Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[coyote25]

Does it have to be two different ow carriers or just two non-QF flights?

Sorry 2 non QF but OWE carriers so BA and Cathay would be fine for example. If doing this type of booking that usually isn't hard given QFs limited reach.


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[wafliron]

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

Does it have to be two different ow carriers or just two non-QF flights?

Max 35,000 miles, 16 segments and 5 stops, and must use two different OW carriers other than QF, are the main requirements. Be wary of flights from QF codeshare partners who are not part of OW showing up in your results, as the instant you choose one of these flights you're not eligible for OneWorld Explorer pricing.

 

[simoruss]

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

You can do it online as you suggest or over the phone using classic awards. Over the phone there is a fee but the rep will probably find better options.

The online won't switch to this award until you have 2 non QF flights and the cost of the award is over 140k points ie you get the lesser value. Put in two longer distance non QF flights in the multi flight engine and it will switch very fast.

Good luck. I've booked 3 * Y OWE Awards (1 for a family member) and I'm about to go on a J OWE Award best value use of points IMHO.


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Thanks for this. Once I got the 2nd OW carrier the 140k kicked in. Finally all booked, now time to relax

 

[coyote25]

Thanks for this. Once I got the 2nd OW carrier the 140k kicked in. Finally all booked, now time to relax

So what was the final plan.


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[fersea]

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

I think I know the answer to this but thought I would check?

Are you able to book your flight segments for the 140K RTW ticket in stages? The reason I ask this is that I am planning on doing the RTW trip in 2014 and have been following the availability for 2013 on the Qantas website for a while, just to see what is offered.

I am planning on leaving mid-late February and will get back around mid August. Does that mean that I can't book any of the trip until around September 2013? (353 days in advance) The reason for this question is that a lot of the segments for the early part of my trip (SYD-SCL, SCL-MIA for example) where plentiful when they first became available back in late Feb, early March (for 2013 I mean, I am just doing research at the moment) but aren't so plentiful now. I presume there is not a way of booking each flight 353 days in advance and then combining them for a RTW award?

 

[simoruss]

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

So what was the final plan.

ADL-SYD-JHB
JHB-LHR
LHR-WAS
NY-LAS
LA-SYD-ADL

It was difficult trying to get the American Airlines flight NY-LAS but got a time in the end. Thanks for the input.

 

[Danger]

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

I think I know the answer to this but thought I would check?

Are you able to book your flight segments for the 140K RTW ticket in stages? The reason I ask this is that I am planning on doing the RTW trip in 2014 and have been following the availability for 2013 on the Qantas website for a while, just to see what is offered.

I am planning on leaving mid-late February and will get back around mid August. Does that mean that I can't book any of the trip until around September 2013? (353 days in advance) The reason for this question is that a lot of the segments for the early part of my trip (SYD-SCL, SCL-MIA for example) where plentiful when they first became available back in late Feb, early March (for 2013 I mean, I am just doing research at the moment) but aren't so plentiful now. I presume there is not a way of booking each flight 353 days in advance and then combining them for a RTW award?

Unless you make the entire booking in one hit, you'll be slugged extra points. This is a particular downside of the otherwise good value five stop award.

 

[fersea]

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

Unless you make the entire booking in one hit, you'll be slugged extra points. This is a particular downside of the otherwise good value five stop award.

Ok thought so. Interesting after joining this forum I have had a look at the availability of J class flights and whether it was worth Spending the money to get some new credit cards and going from 190k to 280k points before August next year. However it seems the J fares are harder to get so I don't think I'll bother.

 

[Jacques Vert]

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

Ok thought so. Interesting after joining this forum I have had a look at the availability of J class flights and whether it was worth Spending the money to get some new credit cards and going from 190k to 280k points before August next year. However it seems the J fares are harder to get so I don't think I'll bother.

If you are flexible with date and route, and book at least a few months ahead you should be fine. My experience was that you should ring the Qantas desk and ask them to do an itinerary for you (but don't book it); this will give you an idea of availability and won't cost you anything.

JV

 

[travelislife]

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

Unless you make the entire booking in one hit, you'll be slugged extra points. This is a particular downside of the otherwise good value five stop award.

I don't think this is correct. There was another member who book say MEL-LAX as soon as they became available and then when he had all the other flights called back and the award repriced to the 280k Oneworld award and the only fee once paid was the change fee.

 

[JohnK]

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

I don't think this is correct. There was another member who book say MEL-LAX as soon as they became available and then when he had all the other flights called back and the award repriced to the 280k Oneworld award and the only fee once paid was the change fee.

Should only reprice to 280,000 QFF points if there are business class sectors included in award.

In theory one should be able to book SYD-LAX-LHR-HKG-SYD economy Oneworld award for travel in August 2013 at say a cost of 140,000 QFF points. If LAX-LHR-HKG-SYD requires changing later then each change is going to incur a 5,000 QFF points charge, although the change fee may have increased, and may require additional taxes and surcharges if these have changed.

 

[travelislife]

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

Should only reprice to 280,000 QFF points if there are business class sectors included in award.

In theory one should be able to book SYD-LAX-LHR-HKG-SYD economy Oneworld award for travel in August 2013 at say a cost of 140,000 QFF points. If LAX-LHR-HKG-SYD requires changing later then each change is going to incur a 5,000 QFF points charge, although the change fee may have increased, and may require additional taxes and surcharges if these have changed.

