United and US Airways flights, I'd get hit with fees? But if I booked with all four carriers and changed my dates and routing I'd pay no fees?
essentially yes -- but it is looked at segment by segment -- if you changed the carrier of a segment, there is a fee (unless exempted by status)
more on fees here, Award ticketing options/service fees
WineCountryUA is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2013, 10:12 pm
  #905  
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: Once upon a time...
Posts: 863
Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
essentially yes -- but it is looked at segment by segment -- if you changed the carrier of a segment, there is a fee (unless exempted by status)
more on fees here, Award ticketing options/service fees
Oh ok, that makes much more sense segment by segment, thanks.

Not quite sure how to book things to avoid fees, because I have a high likelihood of changing dates, but the other dates I want I can't get the same flights/carriers, so I'd _have_ to change carriers or segments.
veeRob is offline  
Old Mar 16, 2013, 10:14 pm
  #906  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 21
Hello FT.

I'm considering booking my first saver award with UA and I just wanted to confirm with others who have more expertise than myself if my trip qualifies as valid before I try booking.

The trip is as follows:

3/27 PDX-SEA

3/27 SEA-FRA +1day

3/28 FRA-NRT +1day

3/29 NRT-BKK

(BKK as destination)

4/2 BKK-NRT

4/3 NRT-VIE

4/4 VIE-FCO

(openjaw to IST)

4/9 IST-JFK

(stopover in NYC)

4/12 EWR-PDX


I'd really appreciate any input, thanks in advance for your help!
PDXjets22 is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 12:32 am
  #907  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: EWR-SEA-IAD
Programs: UA 1P MM, AS MVP G*, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 977
Originally Posted by PDXjets22
Hello FT.

I'm considering booking my first saver award with UA and I just wanted to confirm with others who have more expertise than myself if my trip qualifies as valid before I try booking.

The trip is as follows:

3/27 PDX-SEA

3/27 SEA-FRA +1day

3/28 FRA-NRT +1day

3/29 NRT-BKK

(BKK as destination)

4/2 BKK-NRT

4/3 NRT-VIE

4/4 VIE-FCO

(openjaw to IST)

4/9 IST-JFK

(stopover in NYC)

4/12 EWR-PDX


I'd really appreciate any input, thanks in advance for your help!
I assume you have a reason for wanting to fly east on an award rather than west from PDX as you appear to make no stops. Then again I guess you can't really cross two oceans...

Problem I see with your routing is two stopovers. You can't use the open jaw like that. Remove the NYC stopover, make BKK the stopover, FCO the Dest, and you have valid open jaw with stopover award assuming space available.

Last edited by HGHUA; Mar 17, 2013 at 12:39 am
HGHUA is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 1:06 am
  #908  
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 21
Originally Posted by sneezyalex
I assume you have a reason for wanting to fly east on an award rather than west from PDX as you appear to make no stops. Then again I guess you can't really cross two oceans...

Problem I see with your routing is two stopovers. You can't use the open jaw like that. Remove the NYC stopover, make BKK the stopover, FCO the Dest, and you have valid open jaw with stopover award assuming space available.
I'm Sorry, I should have given more background on what I'm trying to accomplish. My goal is to fly the new F on LH and TG. I also just noticed that there is NH F availability from NRT-MUC on one of the days I was considering so was thinking about that as well. Taking your advice into account I rearranged my trip as follows:

3/27 PDX-SEA
3/27 SEA-FRA in LH F
3/28 FRA-NRT in LH F
3/29 NRT-BKK in TG F
(stopover)
4/3 BKK-NRT in TG F
4/4 NRT-MUC in NH F
4/5 MUC-FCO
(destination-openjaw)
4/10 ZRH-ORD in LX B (hoping to change to F on LH if a seat becomes available)
4/10 ORD-PDX

Does this now seem valid? and also since BKK is now my stopover point how much will my award be? 120K or 140K miles?

