pjs91015

So is it possible to go USA-Australia via Europe on a DM ticket? I have seen that it is not allowed by US, but that you can sometimes get lucky on agent roulette. Is that the latest?

johnep1

This is US we're talking about, so asking if something is possible isn't the right question. I'm sure someone has been able to get US-Europe-Australia before, so you just need to call (maybe a dozen times) and ask. Since you're CP, ticket immediately if you find someone willing to do this. Never put a crazy routing on hold because you'll have to play roulette again when you call to ticket.

I'm not sure what triggers a call to the rate desk. I had an award that combined US, LX,TK, LH, and UA and that required a call to calculate taxes. But my most recent ticket just involved LH and TG and the agent who helped me with the booking calculated taxes on her own. Calls to the rate desk are bad, so you might consider first trying to ticket something like IAD/CLT/JFK/ORD-Europe-Australia using a combo of just two airlines like LH and TG. that might improve the odds that the agent can price the ticket. Once you get the award issued, you can call back and make free changes (add on the intra-US flights and maybe improve the routing/airline mix) since you're CP.

pjs91015

This is the first time I had tried to do one of these complex miles tickets and trying to find F. I am looking to get to SYD next Dec-Jan and I am flying out of SCE. So reading through the thread it looks like my order of business should be:
1) Find long legs that have F availability with multiple origination (JFK, IAD, ORD) and through different hubs (ICN, NRT, BKK) - I am using the ANA tool
2) Choose a stopover that I want to stay a couple of days
3) Call and book it, using long sell if necessary
4) Call back and add on US legs required

Does that sound right?

johnep1

That's what I would try. I guess one could get SCE-ORD/IAD-FRA-BKK-SYD using just UA and TG, so that might avoid the rate desk. But I'm not sure what causes a booking to get sent to the rate desk, though my belief is that the more complex the booking (multiple airlines counts), the higher the chance that the rate desk needs to get involved.

You might try finding an agent who can/will do everything you want, but it all will go out the window if they have to call for taxes and the rate desk doesn't allow the routing.

And for your step #3, when you say "book it" I hope you mean ticket it. Just putting it on hold will only give the agent the next time you call the opportunity to question the routing.

johndeere19

LH 380 F US award isn't possible unless you get lucky and have equipment swapped (like I did )

londonienne

Looked through the past few weeks of post, but didn't see the response to this question -- excuses in advance if it's there:

Has anyone been able to book a US (West Coast) - Asia (destination) - Europe (stopover) - US trip as of late? I did this almost a year ago and it was great fun, but I've heard that they've cracked down on this practice and you now need to do US-Europe-Asia (destination)-Europe-US (without crossing both oceans..) Thanks for any guidance!!

ghostboy

I've just ticketed:

CLD-LAX (UA Y)
LAX-ICN (OZ F)
ICN-HKG (OZ C) - stop-over
HKG-BKK (TG C)
BKK-MUC (TG F)
MUC-FRA (LH C) - stop-over
FRA-SFO (LH C)
SFO-SAN (UA F)

Note: the stop-overs were not me stating to the agent I wanted to stay overnight in either HKG or FRA, I just mapped out an itinerary (using the help from other folks's itineraries on this thread) to build out the max. # of miles/segments for 160k miles.

So, I suspect had I wanted to stay in either HKG or FRA for > 24hrs, my plan would have come unstuck - one of the more seasoned FT'ers on this thread would understand the rules better to confirm my assumption.

Cheers.

nabeelj

Just called US 3 times to get my wife's single coach segment (YUL-YYZ) changed to business (availability opened up) on an otherwise all-business reward (YYZ-YUL-ZRH-DAR-ZRH-YUL-YYZ). All 3 times, the agents insisted I would have to pay a $150 change fee.

Ugh.

eponymous_coward

I just changed an intinerary (HKG destination, FRA stopover) without the CSA ordering me to reticket it.

That being said, the DM membership guide says:

The thing is, though, that I believe travel to Asia is allowed via Europe. It's a subtle distinction, but I think what that means is that if Europe is your furthest point of travel from your origin, you are not allowed to transit Asia- you must have an Asia destination. Example: You start out in SEA, and want FRA and NRT; but since FRA in this case is the destination as the farthest point from origin, NRT is the stopover, so this travel isn't allowed. But if it was SEA, destination BKK with FRA stopover, that would be allowed, since BKK is the farthest point from origin.

That would be why US was indifferent to me returning HKG-ZRH-FRA(stop)-SEA instead of forcing me to something like HKG-ICN(stop)-SFO-SEA.

That being said, it could be US just being random, or allowing a previously ticketed itinerary to stand.

People who know more than I do are welcome to correct me on this, though.

rsydney

Hello. Do anyone know if this is an illegal routing? I was able to book this a few months ago and now US Airways is saying it is illegal. It shows up on Aeroplan as a valid route. Sometimes I don't know if the agent know what they are talking. Can you guys tell me your experience..

DUB - FRA - BKK - MNL
MNL - PEK - MUC - FRA - AMS

OR

AMS - FRA - BKK - MNL
MNL - PEK - MUC - FRA - AMS

travelblond

Can I ask why you would want 2 x 24 hour stop-overs?
I get confused with these RTW tickets. If you are allowed 1 destination and 1 stop-over, why add all the other flights?
I booked recently at NRT-MUC (F) stop-over, MUC-YYZ (C) destination and YYZ-NRT (C) -- I don't think they would let me add anymore...

ghostboy

I didn't ask or specifically request the stop-over; I have 9hrs in HKG & 11 hrs in FRA.

johnep1

#1 is an open jaw but should be allowed if you don't have a stopover
#2 should be fine

How many times did you call US? If just once, you need to keep trying. What reason did they give as to why the routing isn't allowed?

johnep1

You also didn't receive a stopover. Each stop is less than 24 hours, so is just a connection. No different than a 2 hour connection.

Air Rarotonga

A stopover occurs, if you break your travel for more than 24 hrs. It always was defined like that. Everything under this limit is not considered as a stopover.

They introduced a few years ago a limitation for stopovers in the US (and Canada?). There, a stopover occurs, if you break your travel for more than 4 hrs, at least for domestic travel ..