Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

While a Qantas FF award flights can be booked 353 days out (Aug 17th Today), it may not be the case for award flight on other Airlines (IIRC, Awards on AA become available 330 days out).

Also, holiday periods are harder to get so be prepared to be flexible with your dates.

This begs the question:

• are RTW oneworld awards taken out of the same allocation as all awards?
• If so does this then make them more difficult to obtain....on the assumption that you will want to have a longer trip ie say 6 tweeks to 3 months and thus will be booking 2 to 8 weeks after those doing say just Australia London return....and indeed with the Oneworld Award requiring that you book different airlines and this invoking the 330 day rule

As a general question, and I realise this depends on when and where you want to fly......have forumites been successul in booking RTW Awards say 9 months out??? or is basically too late???



With me, I am currently thinking of:

• Depart early to mid Dec 2008
• return late Jan 2009

Route can vary but I would wish to include:

• New York (I have done the west coast already)
• Europe. RTW arrival point can vary as I can then buy local cheap flights to visit several countries. However I am thinking England, France, Italy as a core. I could fly into another country asa hub though.
• Asia. would prefer to come back through places I have not been, ie Hong Kong and or Japan.

This for a party of 5 with 3 or 4 redemptions and 1 or 2 paid tickets.

 

[simongr]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

I am in the midst of booking an AAward through AAdvantage. I am having to book it in stages 330 days out from each stage as it is a OW award. It has taken almost three weeks so far to book the trip!

I obviously couldnt get J on QF SYD-JFK so am routing via HKG (woo hoo for the Wing/Pier ). I think the challenge booking a OW award is the premuim low flight number routes - SYD-LAX being the biggest problem.

 

[NM]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

Aus school holidays are 29 Sep 08 to 10 Oct 08, which is when I want to do the return to Sydney so my kids can go back to school .

Note that different states have different school holiday dates, meaning the peak travel period can span 3 or 4 weeks depending on how the different states overlap their dates. So don't assume just because NSW schools are not on holiday that other states will be the same.

... then 3 or 4 days in Toronto

I thoroughly recommend making the drive down to Niagara Falls if you are going to Toronto. Its about a 2 hour drive.

Should I wait until I can book the whole trip in one go, wait until I am inside the 355 days, or book each segment as it falls in the 355 days?

You don't have a choice but to wait and book it all at once. For the OneWorld award, you have to an entire itinerary at once, and there will be a 5000 point penalty each time you make a change. So if you book part now and then add some more as the 355 day window opens, you will need to fond the extra 5000 points per change.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

I am in the midst of booking an AAward through AAdvantage. I am having to book it in stages 330 days out from each stage as it is a OW award. It has taken almost three weeks so far to book the trip!

.

Hi Simongr...I note your reply...but also NM's about having to book it all at once for a Oneworld Reward.

So:

• Are the rules different for AA?
• Or are you booking it as individual segments (which costs more point wise) and just accept that this premium ensures you get you seat?
• Or??

 

[simongr]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

I am assuming that the rules are different for AA. You can put awards on hold at AA for a number of days (about two weeks I think) and it might different as I am EXP.

 

[willymaykett]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

Note that different states have different school holiday dates, meaning the peak travel period can span 3 or 4 weeks depending on how the different states overlap their dates. So don't assume just because NSW schools are not on holiday that other states will be the same.

Very true, missed that, just shows the value of these forums.

I thoroughly recommend making the drive down to Niagara Falls if you are going to Toronto. Its about a 2 hour drive.

Absolutely! That was one of the main reasons


So has anyone successfully done RTW econmony of FF?

Will

 

[Maca44]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

In September private schools usually break up a week earlier than non-private schools, and for a trip like this I don't think your kids are going to be too concerned about missing a week or two of school. The reason I say this is that if you can leave a week before private school break up and do Anaheim/Disneyland etc in that first week you will have no lines at any of the rides as the kids on summer school holidays in the USA have all returned to school about two weeks before that time.

I took my kids to Disneyland/Universal Studios etc 3 years ago, and virtually had the place to ourselves because we left a week before private schools started their break and we often would get off the good rides and straight back on, no lines. It was great. If you are there during the school holidays the crowds can be huge and you can line up for rides for 45mins which takes the joy out of your holiday.

 

[NM]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

So has anyone successfully done RTW econmony of FF?

Yes, I redeemed 910,000 QFF points for 7 ATW tichets a few years back.

 

[NM]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

I am assuming that the rules are different for AA. You can put awards on hold at AA for a number of days (about two weeks I think) and it might different as I am EXP.

Yes, AA allows you to make a partial booking and put it on hold and add to it later. QF does not allow you to hold an FF award booking.

 

[serfty]

This morning to test things out I did a dummy booking on-line.

I would have been able to make a booking for SYD-LAX-YYZ-LHR-AMS-LHR-SYD for for early June next year.

I did not try earlier.

 

[serfty]

... and book it all at once. For the OneWorld award, you have to an entire itinerary at once, and there will be a 5000 point penalty each time you make a change. So if you book part now and then add some more as the 355 day window opens, you will need to fond the extra 5000 points per change.

As posted you have to book the entire itinerary at once.

With Qantas Awards, it is possible to initially book the whole trip routing with speculative dates as soon as an itinerary containing all required flight segments become available. Then, when the availably opens for your required dates, alter your booking .

Any changes to dates 'only' incur a revalidation fee (if applicable*) at a rate of 2,500 points per pax.

