How do you actually book a OW round the world fare in F ?

[wandersen]

An award that is (sorry). I know these exist, but not sure how anyone can ever be successful booking one... I've recently booked a round the world in F on a sector basis. Went on-line as soon as the seats were released 12 months in advance for each day of my planned journey and managed to book 2 x F seats on every flight I wanted. It wasn't possible to book my last sector when I booked my first sector, and likewise if I was to book my first sector at the same time as my last sector, there would have been no seats available. How is it actually done ?

 

[Danger]

I'm assuming your last sector was on an airline other than QF, perhaps AA.

The issue arises because most airlines don't release inventory more than 330 days out, in any class. I'm currently having this issue booking my parents on a oneworld 140k award in Y. Their trip will take about six weeks so the early flights (departing late September next year) are available but not the ones in late October.

I don't believe there is a way around it. It's simply matter of hoping that your earlier flights don't disappear while waiting for the later flights to appear.

 

[moa999]

Title should be : booking a Qantas oneworld Award fare...

I think other options is to book part of the journey, then go back and amend later when more flights come into the window - but agree not easy, particularly with First availability.

 

[serfty]

There's a few tips in this thread: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ogram/oneworld-award-140k-280k-420k-8228.html

 

[casanovawa]

Sorry if i have misread, but don't you want to book as a 140/280/420k award, so the 420K in F... If you book sector by sector then its not going to automatically add up the miles and convert it into the 420K award but will just keep charging the per sector totals that will add up to a lot more than 420K won't it???

Or am i not understanding what you have said?? Anyway, sounds like you will have more success if you call up Qantas and pay the help line fee than trying to book it through the website, but then everytime you call up an amend things you maybe charged an assistance fee although if your WP you may not have to pay this, but not sure...

 

[Danger]

Sorry if i have misread, but don't you want to book as a 140/280/420k award, so the 420K in F... If you book sector by sector then its not going to automatically add up the miles and convert it into the 420K award but will just keep charging the per sector totals that will add up to a lot more than 420K won't it???

Correct. Partly.

The booking engine begins by calculating the points required on a sector-by-sector basis but once meet the requirements for the 140/280/420k award (which includes, for example, a minimum of three carriers, maximum five stops, maximum 16 sectors) it won't go past the threshold. I'm not explaining it very well but essentially, as long as you meet the requirements of the award, the end result will not exceed the 140/280/420k.

 

[casanovawa]

Yeah that's what i meant, in my case i did a 140k award and yes adding in a couple of flights initially on the website, the points total did grow until it hit 140k and then it stopped (until you broke the rules or went to far and then the points total jumped up)...

So if trying to book a a 420K F award, you would be best to go on the website and and plot your mutli city flight and it will add up till it hits 420K and won't increase (as long as you stay in the award rules) If you go and book the same route with each leg booked in F individually it will come to a lot more than 420K...

Only problem of booking it on the website is that lots of destinations aren't on the lists and the website can be a bit temperarmental and falls over a bit, so the phone booking might be the best way once you know what you are looking for and if WP could they maybe open up any F seats on legs that you can't find availability perhaps???

 

[wandersen]

Yes, I mean how do you book a OW around the world award in F for 420K. It's almost impossible as if you leave it until seats are released for your last sector, seats for the first sector are gone ...

As stated - I managed to book an around the world for two people - but booked it on a sector by sector basis (which for my routing costs about 150K points per person extra). I'm wondering whether there is any way around this issue - e.g. will QF go back and change my routing now it is booked as separate sectors to an around the world routing and refund the points ?

 

[serfty]

...

As stated - I managed to book an around the world for two people - but booked it on a sector by sector basis (which for my routing costs about 150K points per person extra). I'm wondering whether there is any way around this issue - e.g. will QF go back and change my routing now it is booked as separate sectors to an around the world routing and refund the points ?

If you get a good agent they will; however, this generally comes at the cost of additional assisted award booking and change fees each time you add one or more segments.

 

[casanovawa]

Maybe if you did all the individual bookings and then just called up once and got them to change it into the one 420k award format it might not be so bad, be whatever the single assistance fee is and then add the changing an international ticket fee is as well, maybe times two for each ticket... Would add up to a lot less than the extra 150k points you seem to have attracted (or would attract) booking it individually by sectors...

Maybe worth a call to Qantas first to see if they can and then what it would cost you in points...