Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Henk]

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

Hi,

Booked the first leg, (SYD-SFO) of my J RTW for 1/7/2016 a couple of weeks ago. While seats for July 2016 on AB, IB, BA and AA on flights from USA to Europe are being released, I am still not able to book my October 2016, return flight DUS-SYD. What should I do? Should I snap a flight from USA to Europe for July now, as they are available or should I wait till September and then book everything in one go?

If I understood the advise received earlier correctly, in order to complete the booking of my RTW ticket I now have no other choice but calling QF and ask for assistance, or can I go online and add to my original SYD-SFO the next flight? If so, I might need to call them two times: now to book my flight from USA to Europe and second time time, when flights from Europe to Australia for end of September/beginning of October 2016 will be released?

The choices that I now have for US West Coast to Germany for July 2016 are on IB, BA, AB, AA. What should be my best peak?

My Itinerary might now look as follows:

1. 01/07/2016 SYD - SFO
2. 05/07/2016 SFO-LAX
3. 09/07/2016 LAX - DUS
4. 19/07/2016 DUS - WAW
5. 25/07/2016 WAW-DUS
6. 03/10/2016 DUS-SYD

Alternatively:

1. 01/07/2016 SYD - SFO
2. 05/07/2016 SFO -YVR (via LAX or over land)
3. 09/07/2016 YVR - DUS (via ORD or JFK or???)
4. 19/07/2016 DUS - WAW
5. 25/07/2016 WAW-DUS
6. 03/10/2016 DUS-SYD

Which airline would you advise me to take from LAX to DUS? The best options available now for 7-10 July 2016 are on IB, AB and BA.

Thanks for your advise

 

[hossein_au]

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

Which airline would you advise me to take from LAX to DUS? The best options available now for 7-10 July 2016 are on IB, AB and BA.

Thanks for your advise

As a general rule, I'd stay away from BA as much as possible. Their fuel surcharge is almost criminal.

 

[vetrade]

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

Henk,
You should book your USA to Europe flights now. You won’t be able to book your October 2016 DUS – SYD return flights until Oct/Nov by which time you may miss out on the USA – Europe seats if you delay and attempt to book everything together. Yes, that will incur 2 over-the-phone booking fees but it’s a necessary cost in my book.

I can confirm that you cannot add flights to your initial booking online – all additions or amendments have to be done over the phone.

As far as getting from west coast USA to DUS is concerned there are multiple options if travelling from LAX via the east coast of USA but only one direct flight with AB. I have no idea what J seat availability on this direct flight might be but AB isn't known for having a very good J product. My first choice would be LAX - JFK with AA since that service has F, J and Y classes which means you could book into J (whereas you would have to fly in Y on most AA US domestic flights). Would need to track J availability on this service closely though.

If you decide to go to YVR the best option to DUS would be CX to JFK (good J availability) and then probably IB to DUS via MAD. IB availability would be better than AA or BA (would fly BA only as a last resort), their taxes are moderate and their international J product is very good.

 

[ozflier]

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

Re our epic trip to South America on a business OWA, I have been pleasantly surprised by my dealings with LAN and TAM.

An example is that I had been originally booked in business GRU to LIM but business in that a/c was downgraded to Premium Economy.

Naturally I lost those seats and was returned to economy.

I checked with TAM today and they had changed us to PE and returned us to the original seats.

I was impressed.

 

[Henk]

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

Thanks Vetrade for the very detailed & helpful reply. I have now decided to abandon the idea of going to YVR in favour of LAX. I now need to wait some two more weeks for the AA business class and hope there will be some flights to Europe left in 2 weeks time. My trip now will hopefully be as follows:

1/7/2016 SYD - SFO (booked)
8/7/2016 LAX - JFK
12/7/2016 JFK - DUS
1/10/2016 DUS - SYD

I Will try to avoid BA & AB when booking my flight JFK-DUS & my return flight to SYD.

 

[kimnkk]

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

Hey guys! Long time lurker, first time booker!

Looking to book 2 J Class RTW, so a little bit tough. Just doing some research at the moment.

CX release their seats 360 days out, but MileageBank tool only shows about 330 days ahead!

Thinking of booking MEL-HKG-CDG (but with a 24 hour transit in HK).
Is there any way to check CX availability more than 330 days ahead?

 

[vetrade]

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

Is there any way to check CX availability more than 330 days ahead?

Why not just search the QF website (tick the "flexible with dates" box). Currently showing CX134 and CX104 MEL - HKG on 21/7/16 both have J award seats available

 

[kimnkk]

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

Why not just search the QF website (tick the "flexible with dates" box). Currently showing CX134 and CX104 MEL - HKG on 21/7/16 both have J award seats available

Hmm i tried but because i want to continue to CDG, i want to check just HKG to CDG (which qantas won't let me check for).
That's OK, might rejig my planning.

About AA flights, if there is no J on a domestic AA flight (MIA to EWR) but there is First (Z), will i take First or Economy?

 

[vetrade]

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

On a J RTW award you can't book into F if there's no J class on the flight. You will only be able to travel in Y.

