Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Ultan Lankford]

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

Anyone see usual award flights disappear from the QF website. I noticed that some LAN flights disappeared, then around 4 days ago, the usual QR flights that have appeared like clockwork every day no longer show. No idea if a CSR within qantas can see them. Its just odd. Maybe QF are having website issues.

 

[roomer]

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

Thanks Travelislife,

I'll have to ring Qantas again to get this clear because I do recall you saying you do the first part on the Multi -City and then ring up, but this chap, Connor, went away and came back and said, provided you have the points you can book the whole trip on multi city if of course you fly with two other carriers than Qantas. I was under the impression you could do it in stages because I said I didnt want to wait 5 weeks before i could book the HKG - Rome leg when the ADL-HKG was only 2 days before, and that was his suggestion to make the bookings in the manner I described.

Be interested to hear from Danster and his experience though as he agreed that you can use multi city for the whole booking.

Just when I thought it was becoming relatively easier...

And I am confused with not being able to cal it RTW , thats what the Freqent Flyer solutions is calling it and it is the one with the 280,000 points to fly business class. What is the difference between that and the One World Award please? maybe I was talking about a different animal...

OK rang Qantas again, and I can see now I must have misunderstood Connor, in that he must have been talking about booking it all in one hit ( as others had pointed out afterwards as well) and by chance the points might be under 280,000 but its not the holy grail of the Business Class oneworld award !

Today in speaking with Rebecca, she confirmed what you all had been saying ie book the first leg/s using Multi-City, then when other legs become available, ring up and book those, letting Qantas know of your earlier Multi City booking and they will merge everything and make sure that (provided it meets with the requirements of max 35K miles, max 5 stopovers and at least 2 oneworld member airline other than Qantas ) it will be no more than 280,000 points. Qantas will charge 3500 points everytime you ring up to make that booking.

Thanks again all for steering me back on track...

 

[Ultan Lankford]

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

So had a more detailed look. It seems that there are no new QR flights since the 23rd of August. They should be offering flights on the 28th by now I think. Anyone else seeing QR availability post the 23rd of August on the Qantas website?
I would ring up and ask but don't fancy spending an hour waiting on the phone.

 

[Jacques Vert]

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

Today in speaking with Rebecca, she confirmed what you all had been saying ie book the first leg/s using Multi-City, then when other legs become available, ring up and book those, letting Qantas know of your earlier Multi City booking and they will merge everything and make sure that (provided it meets with the requirements of max 35K miles, max 5 stopovers and at least 2 oneworld member airline other than Qantas ) it will be no more than 280,000 points. Qantas will charge 3500 points everytime you ring up to make that booking..

Alternatively, when booking your first few legs on-line include some dummy flights back to your starting point, preferably using your preferred itinerary but for earlier travel dates. That will confirm it as a 280k reward and that your itinereary meets all the rules. When/if the dates you want become available, ring up and make the changes @ 3,500 points per person.

 

[roomer]

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

Alternatively, when booking your first few legs on-line include some dummy flights back to your starting point, preferably using your preferred itinerary but for earlier travel dates. That will confirm it as a 280k reward and that your itinereary meets all the rules. When/if the dates you want become available, ring up and make the changes @ 3,500 points per person.

Jacques, please forgive my ignorance but wouldn't making a bona fide booking using points for the first leg be indistinguishable from the dummy bookings you are suggesting?

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

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

Jacques, please forgive my ignorance but wouldn't making a bona fide booking using points for the first leg be indistinguishable from the dummy bookings you are suggesting?

Yes but it won't hit the magic 280,000 OW award conditions, and could actually be more than 280,000 if you haven't used 2 non-QF OW carriers.

 

[coyote25]

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

I thought I read somewhere that a change to either a J or F award QF didn't charge the 3,500 point fee. Is that right was was I being delusional

 

[aussiel]

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

I thought I read somewhere that a change to either a J or F award QF didn't charge the 3,500 point fee. Is that right was was I being delusional

J/F fares don't get charged the call centre assistance fee, but do get the change fee.

