Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[chickentalon]

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

Hi all,

Hoping a pro can help me out there.

Working on a 280k booking for 2 PAX, yes, probably leaving this a little late, but I'm determined....

2-Sep SYD-JNB
4-Sep SYD-DOH-EDI
drive to dublin
9-Sep DUB-YYZ

All fine for 2 PAX in J. However getting home is a difficult task...

Have to be back in SYD 14th or very early 15th. Pref to maximise the time in Toronto, but not really fussed to make a stopover anywhere really; Hong Kong, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas. Wherever to avoid a long haul back to SYD in Y.

any tips on where I should be looking to get some kind of J avail? WankyPlat if that helps.

 

[Ultan Lankford]

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

No you don't.
If you start outside Oz, then you can return home part way through your itinerary for a stopover, and then restart your travels again later. We use this method sometimes to effectively turn the ticket into 2 trips.

Thank you for that. What I suspected.

I actually have another question. The trip I am looking at is from March 2017 to August 2017. Seats are available for March but of course not really for the later dates. Do I just wait and bide my time to book the whole trip or start booking seats now and continue to do so when seats become available or do I have to book the entire itinerary in one go?

 

[hutch]

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

Thank you for that. What I suspected.

I actually have another question. The trip I am looking at is from March 2017 to August 2017. Seats are available for March but of course not really for the later dates. Do I just wait and bide my time to book the whole trip or start booking seats now and continue to do so when seats become available or do I have to book the entire itinerary in one go?

If you want to have the best chance of getting seats, you should be booking your flights as they come available (on the same PNR). This obviously cost more points in fees etc, but is the best way of ensuring you get seats... especially in J.
There tends to be more Y seat options, so you could gamble and wait until you can book your entire trip is bookable, depending on how flexible you are.

 

[hutch]

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

Hi all,

Hoping a pro can help me out there.

Working on a 280k booking for 2 PAX, yes, probably leaving this a little late, but I'm determined....

2-Sep SYD-JNB
4-Sep SYD-DOH-EDI
drive to dublin
9-Sep DUB-YYZ

All fine for 2 PAX in J. However getting home is a difficult task...

Have to be back in SYD 14th or very early 15th. Pref to maximise the time in Toronto, but not really fussed to make a stopover anywhere really; Hong Kong, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas. Wherever to avoid a long haul back to SYD in Y.

any tips on where I should be looking to get some kind of J avail? WankyPlat if that helps.

I would normally suggest Hong Kong, but I can't see anything for those days. Perhaps ringing QF and see what is available on via Tokyo.
Short trip though!

 

[vetrade]

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

Hi all,

Hoping a pro can help me out there.

Working on a 280k booking for 2 PAX, yes, probably leaving this a little late, but I'm determined....

2-Sep SYD-JNB
4-Sep SYD-DOH-EDI
drive to dublin
9-Sep DUB-YYZ

All fine for 2 PAX in J. However getting home is a difficult task...

Have to be back in SYD 14th or very early 15th. Pref to maximise the time in Toronto, but not really fussed to make a stopover anywhere really; Hong Kong, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas. Wherever to avoid a long haul back to SYD in Y.

any tips on where I should be looking to get some kind of J avail? WankyPlat if that helps.

I think long haul award availability in J direct from YYZ would be unlikely - doubt you would get anything like CX to HKG. I think your best bet might be to fly YYZ - JFK (in Y or even a separate paid fare) which would open up your best range of options. Then your best possibilities would be flying from JFK back to SYD via Europe (rather than trying to route back via HKG or NRT). JFK - DOH (QR) or maybe JFK - MAD (IB) are possibilities from where there are multiple options back to Oz - but really there are multiple cities and airlines you could try for if going via Europe. There are J seats available on the 12th Sept with QR JFK - DOH - HKG. Maybe there'd be something direct from DOH to Oz but if not I'd look for HKG - Oz with CX.

Of course everything is dependent on your mileage calcs.

 

[madrooster]

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

2-Sep SYD-JNB
4-Sep SYD-DOH-EDI
drive to dublin
9-Sep DUB-YYZ

Assuming you mean JNB-DOH-EDI...

DUB-YYZ has no non stop flights on oneworld so I assume you intend to transit through LHR on BA.

You can come back via any route you like almost, you have sufficient spare mileage to do it. Coming back YYZ-JFK-LHR-JNB-SYD which is probably as indirect as it'll get, is still within the 35000 miles.

 

[Ultan Lankford]

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

If you want to have the best chance of getting seats, you should be booking your flights as they come available (on the same PNR). This obviously cost more points in fees etc, but is the best way of ensuring you get seats... especially in J.
There tends to be more Y seat options, so you could gamble and wait until you can book your entire trip is bookable, depending on how flexible you are.

OK, thanks for that. I was under the impression that you had to have your itinerary set before you ran up Qantas Call Centre. You mention it costs more points, but does it have it capped at 280k for J, unless we are talking about changing dates after the fact?

