Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[bookworm]

I can’t comment on hiw they compare in whY but there may not be much in it.

Thank you for your assistance.
No sooner had I reached 600K points, Qantas announced the increase for J. I'm not sure I can reach 656,000 by the time I book, which I figure is the minimum I need for 2 people, including 2 changes.Hence I've decided to book in Y.

Dummy booking during May & June 2020 indicate availability LAS-SCL in Y.
Guess will have to wait and see for (late October?) when the awards become available. ( I am QFF bronze)

I can't abide surliness, so might go with LA if the option is there.

Could not find anything out of EZE to PER.
Tried via LAX/JFK/HKG/AKL.
Managed to find availability to the US but kept getting error message to get to Perth.
Q1. Would greatly appreciate suggestions on this.

My plan is:
PER-SFO (CX)
LAS- SCL (AA/LA)
EZE-PER (???)

Q2. Can anyone kindly confirm that LAS is regarded as a stopover? ( I will be doing a surface sector SFO-LAS)

Travel from last week of Sept to 3rd week Nov 2020. Flexible with this though.

I would ideally like to add a few days in YVR if possible at the beginning of the trip. This will depend on CX availability to YVR & then AA to SFO. ( the latter proved problematic in dummy bookings)
Q3. Any suggestions for this?

Thank you all for your time; efforts and kind assistance.

 

[DC3]

… I can't abide surliness, so might go with LA if the option is there ...

AA has some great FA's by the way, as do many airlines.

 

[Danger]

Hi,
Complete newbie here and have read quite a few pages on this thread already but unfortunately I am still very confused and overwhelmed by all the processes to plan for a OWA trip...

. . .

1. Do you know which asian cities would have OW airlines flying to europe which business award flights are available?
2. I can see business class on single award flights are available from Orlando to Danang then Danang back to melbourne but when i try to put it in multi cities search it won't let me, do you know why?
3. Should we wait until all flights are available then book? or should we booked the first flights as soon as they became available and keep calling to add the later flights on with a charge of 5k pp each time we add? (if we do that and there are 4 additional flights that would mean an additional of 20k points pp I presume?)
4. Our intention is to fly out to an asian city, then spend sometime in europe (possibly make our way around different places ourselves) and then relax in a resort before returning home, how would you suggest to improve our itinerary if it doesn't look good to you?

thank you so much for your help, i also tried to call their call centre and its always a 4+ hours wait time, and their sms team does not seem to really care either...

Welcome to AFF, Azusa.

Captain Halliday's suggestion to use the route map is a great one. Remember that you don't have to fly direct between two cities. In fact, because you're travelling in Business, you'll ideally want to connect as many times as possible, just to get your money's worth. You won't be able to get to PRG out of Asia directly. Consider routing via DOH or travelling into MAD, HEL or LHR and connecting from there.

I think DAD is only served by KA which may make finding flights difficult. You may need to consider flying into SGN or SIN and taking separate flights as those ports are better served and, therefore, you stand a better chance of getting seats.

As mentioned, booked as soon as seats become available. The downside is you will be up for the change fee of 5K per person, per occurrence (not per change, just each time you make a change or changes). And as you are looking at departing in late August 2020 for six weeks, you won't be able to book everything before the cost of the award goes up. Expect to ultimately pay the new, higher price, in addition to the change fees.

. . .

Q2. Can anyone kindly confirm that LAS is regarded as a stopover? ( I will be doing a surface sector SFO-LAS)

This is increasingly becoming a YMMV. Until Qantas better educates its staff, you just have to hope that logic prevails and SFO/LAS is viewed as one single stopover.

 

[cjd600]

And as you are looking at departing in late August 2020 for six weeks, you won't be able to book everything before the cost of the award goes up. Expect to ultimately pay the new, higher price, in addition to the change fees.

I thought bookings "created up to 17 September" would retain the 280k cost, even if changed/added to/finalised post this date?

 

[DC3]

I thought bookings "created up to 17 September" would retain the 280k cost, even if changed/added to/finalised post this date?

Not that I'm aware of ... 318,000 points from 18th September for Business award. New bookings or changes will trigger the new rate.

Anyway, still a month left for ticketing.

 

[JohnM]

AA has some great FA's by the way, as do many airlines.

I certainly wasn’t suggesting all AA FAs are surly - merely that IME, the risk of encountering it is greater on AA.

 

[JohnM]

Could not find anything out of EZE to PER.
Tried via LAX/JFK/HKG/AKL.
Managed to find availability to the US but kept getting error message to get to Perth.
Q1. Would greatly appreciate suggestions on this.

