Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[BriarFlyer]

Sorry if this was asked already - if you are a PC member, do you get SC for all legs (e.g. BNE > SYD, SYD > HK) or does it only count as BNE > HK for the the SC on an award flight?

You will get SC on each individual Qantas leg, at the rate quoted for PC/PC+ members.

 

[pye1201]

Given the devaluation of QF points in August, and the fact that I lose my QF platinum status in October, I've been looking at booking a oneworld classic itinerary in business class for myself and my husband. I had hoped to take a positioning flight to Tokyo, fly to the US west coast (YVR, SFO, even LAX) in September, and travel for 6 weeks (husband has Platinum Pro status so hoping to take advantage of that with domestic flights). Then return to Sydney for a long stopover, before flying to London and back in April 2026. Those miles come in at just under 35k. I cannot find ANY classic flight awards in business for either of those legs in August or September (was hoping to book dummy dates for the flights to London). In fact, the QF search tool just takes me back to the original search with an error message, no matter where I start from (HKG, SIN or HND). Has anyone had any luck requesting the release of two business class classic award tickets as a platinum flyer, for such an itinerary? I have had luck getting economy seats released on another flight but wasn't sure if I can apply that to business class tickets on such an itinerary? Is Qantas only releasing classic award business class tickets in random batches now?
Apologies in advance if my questions have been answered elsewhere - I've trawled back but can't find anything that helps me much.

 

[MelbFlyer]

I'd guess as a Platinum member, you should be able to request for CR seat releases for QF1 / QF2 and LAX to SYD, but not for the Japan to U.S. flights.

Is Qantas only releasing classic award business class tickets in random batches now?

I think this is now the case for all QF flights, even economy CR seats.

A simple MEL to SIN search in the multi-city search tool for October only yields JQ seats and in the "normal" booking view, some QF economy CR seats do come up but only as CR+.

I'd suspect that they are releasing CR seats in more frequent but small batches now, with CR+ now being the "default" option in-lieu of mass CR seat releases once or twice a year.

 

[elanshin]

Given the devaluation of QF points in August, and the fact that I lose my QF platinum status in October, I've been looking at booking a oneworld classic itinerary in business class for myself and my husband. I had hoped to take a positioning flight to Tokyo, fly to the US west coast (YVR, SFO, even LAX) in September, and travel for 6 weeks (husband has Platinum Pro status so hoping to take advantage of that with domestic flights). Then return to Sydney for a long stopover, before flying to London and back in April 2026. Those miles come in at just under 35k. I cannot find ANY classic flight awards in business for either of those legs in August or September (was hoping to book dummy dates for the flights to London). In fact, the QF search tool just takes me back to the original search with an error message, no matter where I start from (HKG, SIN or HND). Has anyone had any luck requesting the release of two business class classic award tickets as a platinum flyer, for such an itinerary? I have had luck getting economy seats released on another flight but wasn't sure if I can apply that to business class tickets on such an itinerary? Is Qantas only releasing classic award business class tickets in random batches now?
Apologies in advance if my questions have been answered elsewhere - I've trawled back but can't find anything that helps me much.

So in this case you're looking at

Japan > NA > Aus > Europe (april) > Japan if I'm understanding your itinerary correctly.

So firstly part one Japan > NA.

This will be possibly the hardest one. Japan is one of the hottest destinations for Americans right now so the JP - NA routes are exceptionally full. Your only option atm is also JL or AA atm on the route until HA/FJ becomes available as airlines. No releases possible as it's not a Qantas Route.

You might have better luck exHKG or doing JP > HKG > NA and trying Cathay Pacific.

NA > Australia - try to avoid the September school holidays and you might be able to get some flights released. LAX > SYD on the 380 possibly has the best chances although they're supposed to be switching to the 380 for DFW > SYD later this year too.

If your partner has Platinum 1 then use his account for the release and booking as that has different restrictions.

As for AUS > Europe, you'll find that if you search right now for January 2026, you'll see solid availability out of Hong Kong and Tokyo (Cathay, JAL and Finnair). Also some of the other ports finair flies to like BKK, ICN, PVG etc.

Your best bet is to try for Cathay via hong kong for both product and availability. Do note if you try hong kong of any previous routing rules (only 2 transits and 1 stopover and it can't be your start point).

Trying to rely on Qantas is a bit iffy, but if you do have Platinum 1, then it does open up some more options for routes to and off this rock.

