Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[jfl]

If the trip is some time away that may work, as tourists entering Japan is probably not happening any time soon.

Yeah, took the gamble on the booking. Seeing as how it's over 6 months away, I think it's a fairly low risk gamble.

If they do still have the foreigner ban in place in 3 months time, I will try and sort it then.

 

[Oubline]

There seems to be a lot of availability on FinnAir from Japan to Europe at the moment, which is great. Managed to snag a mostly J OW:

- SYD-HND
- HND-HEL-CPH
- Non-award CPH-FCO
- FCO-DOH-JNB
- JNB-SYD in Y

Here's hoping that Qantas releases more J for the JNB-SYD leg!

Fingers crossed for the JNB-SYD leg getting further availability!

Not wanting to rain on your parade at all, just wanting to point out that Finnair hasn't actually started flying the HND-HEL route yet (due to start with the summer schedule in late-March).

I really hope they will start on schedule but I could see them delaying the launch because they do have a daily NRT-HEL flight already that presumably is flying quite empty. They do seem to be reliably running the NRT-HEL flight every day though which is good so they could always reroute on that.

I'm sure in six months everything will be different though and I'm sure that if the border is open for tourists then planes will be full again.

 

[jfl]

Fingers crossed for the JNB-SYD leg getting further availability!

Not wanting to rain on your parade at all, just wanting to point out that Finnair hasn't actually started flying the HND-HEL route yet (due to start with the summer schedule in late-March).

I really hope they will start on schedule but I could see them delaying the launch because they do have a daily NRT-HEL flight already that presumably is flying quite empty. They do seem to be reliably running the NRT-HEL flight every day though which is good so they could always reroute on that.

I'm sure in six months everything will be different though and I'm sure that if the border is open for tourists then planes will be full again.

Fingers crossed! I much rather HND as it's easier to get to on public transport, and it's closer to metro area.

The 1:30am flight is a bit gross but it will be interesting at least.

 

[BillW]

I've never been clear on this. Can you use QFF points if booking at the site of another OW airline?
I know points can be earned but can they be used/spent when booking outside Qantas?

 

[cjd600]

I've never been clear on this. Can you use QFF points if booking at the site of another OW airline?
I know points can be earned but can they be used/spent when booking outside Qantas?

No, you can only use QFF points on QF website to book flights.....obviously these can include flights from non-QF, ie - One World and QF partner airlines.

 

[BillW]

I'm having frustration calling Qantas to change a multi flight booking. Either the wait has been too long to hang on or my other experience was that the operator did not seem to know how to help.
I have found a preferable flight plan (which could disappear anytime).
I have enough points to book it.
Can I then completely cancel the first booking after booking the new plan??

 

[Jacques Vert]

I'm having frustration calling Qantas to change a multi flight booking. Either the wait has been too long to hang on or my other experience was that the operator did not seem to know how to help.
I have found a preferable flight plan (which could disappear anytime).
I have enough points to book it.
Can I then completely cancel the first booking after booking the new plan??

Yes you can. In normal times, cancelling a Oneworld booking attracts a fee of 6,000 points per passenger; but that is currently waived. From the website:

...whether you’re looking to travel soon or down the track, when you use points to book a Classic Flight Reward, you’ll be able to change your travel dates or cancel your booking free of charge.*

Simply book:

an Australian domestic Classic Flight Reward before 30 April 2022 and you can change or cancel your booking free of charge until 30 April 2022
an Trans-Tasman or International Classic Flight Reward before 30 June 2022 and you can change or cancel free of charge until 31 December 2022
If you wish to change your travel dates, we’ll waive the change fee. If you wish to cancel, we’ll waive the cancellation fee. The total Qantas Points used and any taxes, fees and carrier charges paid will be refunded.

 

[BillW]

Yes you can. In normal times, cancelling a Oneworld booking attracts a fee of 6,000 points per passenger; but that is currently waived. From the website:

...whether you’re looking to travel soon or down the track, when you use points to book a Classic Flight Reward, you’ll be able to change your travel dates or cancel your booking free of charge.*

Simply book:

an Australian domestic Classic Flight Reward before 30 April 2022 and you can change or cancel your booking free of charge until 30 April 2022
an Trans-Tasman or International Classic Flight Reward before 30 June 2022 and you can change or cancel free of charge until 31 December 2022
If you wish to change your travel dates, we’ll waive the change fee. If you wish to cancel, we’ll waive the cancellation fee. The total Qantas Points used and any taxes, fees and carrier charges paid will be refunded.

My new flight plan is one way from Sydney to Dublin via Sri Lanka. The airlines offered are BA, MH, UL and QR, no QF. There is no return booking. In which case how do I interpret this about return.
"The Qantas Points required for a Classic Flight Reward on Qantas and partner airlines are calculated based on a one way trip or a series of one way trips using the Qantas Classic Flight Reward table,Jetstar Classic Flight Reward tableand/or the Partner Classic Flight Reward tableHowever, if your Classic Flight Reward includes travel on at least two oneworld® Alliance Airlines other than Qantas, and does not include travel on any airline that is not a oneworld® Alliance Airline, the points required will be calculated using the oneworld® Classic Flight Reward table, and will be based on a return itinerary."

