Star Alliance- Stopovers and Open Jaw
Sep 26th, 2010, 04:53 AM
#1
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Star Alliance- Stopovers and Open Jaw
I'm based in Houston so that means Continental is my major hub carrier. If I want to book a trip using FF miles and I want to go to Asia but I want to be able to use a stop over and an open jaw so that I can visit several countries here are a few questions.
I will likely need to start with Continental or maybe United given my location. I would like to do say Bangkok and Manila using a stop over and open jaw. That is I fly to LA and then change to maybe Thai airlines for the over the ocean flight (Asian airline service hands down beats the US carriers any day of the week) . I would first stop in Bangkok - use a stop over say for a week and then resume my flight to Manila. Stay for 10 days and then fly back from Manila - either on Thai air or Continental- to Houston probably thru LA again.
Now if I am using several Star Alliance airlines as suggested - do they all have the stop over and open jaw allowances or are these features airline specific? Continental does not fly to Bangkok . Also do I have to book this over the phone with a Continental or United agent as I surmise that this cannot be accomplished on line?
I will likely need to start with Continental or maybe United given my location. I would like to do say Bangkok and Manila using a stop over and open jaw. That is I fly to LA and then change to maybe Thai airlines for the over the ocean flight (Asian airline service hands down beats the US carriers any day of the week) . I would first stop in Bangkok - use a stop over say for a week and then resume my flight to Manila. Stay for 10 days and then fly back from Manila - either on Thai air or Continental- to Houston probably thru LA again.
Now if I am using several Star Alliance airlines as suggested - do they all have the stop over and open jaw allowances or are these features airline specific? Continental does not fly to Bangkok . Also do I have to book this over the phone with a Continental or United agent as I surmise that this cannot be accomplished on line?
Sep 26th, 2010, 07:01 AM
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The rules that apply depend entirely on the FF program that you are using to spend your miles.
The United rules are here: www.united.com/page/article/0,,1141,00.html. The rules say that you can have an open-jaw, and the rules say that you are allowed 1 stopover. In my own experience and in the experience of most people on FlyerTalk, you are allowed a stopover <b>or</b> an open-jaw, but not both. (This is consistent with routing rules for many fares, such as RTW, in which a land segment is considered to be a stopover.)
You can use any combination of Star Alliance airlines to get where you're going, assuming of course that award space is available. If your miles are on United, then you also have to be pass through United's draconian use of Starnet, which limits MP members' access to other airlines' award seats.
The United rules are here: www.united.com/page/article/0,,1141,00.html. The rules say that you can have an open-jaw, and the rules say that you are allowed 1 stopover. In my own experience and in the experience of most people on FlyerTalk, you are allowed a stopover <b>or</b> an open-jaw, but not both. (This is consistent with routing rules for many fares, such as RTW, in which a land segment is considered to be a stopover.)
You can use any combination of Star Alliance airlines to get where you're going, assuming of course that award space is available. If your miles are on United, then you also have to be pass through United's draconian use of Starnet, which limits MP members' access to other airlines' award seats.
Sep 26th, 2010, 09:51 AM
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My ff mles are with Continental - however at some point they will be merging the 2 ff plans and one can only hope that they retain more of the Continental plan than that of United.
Sep 26th, 2010, 11:18 AM
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Your trip will be easier if you redeem your miles before the FF plans merge. CO allows both a stopover and an open-jaw.
Also, just in general, United occupies a lofty position in rizzuto's list of Worst Companies in the Universe (sharing a top spot with OP's neighbor, Dell Computers).
Also, just in general, United occupies a lofty position in rizzuto's list of Worst Companies in the Universe (sharing a top spot with OP's neighbor, Dell Computers).
Sep 27th, 2010, 04:52 PM
#7
No problem. I just checked the Thai website and it offers LAX-BKK-MNL. The star-alliance website didn't show routing from Houston via BKK but travelocity did.
Another place to check is the ANA website for award res.
Another place to check is the ANA website for award res.
