Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[k_sheep]

In this lockdown itchy feet ... who has been playing with routings?

I'm getting angsty enough to just book one, just to have something to look forward to (even with the near inevitable postponement).

Who has had a play, getting close to the maximum miles they can? Getting the most optimal stops (where it's normally too expensive to get to)? Most number of airlines?

 

[11sjw]

In this lockdown itchy feet ... who has been playing with routings?

I'm getting angsty enough to just book one, just to have something to look forward to (even with the near inevitable postponement).

Who has had a play, getting close to the maximum miles they can? Getting the most optimal stops (where it's normally too expensive to get to)? Most number of airlines?

Definitely. Have to work around school holidays though so end of next year is the target for now.

Cities picked (options), hotels in those cities picked, rough dates for flights and have even purchased a new carry on each for Mrs 11 & I as well as a suitcase for Miss 11. Yes I'm getting itchy feet!

 

[grey fantail]

Hi all,

I am planning my first Qantas oneworld Classic Flight Reward booking.

SYD-KUL, KUL-DEL, DEL-LHR, LHR-GRU, GRU-JFK, JFK-HND, HND-SYD; 32,901 miles in Great Circle Mapper
Stopovers in DEL and GRU.
Economy class.

I want to double check that I haven't made some kind of mistake and also to ask a few questions about things I am unsure of.

I have checked availability of Classic Rewards flights on the Qantas website.

One thing I don't understand is that the available reward flights change depending on whether or not I have Classic Rewards only selected.
To construct my itinerary I used the award flights available with Classic Rewards only selected.
Is this correct?

I will only be able to book the first three flights on the Qantas website using multi-city booking.
Should I do this before ringing Qantas and quoting the booking number to add the rest of the flights to the booking?
Or will it be easier to do the whole booking over the phone?

Will I need to do the first three flights online in order to get the phone booking fee waived?

How does luggage transfer work with OWA bookings?
E.g. Will my checked baggage get transferred onto my next flight at LHR?
Or will I need to collect it and check it in again?


Detailed Itinerary:

SYD-KUL Malaysia Airlines 25th March 2022
MH140 SYD 22:15 Fri 25th to KUL 3:50 Sat 26th

KUL-DEL Malaysia Airlines 26th March 2022
MH172 KUL 8:55 Sat 26th to DEL 12:20 Sat 26th

Stopover in Dehli

DEL-LHR British Airways 17th April 2022
BA256 DEL 10:25 Sun 17th to LHR 15:20 Sun 17th

LHR-GRU British Airways 17th April 2022
BA247 LHR 22:25 Sun 17th to GRU 6:10 Mon 18th

Stopover in Sao Paulo

GRU-JFK American Airlines 2nd June 2022
AA1556 GRU 23:10 Thur 2nd to JFK 8:00 Fri 3rd

JFK-HND Japan Airlines 3rd June 2022
JL5 JFK 13:25 Fri 3rd to HND 16:35 Sat 4th

HND-SYD Japan Airlines 4th June 2022
JL51 HND 19:20 Sat 4th to SYD 6:10 Sun 5th

SYD-KUL and KUL-DEL: 45k + $108, 19hr 35min.
DEL-LHR and LHR-GRU: 75.2k + INR26507 (c.$484), 28hrs 15min.
GRU-JFK and JFK-HND and HND-SYD: 91.4k + $105, 42hrs 0min.
Total: 211.6k (should get capped at 132.4k) + c.AU$697, 89hrs 50min.

 

[Guvner]

Only Classic Awards can be used.
You are not limited to three sectors (it's six + connections I believe) using the website, you can add flights to Multi-City bookings using the "+ Add a flight" button. I'm not sure you can book the LHR>GRU or GRU >JFK flights online, that may require a phone call but the others should be OK pending availability..

 

[Noah Count]

@grey fantail with the information you provided I was interested to know if this could all be booked online so had a go. As @Guvner suggested it would appear that GRU does not come up on the QF site or at least I could not see it. Also looking at your dates I would be calling QF in the not to distant future as some of those carriers and dates would have been available for a while. It is pretty much risk free at the moment as changes and cancellations can be made through to 28 Feb 22 without penalty.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Will I need to do the first three flights online in order to get the phone booking fee waived?

