Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[vetrade]

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

I will start making my bookings next week, the only way I can see to accomplish my goals is to book each leg individually. BUT, I am a firm believer in "if you don't ask, you wont know" .
So, does anyone here see any other method (ie combine "oneworld award" with separate flights to this itinerary.

SYD - DXB F QF
DXB - TLV J RJ
CAI - IST J RJ
IST - DOH J QR
DOH - ABU F QR
DXB - HKG F EK
HKG - SYD J CX

Burning about 850,000 points.

First up, Bindibuys, EK is not a OW airline so your DXB - HKG leg doesn't qualify.
Second, since most of your flights are in J, about 300K of the points you are going to spend on an F award are going to be "wasted".
Will you really get to appreciate F on the relatively short hops from DOH - ABU (about a 1 hr flight) and DXB - HKG? The only "decent" F leg is the SYD - DXB one - so I'd be inclined to just do a J award for 280K points pp and save the 300K points for another day to do a return F flight.
As far as minimising the calls (and fees) to QF is concerned, we'd need some dates to see what flights are feasible to book together

 

[Bindibuys]

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

Thanks Vetrade. DXB - HkG on Emirates, which can be booked as an award booking (but yes, not part of oneworld)
DOH - ABU is only avail as Y or F (by this time luggage is an issue, so choose F + lounge access)

Was wanting to try both QF & EK F (I have tried SQ F) and did not want the 6am EK out of Sydney, so this was the only other leg that we could use EK.

I could not see a way to string a set of flights to make up a Oneworld booking, but then I don't have experience at this (only easy return awards bookings) Some times others can see some thing " out of the box" that I could not see as feasible.

As for dates - well that depends on availability !!!! but looking for Sept 22 2016 departure, RJ shows up first, so that will be the first to be booked, then the Syd/Dxb leg. (I have a calendar of dates for each airlines release dates.)

There are 3 other flights inter Egypt which I have not included.

 

[Yada7]

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

Firstly a thank you to everyone for the wealth of knowledge in this forum. The excitement is infectious as people share their plans and I'm so impressed with the way the community helps those less-experienced out.

For myself I am unbelievably excited about a 280K J RTW trip planned for next year (July/Aug) for my wife and I. I've never redeemed QFF points (other than for a pair of headphones, then I did the maths and realised 280K trips were the way to go) so would appreciate any input you might have.

Part of this trip is to pick off some destinations we haven't been to previously (and one that we have, but too little of), but another part is to simply enjoy the experience of flying J class with different providers. So the routes are as such to capture that.

Here's what I'm thinking. This is based on the research I've done so far about what might be possible:

Melbourne - Hong Kong - Tokyo (STOP) : Tokyo is the destination, but I've read such wonderful reviews of Cathay Pacific's J-class that I'm thinking we go through HKG. Are transitions where you quickly pop into the city and come back to get on the connecting flight a done thing or too risky?
Tokyo - Dubai - St Petersburg (STOP) : This is an Emirates flight that comes up as an award booking (similar to above post I guess). I assume it's therefore OK to do and Emirates are another J-Class experience that seems to have great reviews.
St Petersburg - Krakow (STOP) : I don't know how I can do this, the QF booking system comes up with an error - nothing available? Following Krakow we are going to train down to Prague and then back up to Berlin through Dresden.
Berlin - New York (STOP) : Seems like I have to transit through LHR here on BA, but from what I've read I'm confident I don't have to pay the APD as in transit rather than originating from UK. Sorry to raise this again, there's just a post a few pages back that made me doubt myself.
New York - Cancun (STOP) : Tried routing this through Atlanta to try and see family there while in transit, but there were only First Class seats available JFK-ATL on QFs online booking. Should I try going through AA here?
Cancun - Melbourne (STOP) : Could try and do the stop through Atlanta going this way (?Cancun-Atlanta-LAX-Melbourne). Seem to come up with difficulties of too many flights in one day. Would love to bring it home on the Red Kangaroo to experience their J-class here (plus I love an Aussie accent saying Welcome Home after a trip)

Tokyo, St Petersburg, Krakow-Prague, New York are must-dos. Berlin and Cancun not so much so if anyone has suggestions that involve some variations there feel free to throw them up.

Again, I really appreciate the feedback here. I'm ready to pull the trigger but just want to try and get as much as I can online to minimise the points cost involved with ringing up.

 

[vetrade]

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

I think I must have misunderstood your query, Bindibuys. In this thread I assumed your reference to "booking each leg individually" was referring to booking the legs of a OW award via the QF call centre but is it that you are considering booking individual legs as separate classic awards i.e. not a OW award at all??????

 

[FrankC]

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

...
Tokyo - Dubai - St Petersburg (STOP) : This is an Emirates flight that comes up as an award booking (similar to above post I guess). I assume it's therefore OK to do and Emirates are another J-Class experience that seems to have great reviews.
...

EK is not part of OW, you will have to try another airline
If you include EK, you cannot get the pricing of 280K
The QF online tool does not show all OW flights
With the J pricing, you cannot get F flights within America, which is very limiting

 

[Yada7]

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

Ahhh I see. So while an EK flight shows up through the Qantas Online booking system, if I select it it won't revert to the 280K plan, just keep accumulating points?

Back to the drawing board - thought I had it nailed. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of J flights through the US, or is it just that they get snapped up so quickly?

 

[FrankC]

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

Ahhh I see. So while an EK flight shows up through the Qantas Online booking system, if I select it it won't revert to the 280K plan, just keep accumulating points?

Back to the drawing board - thought I had it nailed. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of J flights through the US, or is it just that they get snapped up so quickly?

