Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Hi all,

Currently planning the following for 2 people in J, currently have MEL-HKG-MIL booked on CX departing just before Christmas, in the process of piecing the rest of it together. Anyone got tips on checking availability for the SCL-SYD segment on QF? It won't let you search it on their award engine? Also, any better way getting from Berlin to Rio?

MEL-HKG (Stopover)
HKG-MIL (Stopover)
MIL-BER (Stopover)
BER-LHR-GIG (Stopover)
GIG-EZE (Stopover)
EZE-SCL-SYD-MEL

26,700 miles. Might change it to go BER-NYC-GIG but have run out of stopovers for NYC. Unless I removed the MIL-BER segment and booked a cheapy separately.

 

[sergeyvzn]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Hi all,

Currently planning the following for 2 people in J, currently have MEL-HKG-MIL booked on CX departing just before Christmas, in the process of piecing the rest of it together. Anyone got tips on checking availability for the SCL-SYD segment on QF? It won't let you search it on their award engine? Also, any better way getting from Berlin to Rio?

MEL-HKG (Stopover)
HKG-MIL (Stopover)
MIL-BER (Stopover)
BER-LHR-GIG (Stopover)
GIG-EZE (Stopover)
EZE-SCL-SYD-MEL

26,700 miles. Might change it to go BER-NYC-GIG but have run out of stopovers for NYC. Unless I removed the MIL-BER segment and booked a cheapy separately.

To search availability on Santiago to Sydney, choose a return trip Sydney to Santiago for a random date and look at the return sector. Mind you these seats are never there, there's only premium economy so you won't find much. South America to Australia and vice versa is pretty much a no go. Anyways, another way to look at it is getting a BA Executive Club account and look for availability there

Get on iberia via Madrid or Qatar via Doha to get to Rio, both have a better product than BA with their weird backward facing seats that have no personal storage at all and a screen the size of my iPhone 6

If I were you I would do an open jaw Milan to Berlin and saved on a stopover. You can get there by train or by a cheap one way ticket, it's an 1.5 flight that would be on Air Berlin in economy anyway as they don't have business class within Europe. The same applies to GIG/EZE

 

[hossein_au]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Yes, better to fly into LHR and out of Paris if you can switch it around...

Or fly in and out of CDG, with a separate ticket CDG-LHR-CDG (or use the fast train).

 

[venno]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

If it fits under the miles that itin looks ok, use gcmap.com and put in each of the flights you're thinking of...

As to the taxes and surcharges, don't know that one sorry, might be $1000-1500, you could probably work it out from QF's website but probably just easier to call them and ask...

Cheers for that, will look into gcmap.com. I guess the actual booking will have to be assisted for the RTW fare which will add some points/cost as well.

Thanks cassanovawa and serfty for the suggestion to change the London and Paris routes around I can definitely do that, I would like to travel the tunnel once to say I have done it but don't really want to do a return that route.

 

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

To search availability on Santiago to Sydney, choose a return trip Sydney to Santiago for a random date and look at the return sector. Mind you these seats are never there, there's only premium economy so you won't find much. South America to Australia and vice versa is pretty much a no go. Anyways, another way to look at it is getting a BA Executive Club account and look for availability there

Get on iberia via Madrid or Qatar via Doha to get to Rio, both have a better product than BA with their weird backward facing seats that have no personal storage at all and a screen the size of my iPhone 6

If I were you I would do an open jaw Milan to Berlin and saved on a stopover. You can get there by train or by a cheap one way ticket, it's an 1.5 flight that would be on Air Berlin in economy anyway as they don't have business class within Europe. The same applies to GIG/EZE

Thanks for the tips. Qatar would be massive time adding (flying time) which I don't really want even though the product would be better. I know nothing about Iberia, do they have flat beds long haul?

Hmm, so getting home from South America is looking like a problem? Bugger, I was going to try calling at 10AM Melbourne time 353 days out, but this could be an issue if they are just never released.

 

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Or maybe I have to look at the crazy long way home SAO-DOH-MEL?

 

[sergeyvzn]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thanks for the tips. Qatar would be massive time adding (flying time) which I don't really want even though the product would be better. I know nothing about Iberia, do they have flat beds long haul?

Hmm, so getting home from South America is looking like a problem? Bugger, I was going to try calling at 10AM Melbourne time 353 days out, but this could be an issue if they are just never released.

