What are legal U.S. ---> S.Africa routings?
 

Can you get down there via the middle east and return via S.America? For example, would the following be legal?

JFK-DOH-JNB-MRU (Stop) -JNB-GRU-LIM (Stop)-EWR

I've seen antipodal routings successfully booked recently. Not sure if that's an update to the rules or agents pushing through manually priced awards, but I've seen it recently.

Good luck!

Award or paid flight?? Big difference. You can get away w much more in sn award. Most paid fares I've seen go from the US thru Europe or S America. Going thru Doha might take you over max mileage. I tried getting a fare JFK-DXB-JNB on EK and it broke it up but I was able to get the regular fare for the reverse (MRU-DXB-JFK). Probably because MRU is closer Then JNB

I took a very similar paid trip from NY to JNB, MRU and DXB. I found it much cheaper (buying an F tkt so I assume same would be true for C) when I broke it into 3 tkts
1. JFK-FRA-DXB-JNB (SQ/LH/EK)
2. JNB-MRU (SA)
3. MRU-DXB-JFK (EK)
Worked out to $14000 in F vs almost $20K if bought on same tkt from EK

I booked an award ticket earlier this year and know that the following routings are legal (with a call to United):

• DCA-EWR-EZE-JNB-VFA/LVI
• IAD-ACC-JNB-VFA/LVI
• CPT-JNB-GRU-IAD
• CPT-JNB-DOH-IAH-IAD/DCA
• CPT-JNB-LOS-IAH-IAD/DCA

Can somone explain why any route would ever be illegal (other than through Cuba or N. Korea) ?

Route is a route.

Leaving next week on award, 4 tix in business:
DEN-IAD-BRU-FRA-JNB-LIV
DAR-DOH-IAH-COS

Illegal is a questionable term to use, but it is the one in the vernacular. There are rules within each FF program about what routes are permitted for various trips. Some have to follow published fare routing rules, some are based on IATA MPM numbers and some are just based on the city pair and regions transited.

Is it possible to manually price awards now, like UA used to do (and US still does)? My understanding was that if the computer could not auto-price the award, that was it--no award.

Absolutely. I've had several manually priced recently. The key is to have the agent "store the segments" and then forward it to the rates desk to be manually priced.

With the changes I made last night to my current award it is complicated enough that they aren't even bothering to calculate the updated taxes anymore. They just call it an even exchange and they'll let the accounting system figure out which government agencies they owe money to later.

Booked the following award itinerary on UA.com earlier this year, no calls required:

IAH-EZE-JNB-CPT-JNB-LOS-IAH

Maybe its a time to bring this back up:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...f-you-can.html

I can't even book a simple DXB-JFK online. I have the worst luck. If DXB-FRA-JFK is avail all the way thru its fine
But
If DXB-FRA is avail and MUC-JFK is as well. Not only will the computer not automatically put a FRA-MUC segment in there itself, but it won't let me do it
OR
The one time it did allow me to build that, it tried to charge me 107,500 miles when it should be 75,000

I give up. I just find my flights on ANA and call

Not every conceivable award routing will price.

GetSetJetSet, did you ever get this booked? Having a similar experience trying to book DEN-IAD-GRU (stop) then, GRU-JNB-MRU (stop), then MRU-JNB-JFK/LGA-DEN (home).

Curious what you found out.

Thanks.

Hmmm...after long time on the line with UA...they are saying DEN-IAD-GRU (stop) then, GRU-JNB-MRU (stop), then MRU-JNB-JFK/LGA-DEN (home) is not a legal routing. Will probably try back again tomorrow with a different rep. Has anyone ever done a similar routing? Thanks for the help.

Just an FYI. Ended up not being able to book from US to MRU via South America. I tried with multiple agents. Ended up booking DEN-ORD-FRA-JNB (stop) MRU (stop) JNB-MUC-EWR-DEN. United Saver Award all in Business.