 

[kimnkk]

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

On a J RTW award you can't book into F if there's no J class on the flight. You will only be able to travel in Y.

A bit of a bummer! Many thanks!

Also, can i book my own segments/stopovers?
For example, i want to go to Miami but don't want to stopover at in Los Angeles.

Can i book:
MEL -> LAX with QF
and then book (when it becomes available)
LAX -> MIA with AA

With a connection time of 6 hours would mean its not a stopover, is this also how it works in the Qantas/Oneworld booking system?

So confusing, slowly getting the hang through trialing rather than just reading! Phew!

 

[madrooster]

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

As far as getting from west coast USA to DUS is concerned there are multiple options if travelling from LAX via the east coast of USA but only one direct flight with AB. I have no idea what J seat availability on this direct flight might be but AB isn't known for having a very good J product. My first choice would be LAX - JFK with AA since that service has F, J and Y classes which means you could book into J (whereas you would have to fly in Y on most AA US domestic flights). Would need to track J availability on this service closely though.

If you decide to go to YVR the best option to DUS would be CX to JFK (good J availability) and then probably IB to DUS via MAD. IB availability would be better than AA or BA (would fly BA only as a last resort), their taxes are moderate and their international J product is very good.

A few addon points:

1. Avoid transiting LHR... it still costs you the passenger service charge which is about $100 AUD currently depending on routing
2. LAX-JFK is very difficult to get 2x U class seats on AA metal
3. If using IB make sure it's one of their A330s or A340-600's that has the new J product, not the A340-300's as they are being retired early and won't get the refurb. It's similar/the same as TG's latest J product.

 

[Danger]

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

A bit of a bummer! Many thanks!

Also, can i book my own segments/stopovers?
For example, i want to go to Miami but don't want to stopover at in Los Angeles.

Can i book:
MEL -> LAX with QF
and then book (when it becomes available)
LAX -> MIA with AA

With a connection time of 6 hours would mean its not a stopover, is this also how it works in the Qantas/Oneworld booking system?

So confusing, slowly getting the hang through trialing rather than just reading! Phew!

Yes, you can book your own segments/stopovers. In your example it is perfectly possible (subject to availability) to book MEL-LAX with QF, transit (rather than stopover) for six hours then travel onwards to MIA with AA. A stopover is considered a break in the journey of at least 24 hours; anything below that is a transit. Subject to falling within the maximum mileage (35k) you could also connect elsewhere in between LAX and MIA. For example, LAX-xDFW-MIA (where x represents a transit). I think there is one flight a day between LAX and MIA that is operated by a 777 which means three classes of service which in turn means you'll travel in Business rather than be downgraded to Coach. If that's not available it might be worth looking at LAX-xJFK-MIA as AA's A321 aircraft between LAX and JFK have three classes of service. And of course you could try MEL-xSYD-xDFW-MIA on QF (or MEL-xSYD-xLAX-MIA on AA).

 

[fastferret]

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

Hi experts!

I think the following 280k itinerary meets the rules, but would appreciate confirmation or otherwise.
SYD-HKG (CX)
HKG-DOH (CX)
DOH-ATH (QR)
Stop
ATH-MAD (IB)
Stop
TXL-LHR (BA)
LHR-KEF (BA)
Stop
KEF-LHR (BA)
LHR-ABN (BA)
Stop
EDI-MAD (IB)
MAD-BOS (IB)
Stop
BOS-HKG (CX)
HKG-SYD (CX)
12 segments, 33447 miles

Am I right that the open jaws don't count as segments? If they did I would be 14 segments and still ok.

The EDI-MAD arrives 1500 and MAD-BOS departs 1245 next day. Hoping this counts as a transit.
Similarly BOS-HKG arrives 0535 and HKG-SYD departs 2355. Hoping to spend the day in HK and it still being a transit.

I also checked the taxes on the BA site. I was a little surprised that MAD-BOS was much higher than all others at GBP321 for 2 pax, although BA through LHR would have been way higher at more than GBP600.

 

[flychrisfly]

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

Hi experts!

I think the following 280k itinerary meets the rules, but would appreciate confirmation or otherwise.
SYD-HKG (CX)
HKG-DOH (CX)
DOH-ATH (QR)
Stop
ATH-MAD (IB)
Stop
TXL-LHR (BA)
LHR-KEF (BA)
Stop
KEF-LHR (BA)
LHR-ABN (BA)
Stop
EDI-MAD (IB)
MAD-BOS (IB)
Stop
BOS-HKG (CX)
HKG-SYD (CX)
12 segments, 33447 miles

Am I right that the open jaws don't count as segments? If they did I would be 14 segments and still ok.

The EDI-MAD arrives 1500 and MAD-BOS departs 1245 next day. Hoping this counts as a transit.
Similarly BOS-HKG arrives 0535 and HKG-SYD departs 2355. Hoping to spend the day in HK and it still being a transit.

I also checked the taxes on the BA site. I was a little surprised that MAD-BOS was much higher than all others at GBP321 for 2 pax, although BA through LHR would have been way higher at more than GBP600.