 

[hutch]

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

OK, thanks for that. I was under the impression that you had to have your itinerary set before you ran up Qantas Call Centre. You mention it costs more points, but does it have it capped at 280k for J, unless we are talking about changing dates after the fact?

The way I did it was book my first flight online. When future flights became available, I rang up QF and added the new flight to my existing PNR. This is classed as a 'change' so it costs 3,500pts each time per person (an additional service fee us charged for economy, but is waived for business bookings). I repeated this process until I had booked all my flights.

The booking cost 280,000 pts plus 3500pts per change per person (note if you can add several flights during the one call that only counts as one change fee)

 

[chickentalon]

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

Thanks for the help everyone.
Yep, 4-sep should be starting at JNB.
and the 9th is actually direct. DUB-YYZ. surprised me too.

2-Sep SYD-JNB (QF)
4-Sep JNB-DOH-EDI (QR)
drive to dublin
9-Sep DUB-YYZ (EI)

12 or 13 or 14 Sep YYZ-> ??-> SYD somehow

One question I can't seem to find a definitive answer for. the Direct flight DUB-YYZ is a "Ag Asl Airlines Irl" flight. Which is a contracted Aer Lingus flight. Shows up on the qantas site as award bookable. But can that airline be included in the oneworld fare? Makes it VERY cheap to get out of the UK as I avoid BA all together. Fees are 69EUR for two people! BA would be nearly 5x that much and an annoying 3-4 hour stop in LHR. If i select DUB-LHR-YYZ on BA the fees are 359EUR.
Might be a question for next time i'm on the phone with Qantas.

Now for trying to get home. I did call the booking centre last night for over an hour. Very tough to get home from YYZ and avoid that long Y flight. Originally they tried through Santiago, but it was a cough to get there. Then tried through Tokyo or HK. Seems like there was some premium econ avail, but the call cut out... rep didn't call me back. I called back.... no record of conversation..... back to square 1....

 

[vetrade]

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

Madrooster is correct, chickentalon, no direct OW flights DUB - YYZ - you need to connect through LHR or JFK etc. EI (Aer Lingus) is not a OW airline or affiliate so suggest you get that sorted. I'd say your itinerary hasn't triggered as a OW RTW award yet (by passing the 280K points threshold) so that EI flight won't be allowed once it has. ATM the itinerary has been structured as a standard classic award

Edit: To avoid BA, AA flies DUB - JFK. Or you could fly DUB - MAD - JFK with IB

 

[vetrade]

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

Now for trying to get home. I did call the booking centre last night for over an hour. Very tough to get home from YYZ and avoid that long Y flight. Originally they tried through Santiago, but it was a cough to get there. Then tried through Tokyo or HK. Seems like there was some premium econ avail, but the call cut out... rep didn't call me back. I called back.... no record of conversation..... back to square 1....

As I mentioned up thread, home via Europe is probably where you're most likely to get J seats. Look up the OW website for routes via Europe and be a bit creative - you will just have to experiment with a variety of different scenarios until you find one that works.

 

[Ultan Lankford]

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

The way I did it was book my first flight online. When future flights became available, I rang up QF and added the new flight to my existing PNR. This is classed as a 'change' so it costs 3,500pts each time per person (an additional service fee us charged for economy, but is waived for business bookings). I repeated this process until I had booked all my flights.

The booking cost 280,000 pts plus 3500pts per change per person (note if you can add several flights during the one call that only counts as one change fee)

Ah, OK super helpful.

You can continue to add flights to your PNR and the points will be capped at 280,000 for a J booking, once of course you are in compliance of the fare rules. I was thinking that I had to book the whole thing first off, then change dates to suit. This makes it easier.

 

[travelislife]

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

Ah, OK super helpful.

You can continue to add flights to your PNR and the points will be capped at 280,000 for a J booking, once of course you are in compliance of the fare rules. I was thinking that I had to book the whole thing first off, then change dates to suit. This makes it easier.

Yep I did exactly the same thing. My first booking was done online and was only a one way MEL-HKG-MXP CX booking, so the points charged was obviously much less than 280k. But essentially once you meet the 280k fare conditions it is always capped at that.

 

[madrooster]

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

Madrooster is correct, chickentalon, no direct OW flights DUB - YYZ - you need to connect through LHR or JFK etc. EI (Aer Lingus) is not a OW airline or affiliate so suggest you get that sorted. I'd say your itinerary hasn't triggered as a OW RTW award yet (by passing the 280K points threshold) so that EI flight won't be allowed once it has. ATM the itinerary has been structured as a standard classic award

Edit: To avoid BA, AA flies DUB - JFK. Or you could fly DUB - MAD - JFK with IB

Then use JJ for JFK-YYZ and vv. Only 3-4 days a week though. It's difficult to get seats between JFK/YYZ on AA due to them using regional jets.