Source:
https://www.qantas.com/fflyer/dyn/program/terms#jump24

Change Fee:
For Classic Flight Reward changes: 3,500 Points per passenger.
Service Fees:
Service Fees will not be applied when changing Classic Flight Rewards booked for travel in Business or First class.

 

[Jacques Vert]

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

Jacques, please forgive my ignorance but wouldn't making a bona fide booking using points for the first leg be indistinguishable from the dummy bookings you are suggesting?

Forgive me for not making myself clear.

What I am suggesting is that you make "real" bookings for the flights that you want and that are available at the time you make your original on-line booking (that is, the ones you are referring to as your "first legs").

Then, add on flights that reflect the remainder of your itinerary (those that are not yet available for booking), but for dates that are currently available. Do this at the same time that you book your "first legs" on line so that it doesn't cost you more points.

That way, you confirm that your itinerary is all OK, and you only need the 280k points per passenger,

When the flights you actually want open up at a later date, you change the date by ringing up and "paying" the 3,500 points per person.

Advantage is you lock in the "first legs" you want (which may become unavailable if you wait too long). And you confirm that your itinerary meets all the rules and is valid. Furthermore, it converts the "cost" to 280k which is an advantage to those who don't have enough points to book it as a classic award (which can go way over the 280k until you "complete the loop" and validate all the rules).

Hope this is clearer.

JV

 

[roomer]

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

Forgive me for not making myself clear.

What I am suggesting is that you make "real" bookings for the flights that you want and that are available at the time you make your original on-line booking (that is, the ones you are referring to as your "first legs").

Then, add on flights that reflect the remainder of your itinerary (those that are not yet available for booking), but for dates that are currently available. Do this at the same time that you book your "first legs" on line so that it doesn't cost you more points.

That way, you confirm that your itinerary is all OK, and you only need the 280k points per passenger,

When the flights you actually want open up at a later date, you change the date by ringing up and "paying" the 3,500 points per person.

Advantage is you lock in the "first legs" you want (which may become unavailable if you wait too long). And you confirm that your itinerary meets all the rules and is valid. Furthermore, it converts the "cost" to 280k which is an advantage to those who don't have enough points to book it as a classic award (which can go way over the 280k until you "complete the loop" and validate all the rules).

Hope this is clearer.

JV

Yes thanks Jacques that is much clearer but if for some reason I couldn't get the next real dates for the next legs, I would be committed to those dummy bookings. Or would you be allowed to cancel that dummy leg? If so, I see what you mean and thanks for the suggestion.

 

[aussiel]

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

Yes thanks Jacques that is much clearer but if for some reason I couldn't get the next real dates for the next legs, I would be committed to those dummy bookings. Or would you be allowed to cancel that dummy leg? If so, I see what you mean and thanks for the suggestion.

You can always cancel, and all you'll be out of pocket is the cancel/change fee. You will have to pay the change fee regardless. I'd only really condone 'dummy' flights booked if you would be happy to take them, otherwise you're just taking up inventory that could be used by others. You could always go through to the final booking page using many of the flights on other dates to confirm eligibility if that's a question, without actually booking.

 

[madrooster]

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

I've also noticed that the use of dummy flights where those flights normally attract YQ sometimes results in the YQ not being refunded when those dummy flights are removed. So be careful adding dummy flights, particularly on IB, BA, MH, QF and QR, if you don't have any intention to actually take them in the end. It's fine if you are adding them and only changing the date but not the routing.

 

[roomer]

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

I've also noticed that the use of dummy flights where those flights normally attract YQ sometimes results in the YQ not being refunded when those dummy flights are removed. So be careful adding dummy flights, particularly on IB, BA, MH, QF and QR, if you don't have any intention to actually take them in the end. It's fine if you are adding them and only changing the date but not the routing.

