Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Joshua]

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

Sorry. My post was misleading. There is a 3.5k points change fee per passenger that is mandatory. The $80 fee is a phone assistance fee that isn't waived for Business and First bookings.

I think you meant is waived
As you say, there is an 'award change fee' of 3500 points, which I seemed to get waived half the time. Premium cabin bookings are exempt for the telephone 'change booking fee' of $80 for international bookings. http://www.qantas.com.au/travel/airlines/schedule-of-fees/au/en

You certainly don't need to make changes but the need often arises. As to your original question, your 'average mum and dad' generally will never have enough points, not realise the award exists and be a long way to understanding it. If it was a commercial ticket like the RTW fares, then people including some reservation staff still would struggle.

 

[Danger]

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

I think you meant is waived
As you say, there is an 'award change fee' of 3500 points, which I seemed to get waived half the time. Premium cabin bookings are exempt for the telephone 'change booking fee' of $80 for international bookings. Schedule of Fees for bookings made from Australia | Qantas

Grrrr. Buggered up again. Yes, waived. The $80 fee is waived for First and Business as you've pointed out.

 

[Joshua]

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

I've also had the 3500 fee waived for me quite a few times. Agent's discretion, but having researched availability and being able to feed them flights/dates does help a lot.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

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

Hi everyone,

Just after some opinions. I am almost ready to finalise remaining bookings on a 280K trip. I've already booked about half and the rest are all available with the exception of my last planned flight from DFW to SYD. It's still too far out to book this flight however I am tempted to update my bookings now for all the other flights I need to book and am not too worried about a few extra points charges. Do you think I should do this or wait for the final flight and do all at once or should I book the final flight on an earlier date and then change later. My thinking being that it might be easier to change a date on an existing booking rather than waiting for my preferred date and living with the risk that no J flight being available. I have noticed that the J award between DFW and SYD is not apparently available on every day

Regards,

Nick

 

[vetrade]

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

Hi everyone,

Just after some opinions. I am almost ready to finalise remaining bookings on a 280K trip. I've already booked about half and the rest are all available with the exception of my last planned flight from DFW to SYD. It's still too far out to book this flight however I am tempted to update my bookings now for all the other flights I need to book and am not too worried about a few extra points charges. Do you think I should do this or wait for the final flight and do all at once or should I book the final flight on an earlier date and then change later. My thinking being that it might be easier to change a date on an existing booking rather than waiting for my preferred date and living with the risk that no J flight being available. I have noticed that the J award between DFW and SYD is not apparently available on every day

Regards,

Nick

Need more info Nick. What and when are the flights that are available now? If they are domestic flights within the US QF will book you into Y, in which case award availability should be reasonable - but if you are looking at J seats for AA flights to Canada or the Caribbean you would be best not to risk waiting too long to book them. How long before the DFW - SYD flight is released ? QF8 doesn't fly on Tuesdays and award availability seems to reliable only on Wednesdays and Sundays. Having an existing booking won't help you get a later flight on QF8 - either award seats will be available or they won't. Do you have enough km / flight segments left on your itinerary to fly via LAX to SYD or BNE if you luck out on the DFW flight?

 

[mga363]

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

Hi, Just wondering if someone could help me. I'm trying to book a multi-city trip as part of a OneWorld redemption. This is what I want to do in total:

[FONT=Helvetica, sans-serif]syd-scl-lpb STOP
lim-hav STOP
vra-txl-kef STOP
kef-dus-rak STOP
cdg-hnd-okd STOP
mnl-syd[/FONT]

I've checked it all and it can be done entirely using one world airlines and is just under the 35,000 miles according to circle mapper. But I can't even get the first 2 stops worked out! The multi-city tool on Qantas.com just won't show any flights to Havana at all. I called up Qantas and I spoke to a man who said that it was because the first stop was actually going via LA and not Santiago. And if there are any flights that go via anywhere in the USA, then you cannot book a segment to Cuba (HAV) because of the US embargo.

