Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[exceladdict]

I recall in the wiki or maybe a post in this thread where we talked about cheapest PoS for commencing 280k award. Does anyone know where that post is? I believe that consensus was that Philippines was a good place to start?

Yep. I haven't compared since the recent changes; but at last comparison, MNL was cheapest out of MEL, HKG, DPS, KUL, and AKL.

 

[pye1201]

QUERY ONEWORLD J AWARD BOOKING

I have been working on this J itinerary for months and have read extensively on and had some advice from members on this thread. I'm at booking stage but would now really appreciate an expert or two running their eye over it to flag any error/s I have made or suggest any improvements I can’t see. To clarify, we are retired and totally flexible with dates – we could fly the LHR-JFK sector on separate dates and our only restriction is that we need to be in Tuscany mid October for our daughter’s wedding. We would like around 3 weeks in Sri Lanka, 4 months in Europe/UK with our son, 2 months in New York inc. Christmas day with our daughter, 4 weeks in Mexico and 4 weeks in Thailand on the way home. We have 8 to 10 months to complete this itinerary and hope to leave early June 2020.

SYD-CMB (stopover)-DOH-LHR (stopover) -JFK (stopover) -MIA-MEX (stopover)-BKK (stopover)-SYD - 33,566 miles

I was hoping to get a SYD-MEL with Qantas then MEL-CMB direct with Sri Lankan airlines to minimise the Qantas passenger surcharge however, they’re not showing availability on the QF website any more. ATM I’m seeing Cathay Pacific flights so was hoping to get a long layover in HKG on the way. I also put in the MIA transit on the US section as there is no business flight JFK-MEX – it automatically puts me into F which reprices the whole flight reward into F. So we would fly economy to MIA, then back to J for the remainder. I was also hoping to book the MEX-BKK sector with JAL to score another long layover in Tokyo.

However, I can’t get this itinerary to go through the Qantas website with dummy dates for the itinerary after CMB-LHR (perhaps because I can’t book the economy flight JFK-MIA). I think I am meeting the required rules for it to come in at the required 280K points (which will reprice to 318K when I book the remainder of the flights on the correct dates next year).

My quandary: should I book just the J award flights SYD-CMB then CMB-LHR now as availability in J will only decrease, and then book the remaining flights in late February or early March as they become available – will it definitely automatically revert to the 318K award point p/p costing?

Or should I note down flight details for each leg then ring a Qantas agent to get it all booked with dummy dates for those flights that aren’t available yet? Would I pay a fee for that given that I cannot get it to book on the QF website? I am aware that I would pay a fee to make the changes to the dummy dates next year.

Apologies if my questions are embarrassingly stupid – I am a newbie to the QFF oneworld award booking process.

 

[Jacques Vert]

QUERY ONEWORLD J AWARD BOOKING

I was hoping to get a SYD-MEL with Qantas then MEL-CMB direct with Sri Lankan airlines to minimise the Qantas passenger surcharge however, they’re not showing availability on the QF website any more.

Flights with UL MEL-CMB do show on the QF website; if you are not seeing them it's most likely because you are looking for 2 seats. UL usually only release one seat in J per flight (although there are exceptions). I just did a search for 1 seat and there is availability for every day I checked in June 2020. If you want 2 seats on the same flight you will most likely have to route to CMB via somewhere else, not the direct flight.

 

[motef]

Flights with UL MEL-CMB do show on the QF website; if you are not seeing them it's most likely because you are looking for 2 seats. UL usually only release one seat in J per flight (although there are exceptions). I just did a search for 1 seat and there is availability for every day I checked in June 2020. If you want 2 seats on the same flight you will most likely have to route to CMB via somewhere else, not the direct flight.

On the UL one seat release thing if you are travelling as a couple and decide to book one in J and the other person in Y is it possible on UL to pay for an upgrade or ask at Check-in or lounge for the Y pax?

 

[pye1201]

Flights with UL MEL-CMB do show on the QF website; if you are not seeing them it's most likely because you are looking for 2 seats. UL usually only release one seat in J per flight (although there are exceptions). I just did a search for 1 seat and there is availability for every day I checked in June 2020. If you want 2 seats on the same flight you will most likely have to route to CMB via somewhere else, not the direct flight.

Thanks Jacques Vert - I actually enjoy travelling with my husband so I think I will be opting for the Cathay Pacific flights! If I can't get a long layover, I hear the Pier Lounge at Hong Kong is very comfortable...

 

[Jacques Vert]

Thanks Jacques Vert - I actually enjoy travelling with my husband so I think I will be opting for the Cathay Pacific flights! If I can't get a long layover, I hear the Pier Lounge at Hong Kong is very comfortable...

