Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[kenjicult]

A quick update and thanks to people who helped me sort out the J OWA for 2 people - logged over 30 hours on the phone over dozens of calls and a lot of frustration.

Multiple emails got no response but I got a response from Hobart via email not 24 hours after sending my summary story to rewards escalations, 3 executives and Cc'ing the ACA.

Whilst Hobart is by the far the best, the next best (by a long distance) appeared to be the senior managers in Fiji. Getting Cape Town however prompted the fastest hang up known to man on my part.

The total itinerary (which hopefully doesn't change causing connection disruptions) is
HKG - ICN - HEL
HEL - LHR - JFK
EWR - PHX - LAS
(Possible record surface sector has been mentioned )
SIN - HEL - LHR
And later hopefully adding LHR - HKG when flights are released
- have had an email from a Hobart rep saying to email him directly when I want to add (so hopefully can avoid all of this process again)

Flights ex Aus to Asia and back from North America were booked either on another Qantas itinerary with points or with Velocity.

Wisdom of the group has been very much appreciated

 

[djkelly69]

A quick update and thanks to people who helped me sort out the J OWA for 2 people - logged over 30 hours on the phone over dozens of calls and a lot of frustration.

Any word on what was causing the issues from Hobart?

 

[Samus]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice to confirm my understanding and if my plan sounds about right.

Trip will be relatively tame as we haven't travelled very much - hoping J OWA for 2 people:

SYD - LAX - JFK - LHR - CDG - HND - SYD

Booking about a year in advance for next October, looks like SYD - LAX and even HND to SYD is the hardest to secure a business class seats.

Is my best bet to try to snipe a SYD - LAX J ticket, or pay for an upgrade on the day? Looking doubtful as a Bronze.

If my first booking is just SYD - LAX - JFK and I don't get to the 318K points cap, I can still add segments to eventually hit the cap?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice to confirm my understanding and if my plan sounds about right.

Trip will be relatively tame as we haven't travelled very much - hoping J OWA for 2 people:

SYD - LAX - JFK - LHR - CDG - HND - SYD

Booking about a year in advance for next October, looks like SYD - LAX and even HND to SYD is the hardest to secure a business class seats.

Is my best bet to try to snipe a SYD - LAX J ticket, or pay for an upgrade on the day? Looking doubtful as a Bronze.

If my first booking is just SYD - LAX - JFK and I don't get to the 318K points cap, I can still add segments to eventually hit the cap?

Yes, you keep adding until the cap is reached. You can make you initial booking on line, then use the contact centre to add flights. Don’t mention you have a oneworld award… just say you’d like to add some flights.

As a bronze, expect to travel in the class booked! If you need ‘a’ flight, any flight, you could book economy or premium economy for now and change to business class if it opens up. or try another routing like syd-mel-tokyo-lax, or via hong kong or brisbane, etc.

 

[Dmac59]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice to confirm my understanding and if my plan sounds about right.

Trip will be relatively tame as we haven't travelled very much - hoping J OWA for 2 people:

SYD - LAX - JFK - LHR - CDG - HND - SYD

Booking about a year in advance for next October, looks like SYD - LAX and even HND to SYD is the hardest to secure a business class seats.

Is my best bet to try to snipe a SYD - LAX J ticket, or pay for an upgrade on the day? Looking doubtful as a Bronze.

If my first booking is just SYD - LAX - JFK and I don't get to the 318K points cap, I can still add segments to eventually hit the cap?

And a warm welcome to AFF @Samus

 

[MelbFlyer]

Looking for some advice to confirm my understanding and if my plan sounds about right.

Trip will be relatively tame as we haven't travelled very much - hoping J OWA for 2 people:

SYD - LAX - JFK - LHR - CDG - HND - SYD

Booking about a year in advance for next October, looks like SYD - LAX and even HND to SYD is the hardest to secure a business class seats.

Is my best bet to try to snipe a SYD - LAX J ticket, or pay for an upgrade on the day? Looking doubtful as a Bronze.

If my first booking is just SYD - LAX - JFK and I don't get to the 318K points cap, I can still add segments to eventually hit the cap?

The legs that will be relatively easy to find / book will be LAX to JFK, JFK to LHR and LHR to CDG - there's a lot of business reward seats available between those cities.

Do note though that Euro business class on narrowbodies is basically economy seats with the middle seat left empty. You will get lounge access and food / drink onboard though.

All other legs (SYD to LAX and CDG to HND and HND to SYD) you'll have to be very patient, flexible on dates. and quick to jump on them.

Regarding the last question:
"if my first booking is just SYD - LAX - JFK and I don't get to the 318K points cap, I can still add segments to eventually hit the cap?".

It is possible, but it will be hard to change / add later on as 95% of the time if you see your desired seats online, when you call in an attempt to add, the consultant will claim it's not available or only available for new bookings.

 

[Samus]

Thanks for the advice @MelbFlyer

I am quite flexible on dates and times but was really aiming for business all the way through.