I have heard this before. So he said that you can force to the tool to not have any USA stopovers by specifically routing each segment. He said that I need to use this route: SYD-SCL-IQQ-IPB. All of this is via LAN Airlines. And then he said that with the multi-city tool you should be able to route even a complicated journey and pretty much encouraged me to do it myself then hung up.

Sorry for the long winded explanation, but here I am trying to do it and first hurdle - I can't even find SCL - IQQ (Iquique). The tool keeps saying "no cities matching your request". If I just search for SCL-IPB it will go via Miami even though I can clearly see on the LAN website that there is a SCL-IQQ-IPB route 3 times a week via LAN! I've checked this for flights a year in advance just so I know that route should still be available. Am I doing something wrong?

Is it actually possible to book a complicated route using the Qantas Multi-City tool?

Any help would be appreciated, and again I'm sorry for the length.

 

[Jacques Vert]

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

I called up Qantas and I spoke to a man who said that it was because the first stop was actually going via LA and not Santiago. And if there are any flights that go via anywhere in the USA, then you cannot book a segment to Cuba (HAV) because of the US embargo.

I have heard this before. So he said that you can force to the tool to not have any USA stopovers by specifically routing each segment.

This is true. When we went to HAV in 2010, we were warned that if we touched down in the US the rest of our ticket would be cancelled. We flew MAD-HAV-MEX; but these flights are no longer available.

Try using Expert Flyer to confirm that the reward seats are available and on what days; record dates, flight numbers, etc. and then call QF. Advise them you wish to book a classic award (once you are ready to book, of course) but it can't be done online and ask them to waive the fee.

 

[dexter_jambles]

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

I can't even find SCL - IQQ (Iquique). The tool keeps saying "no cities matching your request". If I just search for SCL-IPB it will go via Miami even though I can clearly see on the LAN website that there is a SCL-IQQ-IPB route 3 times a week via LAN! I've checked this for flights a year in advance just so I know that route should still be available. Am I doing something wrong?

I've had the same problem booking SYD-SCL. If you can find that leg at all through the booking tool you've had a big win. If you are able to get award seats showing for this leg only then you are on your way.

For Havana, I've also had similar advice re: flying direct from the US. I previously had to go from LAX via Mexico City to Havana as direct flights from US were a no go.

Re: not showing up in the QF search, SCL may be the issue as it doesn't show up many available award seats from/to SCL.

 

[mga363]

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

Thanks for your help guys. It looks like it might be near impossible to book this thing online. So hopefully when I call and tell them they might waive the fee. Out of interest, what's the success rate of getting the fee waived? I will be booking economy only.

 

[Jacques Vert]

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

. Out of interest, what's the success rate of getting the fee waived? I will be booking economy only.

Depends a little on who you get on the other end.

When I booked our flights for October this year, the QF search engine would list the flights and then give an error saying "cannot price this itinerary". So I rang with a list of the dates, flight numbers, departure and arrival days and times (having confirmed on Expert Flyer that the seats were available) and said: "Seems that this cannot be booked on-line".

Agent booked it all in under 5 minutes and didn't mention the booking fee; neither did I!

If they won't waive the fee, you could always say you need to think about it, hang up and call back later, talk to a different person.....

JV

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

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

Hi. I'm brand new to this group, so I apologise in advance if my question has been covered already - I've tried to search for it in the existing threads but without success.

A little background:
I'm looking to book a RTW OW Award 280k extravaganza, with first departure in a little over a year from now. The actual routing is still pretty fluid, but with stopovers (max 5...) the whole itinerary will run over about 10 weeks.

My question:
Given that the seat availabilities don't become visible until 353 days out (with some variations for the partner carriers, e.g. I've seen references in this thread to AA at 330 days), does that mean that I have to wait until ALL the various date/carrier combinations are released before I can start booking ANY of the sectors? Of course my concern is that by the time the LAST sector becomes available (which could potentially be somewhere around 90 days after the FIRST sector becomes available), that the FIRST sector seats will have all been taken.
Or is there a better way?