Okay thanks for those pointers aussiel and mad rooster

 

[Cardinal]

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

Would anyone be kind enough to offer opinions as to why Qantas / Oneworld would be having difficulties in changing my current itinerary to my proposed itinerary?

Essentially, I would be stopping over in Munich rather than London, and then routing via London to Iceland. I had proposed to free up a segment by purchasing one of my domestic legs. Qantas operators have given my varying explanations such as you can't have a different arrival city to that of your departure in Australia, or you have too many stops as the system is treating your over-nighter in London (less than 24 hours) as a 6th stop. As far as I can tell, similar to the current itinerary, there is still 5 stops, 16 segments and, the proposed itinerary otherwise conforms with OneWorld Award requirements. We tried routing from Sydney and back into Sydney but no luck.

Any ideas ?

CURRENT
CBR – BRI (QF)
BRI - SIN (QF)
SIN - KUL (MH)
KUL - NRT (JL) (STOP)
NRT - HKG (CX)
HKG - CAN (KA)
CAN - DOH (QR)
DOH - LHR (QR) (STOP)
LHR - KEF (BA) (STOP)
KEF - LHR (BA)
LHR - MAD (BA) (STOP)
MAD - DOH (QR)
DOH - ICN (QR) (STOP)
ICN - HKG (CX)
HKG - BRI (CX)
BRI - CBR (QF)



PROPOSED
BRI - SIN (QF)
SIN - KUL (MH)
KUL - NRT (JL) (STOP)
NRT - HKG (CX)
HKG - CAN (KA)
CAN - DOH (QR)
DOH - MUH (QR) (STOP)
MUH – LHR (BA)
LHR - KEF (BA) (STOP)
KEF - LHR (BA)
LHR - MAD (BA) (STOP)
MAD - DOH (QR)
DOH - ICN (QR) (STOP)
ICN - HKG (CX)
HKG - BRI (CX)
BRI - CBR (QF)

 

[travelislife]

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

Are you allowed to transit through the same city twice?

 

[Cardinal]

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

Are you allowed to transit through the same city twice?

14.5.4 The following Stopover conditions apply to oneworld Classic Flight Rewards:
(a) up to five free Stopovers are permitted;
(b) additional Stopovers are not permitted;
(c) only one Stopover is permitted in any one city in the Itinerary; and
(d) only two Transfers may be taken at any one city in the Itinerary.


?

 

[Doctore1003]

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

Would anyone be kind enough to offer opinions as to why Qantas / Oneworld would be having difficulties in changing my current itinerary to my proposed itinerary?

Essentially, I would be stopping over in Munich rather than London, and then routing via London to Iceland. I had proposed to free up a segment by purchasing one of my domestic legs. Qantas operators have given my varying explanations such as you can't have a different arrival city to that of your departure in Australia, or you have too many stops as the system is treating your over-nighter in London (less than 24 hours) as a 6th stop. As far as I can tell, similar to the current itinerary, there is still 5 stops, 16 segments and, the proposed itinerary otherwise conforms with OneWorld Award requirements. We tried routing from Sydney and back into Sydney but no luck.

Any ideas ?

CURRENT
CBR – BRI (QF)
BRI - SIN (QF)
SIN - KUL (MH)
KUL - NRT (JL) (STOP)
NRT - HKG (CX)
HKG - CAN (KA)
CAN - DOH (QR)
DOH - LHR (QR) (STOP)
LHR - KEF (BA) (STOP)
KEF - LHR (BA)
LHR - MAD (BA) (STOP)
MAD - DOH (QR)
DOH - ICN (QR) (STOP)
ICN - HKG (CX)
HKG - BRI (CX)
BRI - CBR (QF)



