Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[wafliron]

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

Really? yeah i must say the availability off the booking engine is terrible... even as a wp

How far in advance are you trying to book, and in what class?

I had the opposite experience booking MEL-JNB-VIE-LHR-CDG-JFK-MEL in Y for my grandmother recently (only one of these fares I've ever booked). I was booking in early Jan and she could take the trip in either Apr/May or Sep/Oct this year - I was expecting I'd have to book for Sep/Oct to find availability, but was pleasantly surprised that I could find availability for all segments in Apr/May.

I did have +/- a few days flexibility on all segments but I think I only needed to use that flexibility on one (two?) segment, everything else was available on the exact day I wanted. I did end up booking through the call centre to get an extra LAX-MEL Y award seat opened up for her (original JFK-MEL routing was JFK-LAX-BNE-MEL), but that was just a bonus - could have booked without it.

 

[Alanslegal]

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

Can someone advise me whether or not LAN Peru is available for OW Award redemptions?

I seem to be getting stuck at LIM-HAV where its showing no flights

To answer the above and for my reference, yes you can book onto LAN Peru ... that should have been such an obvious answer! Anyway, nothing available in J or Y for the month of July LIM-HAV, so I have booked something else.

Just booked my first OW redemption:-

SYD-SCL-MEX-ORD-xJFK-BCN-xHEL-BKK-SYD 280K and around $760 in taxes.

SYD-SCL appears to be the refurb 744 so looking forward to a SkyBed2 on a non-A380 plane ; (seated in 14A upper deck).

 

[docjames]

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

Some HAV flights have been seasonal in the past - are the flights available for purchase (rather than points redemption)?

 

[Alanslegal]

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

Some HAV flights have been seasonal in the past - are the flights available for purchase (rather than points redemption)?

Yes the period of dates I was looking for had seats for regular purchase ~mid July. The QF desk checked every day in July LIM-HAV and returned no results, and then ideally I would have HAV-MAD but again very limited availability ie only two out of 31 July days had Y award only, and this is for just myself travelling.

 

[chiana675]

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

Is there any route to and from Europe which does not transit through Heathrow?. Have tentatively booked a 140,000 Oneworld fare: CBR:SYD, SYD:HKG, HKG:HND stop KIX:TXL stop, BER:BUD stop, BUD:JFK stop, JFK:SYD. We have been quoted $1513 per person for fees and taxes. There are 2 transits through London, perhaps this is why it is so expensive. Any ideas on alternative routes?

 

[N860CR]

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

As long as you don't stop in LHR (i.e. just transit) then you shouldn't be charged the excessive London fees.

Other options into Europe are via HKG on Cathay (I'm routing HKG-CDG), via HEL on Finnair or via AMM on Royal Jordanian. BUD on Malev may also work (I'm not sure where they fly to in Asia).

And now that I think of it, JAL should be available however only via the call centre.

 

[NM]

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

As long as you don't stop in LHR (i.e. just transit) then you shouldn't be charged the excessive London fees.

Actually, you just have to avoid departing from LHR (or any other UK international departure, not just LHR) after a stopover. So you can arrive into the UK, stay there for a number of days, then get to another European port via some other means (train, ferry, cheap local air ticket) and then depart Europe from there.

 

[Alanslegal]

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

Is there any route to and from Europe which does not transit through Heathrow?. Have tentatively booked a 140,000 Oneworld fare: CBR:SYD, SYD:HKG, HKG:HND stop KIX:TXL stop, BER:BUD stop, BUD:JFK stop, JFK:SYD. We have been quoted $1513 per person for fees and taxes. There are 2 transits through London, perhaps this is why it is so expensive. Any ideas on alternative routes?

$1,513 is is probably in the highest percentile of excessive taxes I was suggested to avoid flying CX, JL and BA as they push the taxes upwards.

For my routing below in J, the tax component come out to be $714.66. Not great compared to some US based frequent flyer programs but probably as low as one could get when redeeming with QF.

