Alphaguy

I see, an open jaw on the departure and return rather than in Europe... interesting since I didn't realize the definition applied to that as well. My mistake.

I am actually in BOS, but my wife will go to her parents in PHL with the baby for the week. Long story short, I want to make sure she has family around while I'm gone.

I wonder if I can work a stopover into this and take an open jaw, so I can mix things up a bit.. I've been to PRG before and it doesn't warrant a whole week for me in winter....

Jumpgate

They normally let you know an open jaw OR a stopover. Not both. Though, as always, it depends on your agent.

Also, it's only a stopover if the flight leaves 24 or more hours after the previous one arrives. Otherwise it's your basic layover. If all you're looking for is a day tour or a night out in a city, you can try to hammer it into a layover instead of stopover.

AZ Travels the World

That will be hard to do if you want the stop over in the Czech Republic, as (officially anyway) in order to do a stop-over, you have to fly into a Star Alliance carrier's hub on that carrier and there is no Star carrier with a hub in that country. Of course, this thread is devoted to that subject and the exceptions people have had made and/or ignorance of agents on this rule.

So, if you want to do it by the book, look at the Star Alliance carriers on the Star website, where the hubs are listed, and choose one of those cities. Of course, you then also have to find award availability on the hub carrier's flight into that city.

But all of this is what makes this game fun.

Alphaguy

Comment below, but question as well....

Can anyone refresh my memory... Does a PLT pay the fees for ticketing an award $50 Europe... $30 to call in or do I have to spend like mad on my MC to get the fees waived prior to tickets.. i'm at 19K now!

I guess, I was thinking of a stopover in KRK or MUC, so I'd have to arrive on Lot or LH, if I recall the rules properly. Yep... Czech Airways is a Sky Team as I recall. I'll see what I can whip up and then post it here.... Lot might be tough, but then again... we all learn some great tips here!

marc_wue

Hi all,

I want to get an award ticket for this routing:

1. FRA-MIA, stop-over in MIA
2. FLL-PHX, stop-over in PHX
3. PHX-LAX-FRA

I guess this won't work, since MIA isn't a *A-hub, and I want to continue out of FLL, but not out of MIA.

Would this alternative scenario work, as an open-jaw ticket?

Leg 1: FRA-MIA, stop-over in MIA
Leg 2. FLL-PHX-LAX-FRA with a stop-over in PHX?

Any advise?
Thanks!

Jumpgate

The official rule is you can only have one stopover OR an open jaw. Not a stopover in each direction AND and open jaw.

One of the easier rule to get around is the "stop over must be in a *A hub rule" ... so it depends on which agent you get. Even if they skirt this rule, arriving in MIA and departing from FLL may make it more complicated.

Your best bet is to do FRA-MIA and PHX-FRA as an open jaw, and get a cheap ticket on Southwest to get between FLL and PHX.

gottaluvNW

I recently spent hours on several phone calls to book a *A award. What was clear was that each agent had their own interpretation of rules OR did not necessarily investigate into the detailed rules (perhaps out of sheer laziness.)

I managed to get a ticket with both a stopover (outbound) and then an open jaw as well. Exactly what I wanted...!

MikeLaw

CDG meets the "US Airways international destination" criteria, so it doesn't have to be a hub.

gleff

Ok, please validate my understanding and proposed itinerary

* One stopover in each direction permitted
* Stopover must be in a *A hub
* Must arrive at that hub on the carrier operating the hub

(I realize some people skirt at least the second and third)

For US to Asia may travel either via Atlantic or Pacific

Any limit to # of segments?

What I have in mind is:

IAD-JFK (UX Y)
JFK-ZRH (LX F)
ZRH-IST (TK C)

<stopover>

IST-BKK (TK F)
-forced overnight-
BKK-DPS (TG C, destination)

DPS-BKK (TG C)

<stopover>

BKK-LHR (TG F)
LHR-FRA (LH C)
-forced overnight-
FRA-IAD (LH F)

So IAD-DPS via the Atlantic both directions with stopovers in IST (outbound) and BKK (return).

I'm well within MPM for an Atlantic routing (and within MPM on the outbound and only 6 miles over MPM on the return if someone got confused and applied MPM for a Pacific routing to the itinerary, in which case I could swap LHR for MUC and still be fine).

9 segments is fine, yes?

So all in all, this should work, yes? (Award inventory is available on all flights...)

PWMFlyer19

There are more experience people who can comment on this, but there is potential for the following:

1) People have reported problems with getting two stopovers, check back a page or two and you will see some comments about 2009 changes - though not necessarily documented well by US.

2) BKK-LHR-FRA may be wacked because it does not follow the most direct routing rules. You want may have to go BKK-MUC as you suggested.

3) You are quite aware that his totally dependent on who answers the phone on the other end. I hope you have the CP line number and get someone experienced.

Cheers.

UA Fan

Is it US or AC that does not have MPM limits?

gleff

AC will use either a published routing (which may be over MPM) or MPM+5% I believe.

I haven't heard of US using MPM, but I checked my MPM just in case..

What's up with this one vs two stopovers thing?

And what does most direct routing mean in the context of US-Asia? Would connecting BKK-LHR-FRA really not be permitted? (Though as I note, MUC would work just fine, only a slightly less ideal schedule)

freakazoid

See the last pages of this thread, there are conflicting statements on the us site what is/isn't allowed. It's very likely that you'll have to argue quite some to get 2 stopovers.

I think LHR-FRA should be fine, US is rather relaxed when it comes to routing.

Jumpgate

Your itinerary is likely ok - but you'll need a friendly and helpful agent.

You may get some push back on the two stopovers. Technically you are only allowed one.

But, as others have said, your experience varies widely depending on who you talk to at US.

The Mileage Millionaire

I've been wondering about this for a very long time, so I thought I'd finally ask...

Where are MPM published?