Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[support]

I noticed @support mentioned in the xenforo feedback thread that the tags are automatically generated based thread content.

Given how frequently the magic words appear in the 338 pages of this thread, it’s not surprising that the algo has given it that tag.

It then becomes a catch-22 because people who search for the three magic words May end up at this thread because of the tag and then, not realising, repeat the three magic words.

And in so doing perpetuate, even reinforce, an absurdity. Sign of the times, I guess...

Surely there should be some way to override, or just switch off, perverse algorithm-generated outputs that produce ‘fake news’ (or, far more horribly, MAX crashes...), otherwise we truly do have the infamous HAL taking over...

I shouldn't think it needs to be said, but we are offtopic. In the future I would suggest creating a new thread in Suggestions and Feedback when you need to discuss issues within a thread. This will allow the original thread to continue on-topic.

At the end of the day we have decided to keep the tag in this thread. The tag doesn't mean this award is exclusively an around the world award, but the fact it can be used as such helps give it exposure to those who are looking for that sort of thing. As evidenced by the post immediately above mine.

The first post has been updated to reflect that.

 

[ozflier]

I just booked my first up to 35000 miles OW reward for 2 pax in F. At total 420K points per person seems like good value as each pax ended up with:

• x2 Dom J, QF
• x2 Int J, JL and QF (F not avail on route)
• x4 Int F, QF, JL and BA.

It was one of the easiest booking I have made, I only had to request the NRT-MEL sector through the CC, all other sectors appeared online, even the QF F. Closer to the date I may change one on the JL flights to CX if more inventory is released. The original plan was a trip to JP and NY and back again however due to availability ended up going the long way round.

Trip is ADL-SYD-SIN-HND-LHR-JFK-NRT-MEL-ADL.

Well done, can you give an idea of the date of first and last flights?

 

[Matt_01]

Sure first is 8 Apr 20, last is 19 Apr 20. The trip was just meant to be 5 days in NYC, however MrsM decided we should spend a couple of days in Tokyo as she wants to do some shopping. It is a only a short trip and in part was an excuse to burn a few QFF points as I am on a mission to use them all.

Will be booking something similar later in the year also for 2020 AU-UK-CA-AU for 1 pax on OW and 2 with *A, I think this one will be more complicated as I will have to line up flights across the programs and OW is limited in CA.

The other thing that surprised me was the availability of QF1 and 80 given it is in School holidays.

 

[knobbs]

Sure first is 8 Apr 20, last is 19 Apr 20. The trip was just meant to be 5 days in NYC, however MrsM decided we should spend a couple of days in Tokyo as she wants to do some shopping. It is a only a short trip and in part was an excuse to burn a few QFF points as I am on a mission to use them all.

Will be booking something similar later in the year also for 2020 AU-UK-CA-AU for 1 pax on OW and 2 with *A, I think this one will be more complicated as I will have to line up flights across the programs and OW is limited in CA.

The other thing that surprised me was the availability of QF1 and 80 given it is in School holidays.

Sounds like you had a dream with availability could it possibly be because you are booking F instead of J?

 

[Matt_01]

Possibly, however when booking I could see J availability on the same flights. I am in the fortunate position of having way to many points so I was not fussed about burning them. Additionally, the choice to go F was was to treat MrsM on carriers she has not flown F before. Closer to travel I may try and switch the US-AU flights to CX if availability opens up, at the time of booking CX F was available for 1 but not 2. I had suggested we fly JFK-HKG separately and meet up in HKG then fly direct to ADL however this was not received with any enthusiasm.

 

[knobbs]

Possibly, however when booking I could see J availability on the same flights. I am in the fortunate position of having way to many points so I was not fussed about burning them. Additionally, the choice to go F was was to treat MrsM on carriers she has not flown F before. Closer to travel I may try and switch the US-AU flights to CX if availability opens up, at the time of booking CX F was available for 1 but not 2. I had suggested we fly JFK-HKG separately and meet up in HKG then fly direct to ADL however this was not received with any enthusiasm.

Haha exactly the same as my Ms would respond. We just want the best value

You must have had a great time flying if you are trying to tick off airlines you have yet to fly in F. The only time I have never flown Y was for our honeymoon BNE-FRA on SQ J. I was spoilt then but we should tick a few J boxes off for our award coming up next month

 

[Matt_01]

Haha exactly the same as my Ms would respond. We just want the best value

You must have had a great time flying if you are trying to tick off airlines you have yet to fly in F. The only time I have never flown Y was for our honeymoon BNE-FRA on SQ J. I was spoilt then but we should tick a few J boxes off for our award coming up next month

Value was something I was looking at, if you are going to use the points get as many F flights in as possible.

I am fortunate I have flown F with a number of OW carriers, QF, QR, CX, JL and BA, MrsM has only flown QF and QR. We normally fly J, 2 pax on rewards (MrsM and MissM) and these are normally relatively easy to find and I tend to fly on a revenue ticket.

For this trip MissM is not happy that she has been 'ditched' as she puts it.

