Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[sudoer]

I'm sorry for the somewhat vague question. I have 500K points and am trying to take advantage of my Gold status expiring in a few months to grab two classic rewards seats in J. It can realistically be anytime next year, and any location. Just want to somehow get an idea of what's available, then look to base a holiday around that.

I have Awards Nexus and I'm normally comfortable finding my own seats. But I've never before had no clue on dates and locations so no idea where to start!

It sounds like you're looking for a return trip rather than a multi-stop OWA? (the topic of this thread is the oneworld award, 318k QFF per J passenger with up to 16 legs)

I would not stress nor feel compelled to book ASAP just because your Gold status is expiring. There are a few reasons for this:

• When you drop from Gold to Silver, the only major difference will be that you cannot access Qantas operated classic awards at T-353 days. (Silver members get access from T-323 and Bronze from T-297)
• Qantas J seat releases at T-353 have become very unpredictable, and if they do release 2 x J seats, it'll probably be to less desirable destinations (where J cash fares are more reasonable - think Bali, Jakarta, Manila, etc)
• You'll have all the perks of Gold when flying J
• All QFF members get equal access to partner awards, regardless of status, and that's likely your best opportunity to extract the most value from your points

You really need to pick your preferred location/region to start with, then the hive mind can help suggest ways to get there

 

[KingHuang]

Hi all,

Need some advice please in deciding what the best way to approach 2 x OWA J booking for November 2025, or if pushing this out is a better option.

Currently Bronze - deciding whether it is worth trying for gold through DSC by February next year, or by July 2025 (after membership renews, or is the renewal date irrelevant)
Currently QFF points at around 670k
Currently looking to fly - to Europe as main destination (Paris/Lyon/Italy/London/Switzerland) and happy to visit Taiwan/Singapore/Japan

1. Based on the current status which routes should I avoid planning as I probably won't be able to secure J seats, and if I was to hit gold would it really be much easier to attain these seats?
2. Never been to Europe before or travelled outside of (Taiwan/Japan) much so any recommendations on doing some stops in different cities please, that is not too hard to secure J.
3. Trying to fit in a combination of these trips next year:
Taiwan - Feb or Nov-Dec
France - Feb or Nov Dec (unless part of OWA)
OWA - Nov 2025 onwards
NZ - DSC end of Jan if gold is required

A lot of information and a lot of juggling in my mind that I can't work out what to prioritise to actually plan holidays for next year (been long overdue for any holidays).. so any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Alternatively would it be better to use a service to assist with the OWA booking planning, instead of aiming for gold through DSC?

 

[sudoer]

if I was to hit gold would it really be much easier to attain these seats?

This is answered in the post directly above yours

 

[KingHuang]

This is answered in the post directly above yours

Yep sorry I meant, in relation to QF only flights do people actually get a significant boost as a gold? I’m thinking yes based on how many people are going for it etc

 

[flyguy77]

in relation to QF only flights do people actually get a significant boost as a gold?

You really need to read the previous post as instructed....

But to spell it out for you. One World Awards are hard. Being a Gold it'll still be just as hard.

 

[sap1l]

so any help would be greatly appreciated!!

To help you with routing, here are a couple of carriers/routes that in my experience seem to have more J seats (especially if you are monitoring for seats as soon as they’re released).

AY from SIN and especially BKK can get you to most places in Europe. As Euro business isn’t much different you can even connect to an economy seat from HEL and it wouldn’t be too bad of a compromise.

UL tend to have quite a lot of seats ex-Asia via CMB, but I see a lot less actually leaving CMB to Europe. You could look at a separate positioning from CMB to somewhere like AMM where I’ve seen some seats on RJ.

MH have quite a number of J seats ex-AU, but good luck getting KUL-LHR (or KUL-CDG when that’s started). I’ve seen quite a few KUL-NRT seats on MH and JL if you want to stop in Japan.

Taiwan might be a bit more difficult? I’ve seen a fair amount of CX J seats between Southeast Asia and HKG, but not a huge number ex-AU (although Y+ is quite numerous).

 

[elanshin]

Can I book leg 2 first then leg 1? (Changing start destination)?

 

[sap1l]

Can I book leg 2 first then leg 1? (Changing start destination)?

I did this on the current OWA I’m on - I changed start destination from BKK to KUL.

I don’t recall the agents having any issues, but I think that we had to try different ticketing locations to get a successful ticket - I ended up ticketing in AU.

 

[11sjw]

Can I book leg 2 first then leg 1? (Changing start destination)?

