Combining separately booked flights?

[Rebekkap]

Hi peeps, quick question for you - I'm looking at doing a status run to maintain Qantas plat while in the US in May, and looking at flights I'm getting much better prices for individually booked flights than for multi city trips.

Can anyone tell me if I book three separate flights on one day can I call up to have them linked or transferred to a single PNR, and if so will I be able to check luggage through to the final destination?

cheers
rebekka

 

[moa999]

You can call up to have 'information segments' added, and at check-in by providing the various reference numbers the agent 'should' be able to check thru.

But I doubt you will be able to get them on a single PNR and you won't be protected if one i late causing you to miss the next flight.

 

[markis10]

But I doubt you will be able to get them on a single PNR and you won't be protected if one i late causing you to miss the next flight.

You are protected so long as both flights on separate PNRs are AA or One World.

oneworld - Separate Tickets

AA to/from AA or a oneworld® Carrier
If a customer is holding separate tickets on AA or another oneworld carrier, customers holding separate tickets where travel is on oneworld airlines should be treated as through ticketed passengers. In the event of a disruption on the originating ticket, the carrier responsible for the disruption will be required to reroute the customer to their final destination. The ticket stock of the second ticket must be of a oneworld carrier, eligible under the Endorsement Waiver Agreement. You may contact AA Reservations 1-800-433-7300 (U.S. and Canada) or outside the U.S. and Canada, reference Worldwide Reservations Numbers for additional information if the separate ticket is for travel on a oneworld carrier.

 

[Rebekkap]

You are protected so long as both flights on separate PNRs are AA or One World.

oneworld - Separate Tickets

Thanks, great to know - all my flights within the US will be on AA.

 

[Rebekkap]

You can call up to have 'information segments' added, and at check-in by providing the various reference numbers the agent 'should' be able to check thru.

But I doubt you will be able to get them on a single PNR and you won't be protected if one i late causing you to miss the next flight.

As as long as I can have bags checked through, that makes me happy. I'm still debating whether to take a bag or just go with hand luggage, but with a 9 night stay at Disneyworld, I'd rather not be doing laundry every second day. And I want to take a kettle because you never get them in US hotel rooms, only coffee makers.

 

[serfty]

FWIW, have you tried the Multi segment booking option on AA.com?

 

[Rebekkap]

FWIW, have you tried the Multi segment booking option on AA.com?

yes - it's giving me options that are far more expensive than the single segments added together, thus my question! It doesn't seem to give YUP as an option, where single segments do

 

[serfty]

Strange ...

Can you please give an idea of the routes and approx dates - I'd like to check that out.

By PM if you prefer to keep that descrete.

 

[kempvet]

yes - it's giving me options that are far more expensive than the single segments added together, thus my question! It doesn't seem to give YUP as an option, where single segments do

I would be checking the ITA matrix for the cheapest fares on AA, then I would check the AA booking site and not select the price but rather the schedules (select 50 maximum) and then clicking on the exact flights that the ITA matrix has found. Often the price search delivered by the AA site is not the cheapest as it may not have time to include and search all the available combinations that the schedule option can find.

Another hint when using AA website after searching for price after finding the cheapest multicity flights on the matrix ITA is that often something like ORD-SJU may not show the ORD-LGA-MIA-SJU option, you may have to place ORD-LGA and then LGA-SJU. Hope this helps.

 

[TomVexille]

As markis10 said, AA will actually protect you on separate tickets and check bags through.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

You are protected so long as both flights on separate PNRs are AA or One World.

oneworld - Separate Tickets

yes but... if you are taking advantage of Y/KUPP fares then although you may be protected in terms of reaching your final destination... the 'auto upgrade' to F is not guaranteed. You may have to either fly coach or wait until the next service with F is available.

 

[Robbi]

As as long as I can have bags checked through, that makes me happy. I'm still debating whether to take a bag or just go with hand luggage, but with a 9 night stay at Disneyworld, I'd rather not be doing laundry every second day. And I want to take a kettle because you never get them in US hotel rooms, only coffee makers.

Why don't you just buy kettles when there? Then bin them.

 

[Rebekkap]

Why don't you just buy kettles when there? Then bin them.

I don't know if you've ever tried to buy an electric kettle in the US but they're not that common, and I don't fancy spending half my holiday traipsing around looking for one - not to mention the number of times I'd need to do laundry if no suitcase and there for nearly three weeks. Plus that's incredibly wasteful - I don't like throwing things out that are still good that will end up in landfill.

anyway, I've managed to get all flights on one PNR, and it's non-flexible first rather than an instant upgrade fare, so fine all round and I'm not worried about having a checked bag.

 

[moa999]

I don't know if you've ever tried to buy an electric kettle in the US but they're not that common,

Amazon Best Sellers: Best Electric Kettles

 

[Rebekkap]

Amazon Best Sellers: Best Electric Kettles

You can get anything on amazon! But most Americans don't have electric kettles - they're slow to boil over there, so stove top kettles are more normal. Anyway, as I said, I think it's hugely wasteful to buy something like that to throw away, so I'm not going to be doing that. I'll be taking a bag anyway, as I've decided I don't want to have to do laundry three times at Disneyworld alone, and while I always travel hand luggage only for work, I think on holidays the extra convenience is worth having the suitcase.

 

[opusman]

Can't you heat water with a coffee maker? Just don't put the coffee in

 

[Rebekkap]

Can't you heat water with a coffee maker? Just don't put the coffee in

I have actually tried that. The water always tastes slightly like coffee, which doesn't make for nice cups of tea! My travel kettle is tiny - smaller than my toiletries bag (which is not huge!) and I can put things inside it when I pack.

I'm not one of those people who pack everything but the kitchen sink - but the few little things that make me feel comfortable and at home when I'm away (notably the kettle for cups of tea, my own pillow and a polar fleece rug) make my holiday much more relaxing. I may only need two pairs of shoes, no makeup and minimal clothes but without a cup of tea at night and my own pillow on the bed life's not as nice

 

[serfty]

I am glad you got it - sorted enjoy your journey.

... Plus that's incredibly wasteful - I don't like throwing things out that are still good that will end up in landfill.

You can always donate it to charity!

e.g. (from a Google search) http://www.oprah.com/home/Donate-Unwanted-Items-to-Charity

 

[Rebekkap]

I am glad you got it - sorted enjoy your journey. You can always donate it to charity!

e.g. (from a Google search) Donate Unwanted Items to Charity - Oprah.com

Thanks serfty - really looking forward to it, and thanks again for your help

As I'm all on one PNR and don't have terribly tight connections I'm happy to have a single checked bag rather than try to carry everything but of course you're right - donating things is always an option