Oct 23, 2014, 4:13 pm
Last edit by: goalie
Many of the questions about the validity of itineraries containing open jaws or stopovers can be found in the wiki at: Consolidated Rules for Open Jaw and Stopver Award Flights. Please read that prior to posting questions.
MileagePlus Star Alliance Travel Rules
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...airawards.aspx
MileagePlus Star Alliance Travel Rules
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...airawards.aspx
Consolidated "Is My UA Award Itinerary Valid?" Thread [2014]
Jan 29, 2014, 12:51 pm
#121
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: 36,000'
Posts: 1,206
I'm trying to book DPS-ORD, and would like to route DPS-BKK-NRT-FRA-ORD. Four stops, but all less than 24h. I'm getting the error message on .bomb. Is this a valid routing, should I try to call?
Jan 29, 2014, 3:49 pm
#122
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 455
I'm not quite sure what throwing NRT in does, but I did DPS-BKK-FRA-ORD-xxx not that long ago.
Jan 29, 2014, 8:20 pm
#123
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,737
I'm trying to book PVG-ICN-HKG-SIN-BKK on a one-way. It meets the 3 connections/4 segments.
Due to not being able to book SQ online anymore I cannot check if it is valid routing. The United agent on the phone has said that this is not valid routing, but I have a feeling it has something to do with them manually pricing the HKG-SIN route on Singapore Airlines.
They are saying something about two different routing zones.
When I go on the United website I can get PVG-ICN-HKG-BKK-SIN to price out just fine. They cannot test out my original itinerary replacing the SQ flight with a UA flight due to the UA flight being at midnight and pushing my Singapore layover over 24 hours and into a stopover.
Due to not being able to book SQ online anymore I cannot check if it is valid routing. The United agent on the phone has said that this is not valid routing, but I have a feeling it has something to do with them manually pricing the HKG-SIN route on Singapore Airlines.
They are saying something about two different routing zones.
When I go on the United website I can get PVG-ICN-HKG-BKK-SIN to price out just fine. They cannot test out my original itinerary replacing the SQ flight with a UA flight due to the UA flight being at midnight and pushing my Singapore layover over 24 hours and into a stopover.
Jan 29, 2014, 9:15 pm
#124
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold MM, Marriott LTT, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,770
East Coast US-Sydney Routing
I just completed an award itinerary for July from IAD to SYD and ended up with 2 one-ways and paid essentially 3 one-ways. I worked with 2 agents and both couldn't get the itinerary to price as roundtrip (both said it's RTW, although I've read many examples heres on FT that have done both oceans).
The complete itinerary is
1st one-way 80K miles
IAD-ORD (UA XN)
ORD-NRT (UA O)
NRT-ICN (OZ I)
ICN-SYD (OZ I)
2nd one-way 110K miles
SYD-PEK (CA I)
PEK-FRA (CA I)
FRA-IAD (LH I)
The return was the only way I was able to find 3 Business Class seats all the way. I was able to find
SYD-PEK (CA I)
PEK-SFO (CA O)
but then nothing on UA from SFO-IAD.
I'm resigned to paying 110K vs 67.5K for the return one-way.
Can anyone point out exactly what's wrong with what I was trying to do? I couldn't get a RT via Europe to price out. I was also having problems with the limitation on # segments.
The complete itinerary is
1st one-way 80K miles
IAD-ORD (UA XN)
ORD-NRT (UA O)
NRT-ICN (OZ I)
ICN-SYD (OZ I)
2nd one-way 110K miles
SYD-PEK (CA I)
PEK-FRA (CA I)
FRA-IAD (LH I)
The return was the only way I was able to find 3 Business Class seats all the way. I was able to find
SYD-PEK (CA I)
PEK-SFO (CA O)
but then nothing on UA from SFO-IAD.
I'm resigned to paying 110K vs 67.5K for the return one-way.
Can anyone point out exactly what's wrong with what I was trying to do? I couldn't get a RT via Europe to price out. I was also having problems with the limitation on # segments.
Jan 30, 2014, 3:31 am
#125
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 37
Does anyone know what the rules are regarding North Asia, South Asia and Japan?
I tried to book ICN-NRT-HKG (as a one-way) over the phone and agent said the system was not letting her do it. I've noticed that search for ICN-HKG awards never comes with the NRT as a transit point.
But yet, there are city pairs (eg XMN-ICN) for which united.com will come up with a routing via NRT. Granted XMN-ICN may be a special case as there are no XMN-ICN nonstops.
