"oneworld" award (132.4K/249.6K/318K/455K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

[ozflier]

Hi,

For my next OWA trip, I’m looking at splitting it into 2 or 3 sections.

I am looking for your advice re past experiences with this method.

Have you done this?

I can remember seeing some thoughts along these lines in the past but cannot find a way to find them on this forum.

I am concerned re taxes and I accept that having the departure of Manila would save money but there are other priorities.

I am thinking of initially leaving BNE in February 2020 and initially flying to AKL and probably coming back to BNE ( at my cost ) after visiting the Bay of Islands etc.

Quite a few months later, maybe later this year, we would pay ourselves to fly back to AKL and then continue our OWA journey to China, catch the train to Tibet . visit Beijing and fly home .

Early 2021 we would leave BNE to Europe and return to AKL. (I would love to go to Marrakesh plus see the aurora borealis in Finland).

I know the OWA rules fairly well thanks to this forum but would be interested in any tips from someone who has done this before.

Cheers for 2020.

 

[Captain Halliday]

@ozflier I’ve done this for both of my OWAs.

Details of the two elements from my most recent trip can be found in this trip report and in my Nordic skies and skis trip report.

For this trip - and my previous one - I departed ex. SIN with BNE as a stop mid trip.

In relation to your idea of starting in AKL, it can certainly be done, but for most routings that will just eat into the 35k miles.

My experience in the second TR chasing the Aurora may not inspire you much though...

 

[ozflier]

@ozflier I’ve done this for both of my OWAs.

Details of the two elements from my most recent trip can be found in this trip report and in my Nordic skies and skis trip report.

For this trip - and my previous one - I departed ex. SIN with BNE as a stop mid trip.

In relation to your idea of starting in AKL, it can certainly be done, but for most routings that will just eat into the 35k miles.

My experience in the second TR chasing the Aurora may not inspire you much though...

I see your point re extra miles associated with using AKL - so much further south .
Once , there used to be a weekly Cathay flight from Port Moresby to HKG and that was another option - can't seem to find it anymore .
Manila for me is such a long flight in Y - 7 hours 45 minutes in a non OneWorld Airline ( eg no lounge access , preferred seating etc).
I liked the idea of seeing the aurora borealis from one of those glass igloos and at the sametime see a bit of Finnish Lapland.
Re your comment , was your view of the phenomenon good and it was not worth the trouble or not a good view in the first place?

 

[Captain Halliday]

was your view of the phenomenon good and it was not worth the trouble or not a good view in the first place?

We’re getting OT, but we spent five consecutive nights out in the cold and saw nothing. It’s the luck of the draw.

To get back on topic, my reason for positioning to SIN is that I have been able to go via SYD or MEL and use the F lounge, plus I found the day flight in the mini Y cabin on the 388 not too bad.

With the reconfig of the 388’s my new plan for positioning flights will be SQ BNE-SIN in J on points, especially as I think I will drop back to SG next year.

 

[pottsy]

Don't worry so much about the payment, but that you receive a new e-ticket.

Received, thankyou

 

[pottsy]

A lot of these charges were listed in the Wiki for this thread . QR is definitely at the more expensive end but worth it if you snag a Q Suite.

The thread below also provides a bit of info as @madrooster was providing segement calculations that we could compare with our own final cost.

Member Offers - oneworld award Surcharges / Taxes Check

Thanks for that ref. Much appreciated, will look at both.

 

[Needcare]

Help please …
Does the MNL transit end the ticket under the oneworld award rules
MNL - DOH (Transit)
DOH - ATH (Stopover / mediterranean cruise)
FCO - DOH (Transit)
DOH - MNL (Transit)
MNL - SYD (Stopover)
We planned to add additional flights in future as part of a one-world award ticket

 

[Captain Halliday]

Help please …
Does the MNL transit end the ticket under the oneworld award rules
MNL - DOH (Transit)
DOH - ATH (Stopover / mediterranean cruise)
FCO - DOH (Transit)
DOH - MNL (Transit)
MNL - SYD (Stopover)
We planned to add additional flights in future as part of a one-world award ticket

Yes.

 

[Needcare]

Yes.

Thankyou for confirmation

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Help please …
Does the MNL transit end the ticket under the oneworld award rules
MNL - DOH (Transit)
DOH - ATH (Stopover / mediterranean cruise)
FCO - DOH (Transit)
DOH - MNL (Transit)
MNL - SYD (Stopover)
We planned to add additional flights in future as part of a one-world award ticket

The relevant rule:
14.3.5 A Classic Flight Reward Itinerary must contain no more than one departure from the city or country of first departure on that Itinerary.

