Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[azza_1992]

I'm looking at modifying an existing one-way award (PNR dated pre-17/9) to take advantage of the cheaper 280k rate.

Existing booking (all J, QF): BNE-PER-LHR
Proposed routing (all J, QF, BA, JL): BNE-PER-LHR(stop)-HEL-NRT(stop)-FRA-LHR

I've run the LHR-HEL-NRT-FRA-LHR portion through the QF website to get an idea of additional taxes/surcharges I'm on the hook for, and it's higher than expected.

1. Air Passenger Duty: 172GBP - Shouldn't this be 26GBP as I'm departing from the UK on a short <2k miles flight?
2. Other carrier charges: 300AUD - Presumably this is a 150AUD "Q surcharge" on both JAL flights. I thought this rate only applied once per booking with any number of JAL flights?

Any ideas what I've got wrong?

 

[motef]

What are peoples thoughts on existing bookings that contain a LATAM flight as part of the award now they are leaving OW?

Will that leg be cancelled?

 

[travellerqff]

What are peoples thoughts on existing bookings that contain a LATAM flight as part of the award now they are leaving OW?

Will that leg be cancelled?

Probably all honoured if booked before the yet-be-announced cut off date.

 

[DC3]

Given that it’s early days yet to gauge how the September 18 changes to the award travel will pan out I would appreciate thoughts from more experienced award travellers than myself. Early signs on this forum are encouraging that Qantas may not readjust from 280K to 318K points charged for a Oneworld Classic Flight reward and in fact allow the original 280K points charge to stand on ticketed itineraries which are changed/adjusted before commencement of travel ....

Regarding the 280,000 points, I have since added new flights, changed existing flights and deleted flights to my award booking and the 280,000 points has not changed, only the 5,000 point cost each time. So, can confirm that the 280,000 points still applies for itineraries originally ticketed pre-18th September. It has not increased to 318,000 points.

 

[DC3]

What are peoples thoughts on existing bookings that contain a LATAM flight as part of the award now they are leaving OW?

Will that leg be cancelled?

LATAM will still be flying won't they? I can't see how they could not honour existing bookings.

 

[Ktan89]

Regarding the 280,000 points, I have since added new flights, changed existing flights and deleted flights to my award booking and the 280,000 points has not changed, only the 5,000 point cost each time. So, can confirm that the 280,000 points still applies for itineraries originally ticketed pre-18th September. It has not increased to 318,000 points.

Great news! I think a lot of AFFers here can finally breathe again.

 

[Aristotle9]

It has not increased to 318,000 points.

Any taxes windfall?

 

[Azusa]

Regarding the 280,000 points, I have since added new flights, changed existing flights and deleted flights to my award booking and the 280,000 points has not changed, only the 5,000 point cost each time. So, can confirm that the 280,000 points still applies for itineraries originally ticketed pre-18th September. It has not increased to 318,000 points.

Hi DC3, was you OWA completely booked before 18th Sep when you add new flights and change existing? or just partially booked?

 

[DC3]

Hi DC3, was you OWA completely booked before 18th Sep when you add new flights and change existing? or just partially booked?

It was only partly booked. Six flights were booked before 18th.

In the past seven days, 3 x deleted, 5 added, one change to a flight.

 

[DC3]

Any taxes windfall?

$84 refund. Not sure of the ins and outs on that.

Edit: Refund occurred when deleting 2 x CX (JFK-HKG-SYD) and 1 x QF domestic, adding 1 x QF (ORD-BNE) and a few AA domestic.

 

[Azusa]

It was only partly booked. Six flights were booked before 18th.

In the past seven days, 3 x deleted, 5 added, one change to a flight.

Thanks! Well we might have hope then, we only booked one flight before 18th so fingers crossed!

 

[cjd600]

Regarding the 280,000 points, I have since added new flights, changed existing flights and deleted flights to my award booking and the 280,000 points has not changed, only the 5,000 point cost each time. So, can confirm that the 280,000 points still applies for itineraries originally ticketed pre-18th September. It has not increased to 318,000 points.