There are also some strange quirks in the number of miles required (using the chart that is valid until Jan 31, 2014). For example North Asia to Japan can be cheaper than North Asia to North Asia.
For reference:
North Asia: ICN, XMN
Japan: NRT
South Asia: HKG
I tried to book ICN-NRT-HKG (as a one-way) over the phone and agent said the system was not letting her do it. I've noticed that search for ICN-HKG awards never comes with the NRT as a transit point.
But yet, there are city pairs (eg XMN-ICN) for which united.com will come up with a routing via NRT. Granted XMN-ICN may be a special case as there are no XMN-ICN nonstops.
There are also some strange quirks in the number of miles required (using the chart that is valid until Jan 31, 2014). For example North Asia to Japan can be cheaper than North Asia to North Asia.
For reference:
North Asia: ICN, XMN
Japan: NRT
South Asia: HKG
You can, however, transit Japan if traveling from North Asia to North Asia. In your case, XMN and ICN are both in the North Asia region so a transit in NRT is valid.
I had unsuccessfully attempted to book GMP-HND-TSA/TPE-SIN. I could price out GMP-HND-TSA just fine but once you add the final leg to SIN, the system prices out as two separate one ways, nearly doubling the mileage requirement.
Last edited by JA8589; Jan 30, 2014 at 3:56 am
Jan 30, 2014, 3:42 am
#126
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Houston, Tx
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 96
Trying to book a One way to sydney from IAH. If I go IAH-PEK-SYD it prices right at 80k for first class. Problem is for PEK-SYD only economy is available. Now if I do IAH-PEK-PVG-SYD. It prices out at at 120k. If I change my start point from IAH to LAX then the PEK-PVG-SYD is only 80k. Is this valid at 120k assuming no stop overs? Should I call over the phone to book it?
Jan 30, 2014, 4:59 am
#127
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 26
Would either of these routings actually work?
KUL-BKK-FRA-AUH (65k in F)
OR
KUL-BKK-FRA-JFK (70k in F)
It errors, but technically, it should work, right?
KUL-BKK-FRA-AUH (65k in F)
OR
KUL-BKK-FRA-JFK (70k in F)
It errors, but technically, it should work, right?
Jan 30, 2014, 9:11 am
#128
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,470
Trying to book a One way to sydney from IAH. If I go IAH-PEK-SYD it prices right at 80k for first class. Problem is for PEK-SYD only economy is available. Now if I do IAH-PEK-PVG-SYD. It prices out at at 120k. If I change my start point from IAH to LAX then the PEK-PVG-SYD is only 80k. Is this valid at 120k assuming no stop overs? Should I call over the phone to book it?
Jan 30, 2014, 5:27 pm
#129
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Houston, Tx
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 96
Was actually trying to stop in PEK since it was a 12 hour layover figured we could see great wall. I just found first class availability on LAX-SYD that wasn't there yesterday. So I booked us on that because i'd rather not do two long flights back to back, this will save a lot of travel time. Unfortunately our return is after the devaluation. So probably will be stuck with SYD-PEK-IAH in business(rough life). And will do the 12 hour stop over on the way back.
Feb 1, 2014, 3:20 am
#130
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,432
I could swear I did this before but maybe it was a paid tkt.
EWR-pty. Stay for 4 nts
Pty-Mia. Stay for 3 nights
FLL-EWR
I know I can do EWR-PTY and PTY-MIA but can't get it to work on .bomb with adding the last leg
Thanks
EWR-pty. Stay for 4 nts
Pty-Mia. Stay for 3 nights
FLL-EWR
I know I can do EWR-PTY and PTY-MIA but can't get it to work on .bomb with adding the last leg
Thanks
Feb 1, 2014, 6:32 am
#131
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, UA Nobody, Hilton Gold
Posts: 2,372
This is fine, but the website doesn't do complex. Call in and have it done manually.
Mar 13, 2014, 2:56 am
#132
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,433
Can this be booked as a valid one way award?
Is there any way to book this as a valid 25k mile one way standard award? It is pricing out at 50k. I thought under 24 hours was a valid connection on a domestic award, but maybe I'm wrong here.
Mar 13, 2014, 6:10 am
#133
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 214
Has to be under 4 hrs domestic layover, not 24 hrs.
