"oneworld" award (132.4K/249.6K/318K/455K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

[vetrade]

I've been researching for months and I'm almost ready to book OWA commencing in March/April 23. I've been trialling lots of options in Qantas multicity bookings and have a question about surface sectors. I know they are allowed and must be counted in total miles. Is there a limit on the number of surface sectors? I've read that there is no "official" limit on the number of surface sectors but also that there may be a limit of two surface sectors (possibly only for online bookings?). The 2 surface sector limit seems to align with the errors I'm getting when looking at itineraries via Qantas multicity booking tool. As soon as I add more than 2 surface sectors the tools errors out so hoping someone can clarify before I look at what else I could be doing wrong. Thank you.

Welcome to AFF Rach1616. Although there is no stipulated maximum number of surface sectors, the practical reality is that you can't have more of them than the 5 limit number of stopovers i.e., each surface sector has to be attached to the stopover city preceding it. There is no 2 surface sector limit for either phone or online bookings. The multicity tool has a meltdown if you try and enter more than 5 flights so I usually don't search for any more than 3 flights at a time, andonly rerely will I try and search for 4. That applies whether there are surface sectors involved or not and may explain why you are getting error messages.

Suggest you post your intended itinerary with details of your intended OW flights, transits and stopovers, and at which points you intend to have surface sectors. Doing that will make it much easier for people to scrutinise your trip and make suggestions.

 

[squid01]

I've been researching for months and I'm almost ready to book OWA commencing in March/April 23. I've been trialling lots of options in Qantas multicity bookings and have a question about surface sectors. I know they are allowed and must be counted in total miles. Is there a limit on the number of surface sectors? I've read that there is no "official" limit on the number of surface sectors but also that there may be a limit of two surface sectors (possibly only for online bookings?). The 2 surface sector limit seems to align with the errors I'm getting when looking at itineraries via Qantas multicity booking tool. As soon as I add more than 2 surface sectors the tools errors out so hoping someone can clarify before I look at what else I could be doing wrong. Thank you.

As mentioned you are probably putting too many segments into your search string on the Qantas site. I can search six segments but anymore and it freaks out.

One thing to note in the OWA limitations is that a surface sector counts as a segment (so add them to the number of flights you have) You are allowed a total of 16 segments so that could be a factor.

Question as it has been a while since I booked my last one, you don’t have to include a Qantas flight do you? Just so long as you have two other partner airlines you are all good? Or must you have a QF flight (I’m remembering not)?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Question as it has been a while since I booked my last one, you don’t have to include a Qantas flight do you? Just so long as you have two other partner airlines you are all good? Or must you have a QF flight (I’m remembering not)?

Correct. No need to include QF in your OWA.

 

[squid01]

I am looking at booking for September departure, route not 100% sorted just yet. Was going to book some flights to lock them in as availability is scarce. If I want to say remove one of those flights and add another in its place (ie- change route), will they need to reissue the ticket again and hence be a potential for me to lose the other flight(s) which I didn’t want changed?
Does it cost anything to cancel or amend a OWA booking? If I cancel then how long may it take to get all the points refunded?

Also, if I book individual segments on the OWA (ie book ADL to KUL and also KUL to BKK instead of just ADL to BKK) then will my bags be checked all the way through from ADL to BKK? Doing some research people say if it is on the “same ticket” they will. Essentially is the OwA booking just on one ticket? Or do they mean I will still have to book the ADL to BKK path instead of breaking it up?

Thanks!

Can anyone shine some light on these two points please? Thanks

 

[Mr H]

Can anyone shine some light on these two points please? Thanks

Your OWA is a single ticket. You can usually through check your bags for any connection that is less than 24 hours - although exceptions can apply (e.g. when transiting the US or when switching from international to domestic). Amending your OWA to add in flights becomes invisible once the change has happened, been paid for and ticketed. So there is no visible gap between flights added in earlier and later to the itinerary. You can change itineraries and there is usually a fee for doing this (5,000 points each time IIRC and 6,000 for cancellation - the rest of the points get returned quickly)) but these are currently waived because of Covid. I believe the change fees will be reintroduced soon.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Can anyone shine some light on these two points please? Thanks

Depending on the change they will need to reissue the tickets. If you are cancelling flights or changing routes this will likely need a reissue, and there can be problems associated with that, depending on the other carriers on the ticket. If some of those other carriers require immediate ticketing (or within 24 hours) and this is not done, the whole ticket could fall over, leaving you with nothing.

It’s a risk, but manageable if you keep in top of the reissue and make sure QF gets the new ticket out within the timeframes (may require repeated calls).

As for your though check of baggage, it means one ticket, not flights or flight segments. So going via KUL is fine, you will collect your bags only in BKK.