My plan is:
PER-SFO (CX)
LAS- SCL (AA/LA)
EZE-PER (???)

QR EZE-DOH-PER is great if you can get it. I did it in J on an award earlier this year.

 

[DC3]

...I can't abide surliness, so might go with LA if the option is there ...

I certainly wasn’t suggesting all AA FAs are surly - merely that IME, the risk of encountering it is greater on AA.

Yes. It's just that bookworm seemed concerned about potential surliness and wants to avoid it.

I would never rule out AA for that reason alone, but that's just me.

Edit: For additional content

 

[JohnM]

I reckon the possibility of a surly AA FA is the least of anyone’s worries when trying to construct a OWA .

 

[adenda]

Not that I'm aware of ... 318,000 points from 18th September for Business award. New bookings or changes will trigger the new rate.

Anyway, still a month left for ticketing.

Pretty sure that's right after having to make a total of three changes since my initial booking.
Each time the whole itinerary was fully re-ticketed with any change in points and taxes charged at the going rate. So if you need to make any changes after 18 September your whole itinerary will be re-ticketed at the prevailing points ie. 318,000. One thing to remember is the change fee appears to be the same no matter how many changes you make on each occasion. My first change was basically a whole new itinerary.
Nevertheless I fully agree with advice to book what you can now to secure seats - it worked for me as after the 3 changes I got almost exactly what we wanted.

 

[cjd600]

Not that I'm aware of ... 318,000 points from 18th September for Business award. New bookings or changes will trigger the new rate.

Anyway, still a month left for ticketing.

Well I’ve created now, and will be adding flights after 17 Sept.....so will expect the 318k (x4 ) at the end of the process

 

[DC3]

… the change fee appears to be the same no matter how many changes you make on each occasion ...

That's what I'm expecting for my up-coming changes. 5,000 points/passenger, each time that I phone and add/change flights, regardless of how many in that phone call.

 

[Azusa]

This OW map will help with question 1.

oneworld Online Timetable

I can’t help with 2. Sorry.

3. Yes, book when they become available.

4. Refer to the map. I find it really helpful to plan sectors in combination.

Thank you Captain Halliday! much appreciated!

 

[Azusa]

Welcome to AFF, Azusa.

Captain Halliday's suggestion to use the route map is a great one. Remember that you don't have to fly direct between two cities. In fact, because you're travelling in Business, you'll ideally want to connect as many times as possible, just to get your money's worth. You won't be able to get to PRG out of Asia directly. Consider routing via DOH or travelling into MAD, HEL or LHR and connecting from there.

I think DAD is only served by KA which may make finding flights difficult. You may need to consider flying into SGN or SIN and taking separate flights as those ports are better served and, therefore, you stand a better chance of getting seats.

As mentioned, booked as soon as seats become available. The downside is you will be up for the change fee of 5K per person, per occurrence (not per change, just each time you make a change or changes). And as you are looking at departing in late August 2020 for six weeks, you won't be able to book everything before the cost of the award goes up. Expect to ultimately pay the new, higher price, in addition to the change fees.



This is increasingly becoming a YMMV. Until Qantas better educates its staff, you just have to hope that logic prevails and SFO/LAS is viewed as one single stopover.

Thank you Danger!

 

[Azusa]

Hi,
more question, after using the one world timetable we finally worked out the destinations (thank you Captain Halliday!)
Now when i use one way ticket search for reward flights on Qantas site, all the destinations appeared to have available flights, but when i am ready to book, do i use multi city one way or single destination one way?
in our first destination we are only planning to stay for 3 days max, so I am hoping to wait for the next leg to open and book the first two destinations in the first booking.
Also does it matter if we fly backwards? when we go from Orlando to coughet the available flight is BA and will take us back to London before going to coughet, will that be allowed?

our destinations are as follows
MEL-ICN-MXP-PRG-MCO-HKT-MEL

thanks again!

 

[exceladdict]

Now when i use one way ticket search for reward flights on Qantas site, all the destinations appeared to have available flights, but when i am ready to book, do i use multi city one way or single destination one way?
in our first destination we are only planning to stay for 3 days max, so I am hoping to wait for the next leg to open and book the first two destinations in the first booking.

If you want to book two seperate legs (i.e. MEL-ICN, ICN-MXP) you'll need to use the multi-city tool. Then for additional legs and changes after your initial booking you'll have to call, sms or online chat with Qantas.

Also does it matter if we fly backwards? when we go from Orlando to coughet the available flight is BA and will take us back to London before going to coughet, will that be allowed?