Mar 13, 2014, 6:19 am
#134
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,894
The relevant language of the contract of carriage is the definition of a "stopover" and the fact that something which is not a stopover is a connection. The text is
Stopover means a deliberate interruption of travel by the Passenger, agreed to in advance by the carrier, at a point between
the place of departure and the place of destination. For International flights a Stopover will also be deemed to occur at an
intermediate point from which the Passenger is not scheduled to depart on the date of arrival, but if there is no connecting
departure scheduled on the date of arrival, departure on the next day within 24 hours of arrival shall not constitute a
Stopover. If a portion of the routing is traveled by surface transportation, one Stopover shall be deemed to have been taken
for such portion. For Domestic flights, a Stopover will also occur when a Passenger arrives at a point and fails to depart
from such point on:
1) The first flight on which space is available; or
2) The flight that will provide for the Passenger’s earliest arrival at intermediate or junction transfer point(s) or destination
point, via the carrier and class of service as shown on the Passenger’s Ticket; provided, however, that in no event will a
Stopover occur when the Passenger departs from the intermediate/junction point on a flight shown in the carrier’s
official general schedule as departing within four hours after arrival at such point.
the place of departure and the place of destination. For International flights a Stopover will also be deemed to occur at an
intermediate point from which the Passenger is not scheduled to depart on the date of arrival, but if there is no connecting
departure scheduled on the date of arrival, departure on the next day within 24 hours of arrival shall not constitute a
Stopover. If a portion of the routing is traveled by surface transportation, one Stopover shall be deemed to have been taken
for such portion. For Domestic flights, a Stopover will also occur when a Passenger arrives at a point and fails to depart
from such point on:
1) The first flight on which space is available; or
2) The flight that will provide for the Passenger’s earliest arrival at intermediate or junction transfer point(s) or destination
point, via the carrier and class of service as shown on the Passenger’s Ticket; provided, however, that in no event will a
Stopover occur when the Passenger departs from the intermediate/junction point on a flight shown in the carrier’s
official general schedule as departing within four hours after arrival at such point.
I have occasionally gotten the UA Web site to price out longer, >4hr connections on domestic itineraries — in one memorable case, CLE-LAS-LAX with like 8 hrs in LAS even though there were earlier available LAS-LAX flights — but do not understand the rhyme or reason.
(In your case, if you're willing to pony up 25k miles, you could also book two separate Saver awards, then use the inevitable cancellation of one of your Express flights as leverage to get a more direct connection.)
Mar 13, 2014, 9:45 am
#135
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1,433
You are thinking of international travel. For domestic trips you will want "under 4 hours OR the next published connection", e.g. it should be okay to connect overnight if there's no valid connection at night and you take the first flight of the morning. But this can be tough to ticket if it doesn't autoprice. And this is exactly what you are trying to do here, so this should be okay, but you may need to call an agent and politely insist that it is a legal connection according to the UA contract of carriage, have them escalate to the rate desk and manually price the ticket, fight claw, tooth, and nail, etc. — one FlyerTalk user has reported doing this successfully.
The relevant language of the contract of carriage is the definition of a "stopover" and the fact that something which is not a stopover is a connection. The text is
IIRC the FlyerTalk user's experience was that Reservations and the rate desk struggled mightily to re-cast this text in a way that made it okay for them to call a forced-overnight connection a stopover. Good luck.
I have occasionally gotten the UA Web site to price out longer, >4hr connections on domestic itineraries — in one memorable case, CLE-LAS-LAX with like 8 hrs in LAS even though there were earlier available LAS-LAX flights — but do not understand the rhyme or reason.
(In your case, if you're willing to pony up 25k miles, you could also book two separate Saver awards, then use the inevitable cancellation of one of your Express flights as leverage to get a more direct connection.)
The relevant language of the contract of carriage is the definition of a "stopover" and the fact that something which is not a stopover is a connection. The text is
IIRC the FlyerTalk user's experience was that Reservations and the rate desk struggled mightily to re-cast this text in a way that made it okay for them to call a forced-overnight connection a stopover. Good luck.
I have occasionally gotten the UA Web site to price out longer, >4hr connections on domestic itineraries — in one memorable case, CLE-LAS-LAX with like 8 hrs in LAS even though there were earlier available LAS-LAX flights — but do not understand the rhyme or reason.
(In your case, if you're willing to pony up 25k miles, you could also book two separate Saver awards, then use the inevitable cancellation of one of your Express flights as leverage to get a more direct connection.)
There is no saver inventory. I will try and call to get the override.