Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[JohnM]

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

Further to the above, I was debating whether to change our European destinations to further away from UK than Paris/Spain, somewhere say about 6 hours flight away with a decent J service. Just in order to retain the 5 stopovers.

To go 6h away and therefore start getting into the long-haul type aircraft, you'd be looking at going as far as somewhere like Dubai in the European zone. Anything inside that distance but further out from London than Paris/Spain (eg. Amman, Istanbul) would still be in the intra-Europe style of J - ie. anywhere that an A320 series type of aircraft flies to from London, I think you will find.

 

[adelee]

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

I'm currently researching the following topics:
1- Find a way to upgrade on the SFO - LAX - YYZ flights - and get lounge access
2- Sort out bassinet seats
3- Understand luggage allowances
4- Find the best lounges to access at each airport!!!

Hi SvenSki. My husband and I have just returned from a 280k J award with our 18 month old, which incorporated 4 longhaul CX sectors. Please feel free to message me if you are after any specific travelling with infant advice. Just quickly, we found the QF lounge in HKG a godsend (great area at the back where babes can run amuck without upsetting other travellers), and the bassinet didn't work for us (our daughter too large and it was located in a very noisy area right at the front of J, so distracted her). Good luck!

 

[adelee]

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

Hi all

We are now back from the major part of our 280k award:
MEL-HKG-JFK-MAD-BCN, TXL-FRA-HKG-AKL-SYD-ADL

All went pretty well, save a few hiccups. Not to get too off topic, but my advice to those considering different Oneworld partners would be to also take into consideration their reputation with dealing with complaints / compensation when deciding who to fly with, as chances are that something will go wrong once or twice with a large multi sector booking.

In our case, Iberia managed to lose our luggage from JFK-MAD-BCN for 5 days (not great as my family was without clothes for 5 days on a cruise), and we have been struggling ever since to get a contact for compensation for the items we needed to buy before the luggage turned up. Reading through the experiences of others in this situation on the web has been very depressing indeed - seems like we lucked out with the worst airline to lose our bags.

Conversely, CX delayed our flight from FRA-HKG for 4 hours 10 minutes, and a quick search online showed me we might be eligible for compensation under EU travel rules (4 hours or more for longhaul departures). Sure enough, 3 days after emailing a request, we've been promised compensation of 600 euros each (yes, even our daughter travelling on an infant award ticket!) - a great outcome.

 

[MTAB]

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

Happy New Year to all.
I'm trying to a 140K trip for my wife and me. Any comments, suggestions and help from the collective wisdom of AFF would be most appreciated. Here's what I would like to do:
Sep 02 CNS — QF799 — BNE
Sep 06 BNE — BA7407 — SIN — BA12 — LHR — BA233 — DME
DME — Own Arrangements — LED
Sep 18 LED — AY165 — HEL — AY659 — OSL
Sep 22 OSL— BA763 — LHR — BA1493 — GLA
GLA — Own Arrangements — DUB
Oct 18 DUB — AA723 — PHL — AA4560 — YYZ
Oct 29 YYZ — QF3246 — LAX — QF16 — BNE — QF782 — CNS

The above was part of my original plea for help/suggestions for which I have gratefully received some. On the basis of this I have re-jogged to try the following:
Sep 02 CNS — QF799 — BNE
Sep 06 BNE — QF517 — SYD — QF577 — PER — QR903 — DOH — QR233 — DME
DME — Own Arrangements — LED
Sep 18 LED — AY165 — HEL — AY659 — OSL
Sep 22 OSL— BA761 — LHR — BA1482 — GLA
GLA — Own Arrangements — DUB
Oct 17 DUB — EI129 — YYZ
Oct 29 YYZ — AA1586 — LAX — QF16 — BNE — QF782 — CNS

However, I am having difficulty identifying availability of award seats for AY165 and AY659 (through my temporary membership in Expert Flyer there are lots of LED — HEL — OSL flights listed but there are 0 economy award seats). Is this correct? Is it likely that some may be listed/released? Is it worthwhile me phoning Finnair to see if any are available?

Also, no matter how I look (eg through the Qatar site [I have 0 points] or through the BA site) there are no QR award flights listed at all (ie for PER — QR903 — DOH — QR233 — DME flights). Again, is this correct? Is it likely that some may be listed/released? Is it worthwhile me phoning Qatar Airways to see if any are available?

I realise these questions are big asks, but I'd really appreciate responses to any or all of them. Thanks.

 

[Newtooz]

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

Really sorry if this is an obvious question but I cannot work out how to see the cost of a RTW oneworld ticket is in points? I can only see it in dollar cost. Is there a different website I should be looking at to check that I am within the 280k points? i am using the oneworld flash microsite but the cost of the flight is coming out at $15k!!