Here’s a link to the rule book:

Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions | Qantas

These Terms and Conditions form the basis of Qantas Frequent Flyer, to protect both Members and the Qantas Group.

www.qantas.com

 

[Needcare]

cheers - appreciate the asisstance

 

[Basaka]

A few questions regarding making changes/opening seats:
- I'm looking to book the last segment of my RTW trip first as it's likely hardest to redeem then wait for my bonus points to come through. Can I make all the changes online and pay the 5000 change fee or will I have to phone up to change the itinerary to a RTW reward? (and hopefully ask them to waive the phone assistance fee).
- One of my routes is planned to be on AA LAX-EZE. It seems like the qantas website does not have as many options as AA so if I've been reading everything right I will need to call them up anyway so they can book it for me?
- Would they charge a phone fee for calling them up and requesting a reward seat to be made available?

 

[Oubline]

A few questions regarding making changes/opening seats:
- I'm looking to book the last segment of my RTW trip first as it's likely hardest to redeem then wait for my bonus points to come through. Can I make all the changes online and pay the 5000 change fee or will I have to phone up to change the itinerary to a RTW reward? (and hopefully ask them to waive the phone assistance fee).
- One of my routes is planned to be on AA LAX-EZE. It seems like the qantas website does not have as many options as AA so if I've been reading everything right I will need to call them up anyway so they can book it for me?
- Would they charge a phone fee for calling them up and requesting a reward seat to be made available?

You will need to call to make any changes, you can’t make any modifications online to these awards. If you’re booking a business class award there won’t be any phone assistance fees, just the 5,000 point fee for changing the ticket.

 

[Basaka]

You will need to call to make any changes, you can’t make any modifications online to these awards. If you’re booking a business class award there won’t be any phone assistance fees, just the 5,000 point fee for changing the ticket.

Thanks for confirming!

 

[onetonnerodeo]

For knowledge sake, a bit of a hypothetical one I was thinking about pertaining to missed segments. What would happen if you were denied entry into a given country?

If your subsequent connection was to come out of that country I assume you'd be stuffed. But if it was from elsewhere (e.g. your stop was to be followed by a land segment), would you still be considered to have 'boarded' your flight? Would the fact that you'd be sent back not interrupt other legs because it (presumably) wouldn't be 'ticketed' on the itinerary?

 

[DC3]

I have not experienced this situation. However, my guess is that the carrier has the ability to re-route you in that situation, so your journey would continue. Interested to hear what other members have to say.

 

[squid01]

Went to book a few of the first legs but the first one from Adelaide to LAX now doesn't have the flight I wanted.

If I were to do the two below flights, is that enough time between the two? Would Qantas send my bags through on the AA flight from Sydney, or would I have to collect bags at Sydney then do a bag drop? Flights will be individual legs within the oneworld award.

 

[DC3]

... If I were to do the two below flights, is that enough time between the two? Would Qantas send my bags through on the AA flight from Sydney, or would I have to collect bags at Sydney then do a bag drop? Flights will be individual legs within the oneworld award.

View attachment 201999

The bags will be through-checked from QF to AA, on the same PNR, so no need to collect and re-check. A two-hour connection from domestic to international at SYD is quite do-able, so long as the incoming flight from ADL is not delayed by too much. According to EF, QF732 has been an average of 12 minutes late over the past two months.

On arrival in SYD Domestic, go straight to Gate 15 to catch the complimentary T-Bus service to the International Terminal. The bus runs about every 10-20 minutes and the journey is about 10 minutes. AA72 would start boarding at about 10.30am.

At least you are not advocating MCT of 60 minutes like some do (including QF). Also, at ADL check-in, QF will provide you with both boarding passes for ADL-SYD and SYD-LAX.

Edit: Should lounge access be a consideration, I would factor-in extra time. . However, it is what it is

 

[Daver6]

Went to book a few of the first legs but the first one from Adelaide to LAX now doesn't have the flight I wanted.

If I were to do the two below flights, is that enough time between the two? Would Qantas send my bags through on the AA flight from Sydney, or would I have to collect bags at Sydney then do a bag drop? Flights will be individual legs within the oneworld award.

View attachment 201999

Also to get the flight you want, try searching as ADL - SYD and then SYD - LAX.

 

[jase05]

Also to get the flight you want, try searching as ADL - SYD and then SYD - LAX.

Yep, I’d be getting a ADL-SYD flight over the night before and stay at one of the hotels near by. That is generally our plan of attack from ADL and allows us to wake up stress free, head to the airport and check in with plenty of time to grab brekky at a lounge