Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[flychrisfly]

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

Asking a bit sheepishly ...

For the first time, I'm looking at booking a RTW oneWorld "280K" J trip. I was confused when I went to the QF site in not seeing where one does it. Going RTW take you to the oneWorld RTW revenue itinerary planning / booking area. (And this thread is a bit opaque on the actual booking mechanics, as far as I've got through the thread).

I called the QF premium line and the guy there, although trying hard to help, was as confused as I was. He eventually went off to ask someone "who's been here 10 years ..." and the reply was:

* For RTW award flight package, use the 'multi city booking tool, ticking that you want Classic Award flights' and

* Don't use it - its hopeless. Call up and we'll do it and not charge a fee.

I know the inadequacies of using the QF site to see actual availabilities (and the virtues of using JAL and BA sites), so would prefer to go via the phone line, but mechanically, is 'multi city' indeed the way to use the web site for RTW and is the phone line the 'final word' ?

Yeah, you confused them by calling it RTW as it's not a RTW fare though certainly can be used for a RTW trip but you don't have to go RTW.

 

[juddles]

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

Asking a bit sheepishly ...

For the first time, I'm looking at booking a RTW oneWorld "280K" J trip. .....

Rooflyer, when you work it out let me know

I am thinking to indulge in this option - I figure that in a year where I have made every milestone (LTG, and hit P1 this coming month) it is a perfect time to use rather than accrue points. And I figure a RTW points ticket is a great option. But this thread has gone for 10 years and has a gazzillion posts! Where do I start?

 

[RooFlyer]

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

Rooflyer, when you work it out let me know

I am thinking to indulge in this option - I figure that in a year where I have made every milestone (LTG, and hit P1 this coming month) it is a perfect time to use rather than accrue points. And I figure a RTW points ticket is a great option. But this thread has gone for 10 years and has a gazzillion posts! Where do I start?

Don't tell the thread stalwarts ... that's just what I thought . So I finally bit the bullet and asked! I think I'll pencil out a VERY flexible itinerary (and fortunately, it can be), keep it simple, then give those nice QFF premium line people a call ...

 

[travelislife]

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

Asking a bit sheepishly ...

For the first time, I'm looking at booking a RTW oneWorld "280K" J trip. I was confused when I went to the QF site in not seeing where one does it. Going RTW take you to the oneWorld RTW revenue itinerary planning / booking area. (And this thread is a bit opaque on the actual booking mechanics, as far as I've got through the thread).

I called the QF premium line and the guy there, although trying hard to help, was as confused as I was. He eventually went off to ask someone "who's been here 10 years ..." and the reply was:

* For RTW award flight package, use the 'multi city booking tool, ticking that you want Classic Award flights' and

* Don't use it - its hopeless. Call up and we'll do it and not charge a fee.

I know the inadequacies of using the QF site to see actual availabilities (and the virtues of using JAL and BA sites), so would prefer to go via the phone line, but mechanically, is 'multi city' indeed the way to use the web site for RTW and is the phone line the 'final word' ?

You 100% got the right advice on the phone! Call it the OneWorld Award.

The only thing I would change on that advice is just to book the first one way flight online. You can then call up and add the others as you go.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

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

You 100% got the right advice on the phone! Call it the OneWorld Award.

The only thing I would change on that advice is just to book the first one way flight online. You can then call up and add the others as you go.

Often you can piece together an entire itinerary online only to find you get an error.

Take a screenshot and call up. Mention the error and they shouldn't charge you an award assistance fee to book it.

 

[madrooster]

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

You 100% got the right advice on the phone! Call it the OneWorld Award.The only thing I would change on that advice is just to book the first one way flight online. You can then call up and add the others as you go.

Which then means you can't tack on paid tickets for oneworld baggage through-check purposes...TAs can't touch PNRs created by the QF site.

 

[travelislife]

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

Which then means you can't tack on paid tickets for oneworld baggage through-check purposes...TAs can't touch PNRs created by the QF site.

I am confused by this statement, are you able to clarify? Are you saying it is better to do the whole thing over the phone if you want to tack on paid flights? Vs booking the first segments online?

 

[madrooster]

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

I am confused by this statement, are you able to clarify? Are you saying it is better to do the whole thing over the phone if you want to tack on paid flights? Vs booking the first segments online?

See here:
http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/qantas-frequent-flyer-program/oneworld-separate-ticket-interline-changes-76450.html

Example award routing, say you book SYD QF SIN <stop> SIN CX HKG CX LHR <stop> FCO IB MAD IB JFK <stop> ...

Lets say your intention of booking the award via SIN but actually intending to go to KUL is because you don't want to fly MH (for whatever reason).

At SIN, you might want to book a cash ticket for SIN-KUL-SIN on MH, with the intention of flying SYD-SIN-KUL on QF/MH. Capable TAs who are familiar with the process involved with selling a cash ticket inside a QF award PNR, would be able to put the SIN-KUL-SIN ticket in the award PNR.

At SYD check in, this would let you through-check the bag to KUL.

At KUL, MH would be able to through-check to CX to LHR, despite KUL-SIN being a cash ticket and SIN-HKG-LHR being an award ticket.

If you book the SIN-KUL-SIN separately you would need to collect your bag at SIN each time.

The same would apply if you wanted to tack on a LHR-CDG flight on BA after coming in on CX, or if you wanted to add JFK-MIA on AA after coming in on IB.

TAs who know how to do this, can only do this with PNRs created by QF phone reservations. It does not work with QF website created PNRs.

 

[travelislife]

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

Thanks.

