Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[elanshin]

Hello all, I'm starting the long trek to what will hopefully be my second RTW booking. This thread was an incredible source of help in 2018-19, thanks again to everyone.

Apologies for a rookie question ... but wanted to clarify rules re surface sectors (and whether they're still counted as a stopover).

For example, if we fly into CDG, spend a week in France then catch the train to London and fly out of LHR a few weeks later ... would this count as (a) 1 surface sector or (b) 1 stopover + 1 surface sector?

In your example it would be the latter. It would both be a surface sector and a stopover. The main thing is keeping your stopovers to a max of 5.

Also, I have no status and have noticed the availability for business to Singapore & Tokyo from anywhere in Australia on any date is now pretty grim (certainly relative to what it was 6 years ago).

Does anybody have any recent experience managing to add one of these legs to an itinerary? TIA

Singapore is a bit tough long time out right now with it being part of the trunk route to London. Tokyo on Qantas planes is also a bit hit or miss and is tough during peak season. On JL however they release them everyday like clockwork.

Your other solid option is Hong Kong right now. QF has reasonable amount of choice and from Hong Kong Cathay has a lot of destinations or you could go with other partners like Finair.
Otherwise using Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur opens up solid offerings to Japan as well.

 

[TwistedEL]

Hello all, I'm starting the long trek to what will hopefully be my second RTW booking. This thread was an incredible source of help in 2018-19, thanks again to everyone.

Apologies for a rookie question ... but wanted to clarify rules re surface sectors (and whether they're still counted as a stopover).

For example, if we fly into CDG, spend a week in France then catch the train to London and fly out of LHR a few weeks later ... would this count as (a) 1 surface sector or (b) 1 stopover + 1 surface sector?

Also, I have no status and have noticed the availability for business to Singapore & Tokyo from anywhere in Australia on any date is now pretty grim (certainly relative to what it was 6 years ago).

Does anybody have any recent experience managing to add one of these legs to an itinerary? TIA

It is (b), it counts as one of your 5 stopovers.
Regarding availability, I had a similar issue when I booked mine in the last few weeks. Travelling in J the only way I could make it work for both outbound from and inbound to AUS near the dates I wanted (Feb-Apr 2026) was to use my status to request sale fares be converted for me. Even then I had to accept a connection via MEL for the outbound flight instead of direct from SYD.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

Hello all, I'm starting the long trek to what will hopefully be my second RTW booking. This thread was an incredible source of help in 2018-19, thanks again to everyone.

Apologies for a rookie question ... but wanted to clarify rules re surface sectors (and whether they're still counted as a stopover).

For example, if we fly into CDG, spend a week in France then catch the train to London and fly out of LHR a few weeks later ... would this count as (a) 1 surface sector or (b) 1 stopover + 1 surface sector?

Also, I have no status and have noticed the availability for business to Singapore & Tokyo from anywhere in Australia on any date is now pretty grim (certainly relative to what it was 6 years ago).

Does anybody have any recent experience managing to add one of these legs to an itinerary? TIA

There is quite good availability on JL52 (SYD-HND) at the moment 12 months out. It comes and goes but there has been a decent number of flights SYD-KUL-SIN flying MH though this does seem to have dried up recently.

 

[MelbFlyer]

I have no status and have noticed the availability for business to Singapore & Tokyo from anywhere in Australia on any date is now pretty grim

Yes, unfortunately with the recent changes (ie. QF no longer reliably releasing reward seats 3xx days in advance - but more spontaneously now), all you can probably see is JQ flights which aren't conducive to a OWA.

 

[smellan]

Hi all,

Another quick question- when calculating distance between sectors and subsequent total distance. Say I flew Cairns to Singapore but the route took me via Darwin but it was all on the same ticket not me booking separate legs. Would the distance flown be CNS-SIN or CNS-Darwin-SIN?

Thank you

 

[Captain Halliday]

Hi all,

Another quick question- when calculating distance between sectors and subsequent total distance. Say I flew Cairns to Singapore but the route took me via Darwin but it was all on the same ticket not me booking separate legs. Would the distance flown be CNS-SIN or CNS-Darwin-SIN?

Thank you

CNS-DRW-SIN

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all,

Another quick question- when calculating distance between sectors and subsequent total distance. Say I flew Cairns to Singapore but the route took me via Darwin but it was all on the same ticket not me booking separate legs. Would the distance flown be CNS-SIN or CNS-Darwin-SIN?

Thank you

Same flight number = origin to destination. For example QF 1 is calculated SYD-LHR, not SYD-SIN-LHR.

If you change flight numbers it will be calculated as separate sectors.

 

[elanshin]

Also remember its QF's distance calculator not GCM. So there's minor discrepancies which becomes important if you're pushing the 35000mi limit.

