Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Ktan89]

Hi @pagebb there are plenty of airlines who can get you from CPH to JFK without going backwards to DOH - Example: BA via London, AY via Helsinki or
IB via Madrid

 

[motef]

Just wanted to thank everyone on this forum and in particular this thread for all the help as I have finally completed bookings for our trip for the two of us

It is

NTL-BNE-SYD (QF) -SIN (BA)
SIN-CMB-MLE (UL)
MLE- DOH-CDG (QR)
CDG-LHR (BA)
EDI-LHR-HEL (BA)
HEL-KTT (AY)
KTT-HEL (AY)-DOH-SIN (QR) -SYD (BA)

(all in J except for CMB-MLE and HEL-KTT return)

I have had a good run with great phone agents who know exactly what I am talking about, have often only been charged 5,000 pts each change, not 5,000 x2 and even had change fees waived once due to the length of time it took to calculate taxes. My phone waits have been long.

I have followed the advice here and NEVER hung up after a change until the phone agent can read me out the new e-ticket number. I encourage everyone else to do the same. This has sometimes been up to an hour extra to wait on the line.

It has been so much research and effort as I was a complete newbie and started my research about a year ago but it has been also fun and I am already clocking up the points to do it again and am actually looking forward to it.

Now to get excited for the actual trip. Haha

 

[DC3]

Thanks! How can I check whether results on the AA website are MileSAAver or Anytime award?

You will see “Business/First MileSAAver” along the top of the screenshots in post # 8301. These screenshots are from the AA website. These are what you are looking for.

In the AA site, once at that page, click on “Business/First MileSAAver” and it will display availability for about a four-week period. The pages can be scrolled left to right, and vv. If MileSAAver is greyed-out along the top, then there is no availability at all for the month that is displayed. Click on any date to proceed to a list of flight details.

Whether you will see similar availability on the QF site for awards in not guaranteed, but it will be a “guide”.

Edit: As you will have now gathered, the screenshot in your post # 8298 is not relevant to MileSAAver availability.

 

[Mactiho]

HI All,

Looking for some help regarding booking my OWA in Y. From reading back through the thread, I've used the Qantas multi-city tool and found a route with all my flights there to redeem but its comes in at 161,500 + approx $850 - can someone help please? I assumed it capped at the 132,400.

Route is;

mel-bkk-lhr-yyz-yvr-sea-koa-hnl-mel

Apologies if missing something silly here. Thanks in advance!

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

HI All,

Looking for some help regarding booking my OWA in Y. From reading back through the thread, I've used the Qantas multi-city tool and found a route with all my flights there to redeem but its comes in at 161,500 + approx $850 - can someone help please? I assumed it capped at the 132,400.

Route is;

mel-bkk-lhr-yyz-yvr-sea-koa-hnl-mel

Apologies if missing something silly here. Thanks in advance!

If the points charge exceeds 132,400 then you’ve probably broken a rule...
Check whether you’ve exceeded the maximum distance (35000 miles), or whether you’ve used a non-OneWorld carrier.

Edit: Distance looks OK

 

[BriarFlyer]

My immediate thought is the inclusion of Alaska and/or Westjet flights, which are not oneworld airlines.

 

[DC3]

Yes. I would be looking at the carriers. Who is the carrier yyz-yvr-sea, for example?

As above, OneWorld carriers, only.

 

[Kangol]

In general, how do I go about checking AA MileSAAver availability?

Use the QFF site - AA award flights show up here.
If you can't find availability on the QFF site, more often than not it does not exist.

Even if you find some milesAAver awards on the AA site then ring up QFF and ask to book, if they don't see it (which you would have known by searching on QFF first), it makes no difference to them. They are different systems which see different types of awards.

 

[pagebb]

You will see “Business/First MileSAAver” along the top of the screenshots in post # 8301. These screenshots are from the AA website. These are what you are looking for.

In the AA site, once at that page, click on “Business/First MileSAAver” and it will display availability for about a four-week period. The pages can be scrolled left to right, and vv. If MileSAAver is greyed-out along the top, then there is no availability at all for the month that is displayed. Click on any date to proceed to a list of flight details.

Whether you will see similar availability on the QF site for awards in not guaranteed, but it will be a “guide”.

Edit: As you will have now gathered, the screenshot in your post # 8298 is not relevant to MileSAAver availability.

Got it, thanks! It seems that you can't access that through the (new?) award booking link on the homepage. I found how to get to the right page after creating an AA account.

 

[DC3]

Got it, thanks! It seems that you can't access that through the (new?) award booking link on the homepage. I found how to get to the right page after creating an AA account.

Good that you are on track, although login to AA is not required to search.

