Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[sergeyvzn]

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

I'll be booking the final leg of my 280K J One World Award in just over a week and plan to fly from JFK to SYD via HKG with CX. Although I've transitted through HKG before I've never visited Hong Kong so am considering making it a transit stop with a flight arriving into HKG from JFK at 0515 and then a flight from HKG to SYD at 2130 or 2355.

For anyone has has experience travelling or transitting through HKG I'd appreciate some advice - When you check in at JFK would they check your luggage through to SYD if you have a 16+ hour transit time? I see that CX has an arrivals lounge at HKG so we could have a shower and some breakfast there before heading into the city for the day.

I usually travel with a camera bag and a laptop bag but would only want to take my camera bag around for the day. Are there lockers or anywhere I could leave the other bag at HKG until I return to the airport? Also if I can't check our bags straight through to SYD I would also need somewhere to store them at HKG unless I could then check them in as soon as I arrive.

Yes, luggage will be through checked to Sydney unless you specifically ask not to do it.

the CX arrivals lounge is in the pedestrian tunnel right underneath the train station (you catch the train to go into town). They will store your luggage for you, there's a luggage store room there. I did that in July, had a 15 hour stop in HKG

 

[Canada]

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

Actually, I forgot one option... Qatar. You could do PER>HKG>NYC>DOH>PER or vice versa. Both Cathay & Qatar release seats fairly well in advance and I don't think they charge massive taxes/fees. Also meets 2 OW carriers requirements.

That sounds fantastic. I'll look now but concerned I'll need to go via syd mel or Brisbane?

 

[vetrade]

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

I'll be booking the final leg of my 280K J One World Award in just over a week and plan to fly from JFK to SYD via HKG with CX. Although I've transitted through HKG before I've never visited Hong Kong so am considering making it a transit stop with a flight arriving into HKG from JFK at 0515 and then a flight from HKG to SYD at 2130 or 2355.

Ken1, the subject of connecting CX flights through HKG has been discussed quite a bit in this thread because CX often blocks them. Maybe you should have a contingency plan in advance in case you come up against this problem. The problem is that even though you may be able to find J availability for both the JFK - HKG and the HKG - SYD flights if you search for them separately, CX may not let you book them both together unless you have a stopover in HKG rather than a transit. Other posters have commented that they have been able to book some flight combos through HKG with CX (I can't recall anyone saying they got JFK-HKG-SYD though) but my experience is that I've not been able to book awards on flights from North America to Oz via HKG either via YVR or from JFK. Note that this is a problem specific to CX so if you managed to get QF from HKG - SYD it wouldn't be a problem. The easy "fix" is to have a night in HKG and fly out >24hrs after arrival there.

Also, as Sergeyvzn said, luggage storage in HKG is easy and the train is a breeze.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

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

Ken1, the subject of connecting CX flights through HKG has been discussed quite a bit in this thread because CX often blocks them. Maybe you should have a contingency plan in advance in case you come up against this problem. The problem is that even though you may be able to find J availability for both the JFK - HKG and the HKG - SYD flights if you search for them separately, CX may not let you book them both together unless you have a stopover in HKG rather than a transit. Other posters have commented that they have been able to book some flight combos through HKG with CX (I can't recall anyone saying they got JFK-HKG-SYD though) but my experience is that I've not been able to book awards on flights from North America to Oz via HKG either via YVR or from JFK. Note that this is a problem specific to CX so if you managed to get QF from HKG - SYD it wouldn't be a problem. The easy "fix" is to have a night in HKG and fly out >24hrs after arrival there.

Also, as Sergeyvzn said, luggage storage in HKG is easy and the train is a breeze.

I'm open to correction but my understanding is that it is quite possible to fly both in and out of HKG on award flights with CX as long as you do make it a stopover not just a transit.
They won't let you book an incoming and outgoing award flight on the same day or within 24 hours. I don't think the speciific routes make any difference.
That is what the QF call centre staff told me last time I made such an award booking anyway.
If you haven't been to Hong Kong before this shouldn't be a hardship!

 

[coles525]

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

Would anyone have any suggestions on allowing a flight between Delhi (DEL) and Johannesburg (HEL) of under 24 hours / stop over rule?

attached is a dummy booking.



Plan of travel is: MEL / (HKG) / CMB ----- CMB / DEL ----- DEL / (HEL) / (LHR) / ZA ----- ZA / HEL ----- HEL / (LHR) / ORD --- OD / LAS --- LAS / MEL

(via)

 

[Ken1]

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

I'm open to correction but my understanding is that it is quite possible to fly both in and out of HKG on award flights with CX as long as you do make it a stopover not just a transit.
They won't let you book an incoming and outgoing award flight on the same day or within 24 hours. I don't think the speciific routes make any difference.
That is what the QF call centre staff told me last time I made such an award booking anyway.
If you haven't been to Hong Kong before this shouldn't be a hardship!