 

[smellan]

Also remember its QF's distance calculator not GCM. So there's minor discrepancies which becomes important if you're pushing the 35000mi limit.

Thank you

 

[atulhumane]

Hi All,

First of all thanks for your support on this group.

I am a newbie and now planning to book my first RTW (3 adult 1 infant) using QFF program. Could you please help me with the below queries.

1. We are still short of 100k points, can I still start booking reward flights as I can see some are are available for 1 of the stopover?

2. If yes, then do I pay full reward fare for the flight and once I book the whole itenary the point cutoff will take place.... I'm bit confused how we partially first and rest as soon as it's available.

3. Could you please help me with some links which will help in understanding the booking process and ways around it.

Thanks and appreciate your help.

 

[Mr H]

Hi All,

First of all thanks for your support on this group.

I am a newbie and now planning to book my first RTW (3 adult 1 infant) using QFF program. Could you please help me with the below queries.

1. We are still short of 100k points, can I still start booking reward flights as I can see some are are available for 1 of the stopover?

2. If yes, then do I pay full reward fare for the flight and once I book the whole itenary the point cutoff will take place.... I'm bit confused how we partially first and rest as soon as it's available.

3. Could you please help me with some links which will help in understanding the booking process and ways around it.

Thanks and appreciate your help.

You need to have enough points for the flights you book. You can add more flights later but each change would cost an additional 5,000 points per passenger - so if you are points-poor that is going to be a problem for you.

The first post in this thread has all the links and advice you should need.

 

[DC3]

Hi All

Welcome to AFF

 

[Mumanddad]

Just starting to research for an OWA next year. I am looking at an itinerary which means we will be starting and finishing at a different location. When does the loop automatically close - is it 12 months from the start date; and also how does Qantas treat the miles for an unused leg back to the starting point? For example, a flight AUK-SYD-TSV (GCM=2,392). Would all these miles be counted, or just the direct AUK-TSV 2,089 miles?

 

[DC3]

For example, a flight AUK-SYD-TSV (GCM=2,392). Would all these miles be counted, or just the direct AUK-TSV 2,089 miles?

AUK (Alakanuk Airport) is an airstrip in Alaska. I guess you mean AKL, i.e., Auckland Airport. Is AKL-SYD-TSV the whole itinerary? In that case you would just be booking two flights as (classic) awards.

 

[Mumanddad]

AUK (Alakanuk Airport) is an airstrip in Alaska. I guess you mean AKL, i.e., Auckland Airport. Is AKL-SYD-TSV the whole itinerary? In that case you would just be booking two flights as (classic) awards.

Whoops, it was meant to be Auckland. The route is just an example for the end of a trip.

 

[Dib80]

If I fly to PHX, then take a ground segment to SFO, is this counted as two stopovers (PHX + ground segment) or just the one stopover? TIA

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just starting to research for an OWA next year. I am looking at an itinerary which means we will be starting and finishing at a different location. When does the loop automatically close - is it 12 months from the start date; and also how does Qantas treat the miles for an unused leg back to the starting point? For example, a flight AUK-SYD-TSV (GCM=2,392). Would all these miles be counted, or just the direct AUK-TSV 2,089 miles?

It will be 2089 miles.

But QF’s calculator is slightly different to GCM. But as long as you’re not pushing right up against the mileage limit you should be ok!

Post automatically merged: May 9, 2025

If I fly to PHX, then take a ground segment to SFO, is this counted as two stopovers (PHX + ground segment) or just the one stopover? TIA

Just one.

 

[Dib80]

Can you see anything wrong with this itinerary? Qantas Agents can't get it to calculate:

AU-HNL ground segment miles to be included for repositioning flight
HNL-PHX stopover
PHX-SFO ground segment
SFO-CLT transit
CLT-ALT stopover
ATL-DFW transit
DFW-SYD transit
SYD-HBA stopover
HBA-SYD transit
SYD-HKG transit
HKG-NRT stopover
NRT-KUL transit
KUL-PEN stopover
PEN-KUL transit
KUL-MEL transit
MEL-HBA end ticket

 

[DC3]

Whoops, it was meant to be Auckland. The route is just an example for the end of a trip.

For the OWA, the direct return distance from the final port on the itinerary back to the origin will be included. The QF distances and GCM may not be exactly the same, but this is only a concern if you are coming close to 35,000 miles.

Edit: Looks like I was beaten to it.

 

[DC3]

Can you see anything wrong with this itinerary? Qantas Agents can't get it to calculate:

I guess that the total distance of all segments does not exceed 35,000 miles, including back to the origin?

Edit: If the origin is in Oz, then once you return to Oz, the trip is over, from memory.

“AU-HNL ground segment miles to be included for repositioning flight”. I don’t quite follow this bit. Does the itinerary start in HNL or Oz?