Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Mr H]

Hi Brains trust,

I'm trying to book a Oneworld Classic Rewards Fare.

My itinerary is so far:
-Auckland
-Brisbane (Transit)
-Tokyo(Stopover)
-Manilla (Transit)
-Brisbane (Stopover)
-Adelaide(Transit)
-Kuala Lumpur (Transit)
-Oman (Transit)
-Rome(Stopover)

However Qantas is unable to ticket the itinerary saying that it's an invalid fare. To me, it seems to be completely valid.

Does anyone know why this might be the case?

The computer treats Australia and New Zealand as one place, so returning to Brisbane will count as returning to the starting country - you can't then leave the starting country again. You will need to speak to a person who is empowered to override the computer.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi Brains trust,

I'm trying to book a Oneworld Classic Rewards Fare.

My itinerary is so far:
-Auckland
-Brisbane (Transit)
-Tokyo(Stopover)
-Manilla (Transit)
-Brisbane (Stopover)
-Adelaide(Transit)
-Kuala Lumpur (Transit)
-Oman (Transit)
-Rome(Stopover)

However Qantas is unable to ticket the itinerary saying that it's an invalid fare. To me, it seems to be completely valid.

Does anyone know why this might be the case?

If this is a Oneworld award (capped) then Oman Air isnt currently eligible.

 

[samrich]

The computer treats Australia and New Zealand as one place, so returning to Brisbane will count as returning to the starting country - you can't then leave the starting country again. You will need to speak to a person who is empowered to override the computer.

Do you know how I can find such a person? I've spent too much time on the phone trying to get this done and no-one so seems to know what's going on.

 

[05flyer]

If this is a Oneworld award (capped) then Oman Air isnt currently eligible.

There’s been some suggestion above (post #17,659) that WY flights can now be included in an OWA… though possibly only with assistance from HBA CC.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There’s been some suggestion above (post #17,659) that WY flights can now be included in an OWA… though possibly only with assistance from HBA CC.

Oh, my bad then! That’s good news, sort of

 

[irbe_stick_save]

Hi folks, I'm looking at booking my first Oneworld Reward itinerary, and have been using seats.aero to help with finding availability. Sometimes availability is shown for AA or Alaska flights, but the same flights don't seem to be bookable via Qantas points (at least according to seats.aero).

Does anyone know if it's possible to include these in the itinerary? I'm guessing it would need to be via the call centre if it doesn't show on the Qantas website. I'm getting mixed signals because the AFF and PointHacks guides do recommend searching AA or BA to check availability; but then I don't understand how the flights returned in those searches can be booked via Qantas.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[elanshin]

Hi folks, I'm looking at booking my first Oneworld Reward itinerary, and have been using seats.aero to help with finding availability. Sometimes availability is shown for AA or Alaska flights, but the same flights don't seem to be bookable via Qantas points (at least according to seats.aero).

Does anyone know if it's possible to include these in the itinerary? I'm guessing it would need to be via the call centre if it doesn't show on the Qantas website. I'm getting mixed signals because the AFF and PointHacks guides do recommend searching AA or BA to check availability; but then I don't understand how the flights returned in those searches can be booked via Qantas.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Not all flights on partners are visible to QFF. It needs to be visible on Qantas too. Often flights on airlines such ad Qatar (which blocks Qantas) can't be booked for example.

Also do your sanity check for the QFF flight on the Qantas site not seats aero. Regardless of what seataero shows you need to be able to find it on Qantas' sight for the most likely outcome.

 

[shuuy]

>> AKL-BNE-HND-MNL-BNE-ADL-KUL-MCT-FCO

1. You're backtracking..
2. I don't have access to a tool that calculates MPM (maximum permitted mileage), but the old school rule of thumb is direct + ~25%.
* AKL-FCO is 11,452mi
* AKL-BNE-HND-MNL-BNE-ADL-KUL-MCT-FCO is 21,984 (+92%), and probably exceeds MPM

AKL-BNE-HND-MNL-KUL-MCT-FCO could be ok as you're not back-tracking, and if you could OW flights for all legs (JL HND-MNL, MH MNL-KUL) that'a amazing. But you're +34% the direct routing on mileage.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

>> AKL-BNE-HND-MNL-BNE-ADL-KUL-MCT-FCO

You're backtracking..

I imagine AKL-BNE-HND-MNL-KUL-MCT-FCO would be ok... although HND-MNL I don't think would have any OW airline.

For oneworld awards, there is no restriction on backtracking, or even any continuous direction. It’s simply a collection of flights capped at 35k miles and other things such as stopover limits. You can do a return to Europe out and back via Asia for example, without a requirement to go trans atlantic.

This can differ from paid products.

 

[serfty]

I'm trying to book a Oneworld Classic Rewards Fare.

My itinerary is so far:
-Auckland
-Brisbane (Transit)
-Tokyo(Stopover)
-Manilla (Transit)
-Brisbane (Stopover)
-Adelaide(Transit)
-Kuala Lumpur (Transit)
-Oman (Transit)
-Rome(Stopover)

However Qantas is unable to ticket the itinerary saying that it's an invalid fare. To me, it seems to be completely valid.