Thanks esseeeayeenn, vetrade and sergeyvzn for your replies. I see various combinations of JFK-HKG-SYD flights when I search for JFK-SYD QF award flights (eg CX831 & CX161, CX845 & CX139, CX831 & CX101 and others) so I assume that those combinations would be available to book together? My wife travelled SYD-HKG-JFK on a 280K award ticket in February 2014 and that was booked and ticketed without any problems so they must allow some combinations. Is it likely that combinations shown online when searching SYD-JFK will be okay?

I see that there are no combinations showing together that would give me what I was enquiring about (eg CX845 arriving HKG at 0515 and then CX161 departing HKG at 2130 or CX101 departing 2355 on the same day) so going on your experiences it's unlikely that I'll be able to book those combinations if I want to keep it within 24 hours.

It is no problem for me at add a day as part of my 280K award but my Son is planning to fly to meet me in New York where we'll be doing a Canada and New England cruise and then we'll fly home from NY together. I'll use some of my QF points for him to fly back in J with me. If I book CX with the combinations listed on the QF website or if I try the combination that would give us 16+ hours in HK (if it were to be available when I actually try to book it) we would use 139,000 points in J. If I look at multi-city for CX JFK-HKG and QF HKG-SYD it shows as 164,000 points and if I try CX for both flights but with over 24 hours between the flights it's 169,000 points.

I'll ask on the day I try to book it and see what they show as available. If a combination of flights can be added to the booking by the QF operator does that mean it should be okay or can it still be knocked back later when the ticket is actually re-issued?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

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

Thanks esseeeayeenn, vetrade and sergeyvzn for your replies. I see various combinations of JFK-HKG-SYD flights when I search for JFK-SYD QF award flights (eg CX831 & CX161, CX845 & CX139, CX831 & CX101 and others) so I assume that those combinations would be available to book together? My wife travelled SYD-HKG-JFK on a 280K award ticket in February 2014 and that was booked and ticketed without any problems so they must allow some combinations. Is it likely that combinations shown online when searching SYD-JFK will be okay?

That is my understanding.

I see that there are no combinations showing together that would give me what I was enquiring about (eg CX845 arriving HKG at 0515 and then CX161 departing HKG at 2130 or CX101 departing 2355 on the same day) so going on your experiences it's unlikely that I'll be able to book those combinations if I want to keep it within 24 hours.

Yes, and the fact that you can't see these options which you can't book tends to confirm that you WILL be able to book the combinations you can see (as above).

It is no problem for me at add a day as part of my 280K award but my Son is planning to fly to meet me in New York where we'll be doing a Canada and New England cruise and then we'll fly home from NY together. I'll use some of my QF points for him to fly back in J with me. If I book CX with the combinations listed on the QF website or if I try the combination that would give us 16+ hours in HK (if it were to be available when I actually try to book it) we would use 139,000 points in J. If I look at multi-city for CX JFK-HKG and QF HKG-SYD it shows as 164,000 points and if I try CX for both flights but with over 24 hours between the flights it's 169,000 points.

That doesn't surprise me. Check the co-payment for each option as well. Sometimes the taxes can be higher if you have an actual stopover rather than a long transit.
I do not know if this is the case at HKG but it certainly is the case at KUL, for example. This might explain the difference in points as well. I don't know if CX generally recoup taxes through copayments or points.

I'll ask on the day I try to book it and see what they show as available. If a combination of flights can be added to the booking by the QF operator does that mean it should be okay or can it still be knocked back later when the ticket is actually re-issued?

I doubt they will be able to add a combination of flights which breaks the 24 hour/same day rule.
(I am not sure exactly how the rule is actually applied - have you tried transit times of less than 24 hours but over 2 calendar days?)

 

[coles525]

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

Just phoneD QFF, and the person the extremely friendly/patient with me.

Was honest saying dummy bookings were made for all our flights. Everything is good, except we have 6 stop overs instead of the allowed 5. So I'm probably going to cancel the chicago / vegas section, making our own way around.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

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

Just curious as to what you mean by a dummy booking?

 

[coles525]

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

Flights won't be until late 2016, not yet able to book.

Test booking made for random dates in 2015 (but same weekdays as actual booking).

