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

I have tried those routes, but the itinerary seems to be coming up with an error. I think that journey takes the total journey over 35k miles, which is a bummer!! Appreciate the suggestion though!
You can check the mileage on greatcirclemapper… it’s fairly accurate compared to the airlines’ distance measurements (maybe 3-4 miles out in some cases). That’ll clear up whether the error is distance or otherwise.
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Sponsored Post

Struggling to use your Frequent Flyer Points?

Frequent Flyer Concierge takes the hard work out of finding award availability and redeeming your frequent flyer or credit card points for flights.

Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, the Frequent Flyer Concierge team at Frequent Flyer Concierge will help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

What's the latest on cathay pacific? Haven't actually seen any flights through hong kong in my searches for next year!
I have a BOS-HKG-SYD sector on CX at the end of May as part of a OWA. Unsure if it will actually happen.
 
I have a BOS-HKG-SYD sector on CX at the end of May as part of a OWA. Unsure if it will actually happen.
CX is risky until HKG open up to tourists without quarantine. If CX cancel you can request QF open up seats on QF metal. It may not be easy dealing with the call centre. It is possible but likely to take a lot of time and effort.
 
CX is risky until HKG open up to tourists without quarantine. If CX cancel you can request QF open up seats on QF metal. It may not be easy dealing with the call centre. It is possible but likely to take a lot of time and effort.
Already enough experience with the call centre for this booking. It's the return segment for a trip I'm taking to move to the US at the end of this month, I'm not keen on screwing with the itinerary any more so taking my chances.
 
Long time lurker (literally years) but first time poster.
Have had Gold or platinum status on Velocity for years but switching my work travel to Qantas from now on. Looking to bulk up points this year with a plan to redeem for Business class flights to Italy next Septermber. Ideally redeem 2 and buy 1.

Am sitting on approx Qantas 427,000 points but no status yet.

Looking at a NYC return in J later this year and will add several Mel-Syd flights into the mix over the next few months.

Two questions for all you experts out there:
1. Should I consider a status run to get me at least to Gold, but ideally platinum late in the year?
2. Looking at using iflyflat to help me get the tickets - worth it?

Will begin this process from next month a full 13 months out from travel - but won't have status until later in the year so assume this will make it more difficult to nail down redemptions?

Thanks in advance and appreciate the brains trust in here!
 
New daily QR flight from CBR/MEL QR989 Dep MEL 15/16:15 from Oct 2022. J award seats available right now. I found plenty of J seats to Europe in Oct 2022, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun 2023. Get in quick to build your OWA.
Can I ask where you are checking availabilty? thanks
 
New daily QR flight from CBR/MEL QR989 Dep MEL 15/16:15 from Oct 2022. J award seats available right now. I found plenty of J seats to Europe in Oct 2022, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun 2023. Get in quick to build your OWA.
Thanks for the heads up. Managed to snag 2 x J return on points in Oct 2022.
 
Long time lurker (literally years) but first time poster.
Have had Gold or platinum status on Velocity for years but switching my work travel to Qantas from now on. Looking to bulk up points this year with a plan to redeem for Business class flights to Italy next Septermber. Ideally redeem 2 and buy 1.

Am sitting on approx Qantas 427,000 points but no status yet.

Looking at a NYC return in J later this year and will add several Mel-Syd flights into the mix over the next few months.

Two questions for all you experts out there:
1. Should I consider a status run to get me at least to Gold, but ideally platinum late in the year?
2. Looking at using iflyflat to help me get the tickets - worth it?

Will begin this process from next month a full 13 months out from travel - but won't have status until later in the year so assume this will make it more difficult to nail down redemptions?

Thanks in advance and appreciate the brains trust in here!
You will, in theory, have increased award availability on Qantas operated flights if you have higher status. But the same isn’t true for partner airlines. Lots of variables, but unless you are planning to fly qantas the difference between gold and platinum may not be worth your while.

Where status may be beneficial is contacting the call centre. As a platinum you may have an increased chance of getting an Australian-based call centre, who are competent in dealing with OWAs.

Outside of booking and availability, your platinum status may get you better lounges, in ports where F lounges are available. Worth the extra spend?

I would use AFF’s own award booking service! Not that others aren’t good, but why not keep it local :)

Welcome to AFF!
 
9th call to Fiji on Monday 4/7/22: 35 minutes waiting in queue, almost 3 hours total. Ticket issued. Additional tax is not charged yet.
Agent asked me to provide contact details and passengers in the booking for verification
I asked what is the status of my booking. She pulled up booking details and asked what is my update with the booking :D
To save time for both, i provided summary of previous 4 calls that noone can get ticket issued and additional tax charge authorisation on my credit card was dropped.
She contacted ticketing team without any excuse about booking is not imminent and could be fired if contacting ticketing team like one of previous agents.
She told me waiting for ticket team would be more than 1 hour and can she drop the call and call me back after she can get in touch with ticket team. I insisted that i'm happy to stay on hold no matter how many hours and previous agent never called me back.
About 2 hours waiting for ticket team, she could get a hold of ticket team and got ticket issued.
I received email with text "QANTAS E-TICKET ITINERARY AND RECEIPT". In the email, there is a section TAX INVOICE ISSUE DATE today with amount that still outstanding which was charged to my credit card 2 weeks ago but was dropped.
She said pdf booking should be sent to me within 24 hours.
I assume an automatic process needs to charge my credit card then send final pdf confirmation?
Credit card is still not charged for additional tax.
Refresh Checkmytrip 2 hours later and I can see E-ticket number for changed flights in second half of the booking which is the same number as first half that was already issued when i booked online originally.
10th call to overseas call centre on 6th July: did not check but accent sounds like South Africa. Agent asked every details for verification (passenger names, Qff number, flight date and destination ...)
I asked if ticket is all good and is there any action needed from my end. At this point, remaining tax charge from reprice does not show up in my credit card yet even as authorisation.
She said booking is already ticketed and ticketing team would not issue ticket if tax is not paid. Nothing else is needed on my end.
Check my credit card today and see charge for additional tax on Tuesday 5th July.
It looks like my booking is all set :D
There is no pdf ticket though. Only "QANTAS E-TICKET ITINERARY AND RECEIPT" in text format in email body sent by previous agent.
Is there any tip if i can and i should reserve seat in advanced asap on Finnair, JAL, British Airways for 3J seats?
I tried before on JAL site but got error that my flight is not available for seat reservation yet
Huge thanks to info and discussion in this thread
 
Does anyone know if what this is about or anyway around it?

QR J seats are available to DOH from CBR via MEL. I am in MEL. That flight goes via MEL. Meaning if I want to get one I'd have to fly MEL-CBR-CBR-DOH (stopping back in MEL again)

Same day and flight there are no J seats out of MEL.
 
Last edited:
Does anyone know if what this is about or anyway around it?

QR J seats are available to DOH from CBR via MEL. I am in MEL. That flight goes via MEL. Meaning if I want to get one I'd have to fly MEL-CBR-CBR-DOH (stopping back in MEL again)

Same day and flight there are no J seats out of MEL.
Sounds like married segments to me
 
Does anyone know if what this is about or anyway around it?

QR J seats are available to DOH from CBR via MEL. I am in MEL. That