Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[get me outta here]

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

I seem to have enough points for RTW OW Y.

I'd like to fit in HKG, IST, BKK, Florence in no particular order, around Oct 2013. I guess RTW OW Y is best use of my points for such a simple itinerary?


When I've mulled this over before, I have found the Asia -IST sector problematic.


I realise it's a bit close to departure for awards.

Before I call QF/try a dummy bkg, could anyone make any helpful comments plse that may prepare me re routing advice etc? Thanks

 

[JohnK]

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

I'd like to fit in HKG, IST, BKK, Florence in no particular order, around Oct 2013. I guess RTW OW Y is best use of my points for such a simple itinerary?

You should be able to do something like

SYD-BKK-HKG-LHR-IST-LHR-FLR-LHR-JFK-LAX-SYD

Works out to less than 30,000 miles so can still add some more sectors. Qantas to Asia and return from North America, BA to London and Europe and AA within US. One of your LHR transits needs to be a stopover.

 

[JohnK]

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

I have attempted a dummy award booking on the Qantas website but have been unsuccessful. Not all flights seem to be available for award booking.
I suppose my questions are: - Is an itinerary, which was successfully generated with the OW planner, able to be booked as a multi-city award booking with Qantas? Do I need to book by phone?

Occasionally flights available on Oneworld planner are not necessarily available on the Oneworld award.

 

[Danger]

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

I seem to have enough points for RTW OW Y.

I'd like to fit in HKG, IST, BKK, Florence in no particular order, around Oct 2013. I guess RTW OW Y is best use of my points for such a simple itinerary?


When I've mulled this over before, I have found the Asia -IST sector problematic.


I realise it's a bit close to departure for awards.

Before I call QF/try a dummy bkg, could anyone make any helpful comments plse that may prepare me re routing advice etc? Thanks

Remember that the 140k Y award doesn't have to go around the world, it only needs to have a minimum of three oneworld carriers (Qantas plus two others) and fit within the mileage limit. So if you didn't want to go all the way around in Y, something more simple could be the following:

Australia-HKG (QF)
HKG-BKK (CX or RJ)
BKK-xAMM-IST (RJ)
IST-xLHR-SIN (BA) - Australia (BA or QF)

 

[get me outta here]

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

Australia-HKG (QF)
HKG-BKK (CX or RJ)
BKK-xAMM-IST (RJ)
IST-xLHR-SIN (BA) - Australia (BA or QF)

Thanks, this seems good although seems unfortunately unavoidable to have to go to LHR, once only if at all possible.
Where's best to insert FLR, and so RTW OW is probably the best method of using the points?

 

[flychrisfly]

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

Australia-HKG (QF)
HKG-BKK (CX or RJ)
BKK-xAMM-IST (RJ)
IST-xLHR-SIN (BA) - Australia (BA or QF)

Thanks, this seems good although seems unfortunately unavoidable to have to go to LHR, once only if at all possible.
Where's best to insert FLR, and so RTW OW is probably the best method of using the points?

I have to run, but check Home - oneworld to see what destinations are available from FLR - suspect it might just be LHR which will constrain your options.

Note there is no RTW award fare.

 

[get me outta here]

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

Maybe I can find something that will connect w' a train that goes towards Florence. Pity QF no longer goes to Rome, those were the days.

 

[vetrade]

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

Try using the Oneworld interactive map (as distinct from the planner) to see what routes are available to/from Florence.

The problem I encountered was that getting to a lot of European cities such as Athens, Madrid & Barcelona etc often involves transiting through LHR (which often involves going "backwards") because of the problems of getting direct flights on oneworld carriers within Europe. If you choose to pay for a direct flight within Europe (to cut out LHR) on another carrier, separate to your OW RTW fare, the price of tickets can be quite high so you might have to accept some inconvenience. I found that award seats on "lesser" OW carriers like IB and RJ were easier to come by - on the way back you could go RJ via AMM to DXB and then back to Oz via HKG (or even NRT) on CX and QAN. Far fewer seats on the direct routes to LHR - especially via DXB

 

[aikman]

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

Here's an example of a valid itinerary you can take which meets your criteria, it skips London and there's not too much backtracking.

