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This seems so silly re: AA miles!!
Okay airline gurus- please bear with me. I have a flight booked this June using award miles- Dallas to Amsterdam and then Munich back to Dallas. We fly DFW to Chicago to Zurich to A'dam. Our return flight is as follows- Munich to Madrid to JFK back to DFW. (The Madrid part is just a layover) So we have an open jaw ticket in Europe.
Here's the deal- I have to be in Cincinatti, OH the day before we leave for Europe for a wedding. I wanted to start my trip in CVG, but it was not possible bc, according to AA, since I already have one open jaw, I must start and stop my trip in the same city (Dallas). So I've looked online for flights using award miles (the one way tickets are running over $360) The ONLY flight that will get me back to DFW in time takes me through Chicago!! That just seems so silly, that I have to fly from CVG through Chicago to Dallas and get on a flight right back to Chicago so I don't miss my first leg. I have spoken with AA and they say there is nothing they can do. I was hoping to find out some info here. That just seems like such a massive waste of time!! Thanks for any and all advice! PS- if you followed this all the way through, you deserve a prize :) |
rent a car and drive one hour north to the convenient dayton airport and fly airtran for 140 dollars at 6 a.m non stop (i think).
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It may seem silly, but unfortunately they get to make the strange rules.
You might get a better response on www.flyertalk.com Click on miles and points and then find the AA board. |
Those are award rules, which cannot be bent at will, or at somebody's convenience.
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How are you getting to Cincinatti in the first place? Wouldn't a round trip ticket be more convenient?
Otherwise, the Airtran idea from Dayton is the winner. |
this is why arilines are in so much trouble....they have no common sense!!!
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If everyone asks to change it to suit his/her needs, just imagine the chaos it would create.
Think about it from a business standpoint, and with airlines in particular, the logistics. It is much easy to critize the airlines about common sense, but much much harder, and different, if you are the one who is responsible for the smooth operation of hundreds flights a day just for one single airline ... |
Exactly, the rules are there for a reason. On occasion there may be a scenario that the rule makers didn't think of, but at the end of the day, the same rule saves more money for the airline then it looses.
BTW, the OP got a very nice suggestion on www.flyertalk.com. It should save her a great deal of flying. |
out of curiosity.. tried to find those suggestions and i have no idea how to access her thread. any help possible?
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DH is a pilot with Delta, so I can very easily non-rev to CVG.. there are several flights a day and I will have all day to get there. Non-reving back to DFW was a bit risky because I have a flight to catch. Now it is impossible because the 6:45 am flight Delta had is now gone. So really, AA is my only option. I could look into Air Tran, but the thought of making the drive to Dayton doesn't sound fun at all- I'm sure I'll be feeling the effects from the wedding the night before.
Using the milies doesn't bother me (25,000) it just seems like such a waste of time!! I'd rather use the miles and just stay in Chicago. Maybe once I arrive at the airport, I might be able to "sweet talk" an agent... I haven't been able to check flyertalk.com at work- it's blocked here. |
The comment on FlyerTalk about being allowed a stop over at gateway city, I thought did NOT apply to coach tickets on award travel, but I could be wrong. Are your Europe tickets coach or business?
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Our Europe tickets are business (First in the US). Swiss Air and Iberia do not have Fist class, only biz.
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Swiss does have first class.
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Ah, then what about that idea of changing your departure date from DFW and doing a stopover in Chicago for two days or whatever and go to the wedding from Chicago then pick up your flight as planned in Chicago after the round trip to Cincinatti? AA allows you to change the date without a charge if your itinerary stays the same. Will they allow this gateway stopover?
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That's exactly what was suggested on Flyertalk, and yes AA will allow a stopover even with an economy ticket.
All the OP has to do is get a cheap R/T ticket ORD-CVG. |
Yea, that's what I was referring to, AAFrequentFlyer. I had the impression that maybe that idea was being ignored because I was unaware you could do that on an economy ticket. It sure is the best deal, unless the poster purchased coach tickets and is only upgrading to business. Not sure if they'll let them change the departure date in that case.
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Has anybody looked at the cost of an ORD-CVG-ORD RT with a short turnaround? I'm seeing $340+. Of course if the OP can nonrev on DL, then the marginal price is zero.
