Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Jacques Vert]

If you do a surface sector, I know the miles are counted. But are both cities counted as stopovers?

If you book it online, then no; it is only 1 stopover.

If you have to call to book, then it will depend on the agent who answers the phone. Some will insist it is two so HUACA.

 

[k_sheep]

Cheers for that. Suspect I won't be able to book online sadly! Currently planning

MCY-xSYD-xSCL-USH (surface sector) -CPT-xLHR-(somewhere in Europe)-YYZ- (surface sector) - YVR-xSYD-MCY

or similar. Trying to see how many Europe legs I can squeeze in there too, but I'm over 33k miles already so won't be much. Fuel surcharges will be awful due to to the QF and BA flights in there but probably can't avoid that.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Cheers for that. Suspect I won't be able to book online sadly

Try a couple of different browsers before giving up. I find Chrome will sometimes work when explorer won't and vice versa.

surcharges will be awful due to to the QF and BA flights in there but probably can't avoid that.

Unless you position to somewhere like MNL

 

[k_sheep]

More that the SYD-SCL and CPT-LON legs will have to be booked the day they are released to ensure availability.

I thought about starting in MNL or similar to try to get 2 holidays' worth out of this (and nesting a OSL/ARN-Australia return leg in there on one of the frequent sales) .... but it'll be hard to keep under the 35k miles

 

[Kangol]

A reminder to those less experienced travelers (like me!) to make sure you get the e-ticket issued asap if making any changes to your Oneworld Award.

Yesterday I rang to add a couple of flights with Cathay Pacific for May 2020 to my Oneworld award that I'm currently building. All seemed to go well & I was told the e-ticket would be issued, the flights appeared in my QFF account all day but no eticket came through.

When I checked this morning sure enough those flights had disappeared along with my first 2 flights SIN-xHKG-AMS with Cathay Pacific in late July 2019 The only flights I was left with was AMS-xDOH-PER with Qatar in late August 2019, given what I've read on here I was lucky those didn't disappear as well

Checked online and sure enough the Cathay flights for July 2019 were not available to re-book. Tried a few other combinations around that day with various destinations around AMS, TXL HAM etc. Could find availability with British Airways & also a Qatar option. Then I tried Finnair and found availabilty for SIN-HEL, HEL-TXL, which is what I've booked but it does use an extra Stopover.

Used the call back which was better than being on hold for 1.5hrs like I was on Saturday. Managed to get everything booked (the May 2020 flights were still available) & have an 081 e-ticket number for U class seats. The updated ticket info came from [email protected], is that the correct email once you make changes to an award booking?

Still got one more leg to book back to SIN in a few weeks, hopefully that will be a little less stressful!

I would have pushed them to get the seats - it is QFF's responsibility given that you have booked and confirmed them, entered into an agreement, etc.
Voluntering to change is where they get away scot free.

 

[jeza]

I would have pushed them to get the seats - it is QFF's responsibility given that you have booked and confirmed them, entered into an agreement, etc.
Voluntering to change is where they get away scot free.

That was my original intention but think the changed routing should benefit me as the traveler, in that I "potentially" save a bit of travel time.

The departure from Singapore is 5hrs later but the arrival time in Helsinki is scheduled to be slightly before I would have arrived in Amsterdam. My plan was to then stay one night in Amsterdam before heading to Berlin via train. The train journey is about 6.5hrs, now I have a 2hr morning flight from Helsinki to Berlin.

As I still have more flights to book in a few weeks I may remove the HEL-TXL booking & rebook standalone booking freeing up a few miles plus a stopover.

 

[Jamesaurus]

I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on a J award explorer- is it 5k pts for change? how many points or $ if i have to cancel?

 

[cjd600]

I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on a J award explorer- is it 5k pts for change? how many points or $ if i have to cancel?

If this is a Qantas Oneworld Award....
5k per person per change ( can make multiple changes at the same time for this 5k).
6k to cancel, full $$ refund.

 

[Jamesaurus]

So after years of hoarding points i've finally booked the following in J (depart in a months time!):

SYD-HKG-JFK (CP)
PHI- LIS (AA)
LIS-MAD-BRU (IB)
BRU-LHR-NRT (BA)
NRT-MEL (JAL)
MEL-CBR (QF)

- taxes and surcharges totalled $1670, got roughly the exact dates I needed for my scheduled appts.

