Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[wentworthmeister]

I've been sitting on our OWA plan for a few months waiting for LATAM flights to become available in Dec 2019 - initially they hadn't reached their release window, but now they have and I'm still not seeing any award availability via the Qantas multi-city tool. I'm a Gold FF and am looking for the following flights in Economy:

LA1: LAX-SCL on/around 2 Dec.
LA603: SCL-PNT (although PNT doesn't exist in the QF tool so this will never show).
LA2: PNT-SCL on/around 14 Dec.
LA805: SCL-MEL on/around 16 Dec.

I know these flights exist on these dates because they show up on the LATAM site, but I never seem to get any LATAM flights coming up in my QF multi-city classic award searches - only AA and QF options (which are sparse or non-existent on those routes). Is this a known issue with LATAM, or could it just be that they aren't releasing award availability on those flights?

 

[wentworthmeister]

LA1: LAX-SCL on/around 2 Dec.
LA603: SCL-PNT (although PNT doesn't exist in the QF tool so this will never show).

Got those the wrong way around - LA603 is LAX-SCL and LA1 is SCL-PNT.

I've done some more digging into LATAM award availability, specifically on LA805 (SCL-MEL) as a test case. Interestingly I've found award availability in Economy on pretty much every day the flight occurs, but only up until 30th November 2019. There's nothing for the whole of December and January, but then it opens up again in Feb 2020 (next available award seat is on 5th Feb 2020).

Could they be intentionally not releasing Economy award seats in Dec/Jan due to it being a peak period?

 

[JohnM]

Interestingly I've found award availability in Economy on pretty much every day the flight occurs, but only up until 30th November 2019. There's nothing for the whole of December and January, but then it opens up again in Feb 2020 (next available award seat is on 5th Feb 2020).

Could they be intentionally not releasing Economy award seats in Dec/Jan due to it being a peak period?

I'd be very surprised if that is not the case. The summer is very busy in S Chile.

 

[Rtw]

Hi guys, quick question regarding the 140k economy trip. I'm looking at booking x2 for mid year 2020 and want to get the most out of it. I can't quite understand the surface sector rules. Is it possible to fly into Europe then make your own way around a few cities and depart from somewhere else like London to continue the rtw trip?
Very rough example - Perth to Doha, Doha to Rome, *make our way to London outwith flights from the qantas rtw deal*, London to New York, New York to Perth.

 

[Kangol]

Hi guys, quick question regarding the 140k economy trip. I'm looking at booking x2 for mid year 2020 and want to get the most out of it. I can't quite understand the surface sector rules. Is it possible to fly into Europe then make your own way around a few cities and depart from somewhere else like London to continue the rtw trip?
Very rough example - Perth to Doha, Doha to Rome, *make our way to London outwith flights from the qantas rtw deal*, London to New York, New York to Perth.

Yes, you can do that.
The surface sector is the distance from where your flight lands to when your next one departs.
Rome to London is your surface sector and the distance is calculated as part of the 35k miles.
It doesn't have to be RTW.

 

[jfl]

So I've finally amassed enough points for 2 x J RTW and want to make sure this itinerary works!

August 2019 - HKG-HND
August 2019 - HND-SYD

April 2020 - SYD-JNB
April 2020 - JNB-LHR
May 2020 - FCO-DOH-SYD

We will be flying to HKG as a positioning flight.

Am I best booking the first leg now and then booking the second leg in July when they become available? And is it an issue that I won't be going "around the world" and instead just using the mileage (34,800 - close!)?

 

[JohnM]

There is most definitely no requirement to go RTW.

Call it 2x J OWA (OneWorld award).

 

[rock86]

So I've finally amassed enough points for 2 x J RTW and want to make sure this itinerary works!

August 2019 - HKG-HND
August 2019 - HND-SYD

April 2020 - SYD-JNB
April 2020 - JNB-LHR
May 2020 - FCO-DOH-SYD

We will be flying to HKG as a positioning flight.

