Apr 23, 2013, 6:22 pm
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)
Jun 10, 2013, 1:00 pm
#1471
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 760
Just helped a friend book a US-PVG (5 segments), PEK-TPE (1 segment), TPE-US (5 segments) roundtrip with stopover via Europe. After hearing "too many segments," or "it won't price," and one "you must take the most direct routing - I'm reporting this to our fraud department," we decided to first book the itin as an open jaw. We then called back to add the stopover segment, which wouldn't price again, but was eventually approved by a supervisor upon request.
Jun 10, 2013, 2:05 pm
#1472
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: WAS/NYC/LON
Programs: AA EXP, HH DIA, Hyatt DIA
Posts: 286
Also I can't remember if this prohibition "Circle trips are not permitted. For example, you cannot fly from San Francisco to Hong Kong, to Auckland and back to San Francisco." was always in there or is a recent addition. Again it appears in the *A rules on UA.com but not in the MP rules on the same site.
That example has always been there, at least for a couple of months since I last did a read-through of the rules.
However, I'm not sure how strict this rule is for United booking purposes as USA->Europe->Africa->USA could be considered a circle trip, but has been bookable.
Jun 10, 2013, 3:41 pm
#1473
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Washington D.C. via Sao Paulo via Houston via Washington D.C. via Boston via New York
Posts: 1,172
just saw the new rule about segments/connections just clarifying it only applies to Asia via the Atlantic...so this should work?
IAH-IAD-JFK-ICN-SIN-MLE (dest), coming back I have an option of
MLE-SIN-ICN-JFK-CLT-IAH
OR
MLE-SIN-BKK-LHR/FRA-IAH no stopovers or OJs
IAH-IAD-JFK-ICN-SIN-MLE (dest), coming back I have an option of
MLE-SIN-ICN-JFK-CLT-IAH
OR
MLE-SIN-BKK-LHR/FRA-IAH no stopovers or OJs
Jun 10, 2013, 4:48 pm
#1474
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 3
I've been reading this thread, and had a question on the following itinerary:
SFO to LHR (stopover)
FCO to NRT (destination - OJ used)
NRT to SFO
The above is my intended US to Asia roundtrip with a Europe stopover, which would use up 120k UA miles in business class. However, on the final leg (NRT to SFO), do I need to return via Europe, or can I cross the Pacific? I've been a little confused since some seem to report success, while others have mentioned that trans atlantic and trans pacific in a single itinerary constitutes a RTW. Thanks.
SFO to LHR (stopover)
FCO to NRT (destination - OJ used)
NRT to SFO
The above is my intended US to Asia roundtrip with a Europe stopover, which would use up 120k UA miles in business class. However, on the final leg (NRT to SFO), do I need to return via Europe, or can I cross the Pacific? I've been a little confused since some seem to report success, while others have mentioned that trans atlantic and trans pacific in a single itinerary constitutes a RTW. Thanks.
Last edited by echo63; Jun 12, 2013 at 11:15 am
Jun 10, 2013, 4:59 pm
#1475
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: WAS/NYC/LON
Programs: AA EXP, HH DIA, Hyatt DIA
Posts: 286
I've been reading this thread, and had a question on the following itinerary:
SFO to LHR (stopover)
FCO to NRT (destination - OJ used)
ICN to SFO
The above is my intended US to Asia roundtrip with a Europe stopover, which would use up 120k UA miles in business class. However, on the final leg (ICN to SFO), do I need to return via Europe, or can I cross the Pacific? I've been a little confused since some seem to report success, while others have mentioned that trans atlantic and trans pacific in a single itinerary constitutes a RTW. Thanks.
SFO to LHR (stopover)
FCO to NRT (destination - OJ used)
ICN to SFO
The above is my intended US to Asia roundtrip with a Europe stopover, which would use up 120k UA miles in business class. However, on the final leg (ICN to SFO), do I need to return via Europe, or can I cross the Pacific? I've been a little confused since some seem to report success, while others have mentioned that trans atlantic and trans pacific in a single itinerary constitutes a RTW. Thanks.
Jun 10, 2013, 5:14 pm
#1476
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
I've been reading this thread, and had a question on the following itinerary:
SFO to LHR (stopover)
FCO to NRT (destination - OJ used)
NRT to SFO
The above is my intended US to Asia roundtrip with a Europe stopover, which would use up 120k UA miles in business class. However, on the final leg (ICN to SFO), do I need to return via Europe, or can I cross the Pacific? I've been a little confused since some seem to report success, while others have mentioned that trans atlantic and trans pacific in a single itinerary constitutes a RTW. Thanks.