Any thoughts on which lounges I should choose? (Only QF Bronze)
Thank you AFF members for your insights!!!

 

[p--and--t]

So after years of hoarding points i've finally booked the following in J (depart in a months time!):

SYD-HKG-JFK (CP)
PHI- LIS (AA)
LIS-MAD-BRU (IB)
BRU-LHR-NRT (BA)
NRT-MEL (JAL)
MEL-CBR (QF)

- taxes were $1670, got roughly the exact dates I needed for my scheduled appts.

Any thoughts on which lounges I should choose? (Only QF Bronze)
Thank you AFF members for your insights!!!

Suggest you download an app for your phone called loungebuddy. Enter your credit card and airline affiliations. Then enter your trip (including J details). The app will then highlight which lounges you have eligibility and provide reviews etc.

 

[Kangol]

So after years of hoarding points i've finally booked the following in J (depart in a months time!):

SYD-HKG-JFK (CP)
PHI- LIS (AA)
LIS-MAD-BRU (IB)
BRU-LHR-NRT (BA)
NRT-MEL (JAL)
MEL-CBR (QF)

- taxes were $1670, got roughly the exact dates I needed for my scheduled appts.

Any thoughts on which lounges I should choose? (Only QF Bronze)
Thank you AFF members for your insights!!!

Due to COS, you would only have access to one lounge in most ports anyway, with the exception of HKG (QF, CX J lounges - I think there are 4 now?) and NRT - QF and JL.
LHR T5 has Galleries North and South lounges but they have more or less the same offerings.
You could double check on the oneworld website where you can search the number and type of lounge by airport.

 

[Daver6]

LHR T5 has Galleries North and South lounges but they have more or less the same offerings.

There's also the T5 satellite lounge.

 

[Kangol]

There's also the T5 satellite lounge.

Ah yes, totally forgot. However only really of use if your flight is departing from a gate nearby. Not really an "alternative choice" per se.

 

[madrooster]

Ah yes, totally forgot. However only really of use if your flight is departing from a gate nearby. Not really an "alternative choice" per se.

Being LHR-NRT, it's guaranteed that it would depart from concourse B or C. They don't send long hauls out of A.

 

[Guvner]

So after years of hoarding points i've finally booked the following in J (depart in a months time!):

SYD-HKG-JFK (CP)
PHI- LIS (AA)
LIS-MAD-BRU (IB)
BRU-LHR-NRT (BA)
NRT-MEL (JAL)
MEL-CBR (QF)

- taxes were $1670, got roughly the exact dates I needed for my scheduled appts.

Any thoughts on which lounges I should choose? (Only QF Bronze)
Thank you AFF members for your insights!!!

Nice work. Is PHI supposed to be PHL?

 

[Daver6]

Being LHR-NRT, it's guaranteed that it would depart from concourse B or C. They don't send long hauls out of A.

How does the lounge in concourse B compare to the north and south lounges in A? I can't imagine it could be worse or more crowded?

 

[jfl]

Of the airlines flying between Europe and AU (ie. QR, QF, BA, JL, MH), who has the best product? I'm flying next May and availibility will be opening up over the next few days.

Unfortunately CX is off the table as I'm starting the trip from HK.

 

[JohnM]

QR IMO - but I have not flown JAL long-haul.

 

[Kiwifruit]

My vote would also be QR particularly if you are on a route with Qsuites. Did JAL a couple of months ago JFK-HND and although good didn't compare with QR.

 

[11sjw]

That was my original intention but think the changed routing should benefit me as the traveler, in that I "potentially" save a bit of travel time.

The departure from Singapore is 5hrs later but the arrival time in Helsinki is scheduled to be slightly before I would have arrived in Amsterdam. My plan was to then stay one night in Amsterdam before heading to Berlin via train. The train journey is about 6.5hrs, now I have a 2hr morning flight from Helsinki to Berlin.

As I still have more flights to book in a few weeks I may remove the HEL-TXL booking & rebook standalone booking freeing up a few miles plus a stopover.

I had a similar occurrence. Booked my first leg online (PER-JFK) on CX. I've then added to it via the call centre. Checked the next day and all the CX flights had disappeared. Got onto QFF straight away and the staff member had said it would've been on QF to make good. Fortunately this didn't have to be tested as all CX flights were still available.