Iberia has either an older style but still fully flat bed type of seat or if you are on one of their newer A330 - a completely enclosed private suite in J, a bit like Etihad. Their food beats BA's hands down, too. Also Iberia should be your first choice to get to South Anerica from Europe as they fly to lots of ports there

Don't want to upset you but you're very unlikely to find anything at all but a very rare economy seat between Chile and Sydney. You may have to rethink your itinerary e.g. South America to North America to Australia or South America to Europe to Australia etc

 

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thanks for that. I'll give it a shot a booking the Iberia flight, but looking ahead at availability on BA's engine they don't seem to offer a lot of business class availability whereas BA seems to. Will call up at T-353 and try for SCL-SYD if it is a no go I will get them to look at LAX-MEL. Ideally I only call twice (7000 points per person) to add/change flights to the itinerary but if it needs more so be it.

 

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Okay, so I have just added my next set of flights, currently have the following all booked for the end of this year, Dec/Jan:

MEL-HKG (J) CX 08:50-15:15
1 and a half day stopover in Hong Kong (Stopover 1)
HKG-MIL (J) CX 00:45-07:00
3 days in Milan, 7 days skiing (Stopover 2)
LIN-TXL (Y) AB 21:05-22:45 single class aircraft
3 days in Berlin (Stopover 3)
TXL-MAD (Y) AB 12:55-16:00 single class aircraft, though longish flight which is a bit annoying
8 hour transit in Madrid, not ideal
MAD-SAO (J) IB 00:35-07:25

Total taxes are currently at $713.17 per person. Current points 'spent' is 259,000 per person plus 3,500 change fee. Total 262,500.

Then looking at about 12 days in Brazil before heading to Buenos Aires and then back home (hopefully on Qantas direct from SCL but might have to be via the states).

Had been looking from LHR (BA) and MAD (IB) into either SAO or GIG (as TAM doesn't seem to release anything in business class out of CDG/FRA/MIL) and didn't end up with the best connection, unless anyone else has some great ideas? It is for the 4th/5th Jan at the moment. Maybe TXL-DOH-SAO/GIG? But doesn't look like availability at the moment.

 

[Sumnerned]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Any comments on my proposed travel in early 2016 would be much appreciated.
We will be travelling to Seville via LHR and STN or LGW on paid tickets, then
MAD-MIA stop IB or maybe AA
MIA- MSY paid tickets
MSY-SFO stop AA
SFO-YVR overland
YVR-AKL stop CX via HKG or maybe AA/QF via LAX and SYD
AKL-CHC-AKL paid tickets
AKL-TYO stop JAL
TYO-HEL stop JL or AY
HEL-MAD AY
then home via LON/LHR on paid tickets.

 

[ejd711]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Just looking at your itinerary I don't believe it would be valid. In effect, you have 2 stopovers in SCL which wouldn't be allowed. The second flight from Easter Island to SCL stops in SCL again followed by an open jaw (but SCL is considered the stopover). I believe it would be a legitimate if you flew IPC-SCL-EZE connected. Otherwise if there were seats you should fly BNE-AUK-SCL-IPC as you have done, then stop on the way before your open jaw to EZE.

Although clearly the agent was a pain in the cough, I believe the SCL issue would have failed to produce a valid route. You can't stop over in a city twice.

Latest Update on my OW Award booking.

Well,

After talking to some really pleasant caring QFF agents recently -I copped the one yesterday we all dread.
Abrasive, arrogant, absolutely unhelpful. Maybe she lost on the cup sweep , who knows?

She told me I had made a mess of the booking so far- fair enough.Her advice.

"Just wait until all the sectors are available, then book not just the first day they appear."

"Intra South American awards do not just appear for a day and then disappear!"

"TAM is not a Oneworld member"

After i got her to check with her supervisor and she accepted that,

Then came "TAM and LAM are the same airline when it comes to OW awards".

then came the kicker, I had found a SCL-AKL-BNE business award seat for a reasonable date.
can you book it please.
this would take my wife over the 280,000 points and the OWaward would kick in.

oh no it doesn't,she says.

Her reasoning follows

my flights booked to then were
BNE-AKL-SCL STOPOVER
SCL-EASTER ISLAND STOPOVER
EASTER ISLAND-SCL
- OPEN JAW - BUENOS AIRES STOPOVER
BA-SAO PAULO OPEN JAW
SAO PAULO-SCL

Why the open jaws ? - no award seats available of course.

