Multi City significantly less expensive than RTW

[Lynda2475]

I'm wanting to fly SYD-SIN-LHR-JFK-SYD next June, stopover in Singapore, London and New York, wanting to use Qantas metal to ensure Lounge Access wherever possible (and not interested in going via ME).

There were no business reward seats that I could see (best use of points).

Economy classic reward (there are seats available on all flights I want) is 165k point plus $1104 taxes. However, the true points cost is 175,400 (the 165k redemption plus 19.4 points not earned by redeeming), dividing this by the $1346 cost difference between purchasing flights and taxes (which cant be avoided) gives a redemption rate of 130 points/$, which is criminal!

In looking at paid fares One World RTW in Y is >$4k, Multi-city with Qantas (all Qantas metal except LHR-JFK on BA) is $2540, so significantly cheaper to do a MultiCity booking. Was surprised by this.

Is there an even better option (changing dates is not an option, as New York accommodation is set and leave limited)?

I was hoping to get a AA flight from London to New York to get 2 bags as BA only allow one for my status (Silver with Qantas Club), but its $200 more than BA which Qantas seem to favour). Should i see if booking via AA gives a better price?

Thanks in advance

 

[samh004]

AA would also be better for you with regards to lounge access out of the UK, as I do not believe you get this with BA and Qantas Club anymore, but I'm not sure it's worth $200?

 

[Lynda2475]

Just tried to search my itinerary as a multi city with AA but it wouldn't return results - guessing cause only 1 flight would be with AA.

Yeah im not sure Lounge access and an extra bag is worth $200, as I understand BA have more generous carry-on weight limit (and will do majority of shopping in the US anyway), and given there are heaps of flights from LHR to JFK, I can time it so I wont need to use showers (unlike in Singapore where flights depart late so will have had a full day after hotel check-out).

I know I will get access lounger via AA at JFK as they honour Qantas Club.

 

[sudoer]

In looking at paid fares One World RTW in Y is >$4k, Multi-city with Qantas (all Qantas metal except LHR-JFK on BA) is $2540, so significantly cheaper to do a MultiCity booking. Was surprised by this.

The oneworld RTW fare is designed for significantly more complex itineraries. Your multi-city quote is probably a few one-way fares combined, which is why it's so much cheaper.

Is there an even better option (changing dates is not an option, as New York accommodation is set and leave limited)?

On QF metal, probably not.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

In looking at paid fares One World RTW in Y is >$4k, Multi-city with Qantas (all Qantas metal except LHR-JFK on BA) is $2540, so significantly cheaper to do a MultiCity booking. Was surprised by this.

I’m guessing that part of the fare difference is that the RTW fare allows for up to 16 flown sectors, and your Multi-City itinerary is only 4 sectors.

 

[dajop]

Yeah im not sure Lounge access and an extra bag is worth $200,.

In AUD terms, worst case: extra bag on BA: $110, Plaza premium lounge: $65 AUD

 

[docjames]

Agree with rtw comments - not enough sectors to see value.

Only other option (depending on stopover durations) would be to look at separately ticketing QF Aus-LAX-Aus or Aus-JFK-Aus and then separately ticketed carrier (BA/AY/AA) NYC-UK-NYC.

If connecting “straight through” on the way home, the pricing you’ve listed is actually pretty good.

 

[Lynda2475]

Really not wanting to back track on such a short trip (3 weeks) - so flying in one direction is my preference. I think the pricing is ok, could have possibly been cheaper while the US sale was on a week ago.

Been trying to book it now but after selecting flights and hitting next, it keeps timing out for "unknown error" and telling me to try again.

**Edited to say

I managed to book it via my tablet, and because of Qantas Ultimate Amex promotion where you earn $50 credit for every Qantas purchase >$300 before 17th Sept, basically no card fee. Guessing this add blocking at proxy level here on the site was interfering with options (like insurance) during booking process

 

[justinbrett]

I did something similar last year:
Cash booking (MH) SYD-KUL one way (was there for a wedding) - approx. $700 in Y
Cash booking (BA) KUL-LHR-JFK approx. 3K in WTP (Y+)
Cash booking (AA) JFK-YVR approx. $500
Points booking (QF) YVR-YSD in J

So it cost me around $4500 plus 70K-ish points, with the most important flight in J, two others in Y+ and only the first, shorter flight in Y (excluding intra-NA flights).

The trick is to get Asia-Europe-North America on the same ticket as the European carriers (well, at least BA) will give great fares as they class it as a one way fare from Asia - USA, pax they wouldn't get otherwise.

 

[Kiwi_Flyer]

Not surprised that multi-city is cheaper as you are probably on a round-trip fare Australia to UK - not the cheapest fare but rather one that permits routing via either Asia or America and en-route stopovers each way.

 

[Lynda2475]

Points and Status Credits quoted during booking were higher than I expected, if i get enough work trips in I just might make Gold by the end of my status year (31 July).

2 legs are listed as Economy (O) and 3 as Economy (S) - all say they are Sale, but I'm guessing the O legs are Economy and the S Discount economy or vice versa?

** Edited to say --> justinbrett just checked SIN-LHR-JFK with BA and it wouldn't work out cheaper, as that leg alone is $1800 (and Id still need SYD-SIN and JFK-SYD which I could never get for $700), but definitely something to consider researching on future trips

 

[justinbrett]

** Edited to say --> justinbrett just checked SIN-LHR-JFK with BA and it wouldn't work out cheaper, as that leg alone is $1800 (and Id still need SYD-SIN and JFK-SYD which I could never get for $700), but definitely something to consider researching on future trips

SYD-SIN would be cheap but JFK-SYD is the killer, that's why we made a points booking (upside is confirmed J seat).

I couldn't get QF to sell the UK->USA leg on the ticket so I was forced to do it the way I did. I also had to go to KL and Qantas don't fly there.

 

[Mattg]

My first "round-the-world" trip was booked as a Qantas multi-city booking in exactly this way. It cost around $2,900 in Y (Saver, so upgradeable) from memory, with a routing of CBR-SYD-SIN, SIN-MUC, LHR-JFK and finally LAX-MEL-CBR. Most flights were on Qantas with a couple of legs on EK/BA thrown in.

It's not a bad deal if you specifically want to fly on Qantas metal. There are some slightly better deals though if you don't mind flying other airlines.