For the record, I wasn't recommending that you travel on different flights.

 

[11sjw]

Thanks Jacques Vert - I actually enjoy travelling with my husband so I think I will be opting for the Cathay Pacific flights! If I can't get a long layover, I hear the Pier Lounge at Hong Kong is very comfortable...

My wife is the same. Although she's doing PER-HKG-JFK a day before my daughter and I do it due to no more than 2 x J seats being available on the days we wanted to travel.

 

[flyingchicken]

Hey guys,

I made a decision to postpone my J OWA from Jan2020 to July2020 and thus it is time for me to start booking in my options.

I know we can't be sure - but I was looking for your thoughts: one of my legs includes FCO-DOH-JFK, both on Qatar. Obviously, I was banking on Qsuites with QR701 flying me DOH-JFK. However I think we have established that for now, it seems there are no business q-suite award seats open/being offered. I cannot find a single solitary option in all months, on all days. No matter where I look.

What does the group think? Do I still book that flight in economy, and then try my heart out for the next 6 months to change it to business? I'm not sure I'd like to stomach a 16hr flight in business, no matter the carrier. If I don't do a direct flight that is gonna blow out my mile-limit and I'll have to rethink my plans. Does anyone have experience booking economy early in OWA and then changing it with a call to Qantas once business becomes available? And more importantly - do you guys think that those spots are ever going to open up?

Thanks

 

[MartyMan]

Hey guys,

I made a decision to postpone my J OWA from Jan2020 to July2020 and thus it is time for me to start booking in my options.

I know we can't be sure - but I was looking for your thoughts: one of my legs includes FCO-DOH-JFK, both on Qatar. Obviously, I was banking on Qsuites with QR701 flying me DOH-JFK. However I think we have established that for now, it seems there are no business q-suite award seats open/being offered. I cannot find a single solitary option in all months, on all days. No matter where I look........

I recently finished booking a J 280K OW award. I managed to score QR from Sydney to Europe, and back from Doha direct to Sydney. QR release seats 361 days in advance and they appear on the Qantas website at 10am AEST. The DOH-SYD seats were usually gone 1 to 2 hours after being released at 10am so I had to be quick to pick them up. I'm not sure if QR release many seat on DOH-JFK, as I imagine it was be a popular route, but try looking just after 10am 361 days in advance (hopefully that still works in your schedule).

 

[pye1201]

For the record, I wasn't recommending that you travel on different flights.

Understood although it sometimes does depend on the day.....

 

[flyingchicken]

I recently finished booking a J 280K OW award. I managed to score QR from Sydney to Europe, and back from Doha direct to Sydney. QR release seats 361 days in advance and they appear on the Qantas website at 10am AEST. The DOH-SYD seats were usually gone 1 to 2 hours after being released at 10am so I had to be quick to pick them up. I'm not sure if QR release many seat on DOH-JFK, as I imagine it was be a popular route, but try looking just after 10am 361 days in advance (hopefully that still works in your schedule).

Wow you are amazing! I've just done a dummy run and it works. Thank you so so much!

 

[pye1201]

I am now getting really worried - I asked for advice on this forum in the last couple of days on booking a J Qantas Oneworld Classic Flight Reward:
SYD-CMB (S/Over) -LHR(S/Over) -JFK (S/Over) -MIA-MEX (S/Over)-BKK (S/Over)-SYD : 33,500 miles approx

My husband and I don't want to commence until early June 2020 but hope to complete the itinerary around March 2021. I have read differing reports on how to do this - book the first SYD-CMB and CMB-LHR legs now while 2 J seats are available and then book the remaining flights by March next year and hope they all convert to the 318K point costing, or wait a little longer and book the whole itinerary with dummy dates for the flights that are not yet available, ensuring they will come in at 318K. I rang the Qantas service desk and got a rep who did not seem to know anything about this award - she advised me to book the flights that are available now and then the rest later but said they would not come under the same booking and thus would cost out at the miles cost per flight - obviously a lot more than 318K. If I wait a few weeks I will be within the 360 day window and should be able to book the flights SYD-CMB & CMB-LHR on the correct dates, then the remainder on dummy dates a couple of days apart.

Does anyone have any advice for me?