Am I best booking the first leg now and then booking the second leg in July when they become available? And is it an issue that I won't be going "around the world" and instead just using the mileage (34,800 - close!)?

Yes you are best booking the first leg now if available.

Do you hold status? As the SYD-JNB flights may be tough to get.

 

[jfl]

Yes you are best booking the first leg now if available.

Do you hold status? As the SYD-JNB flights may be tough to get.

Unfortunately i am only a bronze member. We are happy to fly SYD-JNB in economy as we need to be in Johannesburg around a certain time for a wedding, so we'll just roll wth the punches.

What's the process for modifying the booking to add the extra legs? Do you call? And if so, what happens if they question the "round-the-world-ness" of the itinerary?

 

[Kangol]

What's the process for modifying the booking to add the extra legs? Do you call? And if so, what happens if they question the "round-the-world-ness" of the itinerary?

Yes, call to change.
It is called a oneworld award, not RTW.
Don't even mention RTW ever.
You are best off reading the recent pages because these questions come up frequently.

 

[11sjw]

Unfortunately i am only a bronze member. We are happy to fly SYD-JNB in economy as we need to be in Johannesburg around a certain time for a wedding, so we'll just roll wth the punches.

What's the process for modifying the booking to add the extra legs? Do you call? And if so, what happens if they question the "round-the-world-ness" of the itinerary?

Also if any of your subsequently added flights include CX stay on the phone with them until it is ticketed.

 

[jfl]

Yes, call to change.
It is called a oneworld award, not RTW.
Don't even mention RTW ever.
You are best off reading the recent pages because these questions come up frequently.

Thanks mate, I've just checked and its quelled any fears I have.

Thanks everyone for your help! The various point bonuses lately have really bumped up the balance (Vodafone, AMEX Insurance, IG, etc).

 

[Captain Halliday]

There is most definitely no requirement to go RTW.

And we have a new record.

10 mins is now the time to beat!

 

[cambriamarsh]

i understand QF awards are released at 10.00am Queensland time. Does anyone know if that is all the awards available via QF or whether others, eg AA are released at different times such as when that particular airline releases them on their own site?

 

[cjd600]

If the airline themselves haven’t realesed them, QF cannot do so.
If another airline releases at further than 353 days (CX, QR,AY,IB etc), these will appear on QF at that time. Only QF’s own flights are 353 (and only for SG and up, for premium QF classes at this time)

 

[cambriamarsh]

If the airline themselves haven’t realesed them, QF cannot do so.
If another airline releases at further than 353 days (CX, QR,AY,IB etc), these will appear on QF at that time. Only QF’s own flights are 353 (and only for SG and up, for premium QF classes at this time)

Thanks CJD, understand the dates, given how hard it is for a lowly LTS I’m trying to find out the time non-QF flights may become available. Are they all released at 10.00am Qld time or when the originating airline releases them? Cheers

 

[Captain Halliday]

Thanks CJD, understand the dates, given how hard it is for a lowly LTS I’m trying to find out the time non-QF flights may become available. Are they all released at 10.00am Qld time or when the originating airline releases them? Cheers

There is anecdotal evidence that the other OneWorld airlines also release at 0000UTC but I’ve not seen an official policy or anything that would confirm it.

I have first hand experience with CX releasing at 0000UTC, but that datapoint is ~2 years old.

 

[cambriamarsh]

There is anecdotal evidence that the other OneWorld airlines also release at 0000UTC but I’ve not seen an official policy or anything that would confirm it.

I have first hand experience with CX releasing at 0000UTC, but that datapoint is ~2 years old.

A common time of 0000UTC would make sense, the start of a new day.

 

[Kangol]

Some time ago AA released their awards at 0000 Dallas time. Not sure if that is the same now though.

 

[serfty]

A common time of 0000UTC would make sense, the start of a new day.

Which is (tada!):

i understand QF awards are released at 10.00am Queensland time.