I can actually get my full itinerary for August 2025 (as a test) if I settle for economy for SYD - LAX and premium economy HND - SYD.

In that case am I better off avoiding all the phone hassle and just getting a full ticket?

Does feel scary to wait until mid November 2024, to book my full itinerary for early October - mid November 2025.

 

[blu]

Our only option was a (long) transit in India (Delhi or Bengaluru). Getting in and out of Australia is difficult in J.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Our only option was a (long) transit in India (Delhi or Bengaluru). Getting in and out of Australia is difficult in J.

A friend had a long transit at delhi last month, T3. They went to the holiday inn airside and said it was perfectly fine. I think it was about €120 for the overnight stay.

 

[Henk]

I'm trying to book an OWA trip to Europe in 2025 in J with the following details:
5/8/2025: SYD - ICN (QF87)
6/8/2025: ICN - HEL - WAW (AY42 & AY1141)
9/9/2025: DUS - HEL - NRT (AY1392 & AY 73)
10/9/2025 NTR - TPE - SYD (JL809 & CI51)
I've got a little over 318, 000 points available, but the system has counted almost 400,000 points and tells me that I do not have enough points.

I thought there is a cap for the OWA is 318,000. What's wrong with thee above?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Lynda2475]

Ci is not a one world airline

 

[N860CR]

I'm trying to book an OWA trip to Europe in 2025 in J with the following details:
5/8/2025: SYD - ICN (QF87)
6/8/2025: ICN - HEL - WAW (AY42 & AY1141)
9/9/2025: DUS - HEL - NRT (AY1392 & AY 73)
10/9/2025 NTR - TPE - SYD (JL809 & CI51)
I've got a little over 318, 000 points available, but the system has counted almost 400,000 points and tells me that I do not have enough points.

I thought there is a cap for the OWA is 318,000. What's wrong with thee above?

Thanks for your help.

China Airlines isn’t in OneWorld. See if you can find TPE-HKG-SYD

 

[DC3]

I'm trying to book an OWA trip to Europe in 2025 in J with the following details:
5/8/2025: SYD - ICN (QF87)
6/8/2025: ICN - HEL - WAW (AY42 & AY1141)
9/9/2025: DUS - HEL - NRT (AY1392 & AY 73)
10/9/2025 NTR - TPE - SYD (JL809 & CI51)
I've got a little over 318, 000 points available, but the system has counted almost 400,000 points and tells me that I do not have enough points.

I thought there is a cap for the OWA is 318,000. What's wrong with thee above?

It won’t be a classic award (318K) itinerary with China Airlines

 

[2infinity]

I'm trying to book an OWA trip to Europe in 2025 in J with the following details:
5/8/2025: SYD - ICN (QF87)
6/8/2025: ICN - HEL - WAW (AY42 & AY1141)
9/9/2025: DUS - HEL - NRT (AY1392 & AY 73)
10/9/2025 NTR - TPE - SYD (JL809 & CI51)
I've got a little over 318, 000 points available, but the system has counted almost 400,000 points and tells me that I do not have enough points.

I thought there is a cap for the OWA is 318,000. What's wrong with thee above?

Thanks for your help.

As has been previously replied, China Airlines is not a one world member so if any flights in your itinerary are with NON-Oneworld airlines, the 318,000 cap doesn't apply. I encountered heaps of flights with China Airlines also when trying to make my Oneworld Award booking. I'm guessing Narita to Sydney via Taipei is just for the connections rather than a stop over, so try a different connecting city, such as Narita to Kuala Lumpur to Sydney or as I did with my booking, Narita to Manila to Brisbane. It is hard finding connections into and out of Australia in J, so look at Manilla to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne or possibly Kuala Lumpur to Perth, things like that.

 

[kenjicult]

Any word on what was causing the issues from Hobart?

They wouldn't tell me clearly. From what I can deduce, There was something wrong with the initial issued PNR, as eventually they had to cancel the booking, refund all the points, and then create a new one. I'm quietly hopeful that adding segments will not be any trouble now.

 

[Henk]

China Airlines isn’t in OneWorld. See if you can find TPE-HKG-SYD

Now it makes sense - Thanks.

 

[DC3]

Now it makes sense - Thanks.

oneworld members:

 

[Optics]

Qatar Airways doesn't allow access to any award via Qantas Frequent Flyer until 30 days prior to departure, and 3 days prior for Business. So that's why you're getting a #9207 error, as there's no flights available to QFF, despite the QR flights being made available through other OW programs. You can technically fly through Doha by using something like BA-MH, but the Qantas website really doesn't like Doha and Dubai.

Hi, is it only when using the Qantas website that QR award flights are restricted to 30 days prior? If I find a QR award flight on another site can I ring QFF and get them to book it?

 

[levelnine]

If I find a QR award flight on another site can I ring QFF and get them to book it?

No.

 

[DC3]

Hi, is it only when using the Qantas website that QR award flights are restricted to 30 days prior? If I find a QR award flight on another site can I ring QFF and get them to book it?

QF web or phone availability are the same.