Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[hutch]

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

OMG - staring right in front of my eyes. Saved me just enough! Perfect! 34,182!!! Woods from the trees! Thanks so much! Now to find flights!

Any other improvements welcome. Seems the total taxes and fees will cost me $980...

$980 for a 280,000J award is pretty good.

One thing to be mindful of is that getting J award seats back from SCL can be difficult at times.

Also, not sure what you mean by "Noting that I might have to change the later flights with change fees because I'll be booking them relatively early (but not so late that the earlier flights become unavailable!"... generally it best to first book as many of the flights online (perhaps SYD-HKG, HKG-JNB), and then call up QF and add additional flights as they become available. Which will cost 3,500pts for each call to make changes.

 

[Delta32]

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

$980 for a 280,000J award is pretty good.

One thing to be mindful of is that getting J award seats back from SCL can be difficult at times.

Also, not sure what you mean by "Noting that I might have to change the later flights with change fees because I'll be booking them relatively early (but not so late that the earlier flights become unavailable!"... generally it best to first book as many of the flights online (perhaps SYD-HKG, HKG-JNB), and then call up QF and add additional flights as they become available. Which will cost 3,500pts for each call to make changes.

Oh OK, I was under the impression that I had to call up Qantas to make the booking? If I book online - aren't the flights booked separately and then I pay the 'full' points amount for each of those flights?

Also I can't seem to book the Qatar flights from NBO to ATH via qantas.com. They just don't appear.

In terms of SCL to SYD (and also DUB-MIA flights) I won't be able to book my 'actual' flights (expected November 2017 and July 2017 respectively) until later on in the piece (and once I've already left Sydney, this November), so I'll just need to remember to call up as early as possible to make those two changes once those flights become available. In the mean time, I'll have to book some sort of placeholder?

 

[hutch]

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

Oh OK, I was under the impression that I had to call up Qantas to make the booking? If I book online - aren't the flights booked separately and then I pay the 'full' points amount for each of those flights?

Also I can't seem to book the Qatar flights from NBO to ATH via qantas.com. They just don't appear.

In terms of SCL to SYD (and also DUB-MIA flights) I won't be able to book my 'actual' flights (expected November 2017 and July 2017 respectively) until later on in the piece (and once I've already left Sydney, this November), so I'll just need to remember to call up as early as possible to make those two changes once those flights become available. In the mean time, I'll have to book some sort of placeholder?

1. If you are able to, you book at the least the first flight online.
2. You will be given a PNR (reference number).
3. To add your next flight, when it becomes available, you ring up Qantas, give them the PNR and they add the flight to this existing PNR
4. You continue this process until you have booked all the flights. The booking will cap off at 280,000
5. Don't book flights on separate PNR's

Can you provide your propose dates of travel? You say you are leaving in November this year... when is your proposed flight home from SCL?

 

[travelislife]

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

Oh OK, I was under the impression that I had to call up Qantas to make the booking? If I book online - aren't the flights booked separately and then I pay the 'full' points amount for each of those flights?

Also I can't seem to book the Qatar flights from NBO to ATH via qantas.com. They just don't appear.

In terms of SCL to SYD (and also DUB-MIA flights) I won't be able to book my 'actual' flights (expected November 2017 and July 2017 respectively) until later on in the piece (and once I've already left Sydney, this November), so I'll just need to remember to call up as early as possible to make those two changes once those flights become available. In the mean time, I'll have to book some sort of placeholder?

You could run in to some issues there. Technically don't think you are meant to be able to change dates after travel has commenced but I might be wrong.

Otherwise definitely book first flight online. Then call up to add others.

 

[hutch]

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

You could run in to some issues there. Technically don't think you are meant to be able to change dates after travel has commenced but I might be wrong.


14.7.6 Subject to this clause 14.7, the following changes are permitted to a Classic Flight Reward flight before departure of that flight, provided the booking contains one or more Flight Segments that are not within Australia, and the Flight Segment(s) being changed do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change. Any such change will incur a Change Fee (see the Fee Schedule) per passenger:
(a) change to flight number; and
(b) change to date of travel.
14.7.7 Changes are not permitted (after any travel has commenced) to any Classic Flight Reward for which a paper ticket has been issued.

