How to book Award RTW seats

[Skyring]

Back in June/July 2006, I did a RTW on points. I managed to book it online, though I had some odd legs and connections.

This time I've got enough points for two, and I'm taking my daughter, who is about as keen on travel and airliners as I am. I'm looking to go to Edinburgh for the weekend 3-5 July and to do it via Paris and London one way and New York, Washington DC and Tokyo the other.

Looking at the awards multitrip booking pages, it looks like most of the legs are doable with a little juggling about, but when I actually make a start, I can't get any further than selecting dates for the first few legs - it doesn't let me pick actual flights.

I'm not keen on handing over 5 000 points to Qantas to get me a trip which probably won't be quite what I'm wanting, but unless the website improves, I can't see much alternative.

 

[serfty]

There's rumors around that this will all be available for oneworld arlines. Such may be available by July but availability for July is going to get less and less.

I have come across the phrase/term "rock and a hard place" often. I think this applies, sadly.

Have you considered the 10% discounted LONEx's?

 

[Skyring]

Mmmmm, but I'd have to pay for two LONExes. Poor value for miles and status, compared to the DONE4 I'm planning for October. Gotta spend the points on something...

 

[Mal]

The multi-city booking engine has a few bugs. One way you could try and counter them is to break down your trip into legs, check individual availability (to find out what is available), and then try it as the multi-city booking using the results you know work.

But, others have also had huge problems, so you may have to resort to the phone penalty - while telling them that you ran into so many bugs you couldn't book online (may get the fee waived!).

 

[Skyring]

I divided it up into bite-size chunks, but it got into a loop before I even left Australia. I had a rough idea of what days worked for me, but stringing them together wasn't working.

 

[Rae]

Can't you call Qantas and ask them to not charge the booking points fee based on the fact that you can't get it to work online?

 

[Febs]

Can't you call Qantas and ask them to not charge the booking points fee based on the fact that you can't get it to work online?

You can, but most of the time they're fairly strict about charging you the fee. I've had them waive it before, but when I booked 2 x Award RTWs a few months ago, even though I had CX flights (which don't show up online and have to be booked via the phone), they wouldn't waive the fee.

Mind you, a RTW for 145,000pts is still good value.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[serfty]

... Mind you, a RTW for 145,000pts is still good value.

142½K is even better value.

Of course, this "value" is only relative to the cost of booking other award flights using QFF.

e.g.

• 142,500 base against, say, a LONE4 base of $3,500 ~2½¢ per point.
• 8,000 base against a MEL-NTL base $94 ~1¼¢ per point

 

[JohnK]

The multi-city booking engine has a few bugs.

That is being very kind. I am having so much trouble trying to look for availability in September and the award booking engine is constantly crashing due to one issue or another and I give up.

Reminds me I need to check availability again but the motivation is just not there. I wish Qantas would return to the old award booking engine....

Can't you call Qantas and ask them to not charge the booking points fee based on the fact that you can't get it to work online?

Somehow I do not think they will buy this story. I sent Qantas feedback on how difficult it was trying to search for availability for a given routing and the number of crashes I encountered. And the response I got was that they were not having any issues trying random dates with my routing and for me to try again.

 

[Leumas]

IMHO, if you get a good agent that is willing to go an extra mile or two (pun not intended) to find you the route and availability that you want, 2500 points is a worthwhile fee.

Some agents just aren't interested, but some are very helpful. When I booked mine last year, the agent I (eventually) had was great. He'd suggest routings, find me the seats, etc... I don't know if he's still there now (I booked mine last winter), but I'm happy to share his name via PM.

Also, if you're doing a DONE4 already, you'll have points coming out of your ears...