My thanks in advance for any help anyone can give.

 

[Danger]

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

Hi. I'm brand new to this group, so I apologise in advance if my question has been covered already - I've tried to search for it in the existing threads but without success.

A little background:
I'm looking to book a RTW OW Award 280k extravaganza, with first departure in a little over a year from now. The actual routing is still pretty fluid, but with stopovers (max 5...) the whole itinerary will run over about 10 weeks.

My question:
Given that the seat availabilities don't become visible until 353 days out (with some variations for the partner carriers, e.g. I've seen references in this thread to AA at 330 days), does that mean that I have to wait until ALL the various date/carrier combinations are released before I can start booking ANY of the sectors? Of course my concern is that by the time the LAST sector becomes available (which could potentially be somewhere around 90 days after the FIRST sector becomes available), that the FIRST sector seats will have all been taken.
Or is there a better way?

My thanks in advance for any help anyone can give.

Welcome, There'sOnlyOneJimmy.

One of the limitations of this award is the fact that if you want to be sure to secure your award seats you need to book them as close to the time they are released as you can. As a result, you end up booking the award in stages, adding a new flight each time an onward seat for your next onward flight becomes available you add that to the existing reservation. Often this means phoning QF to have them do it over the phone but because you're booking a Business award you won't be charged the $80 phone service fee. However, each change incurs a 3.5k FF point fee per passenger, regardless of whether it's done online or over the phone. This also means that you will almost certainly end up forking out more than 280k to begin with. Only once you have achieved three oneworld airlines and less than five stops (and under 35k miles) will your booking revert to 280k and you'll get a points refund.

 

[vetrade]

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

There'sOnlyOneJimmy,
We can give you more specific advice if you give us an idea of what itinerary you have in mind, what your stopover cities will be etc and which airlines you intend flying. Some AFFers have spent many hours working through the idiosyncrasies of these 280K awards and have extensive knowledge on particular areas, countries or routes, so with some more info I'm sure they'll chip in with advice. As a general comment to get you started you should know that you can book the first part of your trip online with subsequent changes having to be done over the phone. I have generally found that there's usually a handful of flights that are most important to the success of your itinerary which you need to lock in place ASAP. You will find some flights always tend to have good J seat availability so these are the ones where you can afford to wait in order to minimise the number of times you need to pay the 3500 point change fee.

 

[romney]

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

Thanks for your help guys. It looks like it might be near impossible to book this thing online. So hopefully when I call and tell them they might waive the fee. Out of interest, what's the success rate of getting the fee waived? I will be booking economy only.

I booked a fairly simple itinerary but could not book the QR flights on the website even though I could see them only a couple of days earlier. When I called to find out why I couldn't see the QR flights, the person I spoke with suggested he book it and waive the fees. I didn't even need to ask him to waive them, so I think your chances should be fairly good.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

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

There'sOnlyOneJimmy,
We can give you more specific advice if you give us an idea of what itinerary you have in mind, what your stopover cities will be etc and which airlines you intend flying.

Thanks for your advice so far Vetrade & Danger.

We’ve got a couple of different options still in the melting pot at the moment, but the current preferred plan is to start mid June and go:
MEL - ?? - SGN / Stop (about 5 weeks)
SGN - ?? - HKG / Stop (about a week)
HKG - ?? - LHR (or ORY) / Stop
Surface Sector (at least 7 weeks)
SCQ (or MAD) - ?? - LHR (or ORY) / Stop (2 or 3 days)
LHR (or ORY) - ?? - CAI / Stop (4 days - 1 week)
CAI - ?? - MEL (by 2 Oct at latest)


A couple of notes:
* The SGN arrival & destination points can be any of SGN, DAD, HAN
* The length of the SGN stop can adjust to suit the timing needs of the rest of the itinerary
* Where LHR (or ORY) appears (3 times in the itinerary) they need to be the same place each time (we intend to leave some luggage and pick it up on the way back through)
* The HKG & CAI Stops are both flexible and can be substituted (or even deleted entirely) if required to get the rest of the itinerary settled
* Airline choice is wide open - whatever works to qualify under the rules of the game, and maximise J seats Vs WHYYY seats