Does anyone know why this might be the case?

The distance between Auckland and Rome needs to be taken into account as a oneworld classic award is considered a "round trip" fare. But even then you should be under the 35K mile limit.

What are the actual segments and carriers you are trying to book?

 

[shuuy]

I stand corrected. Crazy routing if it works!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The distance between Auckland and Rome needs to be taken into account as a oneworld classic award is considered a "round trip" fare. But even then you should be under the 35K mile limit.

What are the actual segments and carriers you are trying to book?

Unfortunately the discussion is going in two separate threads - also in the OWA thread. I think there’s Oman Air in there, and the other issue is departing AKL and then Australia… the system likes to think NZ and AU are the same country.

 

[elanshin]

I stand corrected. Crazy routing if it works!

Just for reference 2024 I did: ("." Is a stopover)
CGK-HKG-TPE. -HKG-PVG. -SYD. -MEL-SYD-DFW-DCA. -BUF-ORD-SEA-LAX-SYD-SIN.

2025:
KUL-SIN-HND. -SYD. -ZQN. -CHC-MEL. -SYD-HKG-HEL-LHR. -AMS-HEL-HKG-KUL.

Planning right now for next year

Asia city start (candidates being BKK, HAN, SGN, SIN) - HKG-PVG. -KUL. -DPS-SYD-MEL. - TYO (see what ends up being best option, may be via MNL). - SYD. -Europe (or Dubai via HKG, will see what can be released).

 

[BD1959]

Tried dummy booking the following last night but no matter what, it would error on 7 segments:

BNE-SYD/SYD-HKG/stopover/HKG-BKK/overnight/BKK-MCT-LHR/stopover/LHR-CDG/stopover/CDG-MAD-FCO/stopover/FCO-HEL-JFK

whatever I did it wouldn't accept, tried all sorts of different EU segments and nothing would take.

In the end it *would* book:

BNE-SYD/SYD-HKG/stopover/HKG-BKK/overnight/BKK-MCT-LHR/stopover/LHR-CDG/stopover/FCO-HEL-JFK for the same dates as the original.
System wouldn't allow BNE-SYD-HKG, insisted on those being booked separate segments ... must be some weird married segments deal.

But the error really got me ... it's as though the system is counting the transits as SYD and BKK as stopovers and erroring ....

Has anyone come across similar?

Regards,

BD

 

[Thomas088]

Tried dummy booking the following last night but no matter what, it would error on 7 segments:

BNE-SYD/SYD-HKG/stopover/HKG-BKK/overnight/BKK-MCT-LHR/stopover/LHR-CDG/stopover/CDG-MAD-FCO/stopover/FCO-HEL-JFK

whatever I did it wouldn't accept, tried all sorts of different EU segments and nothing would take.

In the end it *would* book:

BNE-SYD/SYD-HKG/stopover/HKG-BKK/overnight/BKK-MCT-LHR/stopover/LHR-CDG/stopover/FCO-HEL-JFK for the same dates as the original.
System wouldn't allow BNE-SYD-HKG, insisted on those being booked separate segments ... must be some weird married segments deal.

But the error really got me ... it's as though the system is counting the transits as SYD and BKK as stopovers and erroring ....

Has anyone come across similar?

Regards,

BD

From memory there's a limit of six flight segments in the multi-city search.
Did it come up with error #7130?

 

[BD1959]

From memory there's a limit of six flight segments in the multi-city search.
Did it come up with error #7130?

Pretty sure that was it .. so requires a call to create an itinerary .> 6 sectors?

For an itinerary that - theoretically - can hit 16 sectors, seems a very restrictive issue.

Thanks for the prompt reply Thomas088.

Regards,

BD

 

[Thomas088]

Pretty sure that was it .. so requires a call to create an itinerary .> 6 sectors?

For an itinerary that - theoretically - can hit 16 sectors, seems a very restrictive issue.

Thanks for the prompt reply Thomas088.

Regards,

BD

Yes unfortunately that’s been my experience. Purely anecdotal, but the call centre has actually been pretty smooth for me recently - no issues changing/adding flights, and even called back when they said they would.

Sounds like you've already made a web-booking, but if you do end up itinitially booking via phone definitely push for an exemption for the rewards assistance fee due to website error.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Pretty sure that was it .. so requires a call to create an itinerary .> 6 sectors?

For an itinerary that - theoretically - can hit 16 sectors, seems a very restrictive issue.

Thanks for the prompt reply Thomas088.

Regards,

BD

You have to call, and note that forcing the domestic sector can also result in an error. If BNE-HKG comes up with SYD as a transit, you’re good to go. If you have to select SYD-BNE it will usually then block the onward connection and vv.

 

[BD1959]

You have to call, and note that forcing the domestic sector can also result in an error. If BNE-HKG comes up with SYD as a transit, you’re good to go. If you have to select SYD-BNE it will usually then block the onward connection and vv.

Thanks - but it did allow me to proceed to book with the BNE-SYD/SYD-BNE.

As the MCT is legal I assume there would be no issue ticketing.

 

[BD1959]

Dummy booking - this is for someone else … totally across the insisting on charge waivers- but thanks for the reminder.

Regards,

BD