So when it's actually time to book the flights, I just need to inform QFF of the exact flight numbers and dates.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

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

So have you had to pay to make this dummy booking?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

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

Just a quick one world award question, I'm planning to do a OW in J in 2017, and am currently saving points with Mrs.Radio. The question is, is is better to pool all the points into one account when it comes time to book so we can see and book the reward seats at the same time? Other wise I would imagine that I could book first only to have no availability when she books hers?
Not sure how it is done but would appreciate any feedback, I know it's early but I like to do my homework early.

I'd recommend pooling to the one with the highest status. Just remember there are yearly limits on transfers. Book together always, unless you will be in different classes.

 

[coles525]

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

not at all..

 

[Ken1]

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

That is my understanding.

Yes, and the fact that you can't see these options which you can't book tends to confirm that you WILL be able to book the combinations you can see (as above).

That doesn't surprise me. Check the co-payment for each option as well. Sometimes the taxes can be higher if you have an actual stopover rather than a long transit.
I do not know if this is the case at HKG but it certainly is the case at KUL, for example. This might explain the difference in points as well. I don't know if CX generally recoup taxes through copayments or points.

I doubt they will be able to add a combination of flights which breaks the 24 hour/same day rule.
(I am not sure exactly how the rule is actually applied - have you tried transit times of less than 24 hours but over 2 calendar days?)

Thanks esseeeayeenn. Yes. I tried as a Multi City points booking with EWR-HKG CX899 on Sunday 18 September Dep EWR 0130 Arr HKG 0515 on Mon 19 Sep; then HKG-SYD on Mon 19 Sep CX101 2355-1050 or CX161 2130-0845 so the departure days are over 2 calendar days and it shows 139,000 points + $US77.26 taxes.

If I look at JFK-HKG-SYD on 20 Sep on CX831/CX161 as shown as available together with a 2hr40 transit at HKG it is also 139,000 points and $US77.26 taxes.

The CX/QF combination with the transit of less than 24 hours showed as 164,000 points +$US138 taxes. The CX combination with more than 24 hours (Sun 18 Sep and Tue 20 Sep) showed as 169,000 points +$US92.74 taxes.

I'll be booking to fly back from NY on around 5 or 6 October 2016 so they should be available in a week and a half from now.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

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

Thanks esseeeayeenn. Yes. I tried as a Multi City points booking with EWR-HKG CX899 on Sunday 18 September Dep EWR 0130 Arr HKG 0515 on Mon 19 Sep; then HKG-SYD on Mon 19 Sep CX101 2355-1050 or CX161 2130-0845 so the departure days are over 2 calendar days and it shows 139,000 points + $US77.26 taxes.

If I look at JFK-HKG-SYD on 20 Sep on CX831/CX161 as shown as available together with a 2hr40 transit at HKG it is also 139,000 points and $US77.26 taxes.

The CX/QF combination with the transit of less than 24 hours showed as 164,000 points +$US138 taxes. The CX combination with more than 24 hours (Sun 18 Sep and Tue 20 Sep) showed as 169,000 points +$US92.74 taxes.

I'll be booking to fly back from NY on around 5 or 6 October 2016 so they should be available in a week and a half from now.

Looking at those taxes I'd be sticking to CX all the way!

 

[Ken1]

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

Looking at those taxes I'd be sticking to CX all the way!

And a couple of weeks ago when I looked at flying JFK-SYD with QF the taxes in J were $US433.59 and as a Bronze FF I don't see many QF flights become available so I'd like to stick with CX with their much lower taxes.

 

[coles525]

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

Weird, a 40 hour flight was allowed, but not a 23.5 hr flight! The longer flight includes a full day in Hong Kong

 

[esseeeayeenn]

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

Weird, a 40 hour flight was allowed, but not a 23.5 hr flight! The longer flight includes a full day in Hong Kong

The full day in HKG is probably the reason it was allowed. See my exchange with Ken1 in this thread.

 

[vetrade]

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

..........They won't let you book an incoming and outgoing award flight on the same day or within 24 hours. I don't think the specific routes make any difference...............

Personally I've never had any luck getting a transit through HKG with 2 CX flights (but admittedly the combos I've tried for have been on major routes from Europe or Nth America). Other AFFers (as they have stated in this thread) have apparently been successful though. From memory the second leg of one such combo was a direct flight from HKG - ADL; so it appears that not all CX combos through HKG with a <24hr transit time are blocked.

 

[vetrade]

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

Just curious as to what you mean by a dummy booking?

A dummy booking just means you enter a series of flights online to see if the system allows it. You can try various combinations without completing the booking so there's no cost.