I did this recently. Actually booked the what turned out to be the 3rd leg (HKG-NCE). Rang back a day or two later to add PER-SYD then, after another 48 hours SYD-HKG. Good luck!

 

[itsjackson]

I didn't realise there was an issue with Auckland being counted as Australia for the purposes of an OWA. I'm hoping to start my itinerary in Auckland and return to Sydney halfway, but I've come across this error alongside the error when JQ flights appear. Not being able to start in Auckland really limits the usefulness of the RTW, does anyone know how to get around this issue?

 

[elanshin]

Well officially on my way to booking another OWA. Did not expect HND - SYD to be released on a super busy period, but hey they released it and I have a first leg to pair it with out of KUL.

Time to build the rest of it for Oct 2025 and sprinkle in some domestic QF status run legs for SC(as it's DSC right now).

 

[Samus]

Hi all,

I've booked a RTW trip on business class, but didn't end up capping at 318K pp, somewhere closer to 300K pp, given the miles I guess.

I called in to add 1 segment (as I maxed out the 6 on the website), got through to a third agent who finally said I could add a segment to the same booking reference (first 2 wouldn't let me add segments so I called again).

However she quoted me 114K additional points to add that extra segment, which would be a total of roughly 720K points for 2 people and over the cap.

She said the 318K cap is only applicable to new flights, even if I was adding to an existing booking reference.

Anyone experienced this before? HUACA?

 

[sap1l]

She said the 318K cap is only applicable to new flights, even if I was adding to an existing booking reference

This is definitely wrong. I’ve added flights to an existing booking to bring it up to the cap.

However she quoted me 114K additional points to add that extra segment, which would be a total of roughly 720K points for 2 people and over the cap.

I think the computer will automatically calculate the points to cap at 318K?

What are your flight legs & carriers? It would be worth checking that your itinerary is a valid OWA.

 

[Samus]

This is definitely wrong. I’ve added flights to an existing booking to bring it up to the cap.


I think the computer will automatically calculate the points to cap at 318K?

What are your flight legs & carriers? It would be worth checking that your itinerary is a valid OWA.

SYD —> LAX (Qantas)
JFK —> LHR (British Airways)
LHR —> CDG (British Airways)
CDG —> FCO (Air France)
FCO —> HEL —> NRT (Finnair)
NRT —> SYD (Japan Airlines)

Looking to add LAX —> IND —> JFK (American Airlines & American Eagle)

Did I break any of the rules? She said the system is quoting 114K so maybe I have broken a rule somewhere.

 

[levelnine]

CDG —> FCO (Air France)

Not oneworld

 

[Mr H]

Not oneworld

Correct - and this is such a small flight that it might be worth having a "land sector" and paying revenue. Alternatively route back through LHR with BA or MAD with IB.

 

[Samus]

Damnit. Ok, that makes sense. Can I actually still save this and remove the Air France flight over the phone?

 

[Mr H]

Damnit. Ok, that makes sense. Can I actually still save this and remove the Air France flight over the phone?

Why would you do that? You would pay a fee of 5000 (?) points per amendment per passenger.

 

[sap1l]

Why would you do that? You would pay a fee of 5000 (?) points per amendment per passenger.

I think they mean simultaneously with adding the AA flights? If so, then you might as well if you’re going to need the rest of the flights, as it should then bring you under the cap.

If they mean just to remove the AF flights, then yeah I agree - remove them if/when you make other changes to the booking.

 

[vetrade]

I have never flown with Sri Lankan Airways or Royal Air Maroc but I have just had a J OW classic rewards itinerary ticketed for my wife and me commencing in Aug 2025 (with a shout out to the great work and timely assistance of the QF escalations team in Hobart). This trip consists entirely of UL and AT flights, something that just eventuated without much conscious effort on my part and finding availability was far less time consuming compared to the multiple OW CR bookings I've done in the past. It appears that quite a few RAM flights have 2 J rewards available.

For anyone interested, our itinerary is this:
MEL - CMB - CDG UL Stop 1 including a land leg CDG - NCE and road trip thru Swiss Alps and Dolomites beginning and ending in Milan
MXP - CMN - GRU AT Stop 2 (with cash fares to/from GRU - GIG)
GRU - CMN AT Stop 3 (with train to Tangier and ferry to Spain for road trip around Andalucia before returning via ferry)
RAK - CMN - DOH - CMB Stop 4 AT & UL
CMB - MLE UL Stop 5
MLE - CMB - MEL UL

This has 13 sectors and is just over 54,000km
* I may still yet add CGD - LHR - NCE or CDG - MAD - NCE later