Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Danger]

I used my points to book a OWA for two family members back in 2019 for departure in 2020. That was pushed back to 2021. Today I got an automated email saying:



The one and only Qantas flight is the first sector and that's the one that been cancelled. I certainly hope Qantas doesn't go and cancel the rest of the itinerary like the email suggests.

I would be assuming the worst - that the whole ticket has - or will be - been cancelled. A phone call will confirm... hopefully catch it in time!

Qantas has indeed cancelled the entire itinerary.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Qantas has indeed cancelled the entire itinerary.

Did you manage to get any of the seats back for the other flights?

 

[Danger]

Did you manage to get any of the seats back for the other flights?

I haven't called Qantas yet.

 

[Noah Count]

That'll throw the number of miles out for me, and for many others I suspect?

Do you know what happens when flights are cancelled and re routed potentially breaking the mileage cap? Does the whole itinerary get voide, do QF only want the extra miles etc and is there any difference if it happens after the itinerary has commenced. I am working on a schedule for early next year and am getting close to the cap, currently at 34561 miles (if great circle mapper is correct).

 

[k_sheep]

Good question. I've no idea. Similar to you I was planning something flying close to the max miles wire so this would put it way off.

Edit: wonder if I should start building the rest of my itinerary now and try and get it locked in before they notify me that it's cancelled .... though I guess the second I'm on the phone they'll see the booking and realise it's not gonna happen ...

 

[vetrade]

Do you know what happens when flights are cancelled and re routed potentially breaking the mileage cap? Does the whole itinerary get voide, do QF only want the extra miles etc and is there any difference if it happens after the itinerary has commenced. I am working on a schedule for early next year and am getting close to the cap, currently at 34561 miles (if great circle mapper is correct).

FWIW we've been forced over the mileage limit mid way through a OWA because we were re-routed after a flight was cancelled.
Two connecting flights replaced the original direct leg but the mileage situation was never even mentioned and the remaining part of our itinerary proceeded normally.

 

[DC3]

FWIW we've been forced over the mileage limit mid way through a OWA because we were re-routed after a flight was cancelled.
Two connecting flights replaced the original direct leg but the mileage situation was never even mentioned and the remaining part of our itinerary proceeded normally.

I have experienced similar. Once the itinerary has commenced, the airlines will move you along in the event of rerouting issues, the rules being put aside. But the itinerary needs to have commenced.

 

[Danger]

I used my points to book a OWA for two family members back in 2019 for departure in 2020. That was pushed back to 2021. Today I got an automated email saying:



The one and only Qantas flight is the first sector and that's the one that been cancelled. I certainly hope Qantas doesn't go and cancel the rest of the itinerary like the email suggests.

Qantas has indeed cancelled the entire itinerary.

Qantas reinstated the itinerary, initially with the cancelled Aus-SIN flight (which also showed as confirmed) but that disappeared a few hours later. AAdvantage was showing options on CX and MH that were bookable (through to the credit card input page, anyway) but Qantas couldn't see them.

 

[11sjw]

I have experienced similar. Once the itinerary has commenced, the airlines will move you along in the event of rerouting issues, the rules being put aside. But the itinerary needs to have commenced.

Probably along the lines of "We're allowed to break the rules if it helps us but you're not allowed to." Given the logistics of airlines ops they would need to maintain that flexibility.

 

[blu]

We had an AA (J-dom first) flight cancelled. AA rerouted us on Delta (Y). Along with a CX service rerouting, we were over the mileage limit.

 

[DC3]

We had an AA (J-dom first) flight cancelled. AA rerouted us on Delta (Y), when other domestic pax were just told to return for next day flight.

And, AA got me out of RAP by rerouting on DL, when weather caused major cancellations out of DFW (the AA connecting aircraft origin). Managed to keep seats up the front.

 

[Longtoo]

Dear the travel guru, when do you think it would be realistic to start planning for 381K for two?

I am currently a QF Platinum FF, with changing work pattern and Covid, I don't think I can maintain my tier much longer. Given the FF keeper deal from QF, I would be ok until Aug 2022. I made a mistake of taking my wife to some first class lounges (Haneda, HongKong, and of course the home port of Sydney), she now wants to visit them again. Thus, being able to travel before Aug 2022 would be good. We did a RTW trip in 2019, it was amazing. This time, we will shorten it to around 3 weeks, focusing on Eastern Europe, Turkey and transiting cities in Asia (either HongKong and Tokyo again).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Dear the travel guru, when do you think it would be realistic to start planning for 381K for two?