 

[Ultan Lankford]

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

Yep I did exactly the same thing. My first booking was done online and was only a one way MEL-HKG-MXP CX booking, so the points charged was obviously much less than 280k. But essentially once you meet the 280k fare conditions it is always capped at that.

Actually, I have three further questions. When I use the Qantas Multi City fare option on their website, some of the legs they give me are with Emirates only. I do not want this at all. Am I guessing that there is no availability or by ringing up QFF they have more choice on their end?
Is the only way to actually view award fares is by doing this via their website. I have been foolishly been looking up the one world rtw website up to now, forgetting that the availability there was for all flights, not reward flights. I heard that JAL fares for example are not available online so you have to ring them up to see whats available.

Another question, do you have to fly Qantas at all? I know that two legs have to be non Aantas but is there any requirement to fly them?

Finally, can you travel both ways across an ocean e.g. East-West Atlantic and then back again West-East, kinda in a loop. Many RTW fares don't allow this but this is not strictly a round the world fare

 

[hutch]

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

Actually, I have three further questions. When I use the Qantas Multi City fare option on their website, some of the legs they give me are with Emirates only. I do not want this at all. Am I guessing that there is no availability or by ringing up QFF they have more choice on their end?
Is the only way to actually view award fares is by doing this via their website. I have been foolishly been looking up the one world rtw website up to now, forgetting that the availability there was for all flights, not reward flights. I heard that JAL fares for example are not available online so you have to ring them up to see whats available.

Another question, do you have to fly Qantas at all? I know that two legs have to be non Aantas but is there any requirement to fly them?

Finally, can you travel both ways across an ocean e.g. East-West Atlantic and then back again West-East, kinda in a loop. Many RTW fares don't allow this but this is not strictly a round the world fare

Noting this is not a RTW product. So no oceans restrictions... you have 35,000 miles to play with.

You don't need to fly Qantas. Just at least 2 non QF airlines.

Not all OW airlines appear online. You will need to ring up. If you use BA Exec you can sometimes find award availability.

Can't fly emirates.

 

[hutch]

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

If you post a rough trip plan with rough dates Vetrade will do your travel research for you

 

[vetrade]

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

Actually, I have three further questions. When I use the Qantas Multi City fare option on their website, some of the legs they give me are with Emirates only. I do not want this at all. Am I guessing that there is no availability or by ringing up QFF they have more choice on their end?
Is the only way to actually view award fares is by doing this via their website. I have been foolishly been looking up the one world rtw website up to now, forgetting that the availability there was for all flights, not reward flights. I heard that JAL fares for example are not available online so you have to ring them up to see whats available.

You have plenty of reading ahead of you Ultan Lankford.
This will get you started on how to find award seats: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rld-award-availability-59412.html..........or this thread "only" has 346 pages...

 

[travelislife]

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

Actually, I have three further questions. When I use the Qantas Multi City fare option on their website, some of the legs they give me are with Emirates only. I do not want this at all. Am I guessing that there is no availability or by ringing up QFF they have more choice on their end?
Is the only way to actually view award fares is by doing this via their website. I have been foolishly been looking up the one world rtw website up to now, forgetting that the availability there was for all flights, not reward flights. I heard that JAL fares for example are not available online so you have to ring them up to see whats available.

Another question, do you have to fly Qantas at all? I know that two legs have to be non Aantas but is there any requirement to fly them?

Finally, can you travel both ways across an ocean e.g. East-West Atlantic and then back again West-East, kinda in a loop. Many RTW fares don't allow this but this is not strictly a round the world fare

Don't have to fly Qantas.

Use the BA search engine and you will be able to see JAL, MH, etc.

It is not a RTW fare. You have 35,000 miles to travel and 5 stopovers allowed, max 16 segments. Essentially you could go around in circles in Asia (as long as you are going through different airports) if you wanted to.

 

[BenAlexander]

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

Am I correct in thinking This could possibly be (ab)used for 2 separate trips?
If I were to fly myself to a cheap Asian airport (say SIN or KUL) and begin an Asia and American adventure there, I could have leg 1 consist of:
SIN-HKG-PEK-YVR-LAS-LIM-MEL or ~ 18,000 miles

Then, before the year is up, continue with a second adventure to Europe...
MEL-DOH-HEL-CDG-ATH-KUL-MEL or ~ 18,000 miles

A few questions...
- The distance thing, I might have to pay to return from the same/another cheap asian airport. (How is this enforced by the way? Will they prevent the full booking from happening it it calculates as being 1 mile too long? Or just prevent me from boarding after the 35,000th mile?)
- Can I finish in Melbourne if I have already stopped here? What if I returned via MEL to SYD, but failed to board the SYD sector?
- Sounds like the fact that i'm not heading in one direction isn't an issue?
- Some of the sectors above include ground transportation. How many times can I do this?

... Basically, is there a page that has all of the rules listed for the reward RTW, so I can at least plan on getting the most use out of it