 

[celph]

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

Really sorry if this is an obvious question but I cannot work out how to see the cost of a RTW oneworld ticket is in points? I can only see it in dollar cost. Is there a different website I should be looking at to check that I am within the 280k points? i am using the oneworld flash microsite but the cost of the flight is coming out at $15k!!

Try the qantas multi city search engine

 

[JohnM]

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

Really sorry if this is an obvious question but I cannot work out how to see the cost of a RTW oneworld ticket is in points? I can only see it in dollar cost. Is there a different website I should be looking at to check that I am within the 280k points? i am using the oneworld flash microsite but the cost of the flight is coming out at $15k!!

You appear to be mixing up a xONEx (OneWorld 'true' RTW) fare (which costs $$) with a 140/280/420K 'award' which is not (or does not have to be), strictly speaking, a RTW itinerary.

An xONEx is comparatively easy to put together; a 140/280/420K award is much more difficult - but rewarding for those with the persistence.

 

[vetrade]

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

Really sorry if this is an obvious question but I cannot work out how to see the cost of a RTW oneworld ticket is in points? I can only see it in dollar cost. Is there a different website I should be looking at to check that I am within the 280k points? i am using the oneworld flash microsite but the cost of the flight is coming out at $15k!!

The cost of a OW RTW award is capped at 140K pts for Y; 280K for J and 420K for F. You don't have to keep within 280K pts for a J award - the whole point is that for 280K pts you can get a combination of flights which would normally cost you many more points if you booked the same flights individually. So ignore the points cost (and the OW paid fares) - the main rules you need to be aware of are that you can have up to 16 flight segments, up to 5 stopovers (ie a stop of more than 24 hrs), the maximum distance travelled in total is 35,000 miles and all flights must be on OW airlines.

 

[SvenSki]

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

Thanks adelee,

We have done so much research on taking a bub, but everyone has been so helpful! I can't PM due to post count though, but very much appreciate the offer.

Updates and more info that may help others:

1- Beware if you book a RTW in J on OW as if you have an internal sector (that starts and finishes in North America), that you will be getting a Y ticket (as they have two class flights F and Y 99% of the time), then you will get NO lounge access and NO baggage allowances! I am led to believe from research that you still have lounge access and baggage allowance if a Y segment as part of a transit that involves a long haul, though you will need to check individual circumstances.
2- AA has some trans-continental flights with J and also some shorter flights. Plus, be sure to check flight numbers of international flights (including other airlines) that continue through US cities (as they have J cabins usually).

We have just changed from SFO-LAX-YYZ in Y to SFO-JFK in J. Much more comfortable. Even if we added JFK-YYZ to this, we would have been charged baggage and sat in Y for that sector. Almost as cheap to get a J seat with cash. We were planning a side trip to the big apple anyway, so works a treat!

 

[hutch]

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

The above was part of my original plea for help/suggestions for which I have gratefully received some. On the basis of this I have re-jogged to try the following:
Sep 02 CNS — QF799 — BNE
Sep 06 BNE — QF517 — SYD — QF577 — PER — QR903 — DOH — QR233 — DME
DME — Own Arrangements — LED
Sep 18 LED — AY165 — HEL — AY659 — OSL
Sep 22 OSL— BA761 — LHR — BA1482 — GLA
GLA — Own Arrangements — DUB
Oct 17 DUB — EI129 — YYZ
Oct 29 YYZ — AA1586 — LAX — QF16 — BNE — QF782 — CNS

However, I am having difficulty identifying availability of award seats for AY165 and AY659 (through my temporary membership in Expert Flyer there are lots of LED — HEL — OSL flights listed but there are 0 economy award seats). Is this correct? Is it likely that some may be listed/released? Is it worthwhile me phoning Finnair to see if any are available?

Also, no matter how I look (eg through the Qatar site [I have 0 points] or through the BA site) there are no QR award flights listed at all (ie for PER — QR903 — DOH — QR233 — DME flights). Again, is this correct? Is it likely that some may be listed/released? Is it worthwhile me phoning Qatar Airways to see if any are available?

I realise these questions are big asks, but I'd really appreciate responses to any or all of them. Thanks.

No point calling the other airlines IMO... they may provide greater availability to their members than what they offer to OW partners.

I'd just ring up Qantas with your current plan A (as above), see what is available and be prepared for some flexibility.

Also are you flying economy? You seem to be doing a lot of "unnecessary" flying (subjectively in my opinion) for an economy ticket. Like the flights on 6 Sep, Qatar will fly out of Aust 4 ports by then... including SYD, why not just do BNE>SYD>DOH>DME. In any case, your best option may be to ring up QF and say I want to get to DME on this date, my preferred option is QR through DOHA, what can you do?