 

[Mr H]

Given the devaluation of QF points in August, and the fact that I lose my QF platinum status in October, I've been looking at booking a oneworld classic itinerary in business class for myself and my husband. I had hoped to take a positioning flight to Tokyo, fly to the US west coast (YVR, SFO, even LAX) in September, and travel for 6 weeks (husband has Platinum Pro status so hoping to take advantage of that with domestic flights). Then return to Sydney for a long stopover, before flying to London and back in April 2026. Those miles come in at just under 35k. I cannot find ANY classic flight awards in business for either of those legs in August or September (was hoping to book dummy dates for the flights to London). In fact, the QF search tool just takes me back to the original search with an error message, no matter where I start from (HKG, SIN or HND). Has anyone had any luck requesting the release of two business class classic award tickets as a platinum flyer, for such an itinerary? I have had luck getting economy seats released on another flight but wasn't sure if I can apply that to business class tickets on such an itinerary? Is Qantas only releasing classic award business class tickets in random batches now?
Apologies in advance if my questions have been answered elsewhere - I've trawled back but can't find anything that helps me much.

That’s way more than 35k miles. Have you maybe forgotten to add in the miles from your finishing point back to your starting point?

 

[pye1201]

That’s way more than 35k miles. Have you maybe forgotten to add in the miles from your finishing point back to your starting point?

HND-SFO(or LAX)-SYD-HKG-HEL-LHR-SIN-HND - circle mapper comes in at 33,231? Positioning flight to and from HND. Looking at HEL with Finnair as advised by elanshin above as availability is better? And we've never been there so why not!!
The Oneworld Classic Award itineraries only allow 5 stopovers so making SFO (or anywhere on the west coast of USA really) one stop, SYD next stop, HEL third stop and LHR 4th. Maybe spend a few days in SIN on the way home.

 

[Mr H]

HND-SFO(or LAX)-SYD-HKG-HEL-LHR-SIN-HND - circle mapper comes in at 33,231? Positioning flight to and from HND. Looking at HEL with Finnair as advised by elanshin above as availability is better? And we've never been there so why not!!
The Oneworld Classic Award itineraries only allow 5 stopovers so making SFO (or anywhere on the west coast of USA really) one stop, SYD next stop, HEL third stop and LHR 4th. Maybe spend a few days in SIN on the way home.

Fair enough - your original post suggested you were flying SYD-LHR-SYD to end.

 

[pye1201]

Fair enough - your original post suggested you were flying SYD-LHR-SYD to end.

Sorry - should have been clearer.

 

[pye1201]

So in this case you're looking at

Japan > NA > Aus > Europe (april) > Japan if I'm understanding your itinerary correctly.

So firstly part one Japan > NA.

This will be possibly the hardest one. Japan is one of the hottest destinations for Americans right now so the JP - NA routes are exceptionally full. Your only option atm is also JL or AA atm on the route until HA/FJ becomes available as airlines. No releases possible as it's not a Qantas Route.

You might have better luck exHKG or doing JP > HKG > NA and trying Cathay Pacific.

NA > Australia - try to avoid the September school holidays and you might be able to get some flights released. LAX > SYD on the 380 possibly has the best chances although they're supposed to be switching to the 380 for DFW > SYD later this year too.

If your partner has Platinum 1 then use his account for the release and booking as that has different restrictions.

As for AUS > Europe, you'll find that if you search right now for January 2026, you'll see solid availability out of Hong Kong and Tokyo (Cathay, JAL and Finnair). Also some of the other ports finair flies to like BKK, ICN, PVG etc.

Your best bet is to try for Cathay via hong kong for both product and availability. Do note if you try hong kong of any previous routing rules (only 2 transits and 1 stopover and it can't be your start point).

Trying to rely on Qantas is a bit iffy, but if you do have Platinum 1, then it does open up some more options for routes to and off this rock.

Thanks so much for this - to clarify husband is Platinum Pro with AA so not much help with seeing Qantas availability. His Plat Pro status allows us automatic upgrades on domestic flights within North America and we were planning on doing a bit of travelling around the states (daughter in NY). Sorry - I rushed this post and it was a bit unclear.
Qantas search engine isn't showing any availability in business class for anything out of Tokyo or HKG to the west coast. I can try getting some business award seats released on QF12 back to Sydney and as you suggest, I do see award availability BKK to HEL on expert flyer - I'll keep looking. I'm only Platinum until October and was hoping to book the Asia-Nth America-Aus section now, then dummy dates for the Europe part and then book them in August when they become available for April May '26, before I lose status. Do you have any hints on how to see award availability on Cathay? Expert Flyer doesn't show CX or JL inventory...

