Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Jacques Vert]

Query on Qantas oneworld classic award

This is my first time on this forum - please forgive/correct any errors I will probably make...

Given the recent changes to qantas’ redemption pricing in their award program, effective mid September 2019, I will be moving up by several months my plans to book a business class 35k mile, 5 stopover, 16 segment classic award. I have been lucky to receive invaluable advice from the experts on FlyerTalk before and I am hoping that I will have the same luck here.

I hope to book an itinerary which currently looks like this:
SYD-HKG(transit)-CMB-HKG(transit)-LHR-CPH(transit)-LGA-PTY(transit)-STI-SFO(transit)-HNL-SYD (33,963 miles)
before that September deadline. Our aim is to fly out in June 2020 to do 3 weeks in Sri Lanka, then London to spend several months in Europe before our daughter’s wedding in Tuscany in late September . This is the only date that is critical – we are retired and can be very flexible with our dates. We hope to commence the New York sector in November, the Santiago sector in January and be in Hawaii for February before returning home for March.

I have been reading what I can on booking all the tickets required - obviously flights for the segments after the Europe segment, being more than a year out, won’t have listed – I have read on this forum
"If the ticket is fully unflown - you reprice as of the current day's taxes, fare, points and exchange rate. If the ticket is partially flown - you reprice as of the historical taxes, fare, points and exchange rate. Historical date used would be your original initial ticketing date." (Thank you Mad Rooster).

From this, am I wrong to assume that if I book the whole itinerary now, with dummy dates for the rest of the itinerary after Europe, then rebook them as the flights become available, and have the ticketing done by September 2019, I would charged the historical taxes, fare, points and exchange rate?

I understand that there is a 5000point fee for changes – does the fee apply to business class bookings? If so, is that fee to be paid for each stopover change? Or if I make all those changes at one time in say March when the remaining flights might all be available, would I only be charged the one lot of 5000points?

Hoping that others more knowledgeable than myself might be able to answer my queries.

Thank you,

To clarify your question:

1. You will make your booking before September 18,
2. You will include dummy bookings for your flights after the wedding,
3. You will take your first flight or two and then attempt to change the remainder of your flights to dates that you prefer.

Is this correct?

If so, it is a high risk strategy. Once you take your first flight, you can only change the date and/or time of your remaining flights.

You have to find availability on the exact same route, same airline, same class. What will you do if there is no availability?

Award seat availability to/from SCL and HNL is generally quite poor.

If you book the award before the changes in mid-September, your dummy flights are going to be around July. That will give you about one month to find availability on alternative dates.

If you can't find seats, you loose your points, only unused taxes will be refunded if you have to cancel.

If it were me, I'ld be booking the flights I wanted at the new points cost.

 

[pye1201]

To clarify your question:

1. You will make your booking before September 18,
2. You will include dummy bookings for your flights after the wedding,
3. You will take your first flight or two and then attempt to change the remainder of your flights to dates that you prefer.

Is this correct?

If so, it is a high risk strategy. Once you take your first flight, you can only change the date and/or time of your remaining flights.

You have to find availability on the exact same route, same airline, same class. What will you do if there is no availability?

Award seat availability to/from SCL and HNL is generally quite poor.

If you book the award before the changes in mid-September, your dummy flights are going to be around July. That will give you about one month to find availability on alternative dates.

If you can't find seats, you loose your points, only unused taxes will be refunded if you have to cancel.

If it were me, I'ld be booking the flights I wanted at the new points cost.

Thank you - yes, you are correct in your summary. So the advice that I can change carriers after completing the first few sectors is incorrect? Yes, I will be looking for availability from July but the next sector won't be commenced until November, giving me 5 months to find flights. Does booking the flights I want at the new points cost allow me to change carriers if the exact same route can't be found for the new dates? The problem here is that because we are going to be away for 8 months, it's almost impossible to avoid booking dummy dates and still book early enough to get the flights you want on departure. Bit of a Catch 22 in the event of an extended time away. I guess the award is designed for much shorter holidays than people like us, with children who live in the UK and the US, generally take.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my situation - much appreciated.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Thank you - yes, you are correct in your summary. So the advice that I can change carriers after completing the first few sectors is incorrect?

That is my understanding. I've been in that situation and although many QF agents will tell you it can be done, when it comes to the crunch, it's no go.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Yes, I will be looking for availability from July but the next sector won't be commenced until November, giving me 5 months to find flights.

But you have to find those alternative flights before your dummy flight takes off. Otherwise you will be a "no show" and the rest of your ticket will be cancelled.

