Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Pablo]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Has anyone had any luck booking AA Business seats for April 2017 lately? I'm trying to get GIG-MIA and MIA-SYD but from what I can tell on the AA, BA, QF and ExpertFlyer websites, they don't seem to be releasing "U" Class until around 298 days out. Is this correct, or am I just too slow in booking each day?

I should add, all the flights I'm looking at have J Class (i.e., they are 777's so have Y, J and F).

and does anyone know what time AA release seats each day?

getting hard to book my last two stops on by 280k award.

 

[vetrade]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Pablo, AA officially release their flights 330 days out but it's common for award seats to be released at around 300 days and occasionally they can be released quite spasmodically. Sometimes there may on be "U" awards on one or 2 days of a whole month. How many seats are you searching for? Often nowadays AA only releases one J award seat per flight which can be disheartening for couples wanting to fly together especially on routes from US to Canada or Sth America (which do have J class).

The GIG - MIA and MIA - SYD routes are notoriously difficult to get awards on. Are you aware that most AA domestic services are Y and F only? I think there is still one 3 class flight from MIA - LAX on random days of the week but most are only 2 class. Any awards from LAX - SYD are exceptionally hard to get, so you might have more luck routes through HKG or NRT. Alternatively from the East coast of USA you are probably better flying back via Europe through DOH, CDG, MAD etc i.e. routed serviced by IB or QR etc.

 

[Pablo]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Pablo, AA officially release their flights 330 days out but it's common for award seats to be released at around 300 days and occasionally they can be released quite spasmodically. Sometimes there may on be "U" awards on one or 2 days of a whole month. How many seats are you searching for? Often nowadays AA only releases one J award seat per flight which can be disheartening for couples wanting to fly together especially on routes from US to Canada or Sth America (which do have J class).

The GIG - MIA and MIA - SYD routes are notoriously difficult to get awards on. Are you aware that most AA domestic services are Y and F only? I think there is still one 3 class flight from MIA - LAX on random days of the week but most are only 2 class. Any awards from LAX - SYD are exceptionally hard to get, so you might have more luck routes through HKG or NRT. Alternatively from the East coast of USA you are probably better flying back via Europe through DOH, CDG, MAD etc i.e. routed serviced by IB or QR etc.

Thanks Vetrade

thats helpful to know about the 300 day "norm" as that is about what I can see at the moment, not the 330 day availability. I really wanted to check.

Im trying for 2 seats, and also trying to stay on the 777 from MIA-LAX so I can stay in J - well aware of the limited J on AA.

Unfortunately i I will be over my miles to go via HKG on the way home, or Europe for that matter, although I did discover that if I come home via NRT and fly into BNE instead of SYD I will come just under 35,000 miles.

Ill L wait till I'm around the 300 day mark and see what I do. Ultimately, if I can't get these last seats, we might have to change our whole trip and bypass the Americas. But I have plenty of time to work that out.

Cheers

 

[Cardinal]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

As long as you just transit through LHR (or most UK airports) you won't get charged APD, that's only if you are there for more than 24 hours on a stopover....

Ahhhhhhhhh.

 

[hutch]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Alternatively, Ultan could, of course, start in Dublin and come back to somewhere close (e.g., MAD) and have the "stop-over" there while in fact heading back to Dublin on a separate fare. In fact, when I say "close", I mean wherever is cheap and convenient to pick up a flight/ferry to DUB.

The OP could also see a bit of somewhere new in the process.

Very true!

 

[hutch]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thanks Vetrade

thats helpful to know about the 300 day "norm" as that is about what I can see at the moment, not the 330 day availability. I really wanted to check.

Im trying for 2 seats, and also trying to stay on the 777 from MIA-LAX so I can stay in J - well aware of the limited J on AA.

Unfortunately i I will be over my miles to go via HKG on the way home, or Europe for that matter, although I did discover that if I come home via NRT and fly into BNE instead of SYD I will come just under 35,000 miles.

Ill L wait till I'm around the 300 day mark and see what I do. Ultimately, if I can't get these last seats, we might have to change our whole trip and bypass the Americas. But I have plenty of time to work that out.

Cheers

Noting that I think you have started your journey in SYD, so the miles are calculated back to the starting point... so booking to BNE will still result in a non-compliant booking

 

[Pablo]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Noting that I think you have started your journey in SYD, so the miles are calculated back to the starting point... so booking to BNE will still result in a non-compliant booking

Now you spoil my day Hutch!! :shock: I forgot that!!

 

[hutch]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Now you spoil my day Hutch!! :shock: I forgot that!!