 

[Rach1616]

Welcome to AFF Rach1616. Although there is no stipulated maximum number of surface sectors, the practical reality is that you can't have more of them than the 5 limit number of stopovers i.e., each surface sector has to be attached to the stopover city preceding it. There is no 2 surface sector limit for either phone or online bookings. The multicity tool has a meltdown if you try and enter more than 5 flights so I usually don't search for any more than 3 flights at a time, andonly rerely will I try and search for 4. That applies whether there are surface sectors involved or not and may explain why you are getting error messages.

Suggest you post your intended itinerary with details of your intended OW flights, transits and stopovers, and at which points you intend to have surface sectors. Doing that will make it much easier for people to scrutinise your trip and make suggestions.

Thanks for the reply. That's great to know it may not be my error after all. I'll be booking some flights now and some later so I was mainly trying to enter everything to make the trip meets the rules.

Any advice or suggestions re this intended OW trip for 2 people in J much appreciated. My main concern is that when I go to add the additional flights I'm confident the rules of the trip are met for the 318,000 points per person.

Booking this section shortly
MEL-SYD-HND-KIX (QF and JL) stopover 1
KIX-NRT surface sector
NRT-YVR (JL) stopover 2
YVR-JFK surface sector
JFK-HEL-LIS (AY) stopover 3
Adding additional flights when the dates open, quite flexible on these re dates, starting point in EU and route as long we get home to MEL on the RTW award ticket one way or another (only preference to avoid LHT and BA and access the Q suites if possible).

OPTION 1
LIS-CMN surface sector
CMN-AMS (AT) stopover 4
AMS-IST surface sector
IST-DOH-SIN (QR) stopover 5
SIN-MEL (aware this will have low availability so may change to KUL or BKK or ???, any suggestions welcome for Asia stopover city that may have options available)
Total miles =31685

OPTION2
After stopover 2 add in YVR-MSY stopover 3 (assume I can add a flight in between flights already booked as long as the rules are still followed?)
MSY-JFK surface sector
JFK-HEL-LIS (AY) stopover 4 (booked in first section)
LIS-IST surface sector
IST-DOH (QR) stopover 5
DOH-ADL-MEL (QR)
Total miles=31232

Thanks for any suggestions or feedback in advance.

 

[vetrade]

Thanks for the reply. That's great to know it may not be my error after all. I'll be booking some flights now and some later so I was mainly trying to enter everything to make the trip meets the rules.

Any advice or suggestions re this intended OW trip for 2 people in J much appreciated. My main concern is that when I go to add the additional flights I'm confident the rules of the trip are met for the 318,000 points per person.

Booking this section shortly
MEL-SYD-HND-KIX (QF and JL) stopover 1
KIX-NRT surface sector
NRT-YVR (JL) stopover 2
YVR-JFK surface sector
JFK-HEL-LIS (AY) stopover 3
Adding additional flights when the dates open, quite flexible on these re dates, starting point in EU and route as long we get home to MEL on the RTW award ticket one way or another (only preference to avoid LHT and BA and access the Q suites if possible).

OPTION 1
LIS-CMN surface sector
CMN-AMS (AT) stopover 4
AMS-IST surface sector
IST-DOH-SIN (QR) stopover 5
SIN-MEL (aware this will have low availability so may change to KUL or BKK or ???, any suggestions welcome for Asia stopover city that may have options available)
Total miles =31685

OPTION2
After stopover 2 add in YVR-MSY stopover 3 (assume I can add a flight in between flights already booked as long as the rules are still followed?)
MSY-JFK surface sector
JFK-HEL-LIS (AY) stopover 4 (booked in first section)
LIS-IST surface sector
IST-DOH (QR) stopover 5
DOH-ADL-MEL (QR)
Total miles=31232

Thanks for any suggestions or feedback in advance.

I can't see any problems with either of your options, Rach1616.
I guess you threw in the DOH-ADL-MEL to get the QSuites on the DOH-ADL flight but QR is now flying the A350-1000 (A351) on the DOH-MEL route and all of them have QSuites so the direct flight to MEL will save you an ADL transit. Award availability in J should be quite easy to book provided you don't leave it too late.

 

[squid01]

Thanks for the reply. That's great to know it may not be my error after all. I'll be booking some flights now and some later so I was mainly trying to enter everything to make the trip meets the rules.

Any advice or suggestions re this intended OW trip for 2 people in J much appreciated. My main concern is that when I go to add the additional flights I'm confident the rules of the trip are met for the 318,000 points per person.

Booking this section shortly
MEL-SYD-HND-KIX (QF and JL) stopover 1
KIX-NRT surface sector
NRT-YVR (JL) stopover 2
YVR-JFK surface sector
JFK-HEL-LIS (AY) stopover 3
Adding additional flights when the dates open, quite flexible on these re dates, starting point in EU and route as long we get home to MEL on the RTW award ticket one way or another (only preference to avoid LHT and BA and access the Q suites if possible).

