Three Vacations on Two Awards: Free Oneways

Three Vacations on Two Awards: Free

Oneways

Scott GrimmerMileValue.com

Zero Miles: Hawaii in a Bed

Zero Miles: Being a Good Son

Zero Miles: Party, err.. Tennis, in Vegas

Zero Miles: Anywhere in South America. In Business.

What is a Free Oneway?● The addition to an award of a oneway trip to or

from your home airport, separated in time from the main award, that does not increase the miles price of the award.

What is a Free Oneway?

● The addition to an award of a oneway trip to or from your home airport, separated in time from the main award, that does not increase the miles price of the award.

● LAX-DFW-TPA was an addition to my main award, returning home to Los Angeles from Melbourne.


● The addition to an award of a oneway trip to or from your home airport that does not increase the miles price of the award.

● LAX-DFW-TPA is a oneway trip. I'll return home with a oneway cash ticket or award.


● The addition to an award of a oneway trip to or from your home airport, separated in time from the main award, that does not increase the miles price of the award.

● LAX is my home airport. A oneway from my home airport is half my next trip.


● The addition to an award of a oneway trip to or from your home airport,

separated in time from the main award, that does not increase the miles price of the award.

● The main award—MEL-LAX—is January 23. The free oneway is February 7.

What is a Free Oneway?● The addition to an award of a oneway trip to or from your home airport,

separated in time from the main award, that does not increase the miles price of the award.

● American, like all the legacy carriers, has a region based chart.

● North America is the destination region whether I end in LAX or TPA.

● The award is 62,500 miles in biz either way.

Key Concept 1: Stopover at Home Airport

● Free oneways rely on a stopover at your home airport.

● One trip...stop at home until the next trip (days, weeks, months)...next trip


● If you live in Vegas, you can fly LAS-HNL-SYD on Hawaiian Airlines on an AA award.


● My brother lives in Honolulu, so the same flights create a free oneway from Vegas before his main award to Australia.

Key Concept 2: Stopover + Open Jaw = Free Oneway

● If an airline offers a stopover and an open jaw, you can combine them into a free oneway.

● Take the stopover at your home airport.● The open jaw naturally arises from the

mismatch of your origin and your free oneway destination.

Key Concept 2: Stopover + Open Jaw = Free Oneway

● Chicago to Frankfurt (destination)● Frankfurt to Chicago (stopover at home)● Chicago to San Francisco (free oneway)● The award starts in Chicago and ends in San

Francisco—that's an open jaw.

Key Concept 3: There is no such thing as a free oneway ;)

● We see free oneways; airlines don't.● Your free oneway is part of your outbound or

your return.● This matters for boring things like MPM and

fun things like whether you can fly first class or are stuck in business.

Key Concept 4: Different Airlines, Different Rules

● There are a few universal free oneway rules, but most are airline specific.

● Each airline has its own award rules, and awards with free oneways have to follow all the general rules.

Uniform Rules● All normal award rules apply● All award travel complete within one year of

booking.● Before/To or After/From (Key Concept 3)● Same cabin as the rest of its direction (Key

Concept 3)● Oneway, so look into United/American/Avios

awards for the other way● Partners are fine● http://milevalue.com/introduction-to-free-oneways/

Free Oneways on American Airlines Awards

● To/From Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Canada, Alaska, Bermuda, Bahamas, continental USA

● The only free oneways on oneways● Great for folks at airports with international

oneworld flights● Great and terrible routing rules● Incredibly easy to book online or by phone


Where You Can Go with the Free Oneway

● Your free oneway can go anywhere within AA's definition of North America.

● To/From Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Canada, Alaska, Bermuda, Bahamas, continental USA


Free Oneway on a Oneway Award

● The only oneway awards onto which you can add free oneways are American Airlines oneway awards.

● US and Delta price all awards as roundtrips● United doesn't allow stopovers on oneway

awards● Two free oneways per AA roundtrip!


North American International Gateway City● Stopovers are only permitted on AA awards at

the North American International Gateway City● Last airport in North America when leaving

North America● First airport in North America when entering

North America● You must live at a North American

International Gateway City to get a free oneway


● North American International Gateway City


North American International Gateway City


North American International Gateway City

● List of NA Int'l Gateways● If you don't live at one, get there with Avios,

and get cheap oneways a la Almost Free Oneways from Almost Anywhere

http://milevalue.com/a-list-of-all-possible-international-gateway-cities-when-using-aadvantage-miles/

http://milevalue.com/almost-free-oneways/


Routing Rules

● MPM + 25% (Key Concept 3)● Overwater carrier must publish fare (Key

Concept 3)● Cannot transit third region unless explicitly

allowed● Five Cardinal Rules of AA Awards● How to use ExpertFlyer.com

http://milevalue.com/the-five-cardinal-rules-of-american-airlines-awards/

http://milevalue.com/free-first-class-next-month-using-expertflyer-com/


Booking Online

● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDGdWMl6Fqw&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDGdWMl6Fqw&feature=plcp


Booking by Phone● American, Alaska, Hawaiian, airberlin, Finnair,

British Airways, Qantas are bookable online● If you want to book anything else, you have to

call 800-882-8880 and pay $25 per ticket to book with an agent

Free Oneways on United Awards● Great for everyone—including people at regional

airports!