If you were trying to be picky with flights, I would try to fly ADL-DOH to get on the new A350.

 

[hutch]

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

Thanks adelee,

We have done so much research on taking a bub, but everyone has been so helpful! I can't PM due to post count though, but very much appreciate the offer.

Updates and more info that may help others:

1- Beware if you book a RTW in J on OW as if you have an internal sector (that starts and finishes in North America), that you will be getting a Y ticket (as they have two class flights F and Y 99% of the time), then you will get NO lounge access and NO baggage allowances! I am led to believe from research that you still have lounge access and baggage allowance if a Y segment as part of a transit that involves a long haul, though you will need to check individual circumstances.
2- AA has some trans-continental flights with J and also some shorter flights. Plus, be sure to check flight numbers of international flights (including other airlines) that continue through US cities (as they have J cabins usually).

We have just changed from SFO-LAX-YYZ in Y to SFO-JFK in J. Much more comfortable. Even if we added JFK-YYZ to this, we would have been charged baggage and sat in Y for that sector. Almost as cheap to get a J seat with cash. We were planning a side trip to the big apple anyway, so works a treat!

1. just worth noting that this is a Oneworld award ticket, not a round the world ticket (i know its ultra pedantic), but people get confused.

But you are quite right, in the US, AA seems to offer J on some trans con flights. For what it is worth, the Admirals Lounges aren't really worth your time.
As you mention, if you were flying to domestic economy to connect to/from a long-haul business flight ticket, the conditions of the long-haul apply.

Someone else may know this for sure, but I was under the impression that the majority carrier's baggage allowance normally applies on these OW tickets? @Vetrade?

2. What plane are AA flying SFO-JFK?

 

[MTAB]

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

No point calling the other airlines IMO... they may provide greater availability to their members than what they offer to OW partners.

I'd just ring up Qantas with your current plan A (as above), see what is available and be prepared for some flexibility.

Also are you flying economy? You seem to be doing a lot of "unnecessary" flying (subjectively in my opinion) for an economy ticket. Like the flights on 6 Sep, Qatar will fly out of Aust 4 ports by then... including SYD, why not just do BNE>SYD>DOH>DME. In any case, your best option may be to ring up QF and say I want to get to DME on this date, my preferred option is QR through DOHA, what can you do?

If you were trying to be picky with flights, I would try to fly ADL-DOH to get on the new A350.

Thanks very much for your comments Hutch.

When I was doing my initial figuring I was looking at the available oneworld timetable and SYD-DOH didn't appear and the MEL-DOH only allowed for 1 hour 10 minutes domestic to international transfer at MEL so I gave it a miss. The SYD-DOH flights don't yet show up in the oneworld timetable but from the Qatar site I see them and they appear to be great timing.

However, given the SYD flights don't start until 1 March, I am wondering if award flights will be released soon. If I wait I may miss out on other airlines award flights, so I am unsure as to whether to take the gamble.

I thought if if I were to call Qatar Airways and Finnair they could let me know whether there were any award seats; I would not be trying to book the seats through them. I was thinking that if I was armed with good knowledge beforehand then my call to Qantas (to actually book the 2 140K itineraries) would be quicker and more likely to be successful and possibly save me the telephone fee. I will certainly will call with some options and flexibility in my plans.

 

[hutch]

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

Thanks very much for your comments Hutch.

When I was doing my initial figuring I was looking at the available oneworld timetable and SYD-DOH didn't appear and the MEL-DOH only allowed for 1 hour 10 minutes domestic to international transfer at MEL so I gave it a miss. The SYD-DOH flights don't yet show up in the oneworld timetable but from the Qatar site I see them and they appear to be great timing.

However, given the SYD flights don't start until 1 March, I am wondering if award flights will be released soon. If I wait I may miss out on other airlines award flights, so I am unsure as to whether to take the gamble.

I thought if if I were to call Qatar Airways and Finnair they could let me know whether there were any award seats; I would not be trying to book the seats through them. I was thinking that if I was armed with good knowledge beforehand then my call to Qantas (to actually book the 2 140K itineraries) would be quicker and more likely to be successful and possibly save me the telephone fee. I will certainly will call with some options and flexibility in my plans.

Yeah I understand that you aren't booking with AY or QR, but my point is the information they can tell you, may not be the same as what QF can see. You can use it as a guide by all means, but it may not actually help.

There are award seats on SYD-DOH flights already. It's just that on the 6th, I can only get 1. If you leave a day either side, there at least 2 x SYD-DOH economy seats.

It may be worth, ringing up QF and advising your looking to do a booking and just struggling to see what is available online and ask them to tell you what they have available... without doing a booking.