MEL-HKG-BKK-AMM-IST-AMM-VIE-FLR-DUS-HEL-SIN-MEL

 

[get me outta here]

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

Thanks, looking at the last 2 helpful suggestions and will maximise RJ and IB. The 1W planner is good, but not helpful. Why when I'm in say Amman trying to ret via HKG / SIN / BKK etc, is just says rule prohibited?

According to the Review button that tells you the probs, I'm sure I have in the past done an around the world going out and ret via say NRT or Asia.

• 
  

 

[vetrade]

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

Quote get me outa here "Why when I'm in say Amman trying to ret via HKG / SIN / BKK etc, is just says rule prohibited?"

That's one of the annoying kinks in the system that will just deny you the info you want and frustrate you. Do not believe it because more than likely there will be flights available that fit within the OW rules! I encountered exactly the same problem just a week ago when booking for Aug/Sept this year but when I rang QAN I got J seats on every flight I wanted.

I suggest you ignore the OW Planner and use the interactive map. The menu down the LHS will allow you to select routes available between destinations and then you can get the airlines that fly that route and flight numbers, dates/times etc. I set up a spreadsheet of this info with all the options I thought would work and when I rang QAN to book it was simple to give the details of each flight I wanted to the operator and she checked their availability without problem. Doing it that way there was only one short segment from BCN - ATH which needed to be re-routed through LHR.

You will have no problem getting a flight from AMM back to Oz. The RJ flights go to DXB and from there you can go via HKG on CX

 

[get me outta here]

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

Vetrade yes, was using the interactive map and was doing well till I started the ret trip say AMM - SYD via HKG/BKK/NRT and the info down the side that said prohibited or some such thing.

I also on past bkgs did the whole look-up and noting pref flts and then just bkg formally direct w' QF. I guess I'll have to call them again and find out why yet again I'm making no progress.

 

[get me outta here]

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

Ok, just ignoring all other options and only looking at timetable to then dscuss w' QF. This link seems to be good for that:

oneworld Online Timetable.

 

[get me outta here]

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

Hopefully I am not boring people too much, but hopefully it is helpful to others. Many thanks Vetrade for yr input.

So, for a 1W it is to be QF + 2 other airlines. Some sectors would have been great on Emirates, but I can't wait for the FAA approval at end March.

It's looking like this to take to the next step:

SYD - BKK
BKK-AMM
AMM-IST
IST-AMM
AMM-DXB
DXB-HKG
HKG-SYD

 

[aikman]

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

I don't even think you need to include QF but I guess it's hard to avoid coming to/from Australia. Malaysia Airlines supposedly joins on 1 Feb. They have a direct K.L. to Istanbul flight which opens up another option for you.

 

[get me outta here]

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

"Malaysia Airlines supposedly joins on 1 Feb. They have a direct K.L. to Istanbul flight"


Yes, much more convenient, but sadly I think I need to book asap.


Going through AMM x 3 times is an utter waste of time and will be tedious.

 

[vetrade]

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

From your itinerary list you're actually only going thru AMM twice - which is the max you are allowed under the OW rules.

You only need to fly 2 airlines other than QAN - so you don't have to fly any legs at all on QAN - but as aikman said it's pretty hard to get in and out of Oz without using them.

Have you looked at the OW website to check which airlines you can use? BA flies a lot of flights in Europe but a lot of them transit through LHR. FRA is also an option - I guess what I'm saying is that a lot more routes open up if you enter or exit Europe through one of the major cities in the west of Europe.

 

[JohnK]

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

I don't even think you need to include QF but I guess it's hard to avoid coming to/from Australia.

With a QF Oneworld award the requirement is Qantas + 2 other Oneworld airlines.

 

[vetrade]

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

Quote JohnK "With a QF Oneworld award the requirement is Qantas + 2 other Oneworld airlines."

A lot of people think that but it's definitely not true if you read the rules carefully - there have been several discussions on AFF which have made that very clear.

 

[serfty]

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

Quote JohnK "With a QF Oneworld award the requirement is Qantas + 2 other Oneworld airlines."

A lot of people think that but it's definitely not true if you read the rules carefully - there have been several discussions on AFF which have made that very clear.

For a QFF one world classic award paid with QFF points the travel merely needs to have segments on at least 2 airlines other than qantas.

You could conceivably go Hong Kong to Los Angeles and New York using Cathay Pacific and American Airlines return.