 

[Delta32]

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

1. If you are able to, you book at the least the first flight online.
2. You will be given a PNR (reference number).
3. To add your next flight, when it becomes available, you ring up Qantas, give them the PNR and they add the flight to this existing PNR
4. You continue this process until you have booked all the flights. The booking will cap off at 280,000
5. Don't book flights on separate PNR's

Can you provide your propose dates of travel? You say you are leaving in November this year... when is your proposed flight home from SCL?

Ah, OK. I get that. Thanks so much for the help!!! I think you can change mid travel provided it's not a qantas flight and a paper ticket doesn't have to be re-issued?

"14.7.6 Subject to this clause 14.7, the following changes are permitted to a Classic Flight Reward flight before departure of that flight, provided the booking contains one or more Flight Segments that are not within Australia, and the Flight Segment(s) being changed do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change. Any such change will incur a Change Fee (see the Fee Schedule) per passenger:
(a) change to flight number; and
(b) change to date of travel."

So - I'm hoping that the partner airlines don't have to issue me a paper ticket - do they still do that? Qatar?

In terms of my broad dates:

SYD - HKG - 25/11/16 (I have found this availability)
HKG - JNB - 20/2//17 (I have found this availability)
NBO-DOH-ATH- 1/5/16 (although I'm having trouble finding a site where I can find a ticket around this date - any help appreciated!)
DUB-PHL-MIA - APPROX 15/8/16 (depending on availability)
SCL-SYD - 1/11/17 (or sometime in November 2017 before a year on from my first flight)

 

[Delta32]

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

You could run in to some issues there. Technically don't think you are meant to be able to change dates after travel has commenced but I might be wrong.


14.7.6 Subject to this clause 14.7, the following changes are permitted to a Classic Flight Reward flight before departure of that flight, provided the booking contains one or more Flight Segments that are not within Australia, and the Flight Segment(s) being changed do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change. Any such change will incur a Change Fee (see the Fee Schedule) per passenger:
(a) change to flight number; and
(b) change to date of travel.
14.7.7 Changes are not permitted (after any travel has commenced) to any Classic Flight Reward for which a paper ticket has been issued.

The way I read this was that it was in relation to the specific flight - not the entire booking.

 

[hutch]

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

Ah, OK. I get that. Thanks so much for the help!!! I think you can change mid travel provided it's not a qantas flight and a paper ticket doesn't have to be re-issued?

"14.7.6 Subject to this clause 14.7, the following changes are permitted to a Classic Flight Reward flight before departure of that flight, provided the booking contains one or more Flight Segments that are not within Australia, and the Flight Segment(s) being changed do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change. Any such change will incur a Change Fee (see the Fee Schedule) per passenger:
(a) change to flight number; and
(b) change to date of travel."

So - I'm hoping that the partner airlines don't have to issue me a paper ticket - do they still do that? Qatar?

In terms of my broad dates:

SYD - HKG - 25/11/16 (I have found this availability)
HKG - JNB - 20/2//17 (I have found this availability)
NBO-DOH-ATH- 1/5/16 (although I'm having trouble finding a site where I can find a ticket around this date - any help appreciated!)
DUB-PHL-MIA - APPROX 15/8/16 (depending on availability)
SCL-SYD - 1/11/17 (or sometime in November 2017 before a year on from my first flight)

So you should be able to book SYD-HKG, HKG-JNB via the Qantas Multi-City tool online. Once you receive that PNR, you can call Qantas to add you NBO-DOH-ATH sector. I'd do that sooner rather than later as QR flights for those dates would have been bookable for over a month now.

My 280J booking was no where near a year long. So I am not sure the best way to go about adding the last flight... if it was me, I would book SCL-SYD flight as far out as I could (ie ring Qantas around mid Nov 16) and then ring up again and change the date of that flight when flights around 1/11/17 become available. Perhaps run this by Qantas rep when you ring them? Or someone else here may know...

Couple of other things:
Qatar don't use great planes between DOH-ATH
You can sign up to BA's exec club to search for award availability... it's a guide
Availability between SCL - SYD is sparse, very sparse... I've had a brief look as far out as the search engine allows and I can't find anything in J. Might need to do LAX-SYD?

 

[Delta32]

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

So you should be able to book SYD-HKG, HKG-JNB via the Qantas Multi-City tool online. Once you receive that PNR, you can call Qantas to add you NBO-DOH-ATH sector. I'd do that sooner rather than later as QR flights for those dates would have been bookable for over a month now.