With all that said, I’ve done a couple of dummy runs, and it looks like it could be challenging to achieve the Vietnam Stop. If that Stop proves impossible or impractical, then we’ll probably opt to leave a little later in the year and change the itinerary to:
MEL - ?? - JFK / Stop (about 2 weeks, but up to 3 weeks)
JFK - ?? - LHR (or ORY) / Stop
—- same as above from here
Surface Sector (at least 7 weeks)
SCQ (or MAD) - ?? - LHR (or ORY) / Stop (2 or 3 days)
LHR (or ORY) - ?? - CAI / Stop (4 days - 1 week)
CAI - ?? - MEL (by 2 Oct at latest)

Thanks again,
TOOJ#3

 

[vetrade]

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

TOOJ#3,
Some basic probs with your itinerary - The rules state that you can have a maximum of 2 transits (i.e. less than 24hrs between flights) and 1 stopover in any individual city. That means you can't have the 2 stopovers you intend in either LHR or ORY (CDG). You could have one stopover and one transit there - depending on where you intend to leave your luggage, a transit may or my not give you enough time.
I think the obvious transit city between MEL and SGN would be KUL; then you could fly direct to HKG for your second stop (personally, a week in HKG would be way too long for me).
HKG to LHR or CDG could be direct flights. You need to re-think your intentions from there.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

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

TOOJ#3,
Some basic probs with your itinerary -
1. The rules state that you can have a maximum of 2 transits (i.e. less than 24hrs between flights) and 1 stopover in any individual city. That means you can't have the 2 stopovers you intend in either LHR or ORY (CDG). You could have one stopover and one transit there - depending on where you intend to leave your luggage, a transit may or my not give you enough time.

2. I think the obvious transit city between MEL and SGN would be KUL; then you could fly direct to HKG for your second stop (personally, a week in HKG would be way too long for me).

Prob #1 - Sorry, I missed that rule... On reflection, let's change that to fly IN to LHR, and then fly back OUT of ORY (CDG). We'll leave the luggage in Paris.

#2 - Yes, KUL does seem like the natural path to SGN. In fact, if we've got a Stop left over, then we'd probably Stop there for a few days (perhaps by reducing the HKG time ;-)

 

[vetrade]

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

TOOJ#3
1. You indicated that you thought getting to Vietnam might be a problem on the basis of dummy entries you did, but keep in mind that QF won't show up MH flights online. MH fly to SGN 4 times daily and it's only a 2 hr flight so my guess is that the chances of getting J seats should be very likely -> even though you're not ready to book yet you can always ring the QF call centre and ask them what availability there is in, say, 10 months time for a MH flight from KUL - SGN.
2. I always reckon it would be a shame not to make full use of the 5 stopover rule - so I never go for 4 if we can have 5!
3. Not sure I understand how changing to fly into LHR and fly out of ORY would allow you to pick up your luggage - obviously you can only pick it up from the same place you left it so, whether that's London or Paris, your second visit could only be a transit of < 24hrs to comply with the one stop-over per city rule.
4. One option you should consider would be to buy a Y ticket to fly from SCQ (or MAD) to LHR (or ORY/CDG). That would be a short flight that wouldn't cost you much money and it would mean that, since it is separate and distinct from your OW itinerary, you would only be deemed to be having a single stop-over in London (or Paris). That way you would be able to take your time retrieving your baggage and you'd also have a spare stop-over to have a few days in KUL (or somewhere else) as well. Win / Win.

 

[serfty]

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

It is good that you are looking toavoid departures from the UK on these awards as the APD can cost up to £194 per PAX.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

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

It is good that you are looking toavoid departures from the UK on these awards as the APD can cost up to £194 per PAX.

Serfty, my departure from VCE to JFK goes via London but assume that I don't pay this cost as my flight does not originate from there. Is that correct?