 

[blu]

I booked at T-230, so somewhat late. Was not able to find LHR-AUS but confusingly could find DUB-LHR-AUS. Does BA have married segments?
OWAJ Itinerary: HKG-DUB. DUB-LHR-AUS. AUS-PHX-SLC. SFO-SYD. SYD-HND. NRT-SYD.

 

[knobbs]

I booked at T-230, so somewhat late. Was not able to find LHR-AUS but confusingly could find DUB-LHR-AUS. Does BA have married segments?
OWAJ Itinerary: HKG-DUB. DUB-LHR-AUS. AUS-PHX-SLC. SFO-SYD. SYD-HND. NRT-SYD.

That looks like a sweet itinerary, you making two trips out of it I guess with the SYD break?

Question how do you get them to book your final flight back into SYD when you have already stopped there? It would be classed as a 2nd stop, unless you have another leg from SYD to HKG and just don't get on it? Therefore making it 1 stop , 1 layover in SYD.

If you do have a break in SYD for how long and how did you go booking it? I would assume you booked the 1st trip when it came out then called to make a change to add the second trip a year out?

 

[Familyman1]

Quick question: If I fly into NRT and out of HND within 24 hours, is this considered a stopover or a transit?

 

[knobbs]

Quick question: If I fly into NRT and out of HND within 24 hours, is this considered a stopover or a transit?

I have a feeling it counts as one stop but I can't find the specific section in the T&C to check it.

 

[blu]

unless you have another leg from SYD

There's an 8 week stop in Sydney. Don't need to book the final return sector as that distance is automatically included (but don't know why it's not counted as a stopover or transit). It was done all in one online booking. At T-230, award availability determined our itinerary.
In a previous OWA, we made a number of changes and then had problems with all the OW partner airlines when checking-in (appearing as not ticketed). I think a CSO cancelled the original eTicket and raised a new one incompletely.

 

[knobbs]

There's an 8 week stop in Sydney between the RTW and the Japan trips. You don't need to book the final return leg. That distance automatically included (don't know why it's not classed as a stopover). It was done all in one online booking. Award availability determined our itinerary.
In a previous OWA, we made a number of changes and then had problems with all the OW partner airlines when checking-in (appearing not ticketed). I think a CSO cancelled the original eTicket and raised a new one (incompletely).

Oh nice, when I was trying to finalize my booking the Qantas agents wouldn't let me complete my booking until I had a return leg back to the original country.

All done in one online booking! WOW must have been a dream to get it done that way haha. Very nice, after all the trouble I went through trying to find flights online I thought it near impossible to book the whole trip online.

 

[blu]

Quick question: If I fly into NRT and out of HND within 24 hours, is this considered a stopover or a transit?

I think that would be a transit.

 

[blu]

must have been a dream to get it done that way

Wasn't as easy as it sounds. Took a lot of trial and error attempts. However we were very flexible with our window for travel. Firstly, finding the two SFO-SYD seats (& that determined our return date).

 

[Kiwifruit]

Managed to book 2x 280k One World Award flights in J starting December and the itinerary was:

AKL-SCL // MVD-MIA // SJO-MAD-RAK // CMN-DOH-WDH // JNB-SYD-MEL // AKL

With a bit of creative use of the multi sector search on the QF website was able to check availability for all sectors online but it was impossible to book so had to resort to booking on the phone.

It required a bit of flexibility with dates and ideally we were wanting to fly out of Buenos Aries to Miami but J availability was non-existent in December. However I was able to find availability out of Montevideo (which is just a ferry ride away) so it pays to think outside the square if your prefered city pair is not available.

Another tip for maximizing the One World Reward bookings is to open jaw at your stop over points eg in the above booking we are flying into Miami and departing from San Jose. The distance between the two cities is relatively short and you can use points or cash to buy a separate ticket between the cities and thereby create and additional stopover (over and above the five stopovers allowed for a One World Award).

Being WP we were assisted by QF kindly releasing two J seats on the JNB-SYD leg as otherwise only Y was showing available but for all other sectors we were able to find J availability online before calling to book it in.

Total taxes/levies/carrier charges for the itinerary were $1,634 pp.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I am fortunate I have flown F with a number of OW carriers, QF, QR, CX, JL and BA

Any favourites? I have sampled QF and CX only with CX taking the prize.

 

[Kangol]

If anyone is looking for AA award availability online prior to calling, I've noticed that QFF phone agents can sometimes see seats that are not showing on either QFF or AA websites. At least this just happened to me.
So if there's nothing coming up that suits your exact needs, may be worth calling to see if extra availability can be seen and booked.

 

[cjd600]

If anyone is looking for AA award availability online prior to calling, I've noticed that QFF phone agents can sometimes see seats that are not showing on either QFF or AA websites. At least this just happened to me.
So if there's nothing coming up that suits your exact needs, may be worth calling to see if extra availability can be seen and booked.

What class/route was that?

 

[Kangol]

What class/route was that?

DFW-BNA. Only one flight that day was showing as available in Y on both QFF and AA.
Phone agent could see both J and Y on that flight plus Y on other flights, same day.