Very sorry but better to know now

 

[aussiel]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Just booked the following 2 x J awards for Apr-May 2017:

ADL-SYD-SFO (QF)
SFO - JFK (AA)
JFK - LIM (LA)
LIM - SCL (LA) (on to EZE as surface sector)
EZE - LHR (BA)
MAN - ADL (QR)

Taxes of ~$1900 per passenger. Great range of aircraft: 737, 747, 767, 777, 787, A321, A350. Side trips planned from JFK and LHR (considered avoiding London, however circumstances make the taxes worthwhile).

 

[aussiel]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Would also like to add that the QF booking engine did throw up a few quirks, in particular, not showing J availability for ADL > SFO (via Syd) on the monthly display. When I clicked through on the date, it let me book ADL > SFO in J with the ADL > SYD sector in Y (later fixed to all J by phone call to the brilliant platinum line, Red Roo would have been proud ). Similarly the LAN flights appeared and disappeared on a whim, and only showed Y availability. J = U fare bucket, Y = X fare bucket, naturally.

 

[immature]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I've currently got a booking which starts with PER-BNE-HKG on QF, which wasn't ideal but was the only route which had availability at the time.

Today, seats have opened up on a CX flight from PER-HKG - would definitely prefer the direct flight so called up to replace the QF flights with the CX one.

The consultant wasn't able to do it, as she said "CX doesn't let us add their flights to an already ticketed booking that has other carriers' flights". Has anyone run into that before? She mentioned that she could see the PER-HKG award seats on a new booking, but as soon as she tried to search for it with my existing booking open, the flights were not visible.

Is it possible this is CX blocking CX-CX award flights when transiting through HKG? My next flight (already ticketed) is HKG-MAD on CX.

I've been able to transit through HKG before (LHR-xHKG-SIN), so seems strange that PER-xHKG-MAD would not be allowed.

Has anyone had a similar experience, and managed to add a CX flight to an existing oneworld award booking?

 

[madrooster]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I've currently got a booking which starts with PER-BNE-HKG on QF, which wasn't ideal but was the only route which had availability at the time.

Today, seats have opened up on a CX flight from PER-HKG - would definitely prefer the direct flight so called up to replace the QF flights with the CX one.

The consultant wasn't able to do it, as she said "CX doesn't let us add their flights to an already ticketed booking that has other carriers' flights". Has anyone run into that before? She mentioned that she could see the PER-HKG award seats on a new booking, but as soon as she tried to search for it with my existing booking open, the flights were not visible.

Is it possible this is CX blocking CX-CX award flights when transiting through HKG? My next flight (already ticketed) is HKG-MAD on CX.

I've been able to transit through HKG before (LHR-xHKG-SIN), so seems strange that PER-xHKG-MAD would not be allowed.

Has anyone had a similar experience, and managed to add a CX flight to an existing oneworld award booking?

If you are doing PER-BNE-HKG-MAD then that HKG-MAD availability is based on HKG/MAD as the origin/destination on CX. Changing that to PER-HKG-MAD changes the origin/destination to PER/MAD in the view of CX and CX may not be permitting that origin/destination in U class. If there is no availability when looking as PER/MAD, then you're out of luck.

 

[hutch]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I've currently got a booking which starts with PER-BNE-HKG on QF, which wasn't ideal but was the only route which had availability at the time.

Today, seats have opened up on a CX flight from PER-HKG - would definitely prefer the direct flight so called up to replace the QF flights with the CX one.

The consultant wasn't able to do it, as she said "CX doesn't let us add their flights to an already ticketed booking that has other carriers' flights". Has anyone run into that before? She mentioned that she could see the PER-HKG award seats on a new booking, but as soon as she tried to search for it with my existing booking open, the flights were not visible.

Is it possible this is CX blocking CX-CX award flights when transiting through HKG? My next flight (already ticketed) is HKG-MAD on CX.

I've been able to transit through HKG before (LHR-xHKG-SIN), so seems strange that PER-xHKG-MAD would not be allowed.

Has anyone had a similar experience, and managed to add a CX flight to an existing oneworld award booking?

I'm not sure about what the QF operator said, but I understand that CX tend to 'marry' (not sure if technical term) their awards. So to do PER-HKG-MAD on CX you need to search PER-MAD...only way to do PER-HKG, HKG-MAD on CX is to make HKG a stop and not a transit. It sounds like the system is not letting you change to direct PER - HKG for that reason.
When is the HKG -MAD flight?

 

[immature]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

If you are doing PER-BNE-HKG-MAD then that HKG-MAD availability is based on HKG/MAD as the origin/destination on CX. Changing that to PER-HKG-MAD changes the origin/destination to PER/MAD in the view of CX and CX may not be permitting that origin/destination in U class. If there is no availability when looking as PER/MAD, then you're out of luck.