 

[elanshin]

Thanks so much for this - to clarify husband is Platinum Pro with AA so not much help with seeing Qantas availability. His Plat Pro status allows us automatic upgrades on domestic flights within North America and we were planning on doing a bit of travelling around the states (daughter in NY). Sorry - I rushed this post and it was a bit unclear.
Qantas search engine isn't showing any availability in business class for anything out of Tokyo or HKG to the west coast. I can try getting some business award seats released on QF12 back to Sydney and as you suggest, I do see award availability BKK to HEL on expert flyer - I'll keep looking. I'm only Platinum until October and was hoping to book the Asia-Nth America-Aus section now, then dummy dates for the Europe part and then book them in August when they become available for April May '26, before I lose status. Do you have any hints on how to see award availability on Cathay? Expert Flyer doesn't show CX or JL inventory...

Theres no way currently to search JL/CX on EF as that uses class fares.
You need to use something like seat aero which searches the qantas availability. On the Qantas site, use the multicity tool - you'll need to confirm your flights exist on Qantas anyways.

As I mentioned Japan > US is going to actually be the hardest for your proposed itinerary. There is huge demand on that routing from the Americans.

For example the only ex JP flight (1 seat only) I can find in August in Business is this one. (And it has to be from Sapporo, you can't find just the HND - SFO flight). August is US summer holiday period.

 

[pye1201]

Theres no way currently to search JL/CX on EF as that uses class fares.
You need to use something like seat aero which searches the qantas availability. On the Qantas site, use the multicity tool - you'll need to confirm your flights exist on Qantas anyways.

As I mentioned Japan > US is going to actually be the hardest for your proposed itinerary. There is huge demand on that routing from the Americans.

For example the only ex JP flight (1 seat only) I can find in August in Business is this one. (And it has to be from Sapporo, you can't find just the HND - SFO flight). August is US summer holiday period.
View attachment 429148

Thanks very much! I have some more homework to do.... As you advise, I'll avoid late September and early October school holiday dates.
Appreciate your time!
Cheers

 

[ngocthuong]

We just came back from our second RTW trip and managed to almost maxxed out the distance. My first one was Dec 2019 to Jan 2020, just before COVID, and the second was similar timeframe Dec 2024 to Jan 2025. Each one was planned about a year in advance. The segments in 2019: gcmap2019 and 2024: gcmap2024 .

Highlight for 2019 was the Qatar Qsuite. I tracked down the route and managed to find DOH - SIN, and planned the later legs around it. I did aim for MH throne seat as well but the aircraft got swapped out in the end. Total tax was $1.9k per pax.

2024 was most interesting because the first flight segment I managed was HND - JFK on the new A350 JAL with sliding door and the agent on the phone asked me to create the SYD - HND booking, which was then joined. Because of that, subsequent changes was piced in Yen then converted to AUD. Our tax for 2024 was $750 per pax (maybe because of the yen pricing?). The stopover cities were: New York, London, (Paris), Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, and Bangkok. Somehow we managed more than 5 stopovers, I still can't work it out. Maybe because LHR-AMS and VCE-FCO were land segments? For 2024, Paris was the extra stop not shown on itinerary because I booked a separate LHR - CDG with BA and train from Paris to Amsterdam. LHR - AMS was the resulting land segment on the itinerary. VCE - FCO was also train. MNL - SYD was platinum release.

Both times I'm OW Emerald so hit all the first class lounges in the network. In 2024, we were in HEL platinum wing with the sauna right on christmas day!

 

[RB001]

We just came back from our second RTW trip and managed to almost maxxed out the distance. My first one was Dec 2019 to Jan 2020, just before COVID, and the second was similar timeframe Dec 2024 to Jan 2025. Each one was planned about a year in advance. The segments in 2019: gcmap2019 and 2024: gcmap2024 .

Highlight for 2019 was the Qatar Qsuite. I tracked down the route and managed to find DOH - SIN, and planned the later legs around it. I did aim for MH throne seat as well but the aircraft got swapped out in the end. Total tax was $1.9k per pax.

2024 was most interesting because the first flight segment I managed was HND - JFK on the new A350 JAL with sliding door and the agent on the phone asked me to create the SYD - HND booking, which was then joined. Because of that, subsequent changes was piced in Yen then converted to AUD. Our tax for 2024 was $750 per pax (maybe because of the yen pricing?). The stopover cities were: New York, London, (Paris), Amsterdam, Venice, Rome, and Bangkok. Somehow we managed more than 5 stopovers, I still can't work it out. Maybe because LHR-AMS and VCE-FCO were land segments? For 2024, Paris was the extra stop not shown on itinerary because I booked a separate LHR - CDG with BA and train from Paris to Amsterdam. LHR - AMS was the resulting land segment on the itinerary. VCE - FCO was also train. MNL - SYD was platinum release.

Both times I'm OW Emerald so hit all the first class lounges in the network. In 2024, we were in HEL platinum wing with the sauna right on christmas day!

Welcome to posting, @ngocthuong !
It's always good to see planning pay off.

 

[DC3]

Welcome to posting, @ngocthuong !

Wow. Yes, welcome to posting.