Let's say you book on 10 September 2019. Unless you have Gold status or higher, you can only book seats in premium classes on Qantas-operated flights 297 days in advance. That is up until 3 July. And if you are going to SCL and HNL then QF are one of the carriers you'll be considering.

If you book a dummy flight on QF, you will have until 3 July to change it. And by June/July, seats for February and March 2021 may have sold out.

 

[Jacques Vert]

You can only change carriers before you take your first flight.

 

[pye1201]

That is my understanding. I've been in that situation and although many QF agents will tell you it can be done, when it comes to the crunch, it's no go.

But you have to find those alternative flights before your dummy flight takes off. Otherwise you will be a "no show" and the rest of your ticket will be cancelled.

Let's say you book on 10 September 2019. Unless you have Gold status or higher, you can only book seats in premium classes on Qantas-operated flights 297 days in advance. That is up until 3 July. And if you are going to SCL and HNL then QF are one of the carriers you'll be considering.

If you book a dummy flight on QF, you will have until 3 July to change it. And by June/July, seats for February and March 2021 may have sold out.

Point taken

You can only change carriers before you take your first flight.

Thanks for the invaluable advice. If I revise my strategy, book later and cop the cost of the award increase, try to avoid booking Qantas in the latter half of the trip (I might rethink the itinerary - ditch HNL and go for a more easily attainable destination on an airline with a little more award availability) perhaps I will have a better chance. I'm not confident about booking each leg as it becomes available and relying on the ticket converting to a Oneworld ticket (by keeping 2 Oneworld airlines in the first leg of the trip) - back to the drawing board re the itinerary!

 

[Jacques Vert]

You don't need to have 2 Oneworld airlines other than Qantas when booking the first part of the trip.

As long as you include this and stay within the other rules when you add your last flights, it will max out at 280,000/318,000 per person in J.

BTW, its not impossible to get award flights to HNL, but I would only book a flight to/from there on dates I would be happy to keep.

 

[sietes]

Following up on my previous post for two reasons.

1. It seems unusual to me that the entire itinerary is repriced at current exchange rates and is possibly a deceptive pricing strategy. I'm still considering that but interested in feedback/thoughts from others.

2. We decided to go ahead and make the change regardless.of the above point. This was done via SMS and I was clear to state that no other flights were to change. Despite this our second flight dropped off the new itinerary and after much time spent on SMS getting the flight reinstated we are showing as 'waitlisted' pending reticketing. A warning to thoroughly check your itinerary after making any changes.

 

[pye1201]

You don't need to have 2 Oneworld airlines other than Qantas when booking the first part of the trip.

As long as you include this and stay within the other rules when you add your last flights, it will max out at 280,000/318,000 per person in J.

BTW, its not impossible to get award flights to HNL, but I would only book a flight to/from there on dates I would be happy to keep.

Thanks Jacques Vert - given that the HNL sector was at the end of the trip and would have to be booked on a dummy date regardless, I decided it would be safer to go for a route where I am more likely to get a flight. Thus have been revising my itinerary to take us back to Europe then home. I am finding however that the "carrier imposed surcharges" (fuel surcharge?) out of anywhere in the US is coming up at $857, regardless of carrier or airport?

 

[melbkate]

Hello @madrooster or any other experts - I have 2 questionst:

Question 1: I am wondering if you could tell me the minimum connecting time for these flights? Or tell me how to find it? We are flying BOD-HEL-NRT-MEL in July 2020 and waiting on awards to open.

I have 2 options at Helsinki if all goes well - if I take the first one AY71 gives me less transit time in HEL; if I take the second one AY72 gives me plenty of time in HEL but less time 85mins in NRT. I think both will work and maybe more time in HEL would be better as will have to go through passport control etc. and can use the lounge.

AY1596 BOD-HEL 10:50-15:20

AY71 HEL-NRT 16:45-8:05 (T2)
AY72 HEL-NRT 17:45-9:05 (T2)

JL773 10.30-21:55

Question 2: Can I get an IB flight operated by Vueling as a part of the OWR - MXP-BIO in particular?

Thanks, Kate

 

[madrooster]

AY1596 BOD-HEL 10:50-15:20

AY71 HEL-NRT 16:45-8:05 (T2)
AY72 HEL-NRT 17:45-9:05 (T2)

JL773 10.30-21:55

Question 2: Can I get an IB flight operated by Vueling as a part of the OWR - MXP-BIO in particular?

Thanks, Kate

The connections are fine in both HEL and NRT regardless of which HEL-NRT that you take. Note that JL also has a HEL-NRT flight too so you have three options.