SFO to LHR (stopover)
FCO to NRT (destination - OJ used)
NRT to SFO
The above is my intended US to Asia roundtrip with a Europe stopover, which would use up 120k UA miles in business class. However, on the final leg (ICN to SFO), do I need to return via Europe, or can I cross the Pacific? I've been a little confused since some seem to report success, while others have mentioned that trans atlantic and trans pacific in a single itinerary constitutes a RTW. Thanks.
Jun 10, 2013, 8:39 pm
#1477
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 92
This can definitely be done as a roundtrip. From JFK, your best routing is JFK-SFO/LAX-HNL-NRT-BKK. (The SFO routing is better imo because UA flies more widebodies on the HNL route from SFO than LAX.) You would have many additional options out of EWR, including in particular a nonstop to HNL. OZ through ICN is also an option (though better outbound than return due to a very long ICN connection eastbound).
Jun 10, 2013, 8:42 pm
#1478
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Washington D.C. via Sao Paulo via Houston via Washington D.C. via Boston via New York
Posts: 1,172
Edit - maybe the piece your award itinerary together, write down flight numbers/dates etc... should be placed in the wiki
Then you end up paying for each segment.....
For example, in December I flew JFK - Brussels - BKK (32,500 miles Award)....I called up United and extended my stopover for 3 days in Brussels......all searches NYC to BKK go East...can't find any that go west (ie. through Honolulu)...
For example, in December I flew JFK - Brussels - BKK (32,500 miles Award)....I called up United and extended my stopover for 3 days in Brussels......all searches NYC to BKK go East...can't find any that go west (ie. through Honolulu)...
Last edited by iluv2fly; Jun 10, 2013 at 9:20 pm Reason: merge
Jun 10, 2013, 8:44 pm
#1479
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 92
Then you end up paying for each segment.....
For example, in December I flew JFK - Brussels - BKK (32,500 miles Award)....I called up United and extended my stopover for 3 days in Brussels......all searches NYC to BKK go East...can't find any that go west (ie. through Honolulu)...
You just search in each segment, then call to get routing. I've personally never attempted routing through HNL for my awards but I have had to call because my routing on my last award was IAH-IAD-FRA-MUC-ICN-NRT(stop)-BKK-SIN-DPS(dest)-BKK-IAH-DFW-FRA, .bomb WOULD never price that out, I had to separate each segment out, make sure all the times worked and then called with flight numbers and dates. All of that was 140k R/T in F.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Jun 10, 2013 at 9:21 pm Reason: merge
Jun 11, 2013, 7:26 am
#1480
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
Then you end up paying for each segment.....
For example, in December I flew JFK - Brussels - BKK (32,500 miles Award)....I called up United and extended my stopover for 3 days in Brussels......all searches NYC to BKK go East...can't find any that go west (ie. through Honolulu)...
For example, in December I flew JFK - Brussels - BKK (32,500 miles Award)....I called up United and extended my stopover for 3 days in Brussels......all searches NYC to BKK go East...can't find any that go west (ie. through Honolulu)...
I don't understand your for example, the N. America to S. Asia award should be 32.5k so you've been charged correctly for a one way award. We're you trying to add a stopover into a one way award or were you on a 65k round-trip and the UA agents were saying that you couldn't change the award?
As for the not finding availability going west, I'd search segment by segment and using airport codes not city codes (e.g. EWR-HNL, JFK-SFO-HNL, EWR-ORD-HNL, HNL-NRT, NRT-BKK etc) and then either try and use multi-city to book or call in and feed the segments to the agent.
Jun 11, 2013, 10:17 pm
#1481
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 92
It should price out correctly at the final screen, if not call in.
I don't understand your for example, the N. America to S. Asia award should be 32.5k so you've been charged correctly for a one way award. We're you trying to add a stopover into a one way award or were you on a 65k round-trip and the UA agents were saying that you couldn't change the award?
As for the not finding availability going west, I'd search segment by segment and using airport codes not city codes (e.g. EWR-HNL, JFK-SFO-HNL, EWR-ORD-HNL, HNL-NRT, NRT-BKK etc) and then either try and use multi-city to book or call in and feed the segments to the agent.
I don't understand your for example, the N. America to S. Asia award should be 32.5k so you've been charged correctly for a one way award. We're you trying to add a stopover into a one way award or were you on a 65k round-trip and the UA agents were saying that you couldn't change the award?
As for the not finding availability going west, I'd search segment by segment and using airport codes not city codes (e.g. EWR-HNL, JFK-SFO-HNL, EWR-ORD-HNL, HNL-NRT, NRT-BKK etc) and then either try and use multi-city to book or call in and feed the segments to the agent.
Wish United would allow one way stopovers like AA!
Jun 12, 2013, 12:09 am
#1482
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9930; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.1.0.755 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
Was on a roundtrip for 65,000. When I do the multi-segment it always prices out as seperate flights....not a stopover....I didn't think to find the segments myself and feed them to a united rep...so I will try that! thanks
Wish United would allow one way stopovers like AA!