Since Airtran from DAY to DFW is $115 plus tax, (granted with a stop in BWI or someplace) I make it that the rental car (for the drive from Cincinatti to Dayton airport) would have to come in at something like $200 before the ORD-CVG deal pencils. Or is my math wrong? |
I believe the OP clearly stated that this was an award ticket. :-)
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Alright AAFrequentFlyer- totally not fair. The plane we are taking from Chicago to Zurich does not have first class, only biz class. How dare you tease me with an ottoman and table for two!! :D
In order to avoid spending any money at all, I am just going to book a RT trip ticket- I didn't realized that one way and RT are both 25,000 miles. I might as well not worry about non-reving if i don't have to. Then I'll hope to speak with a very nice agent in Chicago... If it doesn't work out, fine, that's just a few more hours on a plane and I'll have first to look forward to on my return trip to Chicago (although, really, it will be the Bloody Mary I'll be looking forward to) Thanks for your help! |
Have fun at the wedding and a wonderful trip! :-D
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I'm still curious. Did you call AA to see if you could depart a day or two earlier and do the stopover in Chicago, saving you that extra round trip and a whole lot of aggravation?
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Neopolitan- I'm a bit confused... Let me give you some dates- we leave for Europe June 11- June 26
The wedding in in CVG on June 10 and I was going to fly in June 9th. So on June 11 I've got to get from CVG to DFW by about 11 am. I can give AA a call... I'm just not sure what to ask them :) I promise I'm a smart person- I'm around 4th graders all day, so maybe my brian isn't working as well!! |
You change your award to the following (if there is availibility):
DFW-ORD June 9 ORD-ZRH June 11, maybe consider the 12th as it would give you some room in case of some complications. Return stays the same You buy a separate ticket, non-rev or rent a car from Chicago to Cincinnati for the wedding. It will save you some unnecessary flying through DFW after the wedding, and you could be the sweetest and nicest person with the saddest eyes and the nicest smile, but I doubt that the AA TAs or GAs will let you skip the ORD-DFW-ORD part of your itns. BTW, if you were to be in DFW on the 13th of June, morning (for whatever reason) you and your husband will be my guests at the Admirals Club. :-D |
I'm trying hard not to kid you about your "brian" not working, (LOL) but AAFF has explained it. All you really need to do is to try to change the first leg of your European trip (DFW to ORD) for two days earlier. As long as there is availability this should not be a problem. Then you need a round trip ticket from ORD to CVG. You get to Chicago, take your round trip to Cincinatti for the wedding, fly back to Chicago and meet your flight to Europe as planned. All the rest of your European ticketing remains the same. The only reason this wouldn't work is if there is no FF availability on flights to Chicago two days earlier than you are booked.
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There is always the alternative transportation between Chicago and Cincinatti - www.megabus.com
For less than $20 R/T you can travel on a luxury bus between the 2 cities. It's a non-stop bus, so none of the Greyhound prison stops along the way. :-D I'm not sure how the schedules would work for you. |
I would not risk drop the segment of DFW-ORD - If you drop any segment on your award ticket, all your forward reservations on that ticket will be automatically cancelled by the system. I dont think you want to see that happen.
Hard to believe as it is, almost all award tickets cost the same whether you book one-way or R/T. AAFrequentFlyer really did a good job by laying it all out for you. I guess for us who dont have access to family passes we learn the system pretty well ... but for you who can always fly nonrev, there is no need to understand the intricacy of the system ... :-) |
nho, I hope you're talking only about not dropping the DFW - ORD segment on the spot at the time of flight, and not changing it in advance. You can certainly change that one segment in advance without messing up the rest of the flight.
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UPDATE!!!
There was really no way to switch my tickets around and still fly with my mom to and from Europe. So I just got on and was about to book the flight that would take me through ORD & one more flight popped up- a direct flight from CVG to DFW- it leaves at 6:00am vs. 6:45am, but no layover at ORD- it's direct! I just hope I'm conservative about my drinking at the wedding Saturday night... hungover + American Eagle is never fun :) Plus, once I arrive at DFW, I'll have a 3 hour layover. Since I'm flying 1st to ORD, won't I be able to use Admirals Club? If anything, just for a nice place to sit ? Thanks! |
one small update- I tried to get a round trip ticket from CVG to ORD but the only flight I could haven taken was at 6:45 am- we don't leave for Zurich until 5:30 pm- so no real time saved there.
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To be honest with you, I'm very confused as to what the final itn looks like now for you, your mom or whoever else is flying with you. :-D
I lost you somewhere....... If you just want to post the exact itn, dates and class of service I will be able to tell you what clubs you will/will not be able to use. Admiral's Clubs are more than just a nice place to sit. Showers, free internet, bars/limited menu for purchase, tvs, quiet rooms, etc.... If you are really flying in F on the international segment (again, I can't tell from your last post), then Flagship Lounge at ORD is available to you as well. Very nice first class lounge with free open bar and free light food. |
AAFFlyer- our itinerary stayed the same- I just purchased (with miles) a RT DFW-CVG ticket. I found a direct flight home, so I do not have to go through ORD. I land at 7:30 am and begin our looooong trip to Europe around 11:00 am. My DH will take home my "wedding" gear as he is not going to Europe this trip! Any assistance you could give re: Admiral's Clubs would be great.