QFF partners with OW and other airlines, and 280k is for OW only
For flights within America, most flights with 2 class cabins are F & Y, (even though their F is at most QF dom J), therefore a J booking will have Y seats

 

[vetrade]

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

Yada7, as FrankC said, EK is not a OW airline and you can therefore not book any EK flights as part of a OW RTW award booking, even if they have a QF flight number. You can see a list of the airlines you can use at oneworld.com.
Re HKG - this is probably the best city to consider a short trip from the airport to between connecting flights. The train is quick. This has been discussed extensively in other threads so just do a search for all the details/tips.

I think you need to familiarise yourself with the QF T&C's for classic / oneworld awards by finding some hours to read a big slab of previous posts because you don't understand the basics yet.

 

[Yada7]

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

Thanks vetrade. Trust me the hours have been spent reading through this definitive thread - I've quite enjoyed it and will take your suggestion to search other threads for further information. I previously thought if it was up on the QF booking thing it was good to go, but I understand the EK not being part of OW thing now.

Go Cats! .... in 2016.

Starting to think I could do New York - Buenos Aires (STOP) - LAX - Melbourne and tell the family members to come to NY ... Great Circle Mapper is showing me with some miles up my sleeve and I don't want to waste any in Y

 

[Infreq]

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

Yada7, as FrankC said, EK is not a OW airline and you can therefore not book any EK flights as part of a OW RTW award booking, even if they have a QF flight number. You can see a list of the airlines you can use at oneworld.com.
Re HKG - this is probably the best city to consider a short trip from the airport to between connecting flights. The train is quick. This has been discussed extensively in other threads so just do a search for all the details/tips.

I think you need to familiarise yourself with the QF T&C's for classic / oneworld awards by finding some hours to read a big slab of previous posts because you don't understand the basics yet.

Urmm or have a look in the AFF resource centre...

 

[vetrade]

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

Yada7, have you considered doing your trip in the other direction? This, of course, will depend on whether you need to be in a particular place at a certain time.
You could go to Tokyo via HKG then there's a NRT - DFW flight. From DFW you could probably get a return AA flight (there's J on this route) to Buenos Aires. Then you could fly DFW - CUN (did this with AA a few years ago and it's an older plane but there's J on this route too). From CUN you could get to JFK either direct (I think award seats are hard to get on this one) or via MIA. After NY you could then make your way to Europe and travel home via a variety of routes.

 

[vetrade]

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

Yes that too. However I've always found it indispensable to read through how previous posters have worked out problems, what routes they took etc. You won't find a lot of those little tips in the resource centre.

 

[Yada7]

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

I hadn't thought about it since I always seem to travel better east-west than west-east (I feel like I'm at least moving with the sun and having long days rather than against it) but no particular places at certain times so I might throw around your suggestions over the weekend.

If I stick with east-west it looks like I can go Tokyo-St Petersburg with Japan Airlines or Finnish Airways - anybody have a preference between those two for J services?

 

[Bindibuys]

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

I think I must have misunderstood your query, Bindibuys. In this thread I assumed your reference to "booking each leg individually" was referring to booking the legs of a OW award via the QF call centre but is it that you are considering booking individual legs as separate classic awards i.e. not a OW award at all??????

You are basically correct Vetrade, as far as I can tell from my very little experience, the way I am planning to book it (all individual PRN's?) is the only way to complete this itinerary. My question, was does anyone see any other way to put this together.
My general thinking is that some times a fresh pair of eyes can see another way.
Guess I was just looking for confirmation that what I am doing/planning is the only feasible way to book it.

BTW - I have monitored this thread for quite a while, you are doing a wonderful job Verade. Now just wish me luck getting all the flights on points.

 

[prozac]

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

I have read his thread out of interest over many months. I think I have forgotten much of what I read earlier on but then maybe some of it comes back to you when you actually start booking.
A couple of pages back someone indicated you will accumulate SC (Status) when travelling OW on points. Is this correct or have I misunderstood the nuance?

 

[Cynicor]

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

I have read his thread out of interest over many months. I think I have forgotten much of what I read earlier on but then maybe some of it comes back to you when you actually start booking.
A couple of pages back someone indicated you will accumulate SC (Status) when travelling OW on points. Is this correct or have I misunderstood the nuance?

No SCs at all. Must have misinterpreted something.

 

[vetrade]

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

I have read his thread out of interest over many months. I think I have forgotten much of what I read earlier on but then maybe some of it comes back to you when you actually start booking.
A couple of pages back someone indicated you will accumulate SC (Status) when travelling OW on points. Is this correct or have I misunderstood the nuance?

No points or SC for OW awards, Prozac, however you might get some if a flight is changed through no fault of your own. We missed a connection in MAD to JFK a few months ago flying IB and they had to put us on a BA flight via LHR - we received both SC and points for that one and hadn't even thought of asking for them.

 

[prozac]

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

No SCs at all. Must have misinterpreted something.

No points or SC for OW awards, Prozac, ...

That was my understanding too, but I asked in case I had misunderstood all along. Thanks for the replies.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

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

To solve the OW EK issue upstream, CX fly DXB-HKG, there's your second OW carrier.

 

[Jacques Vert]

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

I have read his thread out of interest over many months. I think I have forgotten much of what I read earlier on but then maybe some of it comes back to you when you actually start booking.
A couple of pages back someone indicated you will accumulate SC (Status) when travelling OW on points. Is this correct or have I misunderstood the nuance?

There was a promotion at the end of 2013 (if I remember correctly) where you did get SCs for international classic awards in Y for a limited time. Maybe that is what you recall.

JV