That is getting quite complicated for a booking! But I know some members do that on here so good to know for future.

 

[rhys2233]

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

Hey guys,

Firstly thanks for all the great info in this thread! Has been a big help booking my 140k one world award.

I've been trying to book over the phone for the last few days but have encountered hold times of 1hr + and just can't get through. My first flight leaves in 2 weeks time and i was just wondering, is there a minimum number of days in advance you have to book for this award class? I recall reading 12 days somewhere but can't find it mentioned in the T&Cs...

cheers guys!

 

[Youfah Mizzum]

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

Bump. Dates are available shortly, but wondering if anyone might have an answer why I (nor QF staff) can't book AA award flights JFK to HNL?

I wonder if those more experienced than me can assist...I am trying to do some preliminary trials to get an itinerary sorted for a family trip next July 2017. 4 x Y (140,000 points x 4).
I understand I can't get seats more than 353 days in advance (331 days with AA) so I am going back to June just for playing around with the system.

My desired itinerary:
SYD - TLV
TLV - LHR
LHR - JFK
JFK - HNL
HNL - SYD.

Nothing too complicated there, and it meets all the rules for the OW award. I have already called up Qantas FF call centre to discuss (twice) and both consultants found it impossible to locate seats on the JFK - HNL for any dates onwards from April with AA, even with potential transit in LAX or elsewhere. The best they said was "Book all legs you can, then call us up each day and try again because availability changes daily".
I couldn't do it online either on the Qantas site, or on the BA site. [As an aside, one of the consultants said the website is better than their own internal booking software, it runs faster and shows the same availability anyway. Hmmm?]

Have others found JFK to HNL (or any other Pacific island) hard to book?
If it ends up being simply impossible to do this (seemingly simple) leg, what would others suggest? Possibly JFK to LAX, then pay for flights to HNL, then continue the award flights from HNL to SYD? Or just give 'em a ring every day until the seats become available?

I know the issue isn't the quantity of seats I'm after, as each time I try, both online and over the phone it is only with 1 seat.

On another secondary question, the SYD-TLV TLV-LHR is just for me. The wife & kids will be going SYD-LHR direct. Would this be best on 2 separate bookings or would you think the consultant can put us all on the one booking even though the routing is slightly different?

Cheers

 

[hutch]

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

Bump. Dates are available shortly, but wondering if anyone might have an answer why I (nor QF staff) can book AA award flights JFK to HNL?

Does AA fly direct between JFK - HNL? When searching for next May, I found 4 x Y seats via DFW... departing LGA, EWR etc

Edit: Actually scrap that... must have been drunk and entered a different destination! Can't see anything now.

 

[wandering_fred]

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

You might find Y seats to HNL, but there are rumors that AA actually can (an do) sell the J/A cabins on ALL of the flights...

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[madrooster]

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

So the moral of the story is: As much as we'd like to think that distances between airports are well established, there still seems to be a small margin of fuzziness at the edges. So if you're in danger of hitting the 35,000 mile mark, I can only suggest that you leave at least 100 miles spare to allow for the variations.

As I have GDS access, specifically access to Amadeus which is the same system that QF uses, if anyone with really close to the 35000 miles limit itineraries wants an actual confirmation of the GDS distance without having to call, please feel free to PM me the full routing.

 

[rhys2233]

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

My first flight leaves in 2 weeks time and i was just wondering, is there a minimum number of days in advance you have to book for this award class? I recall reading 12 days somewhere but can't find it mentioned in the T&Cs...

cheers guys!

Just got off the phone with Qantas, I must have imagined this in my head as the its the same 24 hour time period used for qantas award flights.

Unfortunately when booking my flight a few of the award availabilities I found using the AA and BA award searches are apparantly not not available to book through Qantas? I figured that they were fair game for a one world booking but was told I can only book flights found using the qantas search engine..

Can anyone confirm this, flying to a small American town with availability showing on the AA award search but obviously nothing turns up at Qantas..

 

[travelislife]

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

Just got off the phone with Qantas, I must have imagined this in my head as the its the same 24 hour time period used for qantas award flights.

Unfortunately when booking my flight a few of the award availabilities I found using the AA and BA award searches are apparantly not not available to book through Qantas? I figured that they were fair game for a one world booking but was told I can only book flights found using the qantas search engine..

Can anyone confirm this, flying to a small American town with availability showing on the AA award search but obviously nothing turns up at Qantas..

If you are looking at AA flights on the AA search engine these might be available only for AA FF's. Does the flight show up on the BA search engine? The engine still works if you put in airport codes even if the cities aren't in the list.

 

[Ultan Lankford]

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

Does anyone know if transiting through your first stop invalidates the rules?
E.g. Say you start your journey in Madrid and fly to Rio. Then you want to go to London but you have to fly Rio->Madrid->London
Is that OK?

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

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

Does anyone know if transiting through your first stop invalidates the rules?
E.g. Say you start your journey in Madrid and fly to Rio. Then you want to go to London but you have to fly Rio->Madrid->London
Is that OK?

It's OK. I did that last year (through HKG) with no problems at all.
J

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

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

As I have GDS access, specifically access to Amadeus which is the same system that QF uses, if anyone with really close to the 35000 miles limit itineraries wants an actual confirmation of the GDS distance without having to call, please feel free to PM me the full routing.

A very generous offer. Thank you.
J

 

[Ultan Lankford]

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

Iberia is part of one world, is Iberia Express part of it as well. Wiki says it is but just want to make sure that adding these flights are within the rules.