Going over: DFW-ORD (first class) ORD-Zurich- Biz class on Swiss Air (no first on the plane we are flying) Zurich-AMS- (first class) Returning home MUC-Madrid on Iberia- First class Madrid-JFK- Biz class (first not available) JFK to DFW- first Okay- I just tried to copy it from the website- we'll see how it comes out. AMERICAN AIRLINES 668 DFW 06/11/2006 11:52 AM ORD Chicago 06/11/2006 02:30 PM First SWISS 9 ORD Chicago 06/11/2006 07:25 PM ZRH Zurich 06/12/2006 10:55 AM Business SWISS OPERATED BY /SWISS EUROPEAN AIR LINES 728 ZRH Zurich 06/12/2006 12:25 PM AMS Amsterdam 06/12/2006 02:10 PM Business IBERIA 3537 MUC Munich 06/26/2006 08:00 AM MAD Madrid 06/26/2006 10:35 AM Business IBERIA 6251 MAD Madrid 06/26/2006 01:00 PM JFK New York 06/26/2006 03:10 PM Business AMERICAN AIRLINES 1389 JFK New York 06/26/2006 06:09 PM DFW Dallas/ Fort Worth 06/26/2006 09:09 PM First So... do we get the great first class lounge in ORD? That would be so great! What about whem I'm in DFW- will I get to use the lounge as well? Thanks for your help! I have used AC in Hong Kong- I swear to this day is was the best shower I have ever taken. The DFW lounge didn't seem to be so great... maybe it is in the new terminal... |
If you do not have AA or OW mid or top status, here is the bad news :-(
If the AC agents at DFW go by the rules, and the usually do, you will not be able to use any of the Admirals clubs there before your flight to Europe. I would still try, be humble, but whatever you do, don't demand or expect it. Good luck with that one. ORD - (good news :-)) you will be able to use the Swiss lounge in terminal 5 - no problems there, but once again, without mid and top level status, no ACs or Flagship lounge. ZRH - access to either one of the Swiss lounges - no problems. For your return: Iberia will/should give you an invite to their's or whatever lounge they use in MUC, unless they don't have one or don't contract out. It happens with smaller ops. Don't know for sure, but make sure you ask during check in. MAD - Access to Iberia's lounge, no problem. JFK - no lounge access. VERY IMPORTANT - the above apply only if you don't have AA Platinum or Executive Platinum status or OW equivalent in which case you will have access, Plat=AC, Exec Plat=Flagship lounge. Gold status does not get access to clubs regardless. Your separate domestic F ticket does not get access to ACs unless it's a non-stop transcon. (i.e.JFK-LAX, BOS-SFO, etc.) BTW - there is no Admirals Club in HKG. :-) I was talking about Cathay Pacific's fabulous Wing and Pier lounges. Maybe that's what you meant? You can always get a daypass to AC, but IMHO it would not be worth it. It's $50 for 1 or $75 for 2, and paying that kind of money just to use 1 lounge for couple of hours is somewhat steep. Of course you would be able to use the ORD AC as well on the outbound, but since you have free access to the Swiss lounge then why bother? I hope this all makes sense. If you have any more or specific questions, post. Good luck and have a great trip! |
My mom does have Plat status, though she gets all her miles by CC charges- does that matter? I know she was "denied" entry to AC at DFW, so she bought day passes for her and my father ($75). Once she got in, she found out the drinks were not free, so she walked out and requested her money back (or miles back in her account- I can't remember) She's a character!!
But if she's platinum level, shouldn't we be allowed in? Could she get in w/out me? I hope not! I would much rather sit in the AC while I wait for my flight... Thank you very much- you've been so helpful :) |
One can't get status with CC miles. Only flying miles/points count.
If she does have AA Platinum status and <b>NOT AA Citibank Platinum charge card(it's not the same)</b>, then you both will get access to all the business clubs along the way, but no first class lounge. |
a tiny correction:
One can get Gold or Platinum status with CC miles, but it has to be 1 million lifetime miles for Gold and 2 million lifetime miles for Platinum. |
Regarding admission to the Admiral's Club in Dallas -- isn't that an automatic pass given to anyone flying an international flight in Business Class? I know whenever I'm flying Business class to Europe from Miami they hand me a pass to the Admiral's Club, which I decline since I'm already a member.
Or is the flight from Dallas not considered part of the "international" itinerary? |
Hmmm- when I log in on her AA account, it says Platinum Member- trust me, she does a lot of charging (business related). When she called Citibank, they told her she had the highest monthy limit they'd even seen- LOL! And she pays it off twice a month- the perks of owning your own company, I guess.
I know she hasn't earned the miles by flying, she earned them by "buying"- I wonder if I have any hope at DFW.... |
It would be, but the OP is not flying international AA. She is flying Swiss and AA domestic only, and since Swiss is not OW, no club access.
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