 

[JohnM]

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

2. What plane are AA flying SFO-JFK?

They fly the A321T exclusively on that route now, so a 3-class.

 

[hutch]

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

They fly the A321T exclusively on that route now, so a 3-class.

Cool. The A321T's offer great J/F.

 

[bazza]

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

Thanks everyone for the responses earlier.

So I take it that its better if I book the oneworld award personally (rather than through a family member) for ease of administration (especially if I need to change flights later). Also, it seems from the responses that if I book a compliant ticket on day 1 with 5 stopovers and up to 11 <24hr stop overs, and it flights change so that I have 6 >24 hrs stopovers instead, then its Oneworlds problem and not mine. Please do correct me if I am mistaken...

I am planning the following flights

HKG -> DXB on CX
[less than 24 stop over in DXB]

DXB -> DOH on QR
[less than 24 stop over in DOH]

DOH -> ATH on QR

ATH -> Rome [non-oneworld booking - "surface sector". From Rome I'll be making my own way to Malta (driving down from Rome, Naples, overnight ferry to Sicily, then ferry to Malta), then from Malta to Madrid/Barcelona, THEN travel in Spain and Portugal. This part is the most difficult as I don't know how to fit in the Malta/Spain/Portugal flights within the Oneworld award.]

MAD -> SJU on IB

SJU -> MIA on AA

MIA-> LAX [surface sector - road trip!]

LAX -> HNL on AA

HNL -> KIX/HND on JAL
[less than 24 stop over]

KIX/HND -> HKG on CX

Total - 11 segments, 5 stopovers

I am trying to go direct if i can, but stop over for <24hrs on some places which are on the way. Also its almost impossible to have direct connections from Greece to Italy on a Oneworld airline, so I've been forced to buy at least one non-oneworld flight, and I'm having difficulties fitting in the Portugal and Spain side trips through Oneworld.

I'd be keen to hear any other more-experienced member's thoughts and suggestions (including suggestions on re-routing and/or additional stops) on my itinerary.

Also, is it worth flying these segments in J, or drop down to Y? I am trying to fly the long hauls in nice J cabins but not so sure about AA and IB.

Thanks in advance again!

 

[vetrade]

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

Bazza,
Yes, if flights change and you end up with 6 stopovers then it will be the responsibility of the airline which caused the problem to find a solution for you. Before you start your trip QF will arrange a fix for you but if it’s a last minute change then you’ll be dealing with the airline concerned at the airport. It’s not correct to say it’s “Oneworld’s problem”.

To avoid confusion I suggest you avoid using the expression “less than 24 hr stopover”. We refer to such stops as a “transit” – a stopover being anything > 24 hrs. You are allowed up to 2 transits and 1 stopover in any individual city.

Your only option from Malta to MAD would be on Iberia Express but there are only sporadic flights on this route between June and September. I have no idea what award availability would be. Maybe a separate paid fare will be your best (only?) option. Other than that you’d have to try travelling via MUC on AB or via London on BA.

To get to Lisbon you could fly IB from MAD – alternatively from London with BA. Generally availability with IB is better than a lot of other airlines.

Award seats to/from HNL are very hard to come by so be prepared to be disappointed.

There are no direct OW flights from ATH – FCO – you’ll have to devise an indirect route or just buy a ticket.

My rule of thumb is to get J seats if you can but sometimes practicalities dictate that you take what you can get and go Y. Short haul J within Europe isn’t very appealing so I wouldn’t be fussed if only Y was on offer.

 

[bazza]

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

Thanks so much!

By the way, if I book J, QFF charges 3500 points but doesn't charge the $60 assist fee (which only applies for Y)?

Also, on the https://rtw.oneworld.com/ I've been able to price my itinerary just to get an idea as to taxes and fuel surcharges etc. Would the QFF award booking system charge the same taxes/surcharges?

 

[travelislife]

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

A currently travelling on our OneWorld J award and have a quick question before trying to call Qantas. Am I able to change any flights now I have commenced travel? We have a 20 hour transit in Perth on the way home (arrive 7pm Sat from Doha depart 3pm Sun to MEL). The A330 on the Sunday is scheduled as the dreaded Jetstar seats with the table in between so was thinking may as well avoid the overnight transit and just fly the red eye home earlier on a 737 if I can change.

 

[vetrade]

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

A currently travelling on our OneWorld J award and have a quick question before trying to call Qantas. Am I able to change any flights now I have commenced travel? We have a 20 hour transit in Perth on the way home (arrive 7pm Sat from Doha depart 3pm Sun to MEL). The A330 on the Sunday is scheduled as the dreaded Jetstar seats with the table in between so was thinking may as well avoid the overnight transit and just fly the red eye home earlier on a 737 if I can change.

You can't change flights once your trip has commenced.