I'm not sure about what the QF operator said, but I understand that CX tend to 'marry' (not sure if technical term) their awards. So to do PER-HKG-MAD on CX you need to search PER-MAD...only way to do PER-HKG, HKG-MAD on CX is to make HKG a stop and not a transit. It sounds like the system is not letting you change to direct PER - HKG for that reason.
When is the HKG -MAD flight?

Thanks for the explanation, I do recall reading about married segments but didn't remember the specifics. This might explain the inability to book PER-HKG as it looks at availability for PER-HKG-MAD. This is a bit frustrating as there is no current availability on HKG-MAD, but as I have a ticketed booking for HKG-MAD would have thought this would be OK?

HKG-MAD flight is within 24 hours of arrival for both currently booked BNE-HKG and proposed PER-HKG flights.

So does that mean that QF consultant was mistaken about adding a CX flight to an existing booking, and that this is due to married segment availability?

 

[madrooster]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

So does that mean that QF consultant was mistaken about adding a CX flight to an existing booking, and that this is due to married segment availability?

It won't let them do it and the fact you've noted that they can do it in a new booking but not your existing one confirms this is the exact issue.

 

[vetrade]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Well, immature, there is no way to get around CX's married segment problem other than having a stopover in HKG so if that doesn't suit you it looks like you either stick with what you've got (via BNE) or search for other options such as PER - DOH - MAD on QR. Of course that last option will be dependent on how soon you are travelling and award availability, but it could be worth a check - never know when you might get lucky.

 

[cjd600]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

So, after a bit of persuasion, I have managed to convince Mrs cjd that our USA return trip should be turned into a oneworld 280k award, and tack New York, Philly, Washington, London and Paris onto the planned San Fran, Vegas, Anaheim/LA beaches.

2 Adults, 2 kids

SYD-SFO QFJ
roadtrip San Fran - Vegas - Disney - Beach
LAX-JFK AA J
drive NYC-Washington
IAD-LHR BA J
Eurostar (for the kids) London-Paris
CDG-HKG-SYD CX J

Its not the most creative routing/stopovers, but hits all the spots we want to see nicely, and all flying J together save for the shortest leg.
Very happy to be able to grab all the flights we wanted, leaving a couple of weeks before school holidays late March 2017.
Total taxes AUD4038.

Have selected seats for all but BA IAD-LHR.
I assume, for NB, there is no way aside from forking out the exorbitant fees, to pre-select BA J seats at this stage?
4 J on same flight for all legs except LAX-JFK, we take a kid each and fly an hour apart.
Very happy with the outcome vs 192k pp return QF J to USA West Coast and similar taxes.

 

[immature]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

It won't let them do it and the fact you've noted that they can do it in a new booking but not your existing one confirms this is the exact issue.

Appreciate the confirmation, shame that the QF call centre didn't tell me that in the first place. But then again, they probably shouldn't be expected to know the ins and outs of how all their partners market flights in the system.

Well, immature, there is no way to get around CX's married segment problem other than having a stopover in HKG so if that doesn't suit you it looks like you either stick with what you've got (via BNE) or search for other options such as PER - DOH - MAD on QR. Of course that last option will be dependent on how soon you are travelling and award availability, but it could be worth a check - never know when you might get lucky.

Thanks for the tip, wasn't able to find any J seats on PER-DOH unfortunately so it was not an option for this trip.

In the end, I asked the call centre to check PER-xHKG-TPE, which showed availability - this sounds right as the married segment PER-TPE would probably have less demand than the original PER-MAD.

I'm not going to go with this routing for now, but it would have been possible to change my oneworld award booking from PER-xBNE-xHKG-MAD-etc... to PER-xHKG-xTPE-(surface sector to HKG)-MAD-etc... This would work out OK for me as it's killing 2 birds with one stone - the married segment issue, and that we were planning to go to TPE anyway

Thanks all for the advice!

 

[Pablo]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Just heard someone from a QF phone agent that I never knew. She's finalizing my 280k and is booking me on United in the US. I said to her "can you use United on this fare" to which she replied, "Yes, United is part of Oneworld - it's just not widely known!"

Anyone had any experience booking flights on United, or will the system just reject these flights?

almost done - just waiting to see if QF will release seats for me from LAX/SYD

 

[Doctore1003]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Just heard someone from a QF phone agent that I never knew. She's finalizing my 280k and is booking me on United in the US. I said to her "can you use United on this fare" to which she replied, "Yes, United is part of Oneworld - it's just not widely known!"

Anyone had any experience booking flights on United, or will the system just reject these flights?

almost done - just waiting to see if QF will release seats for me from LAX/SYD

google says United is part of star alliance. Perhaps she got confused with US Airways which had merged with AA?