With a choice between AA's stopover only permitted at North American gateway but also on O/W trips versus UA's stopover pretty much anywhere but only r/t trips I'll take UA every time.
Originally Posted by SzatRyan
It should price out correctly at the final screen, if not call in.
I don't understand your for example, the N. America to S. Asia award should be 32.5k so you've been charged correctly for a one way award. We're you trying to add a stopover into a one way award or were you on a 65k round-trip and the UA agents were saying that you couldn't change the award?
As for the not finding availability going west, I'd search segment by segment and using airport codes not city codes (e.g. EWR-HNL, JFK-SFO-HNL, EWR-ORD-HNL, HNL-NRT, NRT-BKK etc) and then either try and use multi-city to book or call in and feed the segments to the agent.
I don't understand your for example, the N. America to S. Asia award should be 32.5k so you've been charged correctly for a one way award. We're you trying to add a stopover into a one way award or were you on a 65k round-trip and the UA agents were saying that you couldn't change the award?
As for the not finding availability going west, I'd search segment by segment and using airport codes not city codes (e.g. EWR-HNL, JFK-SFO-HNL, EWR-ORD-HNL, HNL-NRT, NRT-BKK etc) and then either try and use multi-city to book or call in and feed the segments to the agent.
Wish United would allow one way stopovers like AA!
Last edited by sbm12; Jun 12, 2013 at 12:14 am
Jun 12, 2013, 12:23 am
#1483
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9930; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.1.0.755 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
With a choice between AA's stopover only permitted at North American gateway but also on O/W trips versus UA's stopover pretty much anywhere but only r/t trips I'll take UA every time.
With a choice between AA's stopover only permitted at North American gateway but also on O/W trips versus UA's stopover pretty much anywhere but only r/t trips I'll take UA every time.
If UA allowed two stopovers on RT award tickets I would be a happy camper.
Jun 12, 2013, 12:24 am
#1484
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 10
Is this a valid routing?
kul - sin
sin - milan (stopover)
rome - zurich
zurich - toronto
toronto - cmh (destination)
cmh - iad
iad - amsterdam
amsterdam - zurich
zurich - beijing
beijing - taipei
5 segments each way , one thing i'm worried about is origin is kuala lumpur (s.asia) and ending in taipei (north asia).
kul - sin
sin - milan (stopover)
rome - zurich
zurich - toronto
toronto - cmh (destination)
cmh - iad
iad - amsterdam
amsterdam - zurich
zurich - beijing
beijing - taipei
5 segments each way , one thing i'm worried about is origin is kuala lumpur (s.asia) and ending in taipei (north asia).
Jun 12, 2013, 3:50 am
#1485
Join Date: Nov 2004
Programs: UA 1K (Million Miler). AA Gold (lifetime 1 Million). TK Elite Gold
Posts: 894
Ticketing
I finally got my itinerary reserved from US-INDIA-US and attempted to pay for the taxes. The agent indicated that as per some "memo" (dated April 2013) each direction is only allowed 4 flight segments; this is contrary to the reserved itinerary that I have until midnight tonight to ticket.
Has anyone RECENTLY have any experience with this issue? I want the itinerary the way it is reserved and which I have a screenshot as well as the way it appears in my account's reservation. Thanks in advance.
N.B. from http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...vel/types.aspx
" Two open jaws are permitted per roundtrip award. For example, you can fly from Newark to London and return from Paris to Washington Dulles.
A stopover is permitted on roundtrip award travel only. One stopover is permitted, unless otherwise noted. Additional mileage may be required for Saver Awards within the mainland U.S., Alaska and Canada."
Has anyone RECENTLY have any experience with this issue? I want the itinerary the way it is reserved and which I have a screenshot as well as the way it appears in my account's reservation. Thanks in advance.
N.B. from http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...vel/types.aspx
" Two open jaws are permitted per roundtrip award. For example, you can fly from Newark to London and return from Paris to Washington Dulles.
A stopover is permitted on roundtrip award travel only. One stopover is permitted, unless otherwise noted. Additional mileage may be required for Saver Awards within the mainland U.S., Alaska and Canada."
"Thank you for choosing United Airlines. Your purchase is confirmed. You will be promptly notified once the internal processing of your reservation has been finalized so that you can request additional receipts, export to Microsoft Outlook, refund or change your flight, view/change seats, check-in, or email or print your itinerary."
As of yet it does not show that it was ticketed and no email confirmation of purchase. Can I presume that this was in fact purchased? Should I call or be concerned at this point?
Last edited by cagcag; Jun 12, 2013 at 3:51 am Reason: update