smk48

Yes all ticketed and confirmed. Taxes were just over $100. I was expecting the agent to have to call the rate desk to have them calculate as I've had done before on complex routings but the computer just did it on its own with no delay-- may have been because I started out with a bit simpler itin so adding one segment at a time was enough for the computer to handle.

One other point I forgot to mention was to hang up immediately with any agent who doesn't know how to rebook/change an itin segment by segment (I think some may have already mentioned it)-- some have no idea how to do it and will try to rebook the entire itinerary which generally will NOT work and risks screwing up the whole thing. If an agent tells you it can't be done, politely hang up because it most certainly can!

calvinoeh

This should cost 40k without the stopover. Would add another interesting dimension if 40k+stopover was possible.

calvinoeh

On a slightly different note, I have gotten PMs that I should remove by post on the "40k russia in northasia" redepemption since this may attract attention from the airlines and pulling this in the future.

Isn't this the point of flyertalk where folks can share "good deals"? I've learned a lot from flyertalk due to people who are willing to share and kind of seems like this is giving back.

Thoughts?

note: mods please move if there's a more appropriate place for this.

uiucsb

I hope the following question will be helpful to others making these sorts of reservations - specifically, multiple overnight layovers (stops less than 24 hours). Should one trust the airlines/airports to keep your bag safe overnight and put on the correct flight the next day? Does anyone short check for all of their overnight layovers? Layovers for certain criteria? Certain airlines? Certain airports? Comments?

tommyleo

I was about to ask the same question, as I have an award booking with an overnight layover in BKK! I look forward to some informed opinions.

junglejuceFT

I am not sure if it's a good thing to do, but I did it in Korea for a 20hr layover to SFO. And I lost my luggage ticket which they asked for when I was checking in, but they were able to find my bag within a few minutes on the walky talky. This was on Asiana Airlines, transfer to United Airlines...

vysean

I wouldn't worry about it. It's published in their award chart and has been that way for quite a while now. If they cared or if it was costing them any appreciable amount of money I have no doubt it would have been removed.

Please feel free to discuss it. As with all things in life, moderation and common sense are key.


Please continue these types of discussions in another thread. This thread is specifically for questions, comments, tips, and tricks related to award redemptions using US miles on *A carriers. Thanks!

ArizonaGuy

I agree with vysean. Clearly there aren't that many North Asia region only awards originating to or from MOW. At least not in comparison to the absurd RTW's and other routings many have posted.

If any serious change is to occur, I would expect a split of South America into two regions similar to UA and CO. Fewer miles to the northern / Caribbean countries and the same current requirements for Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

And the reverse side of this of course is that travel ex Europe to Moscow is 60K on US rather than 30K on any other star alliance carrier. So swings and round-a-bouts.

travelkid

One of my absolute first posts on FT was this question; Bragging vs sharing of info. Vysean is making it clear, common sense and moderation.
Ive seen several opportunites on awards been shut down, and people on FT gotten annoyed, because too many have been too loud. I really dont expect anyone in US to read this long thread (but you never know), but it might be more of a problem if people start calling US referring to FT that this and that is legal (possibly harming even reservation made?).
I definately suspect that many of the superbest deals (normally twisting the rules) are not posted here if they dont have an expiry date. Probably in a more closed circle.
In this example it could be moderation pointing out that Northasia to Northasia is 40K in F- you figure the rest and if so, give it a try, without pushing it, with the hang up try again YMMV.

chewy3

I have ticketed a reservation with a stopover in NRT (final destination HKG) and it was 40k miles. It wasn't too difficult to do either so it definitely IS possible.

Surgee

Just to be sure, have you confirmed with all the other carriers? In particular with LX for that ZRH-PVG segment?

Surgee

Just ticketed, departing in less than 3 weeks, 140,000 miles + ~$250 taxes and fees

JFK-GVA - LX F
GVA-ZRH - LX C (stop ~9 days)
ZRH-BKK - LX F (10 hours spa)
BKK-SYD - TG F (dest - 2 weeks)
SYD-PVG - CA C (2 cabin) (Stop 3 weeks)
PVG-ZRH - LX F (overnight)
ZRH-GVA - LX C
GVA-JFK - LX F

I have not looked carefully enough, but believe I will have the new LX F suites on at least 1-2 of those 4 long LX flights

Issues/Notes:
-Obviously, 2 stopovers was not going to come easily. I argued several times and pointed them to the rules. I had originally pieced together SYD-AKL-KIX-PVG (NZ - C, NZ - C, CA - C) to get to PVG and when they said they would allow stops they decided to use the excuses that going via AKL and KIX wasn't most direct routing (fair enough) and that 8 segments was the max (I had 10). I then realized CA flew direct SYD-PVG the next day, so I grabbed that. This should solve their issues right? (In hindsight, I would prefer this anyway. The AKL-KIX routing was only because I had to get creative to find availability) Regardless, they still wouldn't budge. This was 90+ minutes at this point, and I asked them to just leave it as is for now. I tried again same night, but the rate desk or someone said "I had already been informed this wasn't valid" and there was no budging. I left as is again, and CA canceled the record because it wasn't ticketed. When I called back, I got an agent who explained CA had canceled it and she was happy to put it back together for me (same PNR). I told her I wanted to hold it and to please not put the CA segment in, I will do that later when I want to ticket. No pricing, etc. I just wanted to make sure I could hold the segments (LX F TATL in less than 3 weeks!)

-Called back this morning, asked an agent to add the segment. She said no stopovers, but I directed her to the rules on the website. She agreed but said she would need to ask a supervisor. Supervisor came back and claimed "the website is wrong.... BUT they would agree to honor it as a one time exception" ( ... ). I graciously and said thank you, I truly appreciate. Rates had to manually price, which took ~30 minutes.
-Took a while after I hung up, but now showing ticketed with the T&F and under my US airways online profile.
-Still need to confirm with LX, TG, and CA. Cannot pull it up on their websites (not unusual)

-Update: fully confirmed with all carriers

I will soon cancel this beautiful bad boy ticketed back in March for almost identical dates before the "per direction" stopover rule was clearly stated online. (Was 140,000 miles + ~$225 in taxes and fees):

EWR-FRA - LH F (stop 10 days)
FRA-BKK - LH F (10 hours spa)
BKK-SYD - TG F (dest 2 weeks)
SYD-BKK - TG F (stop 3 weeks)
BKK-FRA - TG F (overnight)
FRA-JFK - LH F

I have no issue transiting BKK as I do on my new ticket, but given the issues in BKK, I decided I would save a stopover in BKK and the LH FCT for another time. I'm also very excited about my first trip to mainland China and I will make it to the World's Fair which I was otherwise going to miss! (Hat tip, TrackItBack).

Now onto getting a Visa for PVG!

goliath

You can only get the new LX F on the shorter JFK-GVA and GVA-JKF flights - but you won't find much difference to the "old" LX F on the longer flights ZRH-BKK and PVG-ZRH, the bed is pretty much identical. Enjoy! ^

travelkid

Checked only US, but after your question I checked LX and all looks good there. Thanks.