Fiji Airways to become full oneworld member and adopt AAdvantage program

[Mwenenzi]

Fiji Airlines to become full OW member 01 Apr 2025
Source :- a roundtable discussion with the CEO of oneworld, Nat Pieper,
Oneworld’s CEO on new members, a digital platform and interest in Indian and Latin American markets – Business Traveller

A growing membership
At the time of writing, the alliance counts 13 members: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific Airways, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Royal Jordanian and SriLankan Airlines. (Note that S7 remains suspended).

Forum users will be glad to hear that Fiji Airways will become the alliance’s 14th full member by the end of the first quarter of 2025.

When confirming this, Pieper also revealed it will “probably [mark] the sunset of the oneworld connect programme”, of which Fiji Airways has been a member since late 2018. “The benefits don’t justify having something separate that, frankly, we can’t explain why we have it anyway,” he added.

Indeed, remarking on his time at Alaska Airlines, he said: “I didn’t understand the benefits [of oneworld connect] in the sense of that size airline. If we want to participate, we want a seat at the table.”

Fiji Airways is also joining American Airlines’ AAdvantage loyalty programme, which Pieper said will “create great demand and, with that common currency, make it even easier for travellers to go to Fiji and help the economy prosper… The airline is core to the success of the nation. Tourism is the number one industry.”

Oman Air, which announced its intentions to join the alliance in 2022, will also be fully onboard by the end of the second quarter of 2025.
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[SYD]

QF codeshare can access the F lounge but for now, FJ code cannot. In fact, unless the FJ is booked in J, there’s no lounge access at all.

Unfortunately, the rules state that the QF code PAX can only guest someone flying on a QF, JQ, EK or OW flight number (not including FJ).

Qantas Lounge Access Eligibility | Qantas

Find out more on Qantas Lounge access eligibility whether your traveling in First, Business; are a Qantas Frequent Flyer, Qantas Club or oneworld member.

www.qantas.com

The QF website hasn’t been updated (still excludes “OW connect” flight numbers ie FJ), but as mentioned in another thread QF are now allowing WP flying FJ into the SYD F lounge (and I assume SG/QP into the J lounge). Hopefully, the new policy also applies to MEL, BNE. I don’t know if that’s been extended to AKL, LAX etc.

 

[Mwenenzi]

To me 31 March / 01 April is firming up when FJ become a full OW member and start using AAdvantage. Would expect both changes on the same day.
FJ loyality link---> https://www.fijiairways.com/en-au/tabua/classic

Our Tabua Club Program for new member registrations has been suspended until 31st March 2025 as we look to launch a refreshed program. For now, we are only accepting month by month renewals for existing members. Please join our new American Airlines AAdvantage® Travel Rewards Program to enhance your travel experience

Also may be tied to the IATA seasons when schedules change.
Calendar of Coordination Activities

Start Of Season. 27-Oct-24. 30-Mar-25. 26-Oct-25. *Trial for NW24/25, S25, NW25/26 seasons. Aug 2024 update.

 

[QF_Flyer]

Had a chat with the people at the Flounge in MEL, confirmed that QF, AA & BA elites can now access lounges based on status, as the original sponsor airlines (no mention of CX, may have been an oversight) in advance of FJ joining OW, so that confirms what others have said (DP was from last week).

They scanned my FJ boarding pass and it beeped and a green light came on, so the system is clearly setup for it too (QF WP, with my FF# on the booking on a J ticket). Had prepared myself for a walk of shame to the dungeon, so was a pleasant surprise.

 

[chingy17]

Hi all,

Havent been able to find a comprehensive answer to this, hoping this is the right place.

Also tempted by the west coast USA to east coast Australia flights for upcoming plans.

If I book direct via Fiji Airways and have a flight number (FJxx_) without a codeshare QFxx_x attachment. Do I still earn status according to the partner tables on Qantas? i.e.140 status credits for LAX to NAN

Thanks in advance

 

[SYD]

Hi all,

Havent been able to find a comprehensive answer to this, hoping this is the right place.

Also tempted by the west coast USA to east coast Australia flights for upcoming plans.

If I book direct via Fiji Airways and have a flight number (FJxx_) without a codeshare QFxx_x attachment. Do I still earn status according to the partner tables on Qantas? i.e.140 status credits for LAX to NAN

Thanks in advance

Yes. We’ve always earned SCs on FJ codes even before OW Connect days.

 

[muppet]

Hi all,

Havent been able to find a comprehensive answer to this, hoping this is the right place.

Also tempted by the west coast USA to east coast Australia flights for upcoming plans.

If I book direct via Fiji Airways and have a flight number (FJxx_) without a codeshare QFxx_x attachment. Do I still earn status according to the partner tables on Qantas? i.e.140 status credits for LAX to NAN

Thanks in advance

QF Partner Earn table is the best source as its what the QFF T&Cs will reference.

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/earn-points/airline-earning-tables/earn-category-tables.html#fiji-airways

Qantas Points and Status Credits are earned on all eligible booking classes, except on Fiji Airways codeshare flights operated by an airline other than Qantas.

 

[chingy17]

Qantas Points and Status Credits are earned on all eligible booking classes, except on Fiji Airways codeshare flights operated by an airline other than Qantas.

This is exactly the line that made me doubt myself! I figured Fiji Airways could possibly be interpreted as an airline "other than Qantas"

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 10:16 PM

Qantas Points and Status Credits are earned on all eligible booking classes, except on Fiji Airways codeshare flights operated by an airline other than Qantas.

This is exactly the line that made me doubt myself! I figured Fiji Airways could possibly be interpreted as an airline "other than Qantas"

 

[muppet]

This is exactly the line that made me doubt myself! I figured Fiji Airways could possibly be interpreted as an airline "other than Qantas"

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 10:16 PM

This is exactly the line that made me doubt myself! I figured Fiji Airways could possibly be interpreted as an airline "other than Qantas"

Oh I see the confusion, so a codeshare is when FJ puts its code on another airline’s flight, not when it puts its code on its own flight.

If the flight you booked has an FJ code and the actual aircraft is Fiji Airways or Qantas - then you’ll earn status credits. If it’s an FJ code on another airline, say Air New Zealand, then you won’t earn status credits.

 

[SYD]

If the flight you booked has an FJ code and the actual aircraft is Fiji Airways or Qantas - then you’ll earn status credits. If it’s an FJ code on another airline, say Air New Zealand, then you won’t earn status credits.

Once they’re a full OW member, any FJ coded flight on another OW member airline can earn points and SCs with QFF (and other OW FF programs), so long as it’s an eligible fare class. Discount whY fares are the ones to be careful with. Premium fares (Biz) are usually fine.