Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[MelbMan]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

I need to go to Rio de Janiero in mid 2012. Is it possible on one of these RTW redemptions. Thinking initially MEL-AKL-Santiago (possible stopover) -Rio de Janeiro (stopover)-Miami (possible stopover)-New York (stopover)-LAX or Dallas (possible stopover)-home. I guess a side trip to Cuba is out of the question

 

[casanovawa]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

I'm sure its doable to get to Rio on the OW award, the only thing you might need to consider, and I am trying to find this out msyelf, is if LAN services Rio through some affilation with TAM airlines as i don't think LAN flys there direct, and whether this is ok on the OW fare which states you have to use only OW airlines i believe...

You could certainly go up to north america first and then fly down to Rio using American Airlines out of Miami probably then fly back up, or else going to SCL and fly up to north america and back down to Rio then back up to NA? I am just not sure about getting to Rio whilest in south america, so if any more experienced users can answer this it would be good...

here is LAN's route map which isn't very interactive unfortunately...
http://www.lan.com/en_au/sitio_personas/volar_en_lan/experiencia_de_viaje/destinos.html

my plan is to go from melb or syd up to LAX (simply as I have never flown in an A380 and this is the only route i will get to do it on although flying straight to south america whould be much quicker and easier and save me miles) then down to LIM in Peru then get a LAN south America Pass...

 

[MelbMan]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

Thanks Casanova... I did MEL-AKL-Santiago return on points in 2005. QF to Auckland and then on LanChile to Santiago. In those days LanChile did not have too much inflight entertainment but it's a nice long leg... same sort of feel as Singapore to Johannesburg which is about 10 hrs, Santiago 13?

I really need to go to Rio first (conference). Do recall seeing a special on lastminute.com.au at one stage, British Airways Melbourne-Rio then onto London.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

That should not constitute an additional stopover. It may count as a "sector" in the 16 sector count limit, but its still only a single stop-over. I booked one of these awards and had different arrival/departure ports at most of my 5 stopovers.

It has been a while since I tried booking a Oneworld award but I seem to recall (I am not certain and I could be totally wrong) that surface sectors were counted as stopovers.

 

[BillW]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

Important to note that there is no need to move in a continuous direction, and as such it is not a RTW fare just a distance based fare, so for example you can travel to Europe via Asia in both directions if you so desire.

I just tried to put together online a combination via Asia to Europe, down to Jo'burg and return to Sydney but the Sydney return leg was denied.

 

[johnrm]

QF Round The world tickets

Hi to all. Re the recent thread on QF RTW, I was always of the impression that 140,000 points covered it. However on visiting the QF site I note that RTW tickets must be paid for by credit card and that points cannot be used! Anyone able to advise? Many thanks.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

It has been a while since I tried booking a Oneworld award but I seem to recall (I am not certain and I could be totally wrong) that surface sectors were counted as stopovers.

Yes; but it should only be one stopover (not 2) as NM pointed out.

JV

 

[straitman]

Re: QF Round The world tickets

Hi to all. Re the recent thread on QF RTW, I was always of the impression that 140,000 points covered it. However on visiting the QF site I note that RTW tickets must be paid for by credit card and that points cannot be used! Anyone able to advise? Many thanks.

johnrm,

Welcome to AFF.

I am moving your question to a thread that is already open on the subject and that 'should' answer your question.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

I need to go to Rio de Janiero in mid 2012. Is it possible on one of these RTW redemptions. Thinking initially MEL-AKL-Santiago (possible stopover) -Rio de Janeiro (stopover)-Miami (possible stopover)-New York (stopover)-LAX or Dallas (possible stopover)-home. I guess a side trip to Cuba is out of the question

It is possible to include Cuba on a RTW. Mrs JV & I included a stopover in HAV in July last year. However, until Mexicana start flying again (big Q) your options are limited.

May I suggest you consider SYD-AKL-SCL-HAV as the start of your RTW (all with LAN Chile who I have found to be quite good) then continue on to Europe.

Please note: when we went to Cuba, you could not include a visit to Cuba and to the US on the same ticket; if you did then upon arrival in the US the remainder of your ticket was cancelled! Relations between the US and Cuba have improved in the past year but AFAIK you still can't put Cuba and a US port on the same ticket.

JV

 

[JohnK]

Re: QF Round The world tickets

I just tried to put together online a combination via Asia to Europe, down to Jo'burg and return to Sydney but the Sydney return leg was denied.

Was the return on SAA? Not allowed on a Oneworld award. Have you used 2 airlines other than QF? Too many stopovers? Too many tmes via one city?

Unless you post your routing we can't tell if you are doing anything wrong.

Hi to all. Re the recent thread on QF RTW, I was always of the impression that 140,000 points covered it. However on visiting the QF site I note that RTW tickets must be paid for by credit card and that points cannot be used! Anyone able to advise? Many thanks.

Welcome to AFF!

You are looking at the Oneworld continent fare and the Global explorer which are both paid fares and you cannot used QFF points for these products.

You need to go into the award booking engine and select multi-city option and then starting inputing your city pairs and dates.

 

[BillW]

Re: QF Round The world tickets

Was the return on SAA? Not allowed on a Oneworld award. Have you used 2 airlines other than QF? Too many stopovers? Too many tmes via one city?

