Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Mr H]

Doesn't throw out my plans wildly if i need to ensure over 24 hours in Doha (1x stop is 14 hrs overnight already), will just spend the night/day in town opposed to the airport.

As far as I can gauge, Qatar Immigration currently requires a negative PCR from 72 hours before arriving unless you have an EU passport. I would be pleased if anyone can assure me that the written requirements are not applied.

 

[SydneySwan]

I am a complete newbie when it comes to booking these types of awards so please excuse a basic question.

I can find availability in J for the following itinerary WAW - DOH - MNL - SYD - HND - HEL - LHR. Stopovers are in SYD, and HEL. I calculate miles as only 21,700 so am puzzled why Qantas wants to charge me 361,900 points instead of 318,000. Airlines used are QR, QF, JL and AY.

Where have I gone wrong?

 

[djkelly69]

Where have I gone wrong?

Nothing jumps out for me. More than 12 months maybe?

 

[DC3]

I can find availability in J for the following itinerary. Stopovers are in SYD, and HEL. I calculate miles as only 21,700 so am puzzled why Qantas wants to charge me 361,900 points instead of 318,000. Airlines used are QR, QF, JL and AY.

That would usually mean that the rules have not yet been satisfied. Or, has the information come from a Call Centre?

Is the routing exactly as posted? i.e., WAW-DOH-MAN-SYD-HND-HEL-LHR

Which of those airlines is MAN-SYD? Just wondering.

 

[SydneySwan]

Nothing jumps out for me. More than 12 months maybe?

Close - 10.5 months start to finish.

 

[SydneySwan]

That would usually mean that the rules have not yet been satisfied. Or, has the information come from a Call Centre?

Is the routing exactly as posted? i.e., WAW-DOH-MAN-SYD-HND-HEL-LHR

Which of those airlines is MAN-SYD? Just wondering.

Ah good spot. Its not MAN, its MNL - my mistake. That leg is QF. The trip is;

WAW-DOH (QR). DOH-MNL (QR). MNL-SYD (QF) SYD-HND (JL). HND-HEL (JL). HEL-LHR (AY).

I have been trying to book it online using the multi-city tool.

 

[DC3]

Ah good spot. Its not MAN, its MNL - my mistake. That leg is QF. The trip is;

WAW-DOH (QR). DOH-MNL (QR). MNL-SYD (QF) SYD-HND (JL). HND-HEL (JL). HEL-LHR (AY).

I have been trying to book it online using the multi-city tool.

If no other suggestions come along, get it priced by phoning, if you have a bit of spare time.

 

[jeza]

Hi Gals & Guys,

Looking to finalise my J OWR which commences mid September and have query regarding the transfer/stop over rule.

Does it have to be explicitly 1 x stop & 2 x transfers or are 3 x transfers permitted?

Need to fly via Doha to Frankfurt, via Doha to Istanbul and then Via Doha home (ex Manila).

Doesn't throw out my plans wildly if i need to ensure over 24 hours in Doha (1x stop is 14 hrs overnight already), will just spend the night/day in town opposed to the airport.

Also had great success yesterday finding J availability Syd-Dallas (was monitoring economy flights so knew availability was a wasteland) as well as moving my Manila to Sydney closing leg by a couple of days due to plenty of availability appearing for October/November.

When I booked my OWA online & had 2 transits through DOH I had to put a stopover in on my 3rd routing via DOH to get it to price out at 318k in points.

 

[DC3]

When I booked my OWA online & had 2 transits through DOH I had to put a stopover in on my 3rd routing via DOH to get it to price out at 318k in points.

Yes, up to 2 x transits allowed through the same city. Is that what you mean? Although, SydneySwan would transit DOH and others, once, only.

 

[encryptededdy]

I have been trying to book it online using the multi-city tool.

Have you gone to the last page of the multi-city tool, where it displays the taxes? I was under the impression that will trigger it to recalculate as a OWA.

 

[SydneySwan]

Have you gone to the last page of the multi-city tool, where it displays the taxes? I was under the impression that will trigger it to recalculate as a OWA.