Just booked my first OW redemption:-

SYD-SCL-MEX-ORD-xJFK-BCN-xHEL-BKK-SYD 280K and around $760 in taxes.

 

[marks]

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

Hi,

Two quick (hopefully) questions on the upcoming family trip.
1. Looking at BNE-BKK-xHEL-FCO(then to PRG). This is the leg I'm having trouble with. From Prague, going eurorail and then re-emerging in the UK to complete the trip LGW-MCO-xDFW-LAS land to LA and then LOS-BNE. This will be in Sep 12 - Oct 12.
What are my EU options to Prague or even Germany with OW? I can only find the long route via LHR. Appreciate any thoughts here.
2. Booking 2 adult tickets with points and then 2 child tickets with cash. Just worried about one booking being made and the seats for others being unavailable. Any tips? I was going book/reserve the award seats then try to reserve the child seats and hope I can make the match and join bookings. Anything I should ask for?

Cheers.

 

[Danger]

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

Hi,

Two quick (hopefully) questions on the upcoming family trip.
1. Looking at BNE-BKK-xHEL-FCO(then to PRG). This is the leg I'm having trouble with. From Prague, going eurorail and then re-emerging in the UK to complete the trip LGW-MCO-xDFW-LAS land to LA and then LOS-BNE. This will be in Sep 12 - Oct 12.
What are my EU options to Prague or even Germany with OW? I can only find the long route via LHR. Appreciate any thoughts here.

Try using the oneworld interactive network map here. In addition to LHR, PRG is serviced by direct flights from Madrid, Budapest (although probably not anymore), Helsinki and Novosibirsk.

2. Booking 2 adult tickets with points and then 2 child tickets with cash. Just worried about one booking being made and the seats for others being unavailable. Any tips? I was going book/reserve the award seats then try to reserve the child seats and hope I can make the match and join bookings. Anything I should ask for?

Cheers.

I would phone QF and tell them what you're trying to do. They may have the ability to do it simultaneously. Alternatively, you could try your luck using two different computers and hitting the 'purchase' button at the same time.

 

[Harpoon]

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

Hi All, please excuse my ignorance. I didn't know you could buy RTW on points!!!

I am planning my J class MEL-HKG return when I saw this RTW thread.

MEL-HKG J return for 2 people is 260,000 plying CX.

What this thread has highlighted to me, is that for 560,000 points (2 people), I could visit HKG, LAX, NY, London, Paris and home again in J? Is that right? Or am i missing a catch?

How can they charge 260k points for 1 city return, and then only double for 5 city round the world!?!? I don't understand the logic. Or is there no logic here and that's why RTW tickets are so awesome?

 

[wafliron]

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

Hi All, please excuse my ignorance. I didn't know you could buy RTW on points!!!

I didn't either till recently, and wow is it good value

I am planning my J class MEL-HKG return when I saw this RTW thread.

MEL-HKG J return for 2 people is 260,000 plying CX.

What this thread has highlighted to me, is that for 560,000 points (2 people), I could visit HKG, LAX, NY, London, Paris and home again in J? Is that right? Or am i missing a catch?

Yes, that is correct (assuming you can find available seats of course). AFAIK, the rules are max 35,000 miles, max 5 stopovers and must use at least two OneWorld airlines other than Qantas.

As an example, I recently booked MEL-(PER)-JNB-(LHR)-VIE-LHR-CDG-JFK-(LAX)-MEL for my grandmother for 140k points in Y - would have been 280k points in J.

(A bit OT here, but can someone point me to an explanation on how to correctly describe itineraries containing transit stops? I've used brackets to show them above but I don't think that's right? I keep seeing people using "x" before airport codes but I'm not sure if that means transit or stop (or something else))

How can they charge 260k points for 1 city return, and then only double for 5 city round the world!?!? I don't understand the logic. Or is there no logic here and that's why RTW tickets are so awesome?

