RTW Oneworld fare $6.90 per SC

[Quickstatus]

RTW Oneworld fare $6.90 per SC

Ok folks Im going to learn the dark arts of xONEx RTW fares. Im a complete novice at this. Where should I start?

 

[JohnM]

Well, I think the first thing is that you use it to do things that you truly want to do, not just as a status run. That said, I have been doing an D or AONEx every year for about the last 14 years and I always make sure that I both use it to do the things that I want to do and use every sector and swing things to ensure that I get the maximum benefits.

 

[Quickstatus]

Well, I think the first thing is that you use it to do things that you truly want to do, not just as a status run. That said, I have been doing an D or AONEx every year for about the last 14 years and I always make sure that I both use it to do the things that I want to do and use every sector and swing things to ensure that I get the maximum benefits.

That’s my goal. Not necessarily as a MR but a hopefully cost effective way to see places. I use the $ per SC as a simple value metric.

So where do I start to understand this subject?

 

[JohnM]

The QF website used to show the base prices for 3, 4, 5 or 6 continental zone xONEx's (the taxes and add-ons are variable) for each of L, D and A (the booking classes for Economy, Business and First, respectively) but I don't think it does any more (but look at the 'Round the World' option). QF is also one of the more expensive originating carriers, so some people prefer to position elsewhere for commencement to reduce the cost. But that may involve some more complicated organising and payment. Very roughly, sourcing via QF you are looking at (plus add-ons) c. $5K for L, c. $12K for D and c. $16K for A for an xONE4.

The OWA planning and booking tool is useful for scoping options:

oneworld

For anyone in Australia, it will push you over to QF as the booking carrier if you proceed to booking.

Be aware of these basic rules and you can't go badly wrong:

1. Travel between continental zones must be in the same direction.
2. Travel within continental zones can be in any direction.
3. Maximum 4 sectors within each continental zone, except for N America where it is 6.
4. Only one full trans-con sector (eg. PER-SYD; LAX-JFK) is permitted in each zone (relevant particularly to Australia, USA, and S America).
5. Maximum sectors is 16 (but additional ones can be bought on top). (Make sure you use the lot )
6. If buying an LONEx, be aware that, where PE is offered, a supplement is available to book to fly that sector in PE. That can be done at the time of booking (it appears clearly on the OWA tool).

The online tool is very good at trapping errors and telling you why (as long as you understand the above rules beforehand).

There may be a few other less transparent quirks, like my recent experience of QR not allowing a straight-through connection in DOH, for example, that you may get caught on. You need to battle those unpredictable ones at the time if they pop up.

Golden rule: be flexible.

 

[JohnM]

Meant to mention that you may want to scope here: RoundAbout Travel | Australia's Only Round the World Airfare Specialist

I've never used them, as I do my own thing.

 

[RooFlyer]

There is, or used to be a XONEX rule that flying out of Australia, it will count Asia as a continent, whether you go there or not (eg LHR-DXB-SYD would cause Asia to be counted as a continent, boosting you from a XONE4 to a XONE5 for instance.)

I was discussing tips and tricks with @JohnM recently, when planning my own DONE4 and I think we concluded that this rule may have now been waived, but not sure. Is that right, John?

With XDONEX's there is a set charge for 3, 4 or 5 continent fares (although a Qantas rep told me on the phone recently that there wasn't - she was incorrect), and then there is taxes/surcharges on top depending on the airports and airlines you choose.

DONE4 (business class RTW, 4 continent for those who don't know the lingo) can earn 1,400 SCs without too much trouble if you maximise your sector allowance (16) and keep an eye on earn.

In my own DONE4, I did a combination of going where I wanted to go AND making sure I maximised SCs, so for instance to get from Nth America to Europe I'm flying DFW-DOH (another JohnM tip ) and I'm starting off with SYD-xLAX-JFK on QF, which earns big AND counts as only one sector. I ended up with about 1,550 SCs.

After mapping out the trip on the OW planning tool, I then gave it to my Travel Agent to book. One of the advantages of doing this is that it can be 'booked' and not paid for until about 1 month before the first flight, according to their rules # . I think if you book it through the OW planning tool, you have to pay there and then - or when you want to of course, but there is nothing booked in the meantime. I think that's correct.

# One of the long term benefits for using a TA is that, for any flight some way into the future, if I didn't want to pay when due, the flight could be cancelled and re-booked by the TA to kick the payment date down the road. Keep doing this until seats become tight. Now with the XONEX, which flies in April/May, it strictly should not need to be paid and ticketed until mid March. What the TA found was that QR and UL demanded payment for their sectors within a week of booking (which of course would have crystallise the whole ticket). The TA was able to contact both airlines and explain the situation, and I now have March again to pay.

 

[JohnM]

There is, or used to be a XONEX rule that flying out of Australia, it will count Asia as a continent, whether you go there or not (eg LHR-DXB-SYD would cause Asia to be counted as a continent, boosting you from a XONE4 to a XONE5 for instance.)

I was discussing tips and tricks with @JohnM recently, when planning my own DONE4 and I think we concluded that this rule may have now been waived, but not sure. Is that right, John?

I think it was more a hangover form the days when any flight out of or into Australia had to transit 'true' Asia (eg. SIN) but it continued by default even when QF started going via DXB (which is actually in the European continental zone - BTW something worth remembering for there and DOH when using your 4 allowable sectors in the European zone).

The advent of LHR-PER direct seems to have thrown the system - the OW site still seems to perform the traditional way. This was recently revealed to me when I was using the OW tool and a DONE4 I was planning came up at DONE5 price, even though I had chosen LHR-PER direct and was not going into the Asian continental zone outbound or inbound. Running the same itinerary over the phone at QF had it come out as a DONE4 - and a $2K saving.

So there is a need to be careful with that aspect now that direct Europe-Australia zone flights are a reality.