Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[benjy]

As long as you have not commenced you first flight.

Oh bummer, I must have misunderstood previous posts. As soon as I fly that MEL > PER flight, game over, no more changes?

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Oh bummer, I must have misunderstood previous posts. As soon as I fly that MEL > PER flight, game over, no more changes?

Yes, you can do as you propose (assuming that the desired award seats open up for you, and no ticket re-issue is required). I have made this type of change with 2 connecting QR flights.

Refer to the rule extract below:

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.

 

[benjy]

Yes, you can do as you propose (assuming that the desired award seats open up for you, and no ticket re-issue is required). I have made this type of change with 2 connecting QR flights.

Refer to the rule extract below:

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.

Thanks Jimmy. That's the condition I was looking at and reading previous posts which made it thought my thinking was possible.

Funny you mention QR because they're the flights I'm having difficulty with. At the moment, the HEL > DOH > MEL flights I want can be found but about 270 days out, not 360 days out like all other sectors (previous to HEL>DOH>MEL) that I'm having no issue with. Which makes think I'll have to book Part B where availability permits just before I fly Part A, then make the date changes after Part A has been flown.

Assuming I fly the same flight number on the different dates this won't cause the ticket reissue and I'll be sweet?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Oh bummer, I must have misunderstood previous posts. As soon as I fly that MEL > PER flight, game over, no more changes?

Sorry I misread your post. You can make changes. I thought you meant adding in the last batch of flights after you had already commenced. My bad.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

——— Snip
Assuming I fly the same flight number on the different dates this won't cause the ticket reissue and I'll be sweet?

I’ve had a look back at what happened for me (about 3 years ago...).
I had the last 2 sectors of my itinerary moved forward about 3 weeks.
Both sectors were with QR.
Both sectors had the exact same departure times on the earlier dates as they had on the original dates.
But (surprisingly) both sectors had different flight numbers on the earlier dates Vs the originals.
The new QF itinerary had new ticket numbers (the ones starting with “081-“).

Of course, this is a sample of only one data point, YMMV...

Good luck with your travels.
J

 

[benjy]

Sorry I misread your post. You can make changes. I thought you meant adding in the last batch of flights after you had already commenced. My bad.

I’ve had a look back at what happened for me (about 3 years ago...).
I had the last 2 sectors of my itinerary moved forward about 3 weeks.
Both sectors were with QR.
.

Of course, this is a sample of only one data point, YMMV...

Good luck with your travels.
J

Thank you both for your help. Yes, I'm definitely booking the final sectors before I commence Part A. Finding the availability on the dates I want for Part B is proving difficult. So I think I'll just book Part B now where there is availability, get it all ticketed, happy days. Then come back from Part A then change the dates for Part B to when I want them (and where availability permits of course). Happy days.

One final question. Can I move Part B to outside of 12 months since taking the first flight of Part A or does all flights have to be strictly within that 12 month window?

Thanks all

 

[exceladdict]

I have a feeling that something has happened with AY flight surcharges. NRT-HEL//HEL-HKG currently pricing at ¥67040 ($812 AUD) - breakdown below. Tried combining with a PER-HKG-NRT-HEL/HEL-HKG-PER which jumps to $1800AUD, so I don't think it's a POS issue.

I'm worried that the 125EUR for up to 6 flights may no longer be a thing.

 

[exceladdict]

One final question. Can I move Part B to outside of 12 months since taking the first flight of Part A or does all flights have to be strictly within that 12 month window?

I think the 12 month is commonly accepted however I couldn't see anything referring to this in a quick scan of the T&Cs and Qantas T&Cs page. Perhaps there's a seperate rule where tickets can only have up to 12 months' duration?

 

[exceladdict]

Calling all advisors - looking for feedback on a variant of the below, in particular if there's a routing I could try to cut taxes down from. Looking at 2 people in J:
SIN-NRT(JL)/HND-SYD-PER(QF)/PER-HKG-HND(tf)NRT-HEL(CX/JL/AY)/HEL-HKG-PER(AY/CX) comes to $1850 approx
SIN-NRT(JL)/HND-SYD-PER(QF)/PER-ADL-DOH-HEL(QF/QR)/HEL-HKG-PER(AY/CX) comes to $2100AUD approx
SIN-NRT(JL)/HND-SYD-PER(QF)/PER-ADL-DOH-HEL(QF/QR)/LGW-DOH-ADL (QR) comes to $2K AUD approx (surprisingly lower)

As mentioned above, isolating the second half of the ticket (PER-HEL ret) as per the first itinerary still results in taxes of $1700 so I'm a bit stumped as originally thought it might be the QF segment causing the trouble.