Yes correct John. What I was getting at was if I book originally just a one way flight MEL-LAX in J for 90,000 odd I can then call up and add all of the other segments later to complete the trip and it will price out at 280,000 plus the 5,000 change fee. So you don't have to wait until your last flight is bookable to book the first one.

 

[JohnK]

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

Yes correct John. What I was getting at was if I book originally just a one way flight MEL-LAX in J for 90,000 odd I can then call up and add all of the other segments later to complete the trip and it will price out at 280,000 plus the 5,000 change fee. So you don't have to wait until your last flight is bookable to book the first one.

Terribly sorry. I thought that is what you referring to but I was not certain.

Of course you can do that if that is what you want to do. After all, Oneworld Awards start off as Classic awards and as flights are added and the conditions of the Oneworld award are met and maintained then it transforms into a Oneworld award and caps at 140,000 QFF points until those conditions are broken.

 

[oceang]

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

Thanks to all previous contributors. Reading this thread made it all so easy.
Just booked MEL-xHKG-CDG-BCN-xHEL-BKK-MEL, with CDG to BCN actually a lease car for a month. This is for the May / June time period next year.
Originally tried to come back from Europe via the US, but the 330 day window and the lack of internal options in the US made it too hard, so decided to take a week in Koh Samui instead.

 

[fersea]

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

Terribly sorry. I thought that is what you referring to but I was not certain.

Of course you can do that if that is what you want to do. After all, Oneworld Awards start off as Classic awards and as flights are added and the conditions of the Oneworld award are met and maintained then it transforms into a Oneworld award and caps at 140,000 QFF points until those conditions are broken.

If this is right it will be a tremendous advantage to me. I have been keeping an eye out and reward flights are no problem when they first come out but particularly looking at South America at the moment they are limited.

Presumably this up is the same if you are in Y? (as you have been quoting J). Also can you do his more than once? I am planning on the RTW trip taking about 28 weeks so obviously flights for day 1 become available much earlier than the final leg.

I think I would b prepared to burn 5 to 10k points if it guaranteed the flights I want.

 

[JohnK]

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

Presumably this up is the same if you are in Y? (as you have been quoting J). Also can you do his more than once? I am planning on the RTW trip taking about 28 weeks so obviously flights for day 1 become available much earlier than the final leg.

I think I would b prepared to burn 5 to 10k points if it guaranteed the flights I want.

It makes no difference whether it is business class or economy. Changes are allowed.

As a starting point this is what I would do

- Book a very simple SYD-SCL-MIA-LHR-HKG-SYD to start with rough dates of ~12 in advance to take advantage of the flights you want at beginning of trip
- Get this ticketed and this should cost 140,000 QFF points (143,500 QFF points if cannot be booked online) + taxes and surcharges

Now up to the time of your first flight segment you can change this routing as many times as you want and each time it will cost you 5,000 QFF points to change.

Take note that unless the rest of your trip requires hard to get to destinations then you can probably complete the booking in one or 2 attempts.

Note though that each time the total mileage, sector count and stopovers will be recalculated as well as taxes and surcharges for every sector on your trip not just the sectors you have added. So if fuel surcharges increase you pay more. If fuel surcharges decrease then you pay less.

Good luck.

 

[coyote25]

It makes no difference whether it is business class or economy. Changes are allowed.

As a starting point this is what I would do

- Book a very simple SYD-SCL-MIA-LHR-HKG-SYD to start with rough dates of ~12 in advance to take advantage of the flights you want at beginning of trip
- Get this ticketed and this should cost 140,000 QFF points (143,500 QFF points if cannot be booked online) + taxes and surcharges

Now up to the time of your first flight segment you can change this routing as many times as you want and each time it will cost you 5,000 QFF points to change.

Take note that unless the rest of your trip requires hard to get to destinations then you can probably complete the booking in one or 2 attempts.

Note though that each time the total mileage, sector count and stopovers will be recalculated as well as taxes and surcharges for every sector on your trip not just the sectors you have added. So if fuel surcharges increase you pay more. If fuel surcharges decrease then you pay less.

Good luck.

You know I've booked a few of these trips and never considered you could do this. Brilliant idea, thanks for sharing.


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[davidjm2389]

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

I have booked a one world RTW business awards journey and would like to change a leg from BOS - ZRH on either 12 or 14 July 2013 to fly with Iberia BOS - MAD IB6166 and then MAD - ZRH IB 3464. Seems simple because my Qantas FF screen shows availablity for 2 business passengers on each day. The problem is that when I phone QF FF they say that their screens show only economy availability. They say this is very screwy and strange but have no answer.
I wonder if any experts could suggest why this is so and perhaps could try a dummy booking of these one way flights to see if they would be bookable online. I have used most of my points on the RTW booking so don't have enough to try this.
Many thanks for your help.

 

[pyffii]

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

just did a dummy booking for BOS-MAd on July 14th and business class is available on IB 6166

 

[davidjm2389]

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

Many thanks. Was there avaiability for 2 business seats on July 12 ? I will then take this conundrum up with QF FF operators who have been extremely hepful.