More here: 13. Redeeming Points for Award Flights

13.7.5 Changes made after ticketing or after booking on Jetstar Asia (ie, 3K) operated flights, whether before or after commencement of travel, to flight number or date of travel, without changing:
(a) name or class of travel; or
(b) Segment routing or airline a Revalidation Fee (see the Fee Schedule). Changes are not permitted on any Award Flight paper tickets after travel has commenced.
...

13.7.7 No changes requiring ticket reissue will be allowed on any Award Flight ticket within 24 hours of departure from the point of origin of the first Flight Segment on the Itinerary.

(*Note that SG, WP & CL are not charged revalidation fees at the present time)

 

[willymaykett]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

This morning to test things out I did a dummy booking on-line.

I would have been able to make a booking for SYD-LAX-YYZ-LHR-AMS-LHR-SYD for for early June next year.

I did not try earlier.

That is interesting, if I am correct, June would be in the high season, so I am hoping my chances are good for September / Oct 08.

I am roughing out my dates as something like this:
Dep Syd 31 Aug 08
Dep LA 7 Sept 08
Dep Toronto 11 Sept 08
Dep London 14 Sept 08
Return Sydney 11 Oct

Any suggestions

I still need to check US holidays to see if it will conflict with the Disneyland visit.

Thanks all!

 

[Febs]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

Hi guys,

On a related note, I'm looking at booking 2 x SYD-FRA return tickets late next year (or the year after, depending on when I earn enough points) and given that 144,000 isn't that much more than 128,000pts, I'm wondering what else I could do with an award explorer ticket?

We really only need to travel to FRA (planning to do a road trip around Germany, then drive to Estonia if the hire car conditions allow us), but if we can add somewhere interesting for a few more points, we might as well.

I'm wondering - can you add domestic Australian segments, after the return flight? Eg: SYD-FRA-SYD, then later (a few months later) add in a SYD-MEL or SYD-PER or something. I really have no idea about how the different RTW fares work (I do realise that an award explorer is more restrictive than say an xONE4 though).

Would SYD-FRA-LHR-SYD work? What about something like SYD-FRA, then make my own way to HEL, then HEL-LHR-SYD?

(I know I can try this on the booking engine, but figured I'd ask here first before I go looking for availability).

Thanks all.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[simongr]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

Just a quick check on the QF points calc engine and it gave me:

syd-fra-hel-lhr-syd as a 140K points award.

AND

Sydney - Frankfurt - Helsinki - London - Sydney - Melbourne - Sydney is not permitted as it requires returning to your city of departure more than once

 

[serfty]

For 140,000 points (142,500 if you book over the 'phone) with a Qantas FF oneworld award, you can in WHY:

• Book any available itinerary of up to 16 segments, at least two of which must be on different oneworld Alliance Airlines other than Qantas.
• Travel no more than 35,000 miles.
• Have up to five Stopovers (maximum).
• Only one Stopover is permitted in any one city.
• Only two Transfers may be taken at any one city.
• Have one or more Surface Segments (distance is included under the 35,000 miles).

Note that every segment you have increases the +++ component payable; there have been reports of around $900 for a 16 segment RTW oneworld Award.

 

[Febs]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

Thanks Simon.

syd-fra-hel-lhr-syd as a 140K points award.

Just had a play around to answer a few more questions...annoying that even a year out (as a QFF Gold), there doesn't seem to be much SYD-FRA availability (have to go SYD-NRT-LHR-FRA). Plenty of LHR-SYD availability though.

Hmm...just tried SYD-NRT-LHR-FRA<own arrangements>HEL-LHR-PVG-SYD and it didn't cap it at 140,000 per person. Guessing this somehow breaks the award explorer rules? (NRT-LHR are both transits).

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[dajop]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

I'm wondering what else I could do with an award explorer ticket?

Do whatever you would like. Just need to meet the following rules:
- Not exceed 35,000 miles (to give you an idea this does allow Aus-Europe-Sth America-US-Aus)
- No more than 5 stopovers
- Only one stopover per city
- Only two transfers per city (ie can only go through LHR, for eg, twice)
- Must include at least two non-QF one world airlines.
- Contain no more than 16 segments
- Contain no more than one departure from city or country of origin
- All flights must be oneworld metal (codeshares on airlines other than OW not permitted)

I'm wondering - can you add domestic Australian segments, after the return flight?

Only if you don't re transit your origin. There are ways around this - buying cheap fares to a different start point (eg MEL) or get to Wollongong or Newcastle to start the trip. eg NTL-MEL-Europe-SYD-PER-SYD.

 

[Febs]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

Only if you don't re transit your origin. There are ways around this - buying cheap fares to a different start point (eg MEL) or get to Wollongong or Newcastle to start the trip. eg NTL-MEL-Europe-SYD-PER-SYD.

Thought of that after I posted actually.

Thanks guys, you've given me a lot to think about.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[willymaykett]

Re: RTW Planning using FF points - Newbie!

Starting planning some options, especially around the London / Amsterdam part.

Is it possible to do this section:
Toronto > London
London > Ams
Ams > London
Lond > Syd

I thought that Cathay was part of the oneworld alliance, yet they don't appear in any of my searches. Or aren't they part of FF awards.

I noticed that an Ams > HK route mostly went via Lond or Madrid, yet no direct Ams > HK.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[serfty]

Due to some problems between the Qantas and Cathay Pacific computers and related booking systems, CX flights as part of a Qantas award are not able to be booked online This problem has been around since early this year.

Qantas Award itineraries can be booked with CX segments; you need to call Qantas FF to do so. Unfortunately this may incur an additional 2½K fee.