My 280J booking was no where near a year long. So I am not sure the best way to go about adding the last flight... if it was me, I would book SCL-SYD flight as far out as I could (ie ring Qantas around mid Nov 16) and then ring up again and change the date of that flight when flights around 1/11/17 become available. Perhaps run this by Qantas rep when you ring them? Or someone else here may know...

Couple of other things:
Qatar don't use great planes between DOH-ATH
You can sign up to BA's exec club to search for award availability... it's a guide
Availability between SCL - SYD is sparse, very sparse... I've had a brief look as far out as the search engine allows and I can't find anything in J. Might need to do LAX-SYD?

Cool, turns out I can book the NBO-DOH-ATH leg online with qantas. The only issue I've run into now is trying to book the AA flight from DUB-PHL-MIA - despite the fact that it isn't available yet time wise, even selecting an earlier date, qantas.com only came up with BA flights via LHR - which I'm trying to avoid (London all together, hence the AA from Dublin. Any ideas as to how to get around this? I guess I'd be calling up anyway, so do I have to do it by phone? I assume that where I have to do it by phone they might wave the fee? I can basically book the first three flights now and the leave the rest to book as they come up (July call up for the DUB-MIA and November for SCL-SYD or LAX-SYD (as a backup)).

You've been awesome...!

 

[hutch]

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

Cool, turns out I can book the NBO-DOH-ATH leg online with qantas. The only issue I've run into now is trying to book the AA flight from DUB-PHL-MIA - despite the fact that it isn't available yet time wise, even selecting an earlier date, qantas.com only came up with BA flights via LHR - which I'm trying to avoid (London all together, hence the AA from Dublin. Any ideas as to how to get around this? I guess I'd be calling up anyway, so do I have to do it by phone? I assume that where I have to do it by phone they might wave the fee? I can basically book the first three flights now and the leave the rest to book as they come up (July call up for the DUB-MIA and November for SCL-SYD or LAX-SYD (as a backup)).

You've been awesome...!

You may be able to search NBO - DOH - ATH online, but I doubt you'll be able to book it... as this needs to go on the same PNR and once you try to do SYD-HKG,HKG-JNB,NBO-ATH I suspect the QF system will not handle it. By all means give it a go, but I suspect you will need to call to add the NBO-ATH leg.

Can't help you on DUB-PHL-MIA... but keep in mind that BA releases seats before AA do. I ended up booking a BA seat and later when AA availability appeared, I changed to AA whilst making another change.

Another option is Iberia out of Madrid.

QF won't waive the change fee (3500). However they do not charge the service fee (like 5000 or 6000pts) for business and first bookings though.

 

[grussellt]

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

Have you looked for AA flights out of DUB to JFK or ORD?

 

[travelislife]

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

Book those first flights using the multi city today! You have nothing to lose by booking but a lot to lose if you don't!

 

[Delta32]

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

You may be able to search NBO - DOH - ATH online, but I doubt you'll be able to book it... as this needs to go on the same PNR and once you try to do SYD-HKG,HKG-JNB,NBO-ATH I suspect the QF system will not handle it. By all means give it a go, but I suspect you will need to call to add the NBO-ATH leg.

Can't help you on DUB-PHL-MIA... but keep in mind that BA releases seats before AA do. I ended up booking a BA seat and later when AA availability appeared, I changed to AA whilst making another change.

Another option is Iberia out of Madrid.

QF won't waive the change fee (3500). However they do not charge the service fee (like 5000 or 6000pts) for business and first bookings though.

Well - I've been able to book the first three flights! SYD-MEL-HKG, HKG-JNP, NBO-DOH-ATH. All on the same PNR via qantas.com and on the dates that I wanted No calls necessary. Whooop!

The next flights probably won't be available until September (for DUB to either MIA via PHL or as you suggested maybe via ORD?, given I plan to fly about 15 August 2017). Then I'll have to get in early for the SCL to SYD in November 2017 (backup being LAX to SYD which would be fine too really).

I note I can't make any modifications to the trip now online, so it's 2 x 3500 pts to call over the few months before departure to get those last two flights.

 

[Delta32]

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

Book those first flights using the multi city today! You have nothing to lose by booking but a lot to lose if you don't!