Unless you post your routing we can't tell if you are doing anything wrong.

Well, I have scrubbed it now. Are these restrictions that you mention conditions of the 140,000 point fare? Because no-one has explained that, at least recently. Otherwise, I was way below the 16 stopover limit and I just used airlines presented as available by the system.

As a demonstratiion to me that a circle rather than RTW is allowed, can you put together for us an example that may fit my requirements? I want to go to Europe (anywhere) via India and back via Mauritius (which seems to necessitate JNB), or vice versa. Any other stops would be agreeable but not necessary. I would greatly value seeing that. In partial answer to your questions, I seemed to most use CX and BA because these flew to my stated destinations of India and South Africa. QF flies JNB - SYD, so no need for SAA.

 

[JohnK]

Re: QF Round The world tickets

Well, I have scrubbed it now. Are these restrictions that you mention conditions of the 140,000 point fare? Because no-one has explained that, at least recently. Otherwise, I was way below the 16 stopover limit and I just used airlines presented as available by the system.

Unfortunately these 'restrictions' are part of the Oneworld award. They are in the terms and conditions but the best way to familiarise with them is to do the planning on the award booking engine.

As a demonstratiion to me that a circle rather than RTW is allowed, can you put together for us an example that may fit my requirements? I want to go to Europe (anywhere) via India and back via Mauritius (which seems to necessitate JNB), or vice versa.

Without looking who flies to MRU from JNB? BA or SAA? It has to be a Oneworld flight not codeshare regardless of what shows up on the QF award booking engine. Codeshares on non-Oneworld airlines are OK for classic awards but not for the Oneworld award.

So something like SYD-SIN-DEL-LHR-HEL-LHR-JNB-SYD would be OK and you may need to purchase a ticket to MRU. Not sure if CX goes there via HKG.

I shall have a look later when I have some spare time.

 

[MelbMan]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

I need to go to Rio de Janiero in mid 2012. Is it possible on one of these RTW redemptions. Thinking initially MEL-AKL-Santiago (possible stopover) -Rio de Janeiro (stopover)-Miami (possible stopover)-New York (stopover)-LAX or Dallas (possible stopover)-home. I guess a side trip to Cuba is out of the question

Maybe if Havana, Cuba is out, Cuba, New York might have to do...
Winter in the Sun - Weekend in New York - Weekend in New York — Sounds and Tastes of Old Cuba - NYTimes.com

 

[serfty]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

BA flies LHR-MRU

This tool can assist:

• oneWORLD Interactive Route Map

 

[NM]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

hmmmm NM, and did u book over the phone with someone who let you have those ground sectors count as only 1 stop, that would be very handy for a trip i am planning... save me booking at least a couple of extra flights....

Mine was booked over the phone. As far as I am aware, surface segments have NEVER counted as two stopovers in any type of ticket, award or revenue. A surface segments counts towards the total number of segments in the ticket, but its only a single stopover - always has been and nothing has changed recently.

 

[NM]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

It has been a while since I tried booking a Oneworld award but I seem to recall (I am not certain and I could be totally wrong) that surface sectors were counted as stopovers.

Yes, its a SINGLE stopover, not TWO stopovers as was reported in the post to which I was replying. Arrive into one port and depart from a different port counts as ONE stopover (not two) and ONE surface segment that counts towards the 16 segment limit. Several years ago a surface segment did not count towards the total segment count, but they do now.

 

[MelbMan]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

BA flies LHR-MRU

This tool can assist:

• oneWORLD Interactive Route Map

Thanks Serfty.. that's a great link

 

[JohnK]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

BA flies LHR-MRU

And also continues on MRU-JNB.

It would appear that one can select MRU as a destination but one cannot select flights departing MRU on the QF award booking engine.

Perhaps a call to the QF service centre is needed to find out if travel to/from MRU is possible on a Oneworld award.

 

[BillW]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

Your spare time would be welcome, to me at least, the unitiated. BA flies LHR - MRU and MRU - JNB about once pre week. I would need at least a week in MRU for some family history research. Thereafter, as before, QF flies JNB - SYD. Or vice versa, although I could not seem to bring up, online, a flight SYD - JNB but I could in reverse.

 

[JohnK]

Re: Oneworld RTW 140,000 point fare

Your spare time would be welcome, to me at least, the unitiated. BA flies LHR - MRU and MRU - JNB about once pre week. I would need at least a week in MRU for some family history research. Thereafter, as before, QF flies JNB - SYD. Or vice versa, although I could not seem to bring up, online, a flight SYD - JNB but I could in reverse.

As explained in my earlier post I tried doing a dummy booking but I simply cannot select to depart from MRU. It is listed as a destination but not a departure airport on the award booking engine. :shock:

I wish QF would invest some money in IT and fix their software. So many bugs. It simply does not function the way it should function and then they want to charge service fees on top to get the booking done online.

I believe you first port of call should be to call QF service centre and say you want to find out availability for a Oneworld award flyng to the destinations you want to fly. The QF service centre uses an entirely different front end to the award booking engine on their website and they have access to all 600+ Oneworld destinations at the fingertips.

If you like the answer given then you can book the itinerary. By the way I lost count the number of times I called them to finalise an itinerary and most times spent at least half an hour on the phone. They won't charge you for asking....