Today I finished booking my 9th OWA for June/July 2025, heading off on no. 8 next month.
I wanted to share some learnings to help others to make a stressful experience slightly less so.
1. When calling to add flights always screen the operator first by asking if the know how to add a flight to an existing rewards booking, no point wasting time only to get told the all too common "you can't add a flight to an existing booking" or "you can't add a flight 12 months from 1st ticketing date."
2. Always check your mileage on CGM (don't forget surface segments) even if you are sure you are under. I thought I was well within the 35K but the lack of BA flights available to QF meant using AY and the long trek to HEL and back added '000s of miles and put me just over, when I checked just before ringing to add final flights. Had to delete some inter Euro flights.
3. Do a dummy run using QF multi city using dummy dates to check you end up with 318k if flying J.
4. Getting reticketed on the weekend is very difficult. After many calls over 1 Saturday most operators refused to contact ticketing but 2 did (this now only takes them about 15-20mins, used to be 1-2hrs). They both told me that told me that ticketing refused do it as the frequent flyer desk wasn't open on weekends and points couldn't be deducted.
5. Email rewards escalations for reticketing, even on weekends. Advise them the call centre has advised they can't do it and you are concerned that partner airlines will delete flights if not reticketed in 24hrs. I emailed on a Saturday night and they called me back Sunday lunchtime to advise it had been reticketed.