Done and done! YAY

 

[EestiTiger]

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

Hi team - I have been playing around with the QF and BA online booking engines trying to book a business class seat from any non-UK Euro major airport Direct on Finnair to Helsinki. Timeframe is from latest possible (ie June 2017) and have tried through to April 2017. I can only see Y class fares. Do AY release business seats at a different time to their Y seats, or not make them available at all for QF awards? I have looked from FRA, CDG and AMS which CX fly into from HKG.

 

[Jacques Vert]

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

Hi team - I have been playing around with the QF and BA online booking engines trying to book a business class seat from any non-UK Euro major airport Direct on Finnair to Helsinki. Timeframe is from latest possible (ie June 2017) and have tried through to April 2017. I can only see Y class fares. Do AY release business seats at a different time to their Y seats, or not make them available at all for QF awards? I have looked from FRA, CDG and AMS which CX fly into from HKG.

Been there, done that last year.

Only route I could find availability was PRG-HEL. Just did a quick check and J awards available on all flights early June 2017.

Bonus is PRG is a beautiful city; well worth a visit if your time allows. And not really that far from FRA.

JV

 

[JohnK]

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

I searched all the flights as separate one way bookings, so I had a bit more flexibility with dates and minor changes. Once I was happy, dumped it all into the multi-city tool and made the booking.

BA site was also useful at times, however my itinerary didn't involve any carriers that QF didn't show.

That is a good plan and good way of doing the searches.

 

[Nizar]

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

It seems that most people go for the business ticket over the first class ticket. Is this related to chances of getting multiple seats (ie for you and a partner) or just better value for business ticket? I understand that I some of my proposed legs don’t offer F but I guess it is just the chance to fly F around the world whilst I still can for the experience (both flights and specific lounges).

Hi Matt, are you booking for one pax or two ?
If just one F does become easier.

As for a routing that maximises F, here is one suggestion, which starts in MEL, with the lounge in brackets.

MEL-SYD-NRT QF J then JL 77W F (QF SYD F),
HND-HKG CX 774 F, HKG-LAX CX 77W F (CX Pier),
LAX-LHR BA 388 F (QF LAX F),
LHR-DOH-DXB QR 388 F then QR A321 F, (QR LHR lounge then Al-Safwa lounge)
DXB-MEL QF 388 F (EK DXB F)

7 F legs and 1 J leg.
With stops in Japan, LA, London, Dubai, and Bangkok.
Comes in at just under 32k miles.
Five of the best OW F products (JL, CX, BA, QR and QF)
Probably four of the best OW lounges (Al-safwa, QF SYD & LAX F, CX Pier) + the EK DXB lounge and highly regarded QR lounge at LHR.

Flying out of LAX to HKG may be tough so could always do SFO for example or even JFK and you could get to JFK from LAX using AAs super sleek A321 F product.

 

[Nizar]

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

Hi Matt, are you booking for one pax or two ?
If just one F does become easier.

As for a routing that maximises F, here is one suggestion, which starts in MEL, with the lounge in brackets.

MEL-SYD-NRT QF J then JL 77W F (QF SYD F),
HND-HKG CX 774 F, HKG-LAX CX 77W F (CX Pier),
LAX-LHR BA 388 F (QF LAX F),
LHR-DOH-DXB QR 388 F then QR A321 F, (QR LHR lounge then Al-Safwa lounge)
DXB-MEL QF 388 F (EK DXB F)

7 F legs and 1 J leg.
With stops in Japan, LA, London, Dubai, and Bangkok.
Comes in at just under 32k miles.
Five of the best OW F products (JL, CX, BA, QR and QF)
Probably four of the best OW lounges (Al-safwa, QF SYD & LAX F, CX Pier) + the EK DXB lounge and highly regarded QR lounge at LHR.

Flying out of LAX to HKG may be tough so could always do SFO for example or even JFK and you could get to JFK from LAX using AAs super sleek A321 F product.

Actually just reading this again there is very little hope to get availability on QR F out of LHR for two or even one pax. Much better odds out of CDG.

 

[Daver6]

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

Trying to plan something for later this year. I have pretty much everything sorted in J, but can't seem to get back to PER in late October from the US. Happy to depart from anywhere and go either west or east. Relatively flexible, but cannot seem to find a single option home Figure getting to DOH is easy enough. But from DOH I'm stuck. Even via SE Asia and then the Australian east coast. Simply nothing.

Anyone have any ideas I should consider?