How does luggage transfer work with OWA bookings?
E.g. Will my checked baggage get transferred onto my next flight at LHR?
Or will I need to collect it and check it in again?

Interestingly GRU comes up with a simple point-to-pojnt booking, but not on the multi city page. This should enable yo to get the phone booking fee waived (if the agent says you need to pay, explain you can't do it on line, and show that a single booking LHR-GRU does display).

Bags on these awards work the same as paid tickets - so at LHR your bags will be transferred, as they will at most other places unless transferring airports - for example LHR to LGW/LCY or HND to NRT and vv., or between NYC airports.

 

[grey fantail]

Thanks for the helpful replies.

I made a phone booking for all the flights (for slightly different dates than I had above).

This took two attempts. The first time I was offered a callback which occurred after half an hour. But the consultant didn't know how to book all the flights. She said the GRU flights weren't showing up for her either.

I called back again straight away but this time was put on hold for nearly three hours. The repeated recorded messages got a little annoying - can't they give an option to just stick to the waiting music after playing the messages a couple of times?
This time the consultant was able to book all the flights with no problems.
The phone booking fee was waived before I asked since I couldn't book some of the flights online.

The total payment for taxes/fees/carrier charges was $977.
This was a bit more than I was expecting based on looking at each classic award flight individually on the qantas website, but still a lot less than the cheapest flights for a similar trip on skyscanner.

 

[ChrisMars]

First time I am having a crack at the Qantas around the world, and I am trying to understand some of the rules to optimise my trip. In the situation of this example itinerary, which is just there to illustrate the question:

SYD-SIN
SIN-HKG surface segment (separate booking)
HKG-LHR

Are both SIN and HKG considered stop-over?
Is it possible to fly back LHR->SYD via HKG, or SIN.
Is it possible to fly back with stopover LHR->SYD via HKG, or SIN.

 

[Jacques Vert]

First time I am having a crack at the Qantas around the world, and I am trying to understand some of the rules to optimise my trip. In the situation of this example itinerary, which is just there to illustrate the question:

SYD-SIN
SIN-HKG surface segment (separate booking)
HKG-LHR

Are both SIN and HKG considered stop-over?
Is it possible to fly back LHR->SYD via HKG, or SIN.
Is it possible to fly back with stopover LHR->SYD via HKG, or SIN.

Are both SIN and HKG considered stop-over? Should be counted as one stopover and IME will be if booking online; however, if you have to call to book there will be agents who insist that this must be counted as 2 stopovers. HUACA may work, but not always.

Is it possible to fly back LHR->SYD via HKG, or SIN. Yes.

Is it possible to fly back with stopover LHR->SYD via HKG, or SIN. From the T & Cs:

The following Stopover conditions apply to oneworld Classic Flight Rewards:
up to five free Stopovers are permitted;
additional Stopovers are not permitted;
only one Stopover is permitted in any one city in the Itinerary; and
only two Transfers may be taken at any one city in the Itinerary.

Why do SIN-HKG on a separate booking? Why not include it in the Oneworld Award?

 

[Kangol]

Are both SIN and HKG considered stop-over? Should be counted as one stopover and IME will be if booking online; however, if you have to call to book there will be agents who insist that this must be counted as 2 stopovers. HUACA may work, but not always.

Is it possible to fly back LHR->SYD via HKG, or SIN. Yes.

Is it possible to fly back with stopover LHR->SYD via HKG, or SIN. From the T & Cs:

The following Stopover conditions apply to oneworld Classic Flight Rewards:
up to five free Stopovers are permitted;
additional Stopovers are not permitted;
only one Stopover is permitted in any one city in the Itinerary; and
only two Transfers may be taken at any one city in the Itinerary.

Why do SIN-HKG on a separate booking? Why not include it in the Oneworld Award?

