If you search for availability from Seattle to Tampa, and you select “Validate Fares”, then the flights you find should satisfy the fare rules even if there is a connection in San Francisco.

But you can also search for availability from Seattle to San Francisco, and from San Francisco to Tampa. These two separate flights might not satisfy the fare rules for a fare from Seattle to Tampa. That’s because ExpertFlyer doesn’t know you want to go from Seattle to Tampa if you search for each flight separately.

As a general rule, you are allowed a 4-hour layover on domestic flights, or you can arrive on the last flight of the day and take the first flight the next morning. You’ll need to satisfy this rule as well as whatever other rules are in the SEA-TPA fare. For example, the cheapest fare might say “no connections” or “no connections in San Francisco.” So even though there is availability on these two separate flights, you can’t use that fare to book them.

If you need a longer layover, you can also book separate tickets.

I’m confused by this statement “you may find space on two connecting flights but you can’t book them as part of the same fare if you break the stopover rules.“. Is that true even if I’ve checked validate fares? I thought that’s what it was validating.

I’m trying to plan a trip to Seattle from Tampa for my son and me. A long layover in San Fransisco or Denver would be great, but I need to keep airfare as far under $300 each as possible.

Thanks so much for these posts, and for your site!

Sorry, hem, but the link doesn’t provide the details of your itinerary. (Never send anyone a link with what you’ve found on ITA, it doesn’t work.) You’ll need to upload a screenshot to share what you’ve found by clicking on the little picture box below the comment. Or, send an email to scott@travelcodex.com.

http://matrix.itasoftware.com/#view-details:research=LGAMIA-MIALGA;
solution=0DIsIumtqK7VV8uhARwGoHR/9BzcVE3ukoUPA6znk6Egp801z

Thank you, Ace!

Looking forward to your future posts!