VY cannot be used in a oneworld award. They aren't part of oneworld.

 

[melbkate]

The connections are fine in both HEL and NRT regardless of which HEL-NRT that you take. Note that JL also has a HEL-NRT flight too so you have three options.

VY cannot be used in a oneworld award. They aren't part of oneworld.

Thanks so much @madrooster

 

[soh]

Before I make a final change (adding on SYD-SIN-SYD) to this can anyone confirm it meets the usual requirements on stopover etc before I brave the QF call centre or facebook messenger? Mileage is well under limit.

AKL-HKG (CX)
HKG-FRA-LHR (CX/BA)
INV-LHR-HND (BA/JL)
NRT-SYD (JL)
SYD-SIN (BA)
SIN-SYD (BA)

I will not be returning to AKL but have included in mileage. Would also prefer QF to SIN but BA has availability.

 

[Eija]

Miles are good at 32,698. Stops/transits you have not specified? Max Stops = 5. I see what your doing(2trips). But, why not turn it into a few days in AKL also(3rd trip-paid)...NZ is a great Country. Great Circle Mapper

 

[soh]

Miles are good at 32,698. Stops/transits you have not specified? Max Stops = 5. I see what your doing(2trips). But, why not turn it into a few days in AKL also(3rd trip-paid)...NZ is a great Country. Great Circle Mapper

Stopover is HKG, LHR, HND, SYD, SIN and then back to SYD to finish. My understanding is that I can have a second stop in SYD if I am finishing there otherwise I would need to transit which I will not be able to do. If I changed to a SIN-BNE to avoid the 2 stopover issue in SYD could I still complete a later BNE-AKL and stay within stopover limits?

 

[Kangol]

Stopover is HKG, LHR, HND, SYD, SIN and then back to SYD to finish. My understanding is that I can have a second stop in SYD if I am finishing there otherwise I would need to transit which I will not be able to do. If I changed to a SIN-BNE to avoid the 2 stopover issue in SYD could I still complete a later BNE-AKL and stay within stopover limits?

After your fifth stop (SIN), the next leg has to finish the itinerary, otherwise you will have a 6th stop which is not allowed.
If they don't let you finish the itinerary in SYD, people have mentioned that you could transit to SYD-AKL and no show the last leg. Not that I would recommend that, of course.

 

[soh]

After your fifth stop (SIN), the next leg has to finish the itinerary, otherwise you will have a 6th stop which is not allowed.
If they don't let you finish the itinerary in SYD, people have mentioned that you could transit to SYD-AKL and no show the last leg. Not that I would recommend that, of course.

Was thinking of a ‘connecting’ QF flight to AKL 23 hours after arriving into SYD.

 

[blu]

should be okay, I have RTW + Japan trips similar (starting HKG).
HKG-DUB. LIS-LHR-AUS. AUS-PHX-SLC. SFO-SYD. and later SYD-HND. HND-SYD.

 

[stoodamire]

Just had a bad and good experience with the call centre.

Called the first time, wait time was about 50 mins.

Got through and was in the process of changing my last 2 legs on my itinerary. Then the called suddenly dropped out, waited about 20 mins for a return call and nothing. I wasn't pleased.

Called again and waited about the same time.

Agent was able to change my last 2 legs as per my request and informed me it would be a 5,000 points change fee per person and a $39 refund (better than nothing right!). I agreed and whilst waiting for the agent to make the changes, i made a some chit chat about the Cricket World Cup as i was speaking with the SA call centre. We talked about trash about Aus v SA and by the end of it he said the changes were made and he waived the points change fee.

I was pleasantly surprised. Good outcome in the end.

 

[flychrisfly]

Following up on my previous post for two reasons.

1. It seems unusual to me that the entire itinerary is repriced at current exchange rates and is possibly a deceptive pricing strategy. I'm still considering that but interested in feedback/thoughts from others.

Not sure what the issue is. The product is purchased at a date and time and receives a price. Customer changes mind and buys different product (dates, destinations, etc) and receives new price. I would not expect multiple exchange rates to apply to various bits and pieces of my trip. I'm also aware that even though it looks like it, the end 'product' is not simply the compilation/summation of smaller components in all cases. The capped points cost is an example of this. Eg. I have 15 sectors in my OWA and it cost 280,000 plus $x. I now add another sector - the price changes to 280,000 points plus $y. The difference between X and Y is due to different taxes. Subjecting the various taxes to a range of exchange rates would make it near impossible for a consumer to verify any sort of accuracy; and also note that exchange rate changes can work in your favour.