The agent assured me that adding

SCL-AKL-BNE would not be legal for a OWA in fact the computer said the whole itinerary was not valid - it did not say the last sector was at fault.

I asked her why the travel round SCL made it illegal and I asked that she check the rest in case there was a problem elsewhere. No, it was SCL!

Why do I have to concentrate travel round Santiago? I wanted to see South America ( can only get there on OW via Santiago) I wanted to see Easter Island ( can only get there thru Santiago–) and I wanted to fly to Buenos Aires.

Hence I had devised in relation to SCL

One stopover AKL-SCL-IPC
One transit IPC-SCL-open jaw to Buenos Aires
One transit GRU-SCL-AKL etc


According to the agent 2 transits plus and one stopover was not allowed!

Clearly , there was a problem with the overall routings but the agent would not even consider any other problems – eg the 2 open jaws about which I could not find flights round the correct dates . But NO , the problem to her was Santiago.

At that stage, I could have just initially booked a classic award that assured my wife of return flight – but as you can imagine , the award seat had gone ! Thanks Qantas.

If I thought anyone at Qantas would care or even respond, I would write and complain about her attitude but why bother.

 

[qf unfort]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I've nearly finalised my 280k trip later this year, just a few segments to add on airlines that haven't yet released award seats, so fingers crossed they do! Anyway, I'll have plenty of headroom in the mileage limit and stops/segments, so is it possible to add domestic Australian flights to my itinerary at the start of my award (i.e. do a syd-bne-mel) to 'connect' a few months later to my 'real' itinerary?

 

[travelislife]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Gee South America is not an easy place for these awards. TAM don't seem to release anything at all, so looking for GIG-EZE or EZE-SCL gives up absolutely nothing. There is also next to nothing getting out of South America to the US when looking at options to get home on. My dates haven't actually opened up yet but will in about 2 weeks and kind of have the following options at getting home in order of preference, but there isn't anything up to the US I can actually find.

1. SCL-SYD-MEL
2. SCL-AKL-MEL
3. EZE-DFW-SYD-MEL
4. EZE-LAX-MEL
5. EZE-DOH-MEL

 

[Jacques Vert]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Okay, so I have just added my next set of flights, currently have the following all booked for the end of this year, Dec/Jan:

MEL-HKG (J) CX 08:50-15:15
1 and a half day stopover in Hong Kong (Stopover 1)
HKG-MIL (J) CX 00:45-07:00
3 days in Milan, 7 days skiing (Stopover 2)
LIN-TXL (Y) AB 21:05-22:45 single class aircraft
3 days in Berlin (Stopover 3)
TXL-MAD (Y) AB 12:55-16:00 single class aircraft, though longish flight which is a bit annoying
8 hour transit in Madrid, not ideal
MAD-SAO (J) IB 00:35-07:25

Total taxes are currently at $713.17 per person. Current points 'spent' is 259,000 per person plus 3,500 change fee. Total 262,500.

Then looking at about 12 days in Brazil before heading to Buenos Aires and then back home (hopefully on Qantas direct from SCL but might have to be via the states).

Had been looking from LHR (BA) and MAD (IB) into either SAO or GIG (as TAM doesn't seem to release anything in business class out of CDG/FRA/MIL) and didn't end up with the best connection, unless anyone else has some great ideas? It is for the 4th/5th Jan at the moment. Maybe TXL-DOH-SAO/GIG? But doesn't look like availability at the moment.

Be aware that CX flys to Malpensa (MXP) not MIL (you may already know this); MXP is about an hour by train to the city.

Also, we managed to get 2 J seats SCL-AKL-SYD back in 2010 on QF codeshare seats on LAN metal in August; so it is possible or at least it was back then; but you will need to be flexible with dates and route. Your challenge may be the time of year you are flying.

I would not only ring at -353, but keep ringing over the following weeks and hope you get lucky. Keep trying and good luck.

JV​

 

[Jacques Vert]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Had been looking from LHR (BA) and MAD (IB) into either SAO or GIG (as TAM doesn't seem to release anything in business class out of CDG/FRA/MIL) and didn't end up with the best connection, unless anyone else has some great ideas? It is for the 4th/5th Jan at the moment. Maybe TXL-DOH-SAO/GIG? But doesn't look like availability at the moment.

