Award flight SYD - LHR - NBO

[MrHyde]

Hi,

I've looking at booking an award flight SYD - LHR - NBO return. From the Qantas website, this would cost me 128000 points in Y, the same as SYD - LHR. However, due to the length of the trip (~40 hours), I would like to break it up in London and delay the LHR - NBO sector by 24 hours.

Is that possible for the same 128000 points. If I call Qantas to change date of the last sector only and am willing to pay the 2500 points change fee, will they do it or would they say that I need to change the whole trip as I am really getting a SYD - NBO return.

Cheers,
MrHyde

 

[Dave Noble]

It would cost you extra points plus the change fee to put a stopover in London each way

As long as you use at least 2 oneworld carriers, it should cost, I believe, 140,00 for a OneWorld award

Dave

 

[MrHyde]

Thanks for the response. I am not exactly sure how the costs are added up. If I go SYD - LHR on QF, it costs 128,000 points. If I go SYD - LHR on BA, it costs 158,000 points. The LHR - NRB sector is only on BA.

If I can get the stopover in LHR and it will only cost 140,000; The points increase would be acceptable to my budget, but the taxes increase would not help.

 

[MelUser]

Be careful. This poster:

http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/com...program/change-to-qff-award-flight-13273.html

is upset at being unable to split his/her reservation and take a stopover.

 

[serfty]

The points are charged as a series of trips. Among other things, trips are broken by a stopover (>24H), a change from/to certain carriers, and, for return journeys, the furthest point (by segment distance) from the origin.

So if you simply stay < 24 H at London and 'transfer' (not stopover) then you have two 64K 'zone 10' 'trips'. (More on zones here: Frequent Flyer - Using Points - Qantas & Partner Classic Awards - Points Tables)

e.g. For 'classic Qantas/partner awards' it does not matter much changing from QF to BA or vv.

QF-BA <stop> BA-QF = 128,000 + $871.74 (AUD)
BA-BA <stop> BA-QF = 128,000 + $874.53 (AUD)

Now if you stay over 24H at London you incur another 'trip'. so you would have "3 trips" 2 x Zone 10 and 1 x Zone 5 (@30K), totalling 158,000 QFF points.

Note that SYD-LHR-NBO at 14816 is near the 15,000 mile maximum for a 'trip'.

What you can do is travel on 2 oneworld airlines other than Qantas. You then get a 'oneworld' award at 140,000. Also, with a oneworld award you can have up to 5 stopovers. Oneworld awards are generally considered to be the most cost effective point flight awards available through the QFF program.

e.g.
SYD-(QF)-HKG-(CX)-LHR-(BA)-NBO, NBO-(BA)-LHR, LHR-(QF)-SYD or
SYD-(QF)-LHR-(BA)-NBO, NBO-(BA)-LHR, LHR-(BA)-SFO-(AA)-LAX-(QF)-SYD

 

[MrHyde]

That is very interesting... might need to have a look and see if I can somehow get a 20 hour stop in London.

Flights LHR - NBO are once daily at 10:20 AM, so just need to find a flight from this part of the world stopping somewhere in Asia and arriving in LHR in the afternoon. Singapore is out as the flights all arrive early in the morning around 5 - 6 AM.

In any case, I also tried the multi-city planner and after including stopovers, the cost is 188,000 points return. Thats just a bit more than what I have, so not possible. It may be possible in 5 months time, but then the seats may no longer be available.

Interestingly, doing a MEL - NRB plan costs me 158,000 points and I'm trying to figure out why. Even if MEL - SYD is an additional sector, it should only be an extra 8,000, not 30,000.

Edit: QF29 arrives in Lon at 1:30 PM from HKG, which could give just the right amount of break in the journey that we want.

 

[serfty]

You need to include travel on TWO arriers OTHER than Qantas when doing you booking. The examples above have travel on QF, BA & CX and QF, BA & AA.

More on oneworld awards here:

Qantas Frequent Flyer - oneworld Awards

 

[serfty]

Here's a cut and past of a dummy booking I did using the second journey as an example.

 Your Flights
Flight 1: 	From 	To 	Flight 	Departure
Terminal 	Travel
Class 	Checked
Baggage
Mon 28 Dec 09 	17:40 	Sydney 	06:20
(Tue) 	London (Heathrow) 	QF31 	1 	Economy 	2 pieces
Details
Flight 2: 						
Tue 29 Dec 09 	10:05 	London (Heathrow) 	21:35 	Nairobi 	BA65 	5 	Economy 	2 pieces
Details
Flight 3: 						
Sat 2 Jan 10 	23:30 	Nairobi 	05:20
(Sun) 	London (Heathrow) 	BA64 		Economy 	2 pieces
Details
Flight 4: 						
Mon 4 Jan 10 	14:25 	London (Heathrow) 	17:20 	San Francisco 	BA287 	5 	Economy 	2 pieces
Details
Flight 5: 						
Wed 6 Jan 10 	18:45 	San Francisco 	20:10 	Los Angeles 	AA1943 	3 	Economy 	2 pieces
Details
Flight 6: 						
Thu 7 Jan 10 	23:45 	Los Angeles 	09:20
(Sat) 	Sydney 	QF108 	B 	Economy 	2 pieces
Details

Key:  = Qantas flight    = oneworld 

Note: Qantas flights QF1 - QF399 depart from International Terminals. All other Qantas flights depart from Domestic Terminals.
Points and Surcharges, Fees and Taxes
	Points & Credit Card 	= 	140,000 	+ $1158.54 (AUD) 				
  	1 adult x 140,000 	= 	140,000 	  	  			
  	Charges/taxes 	= 	$1158.54

Note the high taxes ... you can reduce them (£40) by not departing from the UK after a stopover.

 

[MrHyde]

Thanks. I'll try and see if I can get a suitable One World award flight. Are there any websites I can use to see availability of CX. I don't think the Qantas tool shows CX award availability.

 

[serfty]

Unfortunately, for CX flights you will need to call to book. This would cost a further 2½K in points.

ISTR that you can get CX availability with a dummy award booking on ba.com.

 

[NM]

ISTR that you can get CX availability with a dummy award booking on ba.com.

Or join CX Asia Miles for free and search there.