OPTION 1
LIS-CMN surface sector
CMN-AMS (AT) stopover 4
AMS-IST surface sector
IST-DOH-SIN (QR) stopover 5
SIN-MEL (aware this will have low availability so may change to KUL or BKK or ???, any suggestions welcome for Asia stopover city that may have options available)
Total miles =31685

OPTION2
After stopover 2 add in YVR-MSY stopover 3 (assume I can add a flight in between flights already booked as long as the rules are still followed?)
MSY-JFK surface sector
JFK-HEL-LIS (AY) stopover 4 (booked in first section)
LIS-IST surface sector
IST-DOH (QR) stopover 5
DOH-ADL-MEL (QR)
Total miles=31232

Thanks for any suggestions or feedback in advance.

In your option 2 I don’t believe the stopover in LIS will be allowed as you can only stopover in a city once. You can transit twice though.

 

[Mr H]

In your option 2 I don’t believe the stopover in LIS will be allowed as you can only stopover in a city once. You can transit twice though.

There’s only one LIS stopover but the way the options are laid out it looks a bit like a second one.

 

[vetrade]

In your option 2 I don’t believe the stopover in LIS will be allowed as you can only stopover in a city once. You can transit twice though.

I think you've mis-read the itinerary

 

[squid01]

I think you've mis-read the itinerary

Deerrr whoops

 

[Mr H]

In terms of alternatives to SIN, you might consider CMB. Sri Lanka is an amazing country although it has some troubles at the moment - and Sri Lankan Airlines is a OW member. You could also try somewhere like Penang - a short MH flight from KUL or SIN with connections to HKG through CX - or by train to BKK, KUL or SIN.

 

[sudoer]

In terms of alternatives to SIN, you might consider CMB. Sri Lanka is an amazing country although it has some troubles at the moment - and Sri Lankan Airlines is a OW member.

I'm in the process of planning out my own 2xJ 318k awards at the moment and will post my routes later, but I've set myself three rules to minimise the chance of cancelled flights - no CX, no UL, and I'm avoiding Europe to North Asia (vv) routes where possible.

You could also try somewhere like Penang

Can't recommend Penang enough!

 

[vetrade]

Neither - especially if you like food!

I've had some flights removed from my booking, they have dropped from Qantas MMB, as well as CheckMyTrip and finnair MMB

The remaining flights (EK & QR) show "Confirmed" in QF MMB, QR MMB, EK MMB and CheckMyTrip. I can also see our assigned seats in each of these tools.
But there is no e-ticket number listed under passenger info in CheckMyTrip and if I try to "send" the e-ticket documentation from finnair MMB I get an error stating "something went wrong when preparing these tickets"

Is this standard behaviour after flights are removed from a booking? Should I give it some time for the e-ticket to reappear or call back and check what's happened?

Wrong thread. EK isn't a OW member

 

[Aristotle9]

8 calls so far in 3 days to get a simple date change re-ticketed and still no cigar. One of them managed to charge an authorisation on the card but that was over 24 hours ago.

Thankfully no CX on my list as one time in the past some of the flights dropped off after 24 hours. Preparing for the same fate this time, hopefully get some money from insurance for tour cancellations.

Edit: now some mess with the points with indiscriminate a negative 425k points charge added as "cancellation for the booking", on hold but not looking good. Sheer incompetence, wondering if all this is worth the stress.

 

[Fil-Ski]

I had a MH flight to KUL which was cancelled which has triggered my KUL-DOH (on QA) and DOH-JFK flights to be cancelled

I’ve rung the Qantas call centre to try get it sorted but availability is almost non-existent. QF can get me to LAX but I can’t get any award flights from LAX-JFK even via connecting cities (on AA)

Qantas has also offered a refund but that useless. Has anyone made a claim against travel insurance for such scenarios?

 

[sudoer]

Are the QR flights already lost, or do you have a chance of retaining them if you can get to KUL? If QF can get you to DPS there is usually MH availability on DPS-KUL (or worst case it's a cheap cash ticket if you can fit in a spare surface sector)

Otherwise, what's the approx date (or month) you are trying to get to JFK?

 

[Fil-Ski]

The QR flights dropped when the MH flight got canceled. However I still see availability out of KUL with QR so I would say they could be re-booked.

I could possibly throw another stop in to get to KUL somehow but it's going to be a very long trip

First week of June

 

[Rtw]

Hi all, I’m looking for some expert advice,

We’re about to book our one world award trip for the beginning of next year.

I have all the flights lined up that I want, with final leg yet to be available (6 month travel time). I’ll be calling up to add this later.

Questions

Is there any negatives on booking our departure from another country ? We intend on paying for a cheap flight from PER – DPS then starting from there.

I understand credit cards offer travel insurance when the flights are paid for with the card, if I pay for the taxes only does this generally count?

Any recommendations on travel insurance credit cards would be greatly appreciated.