There is availability FRA-MAD-GRU on both 4 & 5 Jan with various stopovers in MAD for a short as 1.5 hours, other connections longer.

 

[ozflier]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

My OWA award update.

If you intend one day to book one world award flights to South America , the following gives an indication of the issues of a continent with only a few OW carriers who release few seats often for a day only ( eg SCL-EZE on LAN) or only close to the travel date (TAM)

Well, most of flight sectors are in place

Some still await business class seats though note that a lot of South American internal flights are one class only.

Something funny happened to the sector Santiago,Chile to Punta Arenas next September.

The latter is the starting point for cruises to the Drake Passage and Ushuaia.

Initially I had booked LAN 285 but lost the seats as our bookings have to be ticketed in Auckland (???) and by the time the agents had processed my credit card ( 5 days later) the seats were gone!

Anyway, we were able to secure SCL-PMC( 4 hour wait)-PUQ .

This was better than nothing.

Then came the option of a later flight SCL-PMC so that the wait in PMC was only 25 minutes - great you think .But because the flight number of that sector was the same as that as the next one - both 285, it was against QFF rules to do this - oh well back to the 4 hours wait.

So then I resigned myself to waiting 6 months or so til we could possibly access the direct ( but not nonstop) SCL-PUQ flight.

BUT, this morning , 7 seats turned up on the BA website - rang QFF straight away - the usual hour on the phone to get my itinerary fixed and currently waiting for my wife's flights to be ticketed.

One a related issue, other posters have noted that there are few business class AA award seats on offer in the USA- ie most are either in Y or F. So if you have a J award , you often have to travel in coach on AA.

This is not completely the case - I have noted that long haul flights from the US east coast to the west coast often offer business class. Miami to LAX is a good example and where I checked , there were more than one award J seat of offer. Maybe there are three classes because this kind of flight connects to 3 class international services? I have noted similar out of New York and Dallas but mostly only one award J seat is on offer on these ones.

Hope this information is helpful.

 

[dalereardon]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I know transatlantic flights are hard to come by so here is a very brief window of opportunity that just heard of. Should apply to the whole US Airways network and remember US flights don't show on the QFF online search and have to ring for them:

Transatlantic Business Class Awards WIDE OPEN, 6+ Seats Per Flight: Use American or US Airways Miles NOW - View from the Wing - View from the Wing


Hope it helps,
Dale.

 

[cambriamarsh]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Hi, does anyone know if Star Alliance or any of their members have a similar program to the QF 140/280/420 awards?
Cheers

 

[lovetravellingoz]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Hi, does anyone know if Star Alliance or any of their members have a similar program to the QF 140/280/420 awards?
Cheers

Yes they do. It does seem though different *A members may enforce different conditions (ie From what I have read in Flyertalk posts, some US airlines are more restrictive than what is outlined by Thai below).

From SQ - Star Alliance Round the World Awards


With Round The World Awards, you can travel around the world with the
flexibility of multiple stopovers. Circle the globe and visit up to seven cities
of your choice for just 180,000 KrisFlyer miles in Economy Class, 240,000
KrisFlyer miles in Business Class and 360,000 KrisFlyer miles in First Class.

Redeeming your miles on Star Alliance airlines


From Thai

Star Alliance Round the World Travel Conditions

• Round The World Award travel is valid on all Star Alliance operated flights.
• Award travel must be on a continuous westbound/eastbound direction and return to the country where travel originated.
• Award travel is valid for a minimum of 10 days and maximum of 1 year from the date travel commences.
• Maximum 10 stopovers and minimum 3 stopovers allowed per round-trip journey.
• One single open jaw is permitted in addition to allowable stopovers.
• One stopover only is permitted in any one city.
• Two stopovers only are permitted in any one country.
• No stopovers in country of origin.
• Backtracking is only permitted as required by the Star Alliance network.
• Side trips require an additional Award.
• Connections must be on the first available flight within 24 hours when required by routing and are not considered stopovers.
• No mileage re-credit in part or whole permitted after travel commences.
• All taxes associated with Award travel are the responsibility of the member, and may be collected at the Award ticket issue location, or during the Award journey.
• Royal Orchid Plus Award eligibility and other conditions, excluding the conditions stated above, apply to Star Alliance Round the World Award travel.

Frequent Flyer : Terms and Conditions of Star Alliance Awards Travel

 

[cambriamarsh]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thank you......