I am currently a QF Platinum FF, with changing work pattern and Covid, I don't think I can maintain my tier much longer. Given the FF keeper deal from QF, I would be ok until Aug 2022. I made a mistake of taking my wife to some first class lounges (Haneda, HongKong, and of course the home port of Sydney), she now wants to visit them again. Thus, being able to travel before Aug 2022 would be good. We did a RTW trip in 2019, it was amazing. This time, we will shorten it to around 3 weeks, focusing on Eastern Europe, Turkey and transiting cities in Asia (either HongKong and Tokyo again).

I would say Mar/Apr should be fine on the vaccination front. At the moment there's pretty good premium cabin availability in Jan/Feb, at least for one passenger. No harm in getting your itinerary ready, seeing what's out there, and hope that current patterns extend month by month.

 

[Longtoo]

thanks Mel_Traveller, I did a dummy booking. indeed some good availability a year ahead, including Qatar flight for 2 from Hongkong or Haneda. Flying the Qatar QSuit is also in our bucket list. I just hope the vaccine turns out ok for everyone including us so that we can get some normalcy.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

thanks Mel_Traveller, I did a dummy booking. indeed some good availability a year ahead, including Qatar flight for 2 from Hongkong or Haneda. Flying the Qatar QSuit is also in our bucket list. I just hope the vaccine turns out ok for everyone including us so that we can get some normalcy.

At the moment cancellation and change fees are waived from classic flight awards, but even when that finishes, the most you have to lose is the cancellation fee of 6000 points per person. If you don't book, availability will get snapped up as soon as people *think* they are going to be allowed to travel.

 

[Spacetravel]

Hello, I'm new to the Oneworld family and planning a RTW award booking next year travel dates 20/03/22-20/07/22 approx.

I've been doing everything I can to read up to understand but its a lot!

I'm trying to get my head around obtaining award availability. As the only way I can see to book is waiting until 26/07/21 to book the entire trip in 1 go. But I fear by then award availability for the earlier parts of the trip will be difficult to come by.

Previously for reward bookings id just book each leg 1 at a time approx 360 days out. But doesn't look like I can do that with a RTW booking?

Is there a strategy I'm missing or do I just have to wait until July and hope for the best?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hello, I'm new to the Oneworld family and planning a RTW award booking next year travel dates 20/03/22-20/07/22 approx.

I've been doing everything I can to read up to understand but its a lot!

I'm trying to get my head around obtaining award availability. As the only way I can see to book is waiting until 26/07/21 to book the entire trip in 1 go. But I fear by then award availability for the earlier parts of the trip will be difficult to come by.

Previously for reward bookings id just book each leg 1 at a time approx 360 days out. But doesn't look like I can do that with a RTW booking?

Is there a strategy I'm missing or do I just have to wait until July and hope for the best?

For an around world award booking you use the same multi city tool. So you can set up the first few sectors, then 'change' the booking to add more as they come on line, which may include a change fee. At the moment, date changes and cancellations are free of charge however.

 

[JohnM]

Hello, I'm new to the Oneworld family and planning a RTW award booking next year travel dates 20/03/22-20/07/22 approx.

I've been doing everything I can to read up to understand but its a lot!

I'm trying to get my head around obtaining award availability. As the only way I can see to book is waiting until 26/07/21 to book the entire trip in 1 go. But I fear by then award availability for the earlier parts of the trip will be difficult to come by.

Previously for reward bookings id just book each leg 1 at a time approx 360 days out. But doesn't look like I can do that with a RTW booking?

Is there a strategy I'm missing or do I just have to wait until July and hope for the best?

Just to be clear: there is no requirement on these OneWorld Award bookings to go RTW. They are primarily distance-limited.

RTW, such as OneWorld Explorer, are paid fares and a completely separate matter.

 

[Captain Halliday]

This thread is about the Qantas Oneworld Classic flight reward. There is no requirement to go RTW.*

Oneworld’s round-the-world product is very different. It’s called the Oneworld Explorer. Details of can be found here.

If it is the Oneworld Award you are after, @MEL_Traveller’s advice has you covered - you can build the trip segment by segment.

EDIT: Beaten by @JohnM

 

[DC3]

...I'm trying to get my head around obtaining award availability. As the only way I can see to book is waiting until 26/07/21 to book the entire trip in 1 go. But I fear by then award availability for the earlier parts of the trip will be difficult to come by.

Previously for reward bookings id just book each leg 1 at a time approx 360 days out. But doesn't look like I can do that with a RTW booking?

Is there a strategy I'm missing or do I just have to wait until July and hope for the best?

I have flown/planned several oneworld award trips.

Waiting for availability for all flights has risks. You may loose seats while waiting for others to open. Book as availability opens up, for me. I do the initial flight bookings online and get the Booking Reference. Then, all other new flights/changes are via the Call Centre.

Also, this is not RTW as such, although you may choose to go around the world if you wish. You can go anywhere, as long as keeping within the rules.