 

[vetrade]

Mactiho, not sure what search you did but my understanding is that there are no OneWorld airlines servicing YVR - SEA, SEA - KOA or KOA - HNL

 

[onetonnerodeo]

I've been frantically trying to rework my itinerary since the LATAM debacle I encountered a couple days back. Could someone point out where I'm going wrong here? I'm coming unstuck with the US internal section (below). Other sections all seem to work, and distance/airlines all fine.

Given my experience a couple days ago attempting to change a booking with LATAM on it, I suspect issues again if I book what I can now and try add flights after. The call centre has twice been able to find availability and calculate points (correctly), but are having trouble calculating taxes. One even said that they can't because the bold section below is a stop, but time between arrival MIA and departure MIA is <24 hours. Or have I misunderstood that transit rule and it is based off both departure times? Could it be the US ground segments giving me grief?

Flight 1: MEL-SCL-MVD
Flight 2: SCL-MIA (depart 20:45pm - arrival 05:25 +1)
Flight 3: MIA-SFO (depart 21:35pm - arrival 00:33 +1)
Flight 4: SAN-ORD
Flight 5: JFK-MAD-AMS
Flight 6: AMS-HKG-BKK
Flight 7: BKK-KUL-MEL

 

[BriarFlyer]

Thanks! How can I check whether results on the AA website are MileSAAver or Anytime award?

DC3 has answered this question, but I've just been checking the AA website for an award and notice that there's been a change of interface (an enhancement?) and the Saver vs Anytime distinction is gone. No wonder you were confused. I clicked through on the award you shared in post #8,298 and note that the 71,000 Miles price is a WebSpecial only available to AA members. The other price listed as "Business award" is what we referred to as an Anytime award. I believe that neither would be available with Qantas points for your Oneworld Award.

ETA: while replying, I notice that you've solved this @pagebb. As you were.

 

[pagebb]

Use the QFF site - AA award flights show up here.
If you can't find availability on the QFF site, more often than not it does not exist.

Even if you find some milesAAver awards on the AA site then ring up QFF and ask to book, if they don't see it (which you would have known by searching on QFF first), it makes no difference to them. They are different systems which see different types of awards.

Ok, that's good to know. Thanks!

 

[Mactiho]

Yes. I would be looking at the carriers. Who is the carrier yyz-yvr-sea, for example?

As above, OneWorld carriers, only.

Yeah, it’s WestJet & Alaska, was getting ahead of myself as they kept appearing in a similar fashion on the multi-city tool like the others.

Had to be something silly, thanks again.

Back to the drawing board so!

 

[bookworm]

FINNAIR EXTRA BAGGAGE

Good day,

Does anyone have any experience purchasing an extra piece on a OWA on Finnair?
I have one leg in Y from SFO to HEL & thus far have found no availability in J, though I will keep looking. (flight in Oct). On this leg, I will one x 23kg. Can I purchase more?

No status, am Bronze.

Thank you

 

[DC3]

... The call centre has twice been able to find availability and calculate points (correctly), but are having trouble calculating taxes. One even said that they can't because the bold section below is a stop, but time between arrival MIA and departure MIA is <24 ...

Very frustrating for you. However, there are good and bad (useless) CSOs. Some have absolutely no idea and will tell you total rubbish if they can’t work through the problem.

I have found Oz and NZ to be the best, and South Africa and the Philippines the worst, although others have had better luck with these.

Although you have no control over where the call is directed, Oz seem to be available by 6.30am. NZ earlier, maybe from 4.30am, Oz Eastern. The other two are always around.

 

[DC3]

Use the QFF site - AA award flights show up here.
If you can't find availability on the QFF site, more often than not it does not exist ...

Yes, good advice. However, I find the QF award site to be somewhat coughbersome and limited. I use AA award information to speed up my searches, then go to QF. Horses for courses, I guess.

 

[onetonnerodeo]

Very frustrating for you. However, there are good and bad (useless) CSOs. Some have absolutely no idea and will tell you total rubbish if they can’t work through the problem.

I have found Oz and NZ to be the best, and South Africa and the Philippines the worst, although others have had better luck with these.

Although you have no control over where the call is directed, Oz seem to be available by 6.30am. NZ earlier, maybe from 4.30am, Oz Eastern. The other two are always around.

Cheers for the tip there, sounds like I need to set my alarm and get up early. I'm closing in on 10 hours on the phone with them since Saturday...the short calls were just to sign up for callback, which I hung up once it was Philippines and they didn't know OWA from RTW. Not once got Aus yet.

 

[Mattg]

For those of you that have had problems booking Oneworld Awards through the Qantas call centre, I would invite you to share some of the inaccurate information you've been given by Qantas reps on this thread: Incorrect information you've been given by Qantas Contact Centre