Yep, looks good provided you get the precise sectors you are after. And yes, 12 sectors it is which gives you a few more to play with should your desired flights not come to be. Good luck with the bookings!

 

[vetrade]

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

Fastferret, you should read up on the QF T&Cs for OW RTW Awards (you can search for them under the FF section on their website) because that itinerary exceeds the max. 35000 miles by a long way. It is about 42,000 miles by my quick check on great circle mapper (gcmap.com) - but see my comments about ABN, below.

Where you appear to have come unstuck is the fact that surface segments are allowed and don't count towards the sector count but you have to include the distance of the surface segment in the 35K miles calculation.

14.5.4 The following Stopover conditions apply to oneworld Awards:
(a) up to five free Stopovers are permitted;
(b) additional Stopovers are not permitted;
(c) only one Stopover is permitted in any one city in the Itinerary; and
(d) only two Transfers may be taken at any one city in the Itinerary.

14.5.5 Surface Segments are permitted as part of oneworld Award Itineraries, but the distance between the disembarkation point and the next embarkation point will be included in the Reward Point zone calculation for that Itinerary.

Some other points to help you:
1. CX may not allow you to book the SYD-HKG-DOH segments together. AFFers seem to have had different experiences on this (I've had this type of combo rejected a few times when I've tried to book them) but you should be prepared for the possibility.
The way around it is to have a stopover in HKG (but you already have 5) or the best option for you might be to try for HKG-DOH on QR.
2 There is a direct flight from TXL - KEF (which would help trim your total mileage) but your itinerary is TXL-LHR-KEF. Is that because of award availability or didn't you
know about the direct option?
3. What's with ABN? Is that code correct because ABN is the code for Albina in Suriname which is north of Brazil and it's not a OW destination from what I can see?
Looks a bit out of place with the rest of your itinerary and might explain your distance problem.
I could be wrong but I don't think that's where you were intending to go - did you mean somewhere in Scotland like Aberdeen (ABZ) (since your next departure point
after that is EDI)?
4. BOS-HKG-SYD - as above, you might have trouble booking both these sectors together on CX
5. Transits are anything less than 24 hrs so your MAD transit would be OK
6. Re: MAD -BOS - the taxes you quoted may refer to a BA flight - IB would be much cheaper

 

[Fixit]

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

Thank You..Very Useful Information

 

[fastferret]

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

Thanks for the comments, guys.

Vetrade, I meant ABZ not ABN. For some reason I can't get ABN out of my mind when I'm thinking of Aberdeen.... GC Mapper gave me the 33447 miles entering ABZ and including the surface segments.

I've already got the SYD-HKG-DOH-ATH booked along with ATH-LHR-MAD on BA that I will change to ATH-MAD on IB now that seats are released for this.

I've read about some CX combos being rejected. I don't know if the fact I already have the outbound booked means it's ok, or if the problem will only become apparent when I try to complete the 280k booking. If the BOS-HKG-SYD with CX ends up causing a problem, I can try for BOS-NRT-SYD with JL, although I'd prefer CX and, also, the extra wait for JL to release seats would probably mean another changed booking charge. Rejigging SYD-HKG-DOH-ATH might cause me a bit more of a problem.

The flights to KEF are a funny one. I was planning on taking the direct TXL-KEF with AB followed by KEF-DUS-LHR-EDI with AB & BA. Then this week BA flights between LHR and KEF started showing up for July 2016 on the BA site (previously they stopped around March 2016) and the AB flights disappeared. Maybe the AB flights are still available through the QF assistant? Still, I think I prefer the BA option to KEF with the LHR transit because it can be J, whereas I think AB are only economy? I also find it odd that KEF isn't shown as a destination with the QF booking engine, even though One World flies there.

The MAD-BOS flight with the GBP321 taxes (2 pax) was with IB. Surprised me, but maybe there are no low tax options for Europe to North America?

 

[vetrade]

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

Looks like you've got most things under control then fastferret. If CX was going to reject the combo flights through HKG they normally do it quickly - within 1-3 days and the rejection would be expected to come in the form of an email notification from QF saying there has been a change to your booking. I wouldn't expect any problems if you're outside that time frame but, if you haven't done so recently, maybe just check your booking online to make sure everything you've booked to date is still correct.

Re: KEF. I'd take the long way round if the choice was between J and Y too!

 

[madrooster]

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

If CX was going to reject the combo flights through HKG they normally do it quickly - within 1-3 days and the rejection would be expected to come in the form of an email notification from QF saying there has been a change to your booking.

Generally that only happens if the agent grabbed the seats with the O/D as BOS/HKG and HKG-SYD. The agent needs to search as BOS/SYD then it shouldn't be an issue...

 

[kimnkk]

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

Been doing a bunch of research and thank to you guys, i have an itinerary in mind. Just not 100% sure if it works.

If i make a surface sector to LHR to fly out of there (LHR-JTR), does that count LHR towards my 2 Layover limit?
So for example, if I land in FCO and make a surface segment to LHR, can i do LHR-JTR, JTR-LHR-MIA and then MIA-LHR-HKG?

Or is that 1 too many in LHR?