Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[leer30]

According to the Great Circle Mapper that's ~30,000 miles and 5 stopovers so all good I think.

Just check whether that is nautical miles. 1 nautical mile = 1.15 miles. If so, think you would still be ok (just)

 

[JohnM]

I don’t think you’ll be able to go SFO-SCL on the OWA.

 

[wentworthmeister]

I don’t think you’ll be able to go SFO-SCL on the OWA.

What's the limitation?

 

[JohnM]

I don’t think that there are any direct flights.

 

[futaris]

LAX-SCL on LA

Since it's an award, if you're under MPM, then you can use:

DFW-SCL on AA
MIA-SCL on AA or LA
JFK-SCL on LA

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Just check whether that is nautical miles. 1 nautical mile = 1.15 miles. If so, think you would still be ok (just)

Bad luck, it’s Statute Miles not Nautical Miles.
From the Book of Rules:
14.5.2 Classic Flight Rewards using the oneworld Classic Flight Reward table must be no more than a distance of 56,315 kilometres (35,000 miles). Longer journeys must be broken into separate Itineraries.
For that conversion to be true, it must be Statute Miles...
If in doubt, do your measurements in kilometres.

Also, be aware that the distances used by the QF booking engine are sometimes slightly different from those given by Great Circle Mapper; sometimes more, sometimes less. Best to leave a little leeway for safety (say about 100 km or so).

 

[Warren Mason]

Hi, I only joined this site a short time ago and have been reading as much as I can to learn how these booking work. I am starting to get confused so it's time to ask a question that I hope isn't too dumb.
We want to take a Classic Flight Reward (j) and so far I have determined that the best way to get to Rome is

Seg 1
SYD - SIN
SIN - HKG
HK - FCO

From Rome we would then travel round and end up in London about 5 weeks later.

Seg 2 LHR-LIS

Seg 3 LIS-MAD

Seg 4 MAD-SCL

Seg 5 SCL-SYD

Given that the availablity for the Seg 1 flights is in about a month or so, am I better to book them as soon as they are available and then, if I am reading correctly, then call Qantas and then add to my itinerary and either pay a money or points fee?

Sorry if this has all been asked previously, however I am starting to get a bit of overload of information and very confused.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Deanwan]

Anyone tried the Award Flight Assist service? Hows the service and rate?

 

[leer30]

From Rome we would then travel round and end up in London about 5 weeks later.

Seg 2 LHR-LIS

I would avoid departing LHR after your euro stopover, as you will pay a UK departure tax (a few hundred per passenger, if I'm not mistaken)

 

[Warren Mason]

I would avoid departing LHR after your euro stopover, as you will pay a UK departure tax (a few hundred per passenger, if I'm not mistaken)

WOW that is something I wasn't aware of. Our last trip we flew home from Barcelona with a transit through London to get the flight we were exempt. (did some quick reading) Might be worth going to Paris on the train and pickup the next flight from there. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Radio8tiv]

WOW that is something I wasn't aware of. Our last trip we flew home from Barcelona with a transit through London to get the flight we were exempt. (did some quick reading) Might be worth going to Paris on the train and pickup the next flight from there. Thanks for the heads up.

The Eurostar now also goes direct to Amsterdam, I'm doing this in Feb to avoid the LHR fees

 

[Captain Halliday]

Anyone tried the Award Flight Assist service? Hows the service and rate?

It’s comprehensive. I received three or four possible combinations of flights for my desired itinerary. It’s essentially a travel agent for award bookings. Though you still have to book yourself.

I’d recommend it for people who are time poor, have limited experience redeeming premium awards, or who will only redeem infrequently and can’t justify the cost of tools like award nexus.

I was a trial user, so it was free to me, so I can’t comment on the rate.

 

[Kangol]

WOW that is something I wasn't aware of. Our last trip we flew home from Barcelona with a transit through London to get the flight we were exempt. (did some quick reading) Might be worth going to Paris on the train and pickup the next flight from there. Thanks for the heads up.

Rates for Air Passenger Duty
LHR-LIS is <2000 miles and APD is GBP26.
Half that if the seat pitch is less than 40".

 

[Warren Mason]

Rates for Air Passenger Duty
LHR-LIS is <2000 miles and APD is GBP26.
Half that if the seat pitch is less than 40".

Thanks for that. With the cost of the Eurostar ticket would be cheaper to pay the tax. Wouldn't fly back to Aust from London but to Lisbon it looks OK.

 

[azza_1992]

I've been on the look out for a while and finally - the stars have aligned - and award availability is there for a trip to Korea and Italy next year.

Couple of quick questions before I book:

- Can the call centre delete and change flights once initially booked, or only add additional segments?

- In June next year there's heaps of FCO to DOH availability on QR but no DOH to FCO availability showing on the website - it tries to route me through London on BA. Can this BA preference be worked around? Am I likely to have better luck with the call centre in getting a direct DOH to FCO award on QR?

 

[jaseb]

It’s comprehensive. I received three or four possible combinations of flights for my desired itinerary. It’s essentially a travel agent for award bookings. Though you still have to book yourself.

I’d recommend it for people who are time poor, have limited experience redeeming premium awards, or who will only redeem infrequently and can’t justify the cost of tools like award nexus.

I was a trial user, so it was free to me, so I can’t comment on the rate.

What is the platform called?

 

[wentworthmeister]

Question - if I book the overall OWA trip in Economy, am I able to use points to upgrade to Business on the Qantas flights at either end of the trip?

 

[ellen10]

I've been on the look out for a while and finally - the stars have aligned - and award availability is there for a trip to Korea and Italy next year.

Couple of quick questions before I book:

- Can the call centre delete and change flights once initially booked, or only add additional segments?

- In June next year there's heaps of FCO to DOH availability on QR but no DOH to FCO availability showing on the website - it tries to route me through London on BA. Can this BA preference be worked around? Am I likely to have better luck with the call centre in getting a direct DOH to FCO award on QR?

- Yes the call centre can delete and change flights, as well as add segments.

- I remembering reading somewhere further back that you cannot book QR reward flights departing DOH. I have QR flights from Madrid to Singapore via Doha but it was part of an all inclusive flight.

I am fairly new to these kind of bookings, so there may be other more experienced people with further knowledge.

 

[azza_1992]

Thanks Ellen.

I read this morning that you can't book trips starting in DOH due to the Qantas booking engine being unable to handle the local currency.

However, even when trying to view availability on ex-DOH segments (i.e. DOH-FCO) by searching for a trip starting somewhere eligible (i.e. with a dummy FCO-DOH or HKG-DOH a few days before), the Qantas site is unwilling to show me any ex-DOH segments.

Anyone else experienced this?

 

[cjd600]

I've been on the look out for a while and finally - the stars have aligned - and award availability is there for a trip to Korea and Italy next year.

Couple of quick questions before I book:

- Can the call centre delete and change flights once initially booked, or only add additional segments?

- In June next year there's heaps of FCO to DOH availability on QR but no DOH to FCO availability showing on the website - it tries to route me through London on BA. Can this BA preference be worked around? Am I likely to have better luck with the call centre in getting a direct DOH to FCO award on QR?

I can see plenty of DOH-FCO legs on QR searching FCO-DOH return.
You dont mention travel class or dates, but I was searching J for 2