I'm sure there is some logic behind it - maybe someone more knowledgable than I can elaborate - but either way the RTW fares are awesome!

 

[serfty]

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

As for the relative 'cheapness' of these awards, I have always assumed it was due to an agreement with oneworld.

o is used for stopover, but generally omitted; x indicates transit. Often fees/taxes are less with x's then with o's.

e.g. MEL-xSYD-oDFW-xLAX-MEL is a round trip to DFW with transits at SYD & LAX.

 

[wafliron]

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

o is used for stopover, but generally omitted; x indicates transit. Often fees/taxes are less with x's then with o's.

e.g. MEL-xSYD-oDFW-xLAX-MEL is a round trip to DFW with transits at SYD & LAX.

Thanks for clarifying serfty, appreciate it.

 

[Gorbo]

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

very interesting!!!

 

[deadfish]

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

Hi, long time lurker, first time poster!

Without this forum I never would've found out a "RTW" ticket was possible using points! I've been playing around with the QF online booking tool lately and I got this itinerary at 140k in Y:

SYD-JNB-(s)CPT-LHR-(s)HEL-xJFK-YUL-xORD-MEX-xDFW-NRT-SYD

I'm still a few points shy of 140k, so I've been using the oneworld planner instead to calculate taxes. Can I safely assume taxes are the same between the oneworld explorer fare and the oneworld award, with the same flight combinations?

Some interesting notes about taxes:
Booking QF instead of JL for NRT-SYD saves $151
Booking the CPT-LHR sector using the IB codeshare instead of BA saves ~$206
Booking the HEL-JFK sector using the AA codeshare instead of AY saves ~$256 (!!!)

So that's $462 in savings simply by booking on a different code...is it possible to book an oneworld award using those two codeshares on the phone?

Alternatively, I'd be okay flying out of Europe on AA metal from another city (FRA or BCN maybe), but there doesn't seem to be any other way of going in and out of Africa without getting slugged by taxes.

 

[JohnK]

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

So that's $462 in savings simply by booking on a different code...is it possible to book an oneworld award using those two codeshares on the phone?

Firstly welcome to AFF.

I was under the impression the Qantas award booking engine did not offer codeshares on partner airlines. Have you been able to select codeshares on partner airlines while building an itinerary with the award booking engine?

 

[deadfish]

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

Firstly welcome to AFF.

I was under the impression the Qantas award booking engine did not offer codeshares on partner airlines. Have you been able to select codeshares on partner airlines while building an itinerary with the award booking engine?

Nope, they don't show on the Qantas award booking engine but they are selectable on the oneworld RTW search tool, and it seems that I can book using the codes there (at least got past the validation stage - some codes seem to come up as invalid though)

Hoping the customer service rep at Qantas can see & book those as well!

 

[JohnK]

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

Nope, they don't show on the Qantas award booking engine but they are selectable on the oneworld RTW search tool, and it seems that I can book using the codes there (at least got past the validation stage - some codes seem to come up as invalid though)

Unfortunately they are not the same products.

From memory codeshares, including codeshares of non-Oneworld partners, are not part of the Oneworld award.

I hope you have better luck with customer service. And don't trust what the first consultant tell you either. Call back and try your luck with another consultant.

 

[deadfish]

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

Unfortunately they are not the same products.

From memory codeshares, including codeshares of non-Oneworld partners, are not part of the Oneworld award.

I hope you have better luck with customer service. And don't trust what the first consultant tell you either. Call back and try your luck with another consultant.

Urgh...just found this in the T&C:

14.3.7 Classic Awards are not available on Codeshare Flights unless otherwise specified by Qantas. Classic Awards must be booked using the airline code (eg QF for Qantas) of the Operating Carrier unless otherwise specified by Qantas.

Might still give the customer rep a try but not looking likely...seems like I'll either have to cough up the BA/CX/QF fuel surcharges or not go to Africa at all...if only IB still ran the JNB-MAD service

Thanks for all your help!