That's OK as long as you follow the other rules - mainly that you're only allowed 2 transits and one stopover in any given city, but also that your total miles is less than 35,000, etc. There's plenty of discussion of those rules throughout this thread.

 

[bookworm]

Welcome to AFF, Azusa.

Captain Halliday's suggestion to use the route map is a great one. Remember that you don't have to fly direct between two cities. In fact, because you're travelling in Business, you'll ideally want to connect as many times as possible, just to get your money's worth. You won't be able to get to PRG out of Asia directly. Consider routing via DOH or travelling into MAD, HEL or LHR and connecting from there.

I think DAD is only served by KA which may make finding flights difficult. You may need to consider flying into SGN or SIN and taking separate flights as those ports are better served and, therefore, you stand a better chance of getting seats.

As mentioned, booked as soon as seats become available. The downside is you will be up for the change fee of 5K per person, per occurrence (not per change, just each time you make a change or changes). And as you are looking at departing in late August 2020 for six weeks, you won't be able to book everything before the cost of the award goes up. Expect to ultimately pay the new, higher price, in addition to the change fees.



This is increasingly becoming a YMMV. Until Qantas better educates its staff, you just have to hope that logic prevails and SFO/LAS is viewed as one single stopover.

Thank you Danger

 

[bookworm]

QR EZE-DOH-PER is great if you can get it. I did it in J on an award earlier this year.

Thank you, John M.
I have input the route in Great Circle Mapper and it comes in at 32,192 miles.
Looked at our Qantas points again and realised we will have over 700K when we are due to book.
Just hoping we get to travel in J.

Can someone please confirm booking days for QF Bronze?

Does the info below apply for Bronze?

Award Seats – Number of Days Ahead
QF – 353 days
CX – 360 days
BA – 354 days
AA – 330 days
QR – 361 days
JL – 330 days *360 days from 1 April 2019*
IB – 361 days
MH – 354 days
RJ – 362 days
AY – 361 days
LA – 330 days
JJ – 331 days
UL – 361 days
S7 – 330 days


Thanking you all so much.

 

[Kangol]

Thank you, John M.
I have input the route in Great Circle Mapper and it comes in at 32,192 miles.
Looked at our Qantas points again and realised we will have over 700K when we are due to book.
Just hoping we get to travel in J.

Can someone please confirm booking days for QF Bronze?

Does the info below apply for Bronze?

Award Seats – Number of Days Ahead
QF – 353 days
CX – 360 days
BA – 354 days
AA – 330 days
QR – 361 days
JL – 330 days *360 days from 1 April 2019*
IB – 361 days
MH – 354 days
RJ – 362 days
AY – 361 days
LA – 330 days
JJ – 331 days
UL – 361 days
S7 – 330 days


Thanking you all so much.

Those numbers indicate the furthest date that awards may be booked, for any tier.
Meaning for example for QF, they could be released at 353 days at most (ie not 354 or more).
It is possible they could release at say 340, or 330, or even 200, but there is no guarantee and no pattern nor valid predictability, short of manually looking up the route every day leading up to the time you are after, noting the sequence and hoping that it will apply in your case, which is not guaranteed.

 

[flapper]

Thank you, John M.
I have input the route in Great Circle Mapper and it comes in at 32,192 miles.
Looked at our Qantas points again and realised we will have over 700K when we are due to book.
Just hoping we get to travel in J.

Can someone please confirm booking days for QF Bronze?

Does the info below apply for Bronze?

Award Seats – Number of Days Ahead
QF – 353 days
CX – 360 days
BA – 354 days
AA – 330 days
QR – 361 days
JL – 330 days *360 days from 1 April 2019*
IB – 361 days
MH – 354 days
RJ – 362 days
AY – 361 days
LA – 330 days
JJ – 331 days
UL – 361 days
S7 – 330 days


Thanking you all so much.

Welcome to your new hobby.
The routes I'm watching QF, releases seats 291 days out. But this can change from time to time.
QF releases so few seats on long haul flights and those with status get up to 60 days to book them before NBs can; therefore you can't rely on getting a QF flight and will need a back up flight to book before QF seats become available.
Other airlines tend to stick to the number of days you listed.
I find I need to do a lot - pretty much daily reasearch - to book the days and flights I want. Some airlines may release J seats only on certain days of the week or not release seats during their school holidays for instance. I have a first choice and always a 2nd choice in case the first is not available. The more research you put in the more chance you have of getting seats on the flights you want. Then you will need some luck as well.