Hi all. Can't remember the last time I did a multi-city itinerary, so please excuse me if this question has an obvious answer.

I need to go to Vegas for a trade show in April. Normally I would do it as a round trip, but since I'm going to be so close to LA/my hairdresser there & haven't found a decent one where I now live, thought I'd do a morning flight to LAX, go to Bev Hills for hairdresser, take a dinnertime flight to Vegas, and then at the end of the trade show fly back home. The dif in airfare is only $35 doing multi-city vs roundtrip.

On this particular trip because of length & some other reasons I actually do check luggage. I'd like to think that I could check in GRR-LAX-LAS since it's the same day, but there will be about 8 hours inbtwn flights. So - does that mean I need to pick up the luggage at LAX or will they check it all the way through to LAS? I can deal w/ either (although I'd prefer checked all the way through). I just need to sort out the timing from arrival at LAX to hairdresser (ie, pick up luggage & head to car rental vs getting off plane & heading to car rental) etc.

On the return from LAS-ORD I have to choose between a 757 or 319. Given that 100,000 of my closest friends will be leaving that day & I'm only 1P, I have a snowball's chance in hades of clearing an upgrade. Other than a trip to LAX last week when I was on a 767, this will be my first trip in E+ & wondering for the length of the flight, IFE, etc, which is better - or does it even matter? The 757 gives me a longer layover at ORD, but assuming there's a FTer around to guest me in I can burn a couple of my drink chits at the RCC, so connection time isn't a big deal. The 319 might be a bit less expensive.

BTW - Allegiant moved into my new home airport & I thought due to them UA might drop their Vegas prices, but no such luck.

Any input appreciated. Cheers.

FWIW, I just did the 3rd largest trade show that LAS hosts'.

I easily cleared as a 1P (were even a few empty seats in F, on a 752).

As far as the luggage... just check it all the way to LAS and you will be fine.

I tried something a few weeks ago and was told that I couldn't. Specifically the counter agent said the computer would not let her check my bags all the way through.

it was a multi-city, but multi-leg also.
Morning - DEN-SFO-RNO
Evening -- RNO-SFO-LAS

You have some (even if minor) chance at an upgrade on the 752, absolutely none on the 319. For that reason alone I would go with the 752 (or would have as a 1P). Reasonably comfortable E+ on both, though I have a preference for the comfort of the exit row seats on the 752.

Hmm, mixed reports about the luggage. My itin is GRR-ORD-LAX leaving at 6am & landing at 10:41am, and LAX-LAS departing at 6:20pm. I'm guessing the 8-hour layover might be a hiccup?

Yes, I agree that there's zero chance on the 319 & probably only a .0000000000001% chance on the 757 since it'd be LAS-ORD, & there are probably a lot of UGS & 1Ks attending the show; it's the last day & everyone wants to get the heck out of dodge by that point.

Yest when I checked flights the 757 itin was $80 more than the 319 ($699 vs $611), primarily due to the GRR-ORD-LAX part (showing W), but when I looked at doing 2 1-ways (to LAX & then back to GRR from LAS & possibly catch a ride w/ friends LAX-LAS) the GRR-ORD-LAX part flipped to a S fare. The LAX-LAS is showing H fare.

BTW - the FTer in me hates the idea of paying $699 for a trip to Vegas, for crikey's sake. For not much more I could go to Europe!

Cheers.

[QUOTE=SkiAdcock;13562238BTW - the FTer in me hates the idea of paying $699 for a trip to Vegas, for crikey's sake. For not much more I could go to Europe!

Cheers.[/QUOTE]

I hate to ask this - but have you looked at WN?

PS - When are you going?

WN doesn't fly out of my airport.

BTW - for the person who asked me what the big deal is re: having to get checked luggage, it's just easier to have it go through to LAS than have to pick it up at LAX, schelp it out to the car rental pick up, then to the car, then back to car rental, then back to check in, etc. It adds time.

Cheers.

A319 or 757? I'd be looking at the best 2nd-choice seat as being relevant here, and if row 6 was available on the A319 vs a normal non-exit-row seat on the 757, it would be an easy choice for me (row 6!). I also seem to be one of the few who notices the extra 1/2" width of the Airbii seat, even though I don't "need" it.

One more data point: I've two successes in the past year checking bags with a long layover/stop.

1) IAD-SFO-SMF (early IAD-SFO with a meeting in town followed by a late SFO-SMF). Had to ask nicely but my checked bag was put through with apprx. 9 hours between my arrival and my brasilia onward.

2) DCA-ORD-MCI (didn't even have to ask when checking a bag through with a ~6 hour layover).

Also, for my money I'd take the 757 before the Airbus. 757 F is much bigger than the 319 and you'd be shocked at how easy it is to clear, plus 9C or even 9A on the 757 are my favorite coach seats in the UA fleet...far better than the 6s on the Airbii and better than the 12 windows on the 319 as well.

My issue with row 9 in the 757 is the lack of floor storage for your laptop bag or whatever. Obviously this is relevant to some and not others. Row 6 on the Airbii still has a place in front of you for your storage. It's just way out in front of you.

Just a couple of months ago I checked luggage through a long stopover on two itineraries MSP-DEN-LAX (8 hour layover)-SYD. All on UA so what you want to do should be possible with a willing and competent agent.

At my new airport the agents are pretty friendly, so will ask to have it checked all the way through. Worst they can do is say no. But I had to make the hair appt for a bit of a later time in case they did say no.

I need to check pricing again re: the 757 & 319. If it's not too huge a dif I'll go for the 757. Since the trip will be after the unlimited upgrades start & I'm just 1P, I'm still guessing the chance of clearing the upgrade on the last day of a convention back to a major hub w/ lots of GS & 1Ks as .0000000000000000001%, but that's better tha the 0% on the 319.

Cheers.

Quick update.

On the outbound when I checked my luggage, I asked if it was checked through all the way to LAS - and she replied yes, although it appears you're taking the scenic route to get there So that made it easy, just walk out of airport, catch car rental shuttle, run up to hairdresser and back to airport, and not have to schlep luggage. I did clear all 3 upgrades on the outbound

On the return the earliest I can clear will be tomorrow afternoon. I did go for the 757, but in looking at what the load is there are only 2 seats in F & 3 in E for sale. So I'm expecting to be in E+ for the return. The onward short hop I'll clear the F no problem, but given wheels up/down is only about 20-25 minutes that's not as important.

Cheers.

Ouch, moving from the California coast where a cold day is 40� to GRR must have been tough. Wishing you well in your new digs...

definitely go with the 752s than 319s. there are not only more F seats, but also more exit row seats for 1Ps.