Another fun fact - booking BA HKG-LHR by itself only has taxes of around $100AUD but adding it to the itinerary blows it out by $800.

 

[jetpack]

I think the 12 month is commonly accepted however I couldn't see anything referring to this in a quick scan of the T&Cs and Qantas T&Cs page. Perhaps there's a seperate rule where tickets can only have up to 12 months' duration?

This one perhaps?

14.6.1 Classic Flight Rewards will be valid for one year from the original ticketed departure date, unless otherwise specified.

 

[exceladdict]

This one perhaps?

14.6.1 Classic Flight Rewards will be valid for one year from the original ticketed departure date, unless otherwise specified.

Hardest to see what's right in front of you!

 

[benjy]

Thank you everyone for your assistance. Going to give Qantas a call tomorrow and finish off my ticket. Then change Part B to the dates I want once availability comes available, most likely after I've completed Part A

 

[jeza]

Is there anything in the T&C's that prevent you from doing something like Singapore -> Europe -> Australia & stopping for 10 months, then finishing the award itinerary by going back to Europe -> Singapore?

Understand I'd have to do it all in 12 months & would have to pay the change fee in points when booking the 2nd part of the itinerary, also that I'd have to be mindful of keeping the miles below 35K.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Is there anything in the T&C's that prevent you from doing something like Singapore -> Europe -> Australia & stopping for 10 months, then finishing the award itinerary by going back to Europe -> Singapore?

Understand I'd have to do it all in 12 months & would have to pay the change fee in points when booking the 2nd part of the itinerary, also that I'd have to be mindful of keeping the miles below 35K.

Nothing at all. Both my OWCAs have been done this way,

 

[jeza]

Nothing at all. Both my OWCAs have been done this way,

Thank you

 

[exceladdict]

Is there anything in the T&C's that prevent you from doing something like Singapore -> Europe -> Australia & stopping for 10 months, then finishing the award itinerary by going back to Europe -> Singapore?

Understand I'd have to do it all in 12 months & would have to pay the change fee in points when booking the 2nd part of the itinerary, also that I'd have to be mindful of keeping the miles below 35K.

This is what I'm planning ATM. Difficulty is finding short term availability for the first leg as it's only being booked 2 months out, and then needing to book the rest of it before departing on the first leg of the itinerary as after that point it's only date/flight number changes allowed.

 

[brett-au]

Hi all - questions.
* Is there anyway I can download this thread and make a PDF/searchable document. It seems questions like those below have been answered somewhere in the previous 288 pages.

* When flying from say LAX to HNL or PHX to ANC on an award costing 280k (all J) am I going to fly in first class domestically or business class. It seems some AA flights have first class, business class, extra space and regular economy or some combo. I'd like to sit in the first 10 seats on their inter continential A321 for example.

* When flying from HNL to SYD are you better off to fly via NRT or LAX and enjoy the J experience as I hear (and see) direct redemption tickets being hard to come by.

* Perhaps the wiki can be updated with difficult routing options or tips for each carrier, rather than just the fuel fines.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Hi all - questions.
* Is there anyway I can download this thread and make a PDF/searchable document. It seems questions like those below have been answered somewhere in the previous 288 pages.

* When flying from say LAX to HNL or PHX to ANC on an award costing 280k (all J) am I going to fly in first class domestically or business class. It seems some AA flights have first class, business class, extra space and regular economy or some combo. I'd like to sit in the first 10 seats on their inter continential A321 for example.

* When flying from HNL to SYD are you better off to fly via NRT or LAX and enjoy the J experience as I hear (and see) direct redemption tickets being hard to come by.

* Perhaps the wiki can be updated with difficult routing options or tips for each carrier, rather than just the fuel fines.

1. Not that I’m aware of.
2. This award books into J on AA where they operate a three class aircraft. In other words, selected domestic trans-con services. In a two class configuration it will book into Y.
3. Comes down to personal preference, availability, and potentially available miles.

 

[muppet]

2. This award books into J on AA where they operate a three class aircraft. In other words, selected domestic trans-con services. In a two class configuration it will book into Y.

Not any more. Awards book into U class which is Business on 3-class aircraft and First on 2-class aircraft.

Subject to availability of course.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Not any more. Awards book into U class which is Business on 3-class aircraft and First on 2-class aircraft.

Subject to availability of course.

Oh. When did that change?

I did one of these 8 months ago and it booked into Y.

But that’s excellent news.