● Free oneways to/from continental US, Canada, and Alaska

● Cheap oneways to/from Hawaii, South America, and others

● One free stopover per roundtrip international award

● Unique to United: One free stopover per Hawaii award

● You must route in a way that pleases the united.com computer. Exact routing rules are completely unknown. See I Don’t Know United’s Award Rules.

http://milevalue.com/i-dont-know-uniteds-award-rules/

Free Oneways on United Awards

United's Free Oneway Region

● Completely free oneways are available within the domestic US, Canada, and Alaska

● Other free oneways may be available like to/from Hawaii on a first class award to Europe


● Figuring Out How Much a Oneway Costs

● Figure out how much it costs to fly each way (Key Concept 3) at the Interactive Award Chart

● The premium over a roundtrip from your home airport is the cost of the onewayUnited Interactive Award Chart

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/apps/mileageplus/awards/travel/awardTravel.aspx


● United Routing Rules

● No MPM restrictions (Key Concept 4)● No restrictions on which continents you can

route through (Key Concept 4)● No stopovers on oneways● One stopover and two open jaws per roundtrip.

We need 1 + 1 for free oneway.


● Unique to United: Awards to Hawaii get a free stopover and 2 free open jaws (Key Concept 2)


● No one knows the exact routing rules● We do know they are generous● Asia via Europe, Australia via Asia● Good luck arguing● Stopover can be anywhere


● Error screens● Multi-city dearth of options● Never pay a phone fee


Booking Online● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aj4k4AF5x4&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aj4k4AF5x4&feature=plcp

Free Oneways on Delta Awards

● Free oneways to/from continental US, Alaska, and Canada

● Free stopover and free open jaw on all awards—domestic too!

● One free oneway per roundtrip (Key Concept 2)

● Main award must be true roundtrip (no open jaw)

● Great for domestic travelers at Delta hubs


Domestic Routing Rules

● Must route the way paid tickets route● That means you basically have to take

stopovers at hubs


International Routing Rules

● MPM


Booking Online

● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM0mObdoXDc&feature=plcp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM0mObdoXDc&feature=plcp

Free Oneways on US Airways Awards

● US Airways international awards get one stopover OR one open jaw.

● Free oneways are impossible... (Key Concept 2)


● ...unless you are a mad scientist.● Free oneways require a stopover at your home

airport (Key Concept 1)● But we can get around a free oneway needing

one stopover plus one open jaw (Key Concept 2)

● Dummy legs


● Honolulu to Chicago (Stopover) ← Free oneway● Chicago to Frankfurt (destination)● Frankfurt to Chicago (destination)● That has a stopover and an open jaw, so it's illegal.


● Honolulu to Chicago (Stopover) ← Free oneway● Chicago to Frankfurt (destination)● Frankfurt to Chicago (destination)● ...within 24 hours...● Chicago to Honolulu (unflown dummy legs)● One stopover, zero open jaws


Routing Rules*● Eight Segments*● Stopover only at Star Alliance* ● MPM*

*Denotes a rule not consistently enforced


How US Airways Awards are Priced

● “Frankfurt... that's in... Germany... Europe... business... 100,000”

● Feel free to help out in case the agent forgets Auckland is in New Jersey or Singapore is in China


Dummy Legs

● Must be last, so free oneway must be before main award

● Must be within 24 hours● Must avoid checking bags through—use

customs, next day flights


How to Book● Search United.com segment-by-segment● Call 800-622-1015


World's Best Award Chart


How to Book One

● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJvhLNcqVZ0&feature=plcp

Three Vacations, Two Awards

Three Vacations, Two Awards

● Three vacations within one year● Line up free oneways● 100k US + 80k United + taxes = 3 continents,

25 hrs in flying beds

Further Reading

● Introduction to Free Oneways

● Master Thread: Free Oneways on American Airlines Awards

● Master Thread: Free Oneways on United Awards

● Master Thread: Free Oneways on US Airways Awards

● Master Thread: Free Oneways on Delta Awards

● Comparison of Free Oneway Possibilities on Legacy Carriers

● Three Vacations on Two Awards

● Free Circle Trips on Awards

● Almost Free Oneways on American Airlines Awards

http://milevalue.com/introduction-to-free-oneways/

Three Vacations on Two Awards: Free Oneways

Documents

Transcript of Three Vacations on Two Awards: Free Oneways