Yes, outbound is counted as one stop in SIN.
Meaning on the way back to SYD, you cannot stop in SIN, only transit (<24 hours).
You could transit in SIN and stop in HKG though.
All in theory!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Why do SIN-HKG on a separate booking? Why not include it in the Oneworld Award?

I'm guessing so it counts as one stopover rather than two if the OP wants to spend time in each city? Plus on the way home as well.

 

[ChrisMars]

Thanks for the answers everyone. My goal is to buid a SYD - Europe - Asia - Europe - SYD itinary, and a separate booking Asia-SYD, as a way yo have two trips to Europe. I found a few options that works within the rules, but the stopover / connection limit in a given city is a bit of a pain to work around.

From reading your answers, it should be possible to stop in, and later connect via, a given city, which already gives me more flexibility. I ll have to keep experimenting on the Qantas website, to confirm that with segment surface, the second city is hopefully a connection, this would give more flexibility too. The example I gave before in my question was just a toy example btw.

Can I assume that if an itinery on Qantas shows 318K, but cannot be booked due to website errors, I should be able to call and book it without drama, assuming no phantom rewards were part of the trip?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Thanks for the answers everyone. My goal is to buid a SYD - Europe - Asia - Europe - SYD itinary, and a separate booking Asia-SYD, as a way yo have two trips to Europe. I found a few options that works within the rules, but the stopover / connection limit in a given city is a bit of a pain to work around.

From reading your answers, it should be possible to stop in, and later connect via, a given city, which already gives me more flexibility. I ll have to keep experimenting on the Qantas website, to confirm that with segment surface, the second city is hopefully a connection, this would give more flexibility too. The example I gave before in my question was just a toy example btw.

Can I assume that if an itinery on Qantas shows 318K, but cannot be booked due to website errors, I should be able to call and book it without drama, assuming no phantom rewards were part of the trip?

I've split a Oneworld Award into two trips to Europe on a couple of occasions (even three trips on one occasion) by returning to Aus on a separate booking as you are considering. It's not a major problem, in theory.

Note that you can pass through a given city three times in total: one stopover and two transits.

"Can I assume that if an itinery on Qantas shows 318K, but cannot be booked due to website errors, I should be able to call and book it without drama, assuming no phantom rewards were part of the trip?"

Unfortunately, no you cannot. This is what I was alluding to in my earlier response. If you get to the pricing page and you receive a message along the lines that "we cannot find a price for your itinerary" etc., then you will have to call. If you get an agent who knows what they are doing, you should be fine. Chances are that you will get an agent who knows less about the Oneworld Awards than you do. In that situation it is likely that they will "guess" what the problem is and "you have too many stopovers" is often their best guess.

I've had this on a number of occasions; one agent claimed that I had 8 stopovers when it was in fact 5 (she even counted a 2 hour transit as a stopover). You can try HUACA but you may, or may not, get a more experienced agent on the second or subsequent calls. On a couple of occasions I've had to change the itinerary to get around this.

Good luck.

 

[ChrisMars]

Wooo great advice here, thanks again.
I could do some simulations testing the stopover / connection scenarios, looks good. I could find some
A->B - stopover in B
B->C - stopover in C.
C->B - (Surface segment)
B->A
I took some screenshots. At least, this fills me with confidence I could make my case with an agent without sounding uncertain if needed. Of course, the outcome would depend who is on the other side of the call.

I also got to understand the reason of the many error code at the end of the booking in my case. I was actually searching flights departing from and returning to CBR, and those search almost always failed for me (maybe too many segments in total?). Departing and returning from SYD looks much better in my simulations.

This brings me to my last set of questions before I pull the trigger:
1. I understood it's easy to call and add some segments after the booking (i.e. add a CBR-SYD and a SYD-CBR), right? How about more advanced rebooking requirements that I might need to do. For example, my trip is essentially composed of two half trips, but if later I need to move the first half after the second half, doable, assuming availabilities?
2. What happens to points and cash if after half of the trip, I would need to cancel the second half?
3. Did I understood correctly that it's ok to start and book the trip now, and add segments as seats are released by airlines?

