Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[MrHyde]

re: Qantas "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Discussion

I'm still trying to figure out how airlines measure the 35,000 part. I tried a MEL - SYD - SIN - LHR - NBO - (LHR) - HEL - BKK - SYD - MEL using QF, BA and AY. Using the circle mapper, it comes to just under 31,000 miles. However, the online booking system does not recognise it as a OneWorld Award. If I remove the MEL - SYD - MEL component, it recognises it as a OneWorld Award.

Could this be due to the booking system thinking that the MEL - SYD sectors are additional stopovers, so I am now over the 5 stopover limit. The stops are less than 4 hours, so I would consider them a transfer. I had to purposely put them in so that I don't fly Jetstar on BKK-MEL and that I get to fly on the A380 on teh SYD - SIN sector instead of via PER.

 

[NM]

re: Qantas "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Discussion

I'm still trying to figure out how airlines measure the 35,000 part. I tried a MEL - SYD - SIN - LHR - NBO - (LHR) - HEL - BKK - SYD - MEL using QF, BA and AY. Using the circle mapper, it comes to just under 31,000 miles. However, the online booking system does not recognise it as a OneWorld Award. If I remove the MEL - SYD - MEL component, it recognises it as a OneWorld Award.

Could this be due to the booking system thinking that the MEL - SYD sectors are additional stopovers, so I am now over the 5 stopover limit. The stops are less than 4 hours, so I would consider them a transfer. I had to purposely put them in so that I don't fly Jetstar on BKK-MEL and that I get to fly on the A380 on teh SYD - SIN sector instead of via PER.

If you don't want a stopover at SYD, then enter it is MEL-SIN into the system. You will be presented options for non-stop and connecting flight options. Same for BKK-MEL on the return journey.

 

[docjames]

re: Qantas "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Discussion

Thanks all - makes more sense. But that means there's no equivalent "purchased" fare?

 

[MrHyde]

re: Qantas "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Discussion

If you don't want a stopover at SYD, then enter it is MEL-SIN into the system. You will be presented options for non-stop and connecting flight options. Same for BKK-MEL on the return journey.

I've tried that. For eg: for BKK - MEL, the only option that gets displayed is on JetStar non-stop. That is why I had to enter them as BKK-SYD-MEL so that I could avoid JetStar.

Similar for MEL-SIN, the options that show up are via BNE or PER, both of which I want to avoid.

 

[dajop]

re: Qantas "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Discussion

I've tried that. For eg: for BKK - MEL, the only option that gets displayed is on JetStar non-stop. That is why I had to enter them as BKK-SYD-MEL so that I could avoid JetStar.

Similar for MEL-SIN, the options that show up are via BNE or PER, both of which I want to avoid.

The other option is to sacrifice 2.5K and get help on the phone.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: using points for a round the world trip

Regarding the rules, its seems to vary. I priced a SYD/JFK/LHR/FCO/HKG/SYD in J and my only options were QF and BA flights and it came out as a OW award at 280,000 points (plus taxes of a little over $1k, so perhaps its not so strict in the 3-carrier rule when BA is concerned.

 

[Flashback]

Re: using points for a round the world trip

And if there ever was issues, you could switch HKG-SYD to be on CX.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: using points for a round the world trip

Good point - just not online due the QF web limitations

 

[simongr]

Re: using points for a round the world trip

I think you can now see CX awards online on QFF.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Re: using points for a round the world trip

I was looking for a SYD-FCO routing but it sends you to LHR on QF then back on BA to FCO. No sign of CX at all - even though there is a codeshare flight SYD-HKG-FCO available to buy.

 

[Flashback]

Re: using points for a round the world trip

I think you can now see CX awards online on QFF.

As per my original thread, it was available... but appears to have only been for a few days as within a week people were not able to view CX again

 

[NM]

Re: using points for a round the world trip

I think you can now see CX awards online on QFF.

they were able to be seen for a few days a few weeks back, then disappeared again. Are you suggesting they are back again?

 

[ronza]

Oneworld Award Itinerary Rules / Help

Long time lurker, first time poster!

I've been meaning to book a simple return trip to/from South America for the end of the year but reading on here, one can get alot better value by booking a Oneworld Award instead - the Middle East and New York has always been on the bucket list.

I'm looking to book a Oneworld Award ticket but am a bit confused at why sometimes it turns back into a Qantas/Partner award on a few destinations I've chucked in and other times it gets capped at 140k. I can't seem to get Mexican or some Middle Eastern destinations up on the Qantas award booking but was just curious if this itinerary satisfies the rules for an award redemption (it validates on the normal RTW Booking tool)

Adelaide (ADL) to Buenos Aires (EZE) (via Sydney)
Caracas (CCS) to Cancun (CCN) (via Miami)
New York (JFK) to Sana'a (SAH) (via Amman)
Sana'a (SAH) to Amman (AMM)
Amman (AMM) to Adelaide (ADL) (via Bangkok and Sydney)

The whole thing adds to <35 000mi including the surface sectors (to do some overland travel) and by my count there are only 5 stop overs and <16 sectors incl the surface sectors. Do the surface sector destinations add onto the stop over count?

Which Qantas line should I call?

 

[Dave Noble]

Re: Oneworld Award Itinerary Rules / Help

If you wish to go to a destination not listed, then you will need to phone Qantas Reservations to make the booking

The most likely reason for it to switch from an OW award to a partner award is that you are adding in a segment with a non OW carrier;

Dave

 

[docjames]

Re: Oneworld Award Itinerary Rules / Help

Ground Sectors definitely count as sectors, but not towards the miles count I believe.

Agree with Dave re: flipping awards.

 

[NM]

Re: Oneworld Award Itinerary Rules / Help

As this question is specifically regarding the Qantas Frequent Flyer program OneWorld Award, I have moved it to the Qantas FF forum.

 

[ronza]

Re: Oneworld Award Itinerary Rules / Help

Thanks guys!

Just spoke to Qantas and might have to do this on a paid ticket, drop CCS to CUN or spend up big on the CC - the reservations girl said there would be availability on the dates and the sector/mile count is fine but the destinations either side of a surface sector also count as stop overs so its well over the 5 stop over count.

She also said miles are counted along surface sectors.

 

[serfty]

Miles for surface segments definitely count towards the total - this includes the distance back to the originating port if finishing at a different port.

However, I do believe that a surface segment will generate only the one stopover, not two.

 

[NM]

Re: Oneworld Award Itinerary Rules / Help

However, I do believe that a surface segment will generate only the one stopover, not two.

Definitely only one stopover for a surface segment. I made the most of the 5 stopovers available when booking a QF OneWorld Award by routing:
BNE-AKL-LAX//LAS-LAX-DFW-MCO//YYZ-LHR-KBP//KBP-LHR-NCL//TXL-HAM-HEL//HEL-FRA-HKG-SYD-BNE

DFW was an overnight stay of 23 hours so not counted as a stopover. HKG was a 15 hours daytime sightseeing transit. Surface segments LAX-LAS involved 2 weeks of driving including Monterey, San Francisco, Yosemite NP, Sequoia NP, Zion NP, Grand Canyon etc. MCO-YYZ involved a lot of driving and traains, NCL-TXL included 2 weeks driving around the UK and 2 weeks training through Europe. So only KBP and HEL were stopovers involving arrival and departure form the same point.

Obviously this was prior to the 16 segment limit .

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

re: Qantas "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Discussion

I have found that if you are booking a CX segment (which you can't online - or on and off), QF will waive the 2.5k booking fee. Perhaps only as I'm QGold though