Last edited by PDXjets22; Mar 17, 2013 at 1:16 am
PDXjets22 is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 1:24 am
  #909  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: EWR-SEA-IAD
Programs: UA 1P MM, AS MVP G*, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 977
Originally Posted by PDXjets22
I'm Sorry, I should have given more background on what I'm trying to accomplish. My goal is to fly the new F on LH and TG. I also just noticed that there is NH F availability from NRT-MUC on one of the days I was considering so was thinking about that as well. Taking your advice into account I rearranged my trip as follows:

3/27 PDX-SEA
3/27 SEA-FRA in LH F
3/28 FRA-NRT in LH F
3/29 NRT-BKK in TG F
(stopover)
4/3 BKK-NRT in TG F
4/4 NRT-MUC in NH F
4/5 MUC-FCO
(destination-openjaw)
4/10 ZRH-ORD in LX B (hoping to change to F on LH if a seat becomes available)
4/10 ORD-PDX

Does this now seem valid? and also since BKK is now my stopover point how much will my award be? 120K or 140K miles?
Should work, though with that itin you most likely will need to piece it together on the phone. Should price out to 140K miles though in F and your going to pay a pretty penny in taxes just from how many airports you hit.
HGHUA is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 9:08 am
  #910  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 488
Is this routing valid for roundtrip award?

ORD - YYZ - IST - BKK (Destination)
BKK - IST (Stop over)
IST - BKK - HKT (open Jaw)
BKK - NRT - ORD
IamHungry is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 10:50 am
  #911  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: EWR-SEA-IAD
Programs: UA 1P MM, AS MVP G*, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 977
Originally Posted by IamHungry
Is this routing valid for roundtrip award?

ORD - YYZ - IST - BKK (Destination)
BKK - IST (Stop over)
IST - BKK - HKT (open Jaw)
BKK - NRT - ORD
haha. lol thats nuts. You run through BKK three times. I think you violate the two oceans clause, and I'm not sure they will let you run west then east again. Pretty sure its a no go.
HGHUA is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 10:57 am
  #912  
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 488
Originally Posted by sneezyalex
haha. lol thats nuts. You run through BKK three times. I think you violate the two oceans clause, and I'm not sure they will let you run west then east again. Pretty sure its a no go.
Crossing both oceans is allowed. I have done it before. Going through BKK for 3 times is allowed, I also have done it before but within the same region.

This is my last flight

ord - fra - ist - pek - bkk (destination)
bkk - tpe ( stop over)
tpe - bkk - sin - ist - ord
IamHungry is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 10:57 am
  #913  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,309
Originally Posted by IamHungry
Is this routing valid for roundtrip award?

ORD - YYZ - IST - BKK (Destination)
BKK - IST (Stop over)
IST - BKK - HKT (open Jaw)
BKK - NRT - ORD
let me take a wild stab at how this would be priced
one roundtrup NA-Asia trip + one Asia-Europe round trip.

You cannot have an open jaw (essentialy a ground segment HKT-BKK) in the middle of your itinerary.

And of course, there is no 2 oceans clause.
rankourabu is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 11:13 am
  #914  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Portland, Oregon, USA
Programs: AA ExPlat, AS MVP Gold
Posts: 909
"Forced" Stopover in BKK?

As part of a larger itinerary (with an ex-CMB fare at the end), I have a confirmed United F one-way partner award itin on June 28 as follows:

TG 677: NRT-BKK
TG 307: BKK-CMB

The initial segment is F on the TG A380. The segment to CMB is in C which is OK as the flight is only about 3 hours. At time of booking, the connection in BKK was just >MCT.

Now there has been a schedule change on TG677 creating an illegal connection of only 30 minutes. As a practical matter, recalling BKK airport, the probability of a misconnect is high. TG 307 does not fly the followiing day, 6/29, but it does fly 6/30 and there is award space in C. There are no other F award options TYO-CMB during the 6/28-29 window save for some roundabout, 2-stop mixed class combinations). Plus I really want to fly on the Thai A380 in F.

My preferred option BKK-CMB would simply be to take TG 307 on 6/30, giving me a nice, unintended stopover in BKK.

Will United let me do this? What do any applicable rules dictate? Thanks to all for your wisdom and assistance.

--mcz
mczlaw is offline  
Old Mar 17, 2013, 12:54 pm
  #915  
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: IAH & HOU
Programs: UA GS & Marriott Titanium
Posts: 443
Originally Posted by ajhun9

Iah-bom (10 days)
Bom-Syd (5 days)
Syd-iah
Anyone have thoughts on any issues with above or how it would price out? My goal is to route as follows:

IAH-[EWR/FRA]-BOM
BOM-[BKK/SIN]-SYD
SYD-[LAX/SFO]-IAH

THANKS!
ajhun9 is offline  


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