 

[muppet]

This brings me to my last set of questions before I pull the trigger:
1. I understood it's easy to call and add some segments after the booking (i.e. add a CBR-SYD and a SYD-CBR), right? How about more advanced rebooking requirements that I might need to do. For example, my trip is essentially composed of two half trips, but if later I need to move the first half after the second half, doable, assuming availabilities?
2. What happens to points and cash if after half of the trip, I would need to cancel the second half?
3. Did I understood correctly that it's ok to start and book the trip now, and add segments as seats are released by airlines?

1. In general I think its possible, but that’s asking a lot as the origin changes (e.g. point of sale for taxes currency etc.)

2. Once departed, its consumed so points lost I’m fairly sure, taxes refunded at great effort

3. In general yes, although in the past I’ve had issues with airlines that offer seats for new bookings but not existing bookings. I.e. I could book HKG - HEL as a new single flight but not add it to an existing PNR. Not sure if this still happens or which airlines do it. But worth thinking about. Also need to consider married segments when you add a flight, it might show available point to point but not available married with another flight.

 

[DC3]

…. Did I understood correctly that it's ok to start and book the trip now, and add segments as seats are released by airlines?

I book as soon as I see availability for flights, and gradually build/amend the itinerary.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Wooo great advice here, thanks again.
I could do some simulations testing the stopover / connection scenarios, looks good. I could find some
A->B - stopover in B
B->C - stopover in C.
C->B - (Surface segment)
B->A
I took some screenshots. At least, this fills me with confidence I could make my case with an agent without sounding uncertain if needed. Of course, the outcome would depend who is on the other side of the call.

I also got to understand the reason of the many error code at the end of the booking in my case. I was actually searching flights departing from and returning to CBR, and those search almost always failed for me (maybe too many segments in total?). Departing and returning from SYD looks much better in my simulations.

This brings me to my last set of questions before I pull the trigger:
1. I understood it's easy to call and add some segments after the booking (i.e. add a CBR-SYD and a SYD-CBR), right? How about more advanced rebooking requirements that I might need to do. For example, my trip is essentially composed of two half trips, but if later I need to move the first half after the second half, doable, assuming availabilities?
2. What happens to points and cash if after half of the trip, I would need to cancel the second half?
3. Did I understood correctly that it's ok to start and book the trip now, and add segments as seats are released by airlines?

1 It should be easy to add segments provided there is availability; however, you may run into "married segment" or similar issues so it is not a foregone conclusion. Regarding changes: if you are asking about changing the itinerary BEFORE you set off on your first flight, then yes, you can change the itinerary subject to availability of Award seats in the class you want. Normally this comes at a cost (5,000 points per pax each time a change is made) but at present changes are fee-free:

• (book) An international Classic Flight Reward with Qantas (using Qantas Points) before 28 February 2022 and you can change or cancel free of charge until 31 December 2022.

However, once the trip commences you can only change the date and time/flight number (not the routing);

2 You loose the points (but may be able to claim on travel insurance depending on the circumstances, eg, illness);

3 Yes, although as noted above, this would incur change fees in "normal" times.

Refer to clause 14.7 here: https://www.qantas.com/au/en/freque...ms-and-conditions.html#classic-flight-rewards

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

A->B - stopover in B
B->C - stopover in C.
C->B - (Surface segment)
B->A

If you Stop at B in the first leg, then you can’t Stop there again on the 3rd leg.
A Surface Segment (or any time >=24 hr) is counted as a Stop.
You are only allowed 1 Stop & 2 Transits at any Destination (Transit <24 hr).

 

[DC3]

If you Stop at B in the first leg, then you can’t Stop there again on the 3rd leg.
A Surface Segment (or any time >=24 hr) is counted as a Stop.
You are only allowed 1 Stop & 2 Transits at any Destination (Transit <24 hr).

A->B - stopover in B
B->C - stopover in C.
C->B - (Surface segment)
B->A

In the example, there are two stopovers. One in B, and one in C, the surface sector C-B being in the C stopover

Edited

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

In the example, there are two stopovers. One in B, and one in C, the surface sector C-B being in the C stopover

Edited

D’oh - My apologies, I misread it...