 

[Matt_01]

@BillW if you have the points spare and do not want to waste time just book the new flights and cancel your existing booking. The returning of points is normally quite good but also can be hit and miss. I would recommend that you do not get to caught up in the rules as if you have at least x2 OW airlines (not including QF) in the booking the points will cap at 318K if in J and if just going SYD-DUB return the miles will not be an issue (unless you go some mad routes). Depending on the dates and if you are worried about the out bound book this and worry about the return when it becomes available.

 

[BillW]

@BillW if you have the points spare and do not want to waste time just book the new flights and cancel your existing booking. The returning of points is normally quite good but also can be hit and miss. I would recommend that you do not get to caught up in the rules as if you have at least x2 OW airlines (not including QF) in the booking the points will cap at 318K if in J and if just going SYD-DUB return the miles will not be an issue (unless you go some mad routes). Depending on the dates and if you are worried about the out bound book this and worry about the return when it becomes available.

I'm not sure if I completely follow you. The return could be more than 12 months from departure, if that matters. Will QFF be holding back points for use in a return booking in order to meet this rule?

 

[Matt_01]

I'm not sure if I completely follow you. The return could be more than 12 months from departure, if that matters. Will QFF be holding back points for use in a return booking in order to meet this rule?

Sorry if I was not clear, the OW rules for J cap at 318K points needs to be completed within 12 months of the starting flight so if you are planning to stay for more than 12 months the OW rules go out the window. You can still limit your spend to 318K points (less if on QF) to get to the UK/EU and back by using a single partner in both directions on through flights.

Also QF points for cancelled bookings will normally return to your account in a timely fashion 2-3 days however there have been reports of the points return taking weeks.

 

[BillW]

Sorry if I was not clear, the OW rules for J cap at 318K points needs to be completed within 12 months of the starting flight so if you are planning to stay for more than 12 months the OW rules go out the window. You can still limit your spend to 318K points (less if on QF) to get to the UK/EU and back by using a single partner in both directions on through flights.

Also QF points for cancelled bookings will normally return to your account in a timely fashion 2-3 days however there have been reports of the points return taking weeks.

I'm flying Business all the way and the selected flights are each around 220,000 points plus taxes.
Don't know if it makes any difference but I could originate the flight in Canberra, near me, or even Melbourne if worth it.

 

[Matt_01]

Sent you a PM

 

[BillW]

As I already had a QF component in the booking thatI wished to change and in view of the above possible complications, I got on to Qantas very early this morning with only a 30 minute wait and changed everything except that QF leg. I had wanted to move the date of that leg but there was simply no QF availability. So that is now done and I want to thank all for your advice. It means I will now have 5 extra days in Sri Lanka if I want. That can't be so bad.

 

[FrequentishFlyer]

Managed to get this one booked for May. Fingers crossed on a few fronts. Let's say 70% confidence...

PER-SYD-LAX (QF-J,QF-F)
DFW-MEX (AA-J)
MEX-LHR (BA-F)
LHR-JFK-HND (AA-F, JL-F)
HND-BKK (JL-F)
BKK-KUL-PER (MH-J)
$1742.90 in taxes

The process . Phantom F availability is out of control on QF's search but covered that rant elsewhere. Thankfully BA's search can help out with the pre-work before calling up. The agent found it a novelty. Only a handful of RTW bookings made in the last 2 years.

Can't wait to compare the F offerings between QF, JL, AA and BA. I have a sneaking suspicion for top and bottom of the leaderboard.

Will have to do a trip report when the time comes. Many thanks needed for all the information given over the years in this thread.

 

[BriarFlyer]

I have a question about strategy in building a OWA. I've found the key flights but am unsure about dates/routes of several intra-Europe flights in the middle. Is there any benefit to putting them in, even as placeholders? IOW, is it easier going with the call centre to change flights in the middle of an itinerary than to add them later?

 

[DC3]

I have a question about strategy in building a OWA. I've found the key flights but am unsure about dates/routes of several intra-Europe flights in the middle. Is there any benefit to putting them in, even as placeholders? IOW, is it easier going with the call centre to change flights in the middle of an itinerary than to add them later?

I book as much as I can on-line, first up. It also minimises contact with the Call Centres. When more availability opens up, then changes are currently at no charge. As for ‘placeholders’, the only time that I’ve ever done that is booking in Y, hoping that J will become available.

 

[kingzac]

EDIT - Found the answer to original question in the wiki.

Different question:

Does the system see UK countries (e.g. NI and Scotland) count as one country for stopovers or does it take them as separate countries?

 

[vetrade]

EDIT - Found the answer to original question in the wiki.

Different question:

Does the system see UK countries (e.g. NI and Scotland) count as one country for stopovers or does it take them as separate countries?

Stopovers relate to cities, not countries. You can have stopovers in more than one city within any particular country but they are counted separately

 

[kingzac]

Stopovers relate to cities, not countries. You can have stopovers in more than one city within any particular country but they are counted separately

Thanks, that makes sense, brain not working this morning.

How do surface sectors count with stopovers, if you fly out of one city then later fly out of the same city but travel there independently?
For instance we have a stop in Helsinki before flying HEL-KEF, then doing a "surface sector" back to Europe, can we then find our own way to HEL to fly back to Asia or would it take that as two stopovers in HEL?