Yes. No change. But I have just experimented by making Tokyo a stopover (added an extra day between flights in/out) and it magically reprices to 318k. So online tool seems to be demanding a minimum of 3 stopovers.

 

[DC3]

Yes. No change. But I have just experimented by making Tokyo a stopover (added an extra day between flights in/out) and it magically reprices to 318k. So online tool seems to be demanding a minimum of 3 stopovers.

Glitch.

 

[jeza]

One question I'm curious on is the OWA 35K max Statute or Nautical Miles? Aviation seems to be generally in Nautical from what I can gather.

 

[DC3]

I

One question I'm curious on is the OWA 35K max Statute or Nautical Miles? Aviation seems to be generally in Nautical from what I can gather.

I use Great Circle Mapper to calculate. Whatever that spits out will be close enough. The default is statute. That’s my guess for OWA also. Nautical would seem a bit too generous.

 

[Phoenix-1]

Any tricks on refunding to get a OWCA to get points back ASAP? Want to make some changes and I figure just cancelling is much easier...

Cancel on the Qantas website or call up?

Also if you want more segments than allowed on the multi-city booking page, how painful is it to book over the phone?

 

[levelnine]

Cancel on the Qantas website or call up?

Also if you want more segments than allowed on the multi-city booking page, how painful is it to book over the phone?

Cancel on the website, if points don't come back in an hour or two, call up and request for the points refund to be expedited, they can usually do it on the spot.

Booking by phone is slow, but not necessarily painful. The main risk is the agent can't calculate the taxes properly and seats drop off the booking because it isn't ticketed within 24 hours.

Also, if you intend on cancelling and booking the same flights, remember that not all airlines will put award seats back into award inventory.

 

[acinod]

I can't seem to find any JFK-MAD business class flights between Apr-May 2023. In fact there doesn't seem to be any business class seats available from US to Europe from Apr23 other than to London.

Has anyone else had any luck?

 

[SydneySwan]

Further wisdom needed!

It has just occurred to me that my itinerary of WAW - DOH - MNL - SYD - HND - HEL - LHR can be extended to add LHR - SYD on at the end and still stay within the 35k. However I want a date around Sep 1 2023 and that is not open for booking yet. Chances of getting a J seat not very high on that leg although might be in luck if I can do LHR-HND-SYD. The first flight of my itinerary WAW - DOH is on 20 Sep 2022

What is the best way to approach this? I presume I book my itinerary up to LHR online and then try to add the last leg on by phone paying relevant change fees and the additional taxes. If I have to take a Y or PE seat can I later change it to J if one appears? And what if the routing changes, e.g. LHR - SYD to LHR - HND - SYD to take that seat? Am I right in thinking that no changes are allowed after the first flight of the itinerary has been flown on Sep 20 2022?

 

[djkelly69]

I can't seem to find any JFK-MAD business class flights between Apr-May 2023. In fact there doesn't seem to be any business class seats available from US to Europe from Apr23 other than to London.

Has anyone else had any luck?

Scroll down further when you are on the above page. You can get a J seat on that exact date for JFK-MAD (via LHR), with a whole range of times.

If you mean there are no seats on direct flights, it is probably because you are booking too late and they are gone already.

 

[Mr H]

Further wisdom needed!

It has just occurred to me that my itinerary of WAW - DOH - MNL - SYD - HND - HEL - LHR can be extended to add LHR - SYD on at the end and still stay within the 35k. However I want a date around Sep 1 2023 and that is not open for booking yet. Chances of getting a J seat not very high on that leg although might be in luck if I can do LHR-HND-SYD. The first flight of my itinerary WAW - DOH is on 20 Sep 2022

What is the best way to approach this? I presume I book my itinerary up to LHR online and then try to add the last leg on by phone paying relevant change fees and the additional taxes. If I have to take a Y or PE seat can I later change it to J if one appears? And what if the routing changes, e.g. LHR - SYD to LHR - HND - SYD to take that seat? Am I right in thinking that no changes are allowed after the first flight of the itinerary has been flown on Sep 20 2022?

That would be a second stopover in SYD. You would need to book a connecting flight to another city within 24 hours.