I spent a pleasant 6 hours on the phone last night (mostly on hold 3 times after being disconnected/hung up on twice) to add the final flight (USA domestic) to my award, already capped at 280k. Would have been a bit of a conundrum if a piddly US dom leg was going to add 38k x 4 to my outlay.
The points havent gone through yet, but was confirmed I was only up for the 5k pp change fee. Computer says yes.
Originally ticketed early August.
Edit to add it capped at 280k pre 18 Sept.

 

[DC3]

And taxes on AA domestic are miniscule. For example BOS-DFW (4 hour flight) = $US5.60. How good is that?

 

[cjd600]

And taxes on AA domestic are miniscule. For example BOS-DFW (4 hour flight) = $US5.60. How good is that?

USD5.60 JFK-LAX too.
Flagship Lounge JFK, and lie flat J transcon.
I'll take it.
Others could learn from this (yes, you QF)

 

[DC3]

Also, JFK-ORD. Another $5.60. Ouch.

In addition to the JFK Flagship lounge (I'm flying JFK-ORD-BNE), access the Flagship lounge ORD while waiting for the flight ORD-BNE. The ORD lounge is much smaller, but had great food (duck, beef, chicken, pork) and good drinks when I was there 3 years ago.

 

[gilldo]

Regarding the stopover/transit rule - is it a case that you can only transit a CITY twice, or an AIRPORT twice (ie: LHR/LGW/LCY, NRT/HND, etc)? Might make a difference in how I plan our flights.

 

[flapper]

Regarding the stopover/transit rule - is it a case that you can only transit a CITY twice, or an AIRPORT twice (ie: LHR/LGW/LCY, NRT/HND, etc)? Might make a difference in how I plan our flights.

Rule 14.5.4 The following Stopover conditions apply to oneworld Classic Flight Rewards:
(a) up to five free Stopovers are permitted;
(b) additional Stopovers are not permitted;
(c) only one Stopover is permitted in any one city in the Itinerary; and
(d) only two Transfers may be taken at any one city in the Itinerary.

 

[gilldo]

When calculating mileage for OneWorld RTW rewards, the 35K mile limit applies. My understanding is that non-flight sectors also need to be counted (ie. if we fly ADL-SYD-LAX-SLC, and YYC-ORD-BOS, I need to count the mileage between SLC and YYC). This bit makes sense.

My question is, do I count this in simple point-to-point flight miles (720), or do I have to determine the shortest route that combined OW carriers would take to get me there (via ORD - 2635)?

 

[Lomandriel]

Just curious - we queried with qantas and they claim that in order to choose actual seats for your oneworld itinerary you need to contact/go through each individual airline? Is this true?

When we login to our itinerary via qantas we aren't able to choose seats (last we tried when we booked June'ish for Feb-March 2020 Scandinavia).

I also asked here but can't find the response, but someone mentioned there was a better forum to investigate insurance? We are just lost with all the myriad of options /providers. Normally we would get a Travel Insurance DIrect or some other common travel insurance, but with Scandinavia we would like to be covered for leisurely getting on dog sledding or a snow mobile (if we end up finding/doing it) as well as the usual on piste snowboarding and stuff. Was hoping it would be easy to find something that covers all this provided we are doing these activities as a normal 'tourist' would i.e. common sense, not drunk etc.

Could someone point me in the right direction on where to better ask this question? or better yet did anyone have any insurance provider that covvers all these items 'just in case' without costing an arm and leg?

We are also booked via HK to get to TOkyo on our first leg of the trip... so I am hoping whatever travel insurance we buy now after having booked flights will still cover us if any unrest occurs to block off the airport? Otherwise does anyone know what Qantas usually does, given this is points how does one get compensated if at all for any delays or cancelled flights? Is that something that travel insurance doesn't cover becuase you 'booked' yor flights using points than a dollar value?

 

[Jacques Vert]

My question is, do I count this in simple point-to-point flight miles (720), or do I have to determine the shortest route that combined OW carriers would take to get me there (via ORD - 2635)?

point to point