 

[11sjw]

I am now getting really worried - I asked for advice on this forum in the last couple of days on booking a J Qantas Oneworld Classic Flight Reward:
SYD-CMB (S/Over) -LHR(S/Over) -JFK (S/Over) -MIA-MEX (S/Over)-BKK (S/Over)-SYD : 33,500 miles approx

My husband and I don't want to commence until early June 2020 but hope to complete the itinerary around March 2021. I have read differing reports on how to do this - book the first SYD-CMB and CMB-LHR legs now while 2 J seats are available and then book the remaining flights by March next year and hope they all convert to the 318K point costing, or wait a little longer and book the whole itinerary with dummy dates for the flights that are not yet available, ensuring they will come in at 318K. I rang the Qantas service desk and got a rep who did not seem to know anything about this award - she advised me to book the flights that are available now and then the rest later but said they would not come under the same booking and thus would cost out at the miles cost per flight - obviously a lot more than 318K. If I wait a few weeks I will be within the 360 day window and should be able to book the flights SYD-CMB & CMB-LHR on the correct dates, then the remainder on dummy dates a couple of days apart.

Does anyone have any advice for me?

Yes, book the first flights now and book the others as soon as you can. After the initial booking online you'll need to ring up and you'll be docked 5k points pp fee.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

I am now getting really worried - I asked for advice on this forum in the last couple of days on booking a J Qantas Oneworld Classic Flight Reward:
SYD-CMB (S/Over) -LHR(S/Over) -JFK (S/Over) -MIA-MEX (S/Over)-BKK (S/Over)-SYD : 33,500 miles approx

My husband and I don't want to commence until early June 2020 but hope to complete the itinerary around March 2021. I have read differing reports on how to do this - book the first SYD-CMB and CMB-LHR legs now while 2 J seats are available and then book the remaining flights by March next year and hope they all convert to the 318K point costing, or wait a little longer and book the whole itinerary with dummy dates for the flights that are not yet available, ensuring they will come in at 318K. I rang the Qantas service desk and got a rep who did not seem to know anything about this award - she advised me to book the flights that are available now and then the rest later but said they would not come under the same booking and thus would cost out at the miles cost per flight - obviously a lot more than 318K. If I wait a few weeks I will be within the 360 day window and should be able to book the flights SYD-CMB & CMB-LHR on the correct dates, then the remainder on dummy dates a couple of days apart.

Does anyone have any advice for me?

When you ring in to book the 2nd flights, tell them that you want to change an existing booking.

 

[pye1201]

When you ring in to book the 2nd flights, tell them that you want to change an existing booking.

Thank you - I will do that.

 

[exceladdict]

Seeming to find some phantom availability on the QF website - on QF metal! Has anyone experienced this? i.e. see a flight but when calling it is unavailable; a flight appearing for SYD-BNE-LAX when searching SYD-LAX but not when searching BNE-LAX directly.

 

[flapper]

I recently added a flight to my J OWA booking via SMS. The ticket was reissued and the extra taxes charged but the extra points for the flight and 5,000 pts changed fee were never deducted. I've been waiting for them to twig and deduct the points but it's over 2 weeks now. I know the extra points on the flight don't matter as the booking will eventually top out at 280K but hopefully I've saved the 5,000 pts change fee. It certainly makes a change from getting incorrectly charged the 8,000 pts service fee again.

 

[jeza]

I recently added a flight to my J OWA booking via SMS. The ticket was reissued and the extra taxes charged but the extra points for the flight and 5,000 pts changed fee were never deducted. I've been waiting for them to twig and deduct the points but it's over 2 weeks now. I know the extra points on the flight don't matter as the booking will eventually top out at 280K but hopefully I've saved the 5,000 pts change fee. It certainly makes a change from getting incorrectly charged the 8,000 pts service fee again.

Same for me, it has been about a month and no 5k deduction with a change made via sms. FYI mine is at the 280k stage.

 

[flyingchicken]

I recently added a flight to my J OWA booking via SMS. The ticket was reissued and the extra taxes charged but the extra points for the flight and 5,000 pts changed fee were never deducted. I've been waiting for them to twig and deduct the points but it's over 2 weeks now. I know the extra points on the flight don't matter as the booking will eventually top out at 280K but hopefully I've saved the 5,000 pts change fee. It certainly makes a change from getting incorrectly charged the 8,000 pts service fee again.

Can I ask how you phrased your changes via the text? I'm thinking of using this option twice following my original booking. Did it take long? I'm trying to time it to ensure I get some of the rarer flights that sell out quick. Hoping its faster than calling for a change.

 

[pye1201]

I recently added a flight to my J OWA booking via SMS. The ticket was reissued and the extra taxes charged but the extra points for the flight and 5,000 pts changed fee were never deducted. I've been waiting for them to twig and deduct the points but it's over 2 weeks now. I know the extra points on the flight don't matter as the booking will eventually top out at 280K but hopefully I've saved the 5,000 pts change fee. It certainly makes a change from getting incorrectly charged the 8,000 pts service fee again.

I'm in the same situation as Kyah Hester - I've only booked my first two flights of a 9-10 months and I'd much rather be able to make the changes via SMS than wait 2 hours on line for a Qantas rep who might not know what they're doing..