I recently booked a travel package on SQ from LAX-SIN-HKT, returning BKK-SIN-LAX. I am in Dallas, so I have to get to LAX on my own. I'd rather fly AA on the DFW-LAX leg, but will my trip go more smoothly (e.g. bag connections, boarding passes, check-in, etc.) if I fly UA from DFW to LAX due to the Star Alliance connection?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

All the Singapore Airlines interline agreements would point to UA being your best option for the baggage transfer and ease of Check-In.

I'm fairly certain both UA and AA will interline bags to SQ. As for connecting at LAX, AA's T4 is far closer to SQ's TBIT than UA's T6/7. Given you should have several hours, however, that shouldn't really matter.

I think the only question is do you have status or lounge access privileges with either alliance? If you have access to AA's Admiral's Club, I would hang out there vs. any other club at LAX. It is the nicest at LAX, IMO. (maybe the exception being NZ's new lounge, but that's not really an option).

And on which airline do you want to accrue mileage?

I guess it really doesn't matter who I accrue mileage with -- I'll be getting a ton of Star Alliance miles for the SQ flights, so a couple thousand miles on AA or UA doesn't really matter.

I guess I'm wondering this -- if I book the flights separately, but fly UA on the DFW-LAX leg, will UA be able to give me SQ boarding passes, etc. when I check in at DFW? That would make things much easier (and I could avoid long check-in lines at the SQ counter in LAX).

You will be able to interline your baggage no matter what airline you take (well, as long as it's not B6) but with UA you may be lucky enough to get you SQ boarding passes in DFW, versus with AA you will not.

If you book the UA and SQ itineraries seperately, you probably cannot get BPs for both. However, if you book UA and SQ as a complete itin, then you should be able to.

I get LH BPs when starting on UA and UA BPs when starting on LH when I have mixed UA and LH flights on a single itin.

UA-SQ. Check-in benefit goes to UA for through check-in. Frequent flyer benefit again to UA for reciprocal redemption/accumulation(Star Alliance). If you were going to HKG on CX out of LAX and had asked the same question,I would have picked AA(Oneworld).

One word of caution, if you book separate tickets, make sure you allow more than enough time for your connection.

Separate tickets mean separate fares, separate contracts and if the UA or AA flight to LAX is late for any reason causing you to misconnect, SQ doesn't have to do anything for you as far as rerouting you - and UA/AA wouldn't have to do anything either!

Separate tickets will also inhibit UA from issuing your SQ boarding passes, but will permit thru baggage check-in.

I cannot reiterate strongly enough for the need for multiple hours (4+) for this connection if your tickets are separate.

Quoting Ssides (Reply 3): I guess I'm wondering this -- if I book the flights separately, but fly UA on the DFW-LAX leg, will UA be able to give me SQ boarding passes, etc. when I check in at DFW? That would make things much easier (and I could avoid long check-in lines at the SQ counter in LAX).

I flew ORD-EWR-SIN last year on separate tickest with United and Singapore Airlines. They were able to through check the bags, but they were not able to print boarding passes. I tried to get them to print my SQ boarding passes for EWR-SIN while in ORD, but they could not do that. They could not even check me in for the flight. It was frustrating since I had a delayed flight to EWR and did not have time to check in for the flight, but I got lucky and SQ sent a private escort to pick people up from my flight who were connecting to the flight to SIN.

Quoting ORDflier (Reply 7): Separate tickets mean separate fares, separate contracts and if the UA or AA flight to LAX is late for any reason causing you to misconnect, SQ doesn't have to do anything for you as far as rerouting you

they don't have to but they will. One reason why they are consitently rated best airline in the World. See following quote from post above, as an example.

Quoting RoseFlyer (Reply 8): It was frustrating since I had a delayed flight to EWR and did not have time to check in for the flight, but I got lucky and SQ sent a private escort to pick people up from my flight who were connecting to the flight to SIN.

As for the original quote: UA just so you don't have to haul your bags around LAX.

Quoting Airbazar (Reply 9): As for the original quote: UA just so you don't have to haul your bags around LAX.

Why wouldn't AA interline the bags to SQ?

another important factor is AA has 17 DFW-LAX flights and UA has only 3..that might be something one needs to take into consideration..

I flew OMA-ORD-LHR-VCE. The LHR-VCE was purchased seperately and I got boarding passes for all of it at the same time in OMA. Worked out great.

Why not just check-in for the SQ flight online? It is available 2 to 48 hours before departure.

http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_U...ore/travelfaq/checkin/internet.jsp

[Edited 2006-07-07 20:22:47]

You can check-in online for SQ flights if you either: bought your ticket from the SQ website or are a KrisFlyer member and gave your FF number during booking or are a registered member of the SQ website.

9V-SPJ

On a cautionary note,one has to be very careful as stated above with itineraries with separate tickets. A lot of airlines are now starting to short check bags and inhibit through check-in due to consumers playing the cost saving game of buying separate tickets. For the airlines the risk/reward of through checking bags and the liability associated with delayed or missing baggage at the final destination are not represented in the price consumers are paying by purchasing separate tickets. The same thing applies with missed connections,where the delivering airline has no further obligation to you,as their contract and obligation ends when the deliver you to the destination on the ticket,whether or not you arrive in time for your connecting flight is of no concern to them.

On a combined itinerary, you should have no problem flying AA on DFW-LAX and then going on to SQ's flight. This is quite a popular route and people who have done it are happy with the connection at LAX.

I would stick with Star Alliance. If any portion of the itinerary has a problem you will be protected. Not so if you are using AA to get to LAX. If you missed the SQ flight you would be on your own.

And you can't have too many miles.