PROPOSED
BRI - SIN (QF)
SIN - KUL (MH)
KUL - NRT (JL) (STOP)
NRT - HKG (CX)
HKG - CAN (KA)
CAN - DOH (QR)
DOH - MUH (QR) (STOP)
MUH – LHR (BA)
LHR - KEF (BA) (STOP)
KEF - LHR (BA)
LHR - MAD (BA) (STOP)
MAD - DOH (QR)
DOH - ICN (QR) (STOP)
ICN - HKG (CX)
HKG - BRI (CX)
BRI - CBR (QF)

I think it's that last bit - transiting through your originating city BRI to get to CBR. I'm not sure that's allowed (see 14.3.5 of T&Cs) but if it is, the system then calculates an extra leg back to your originating city anyway, so you would have 17 segments and 6 stops.

 

[Cardinal]

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

I think it's that last bit - transiting through your originating city BRI to get to CBR. I'm not sure that's allowed (see 14.3.5 of T&Cs) but if it is, the system then calculates an extra leg back to your originating city anyway, so you would have 17 segments and 6 stops.

That could make sense, but when we tried a alternative itinerary that lost a leg in SE Asia and started and departed in Syd, Qantas still said no go.

 

[aussiel]

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

That could make sense, but when we tried a alternative itinerary that lost a leg in SE Asia and started and departed in Syd, Qantas still said no go.

So the total number of segments, including any surface segments and return to origin segments (assuming they count towards the limit?), is less than or equal to 16?

 

[madrooster]

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

Would anyone be kind enough to offer opinions as to why Qantas / Oneworld would be having difficulties in changing my current itinerary to my proposed itinerary?

Essentially, I would be stopping over in Munich rather than London, and then routing via London to Iceland. I had proposed to free up a segment by purchasing one of my domestic legs. Qantas operators have given my varying explanations such as you can't have a different arrival city to that of your departure in Australia, or you have too many stops as the system is treating your over-nighter in London (less than 24 hours) as a 6th stop. As far as I can tell, similar to the current itinerary, there is still 5 stops, 16 segments and, the proposed itinerary otherwise conforms with OneWorld Award requirements. We tried routing from Sydney and back into Sydney but no luck.

Any ideas ?

CURRENT
CBR – BRI (QF)
BRI - SIN (QF)
SIN - KUL (MH)
KUL - NRT (JL) (STOP)
NRT - HKG (CX)
HKG - CAN (KA)
CAN - DOH (QR)
DOH - LHR (QR) (STOP)
LHR - KEF (BA) (STOP)
KEF - LHR (BA)
LHR - MAD (BA) (STOP)
MAD - DOH (QR)
DOH - ICN (QR) (STOP)
ICN - HKG (CX)
HKG - BRI (CX)
BRI - CBR (QF)

PROPOSED
BRI - SIN (QF)
SIN - KUL (MH)
KUL - NRT (JL) (STOP)
NRT - HKG (CX)
HKG - CAN (KA)
CAN - DOH (QR)
DOH - MUH (QR) (STOP)
MUH – LHR (BA)
LHR - KEF (BA) (STOP)
KEF - LHR (BA)
LHR - MAD (BA) (STOP)
MAD - DOH (QR)
DOH - ICN (QR) (STOP)
ICN - HKG (CX)
HKG - BRI (CX)
BRI - CBR (QF)

A couple of potential issues that I see:

1. If you originate in BNE, you cannot go through the origin as a transit later on. This means you have to route HKG-SYD-CBR for example. As CX is a married segment carrier, you will need availability at the time of change for ICN-SYD on CX to be able to do it, not just HKG-SYD. Alternatively you can drop BNE-CBR.

2. QR is also a married segment carrier, so you need fresh availability for CAN-DOH-MUC to be able to change. If there is no fresh availability then you would need to cancel CAN-DOH-LHR and hope it goes back to inventory and then grab them again (for CAN-DOH) which is risky.

You haven't broken any other rules. Mileage is fine, segment count is fine, stop count is fine.

Perhaps it's flight specific where you have broken a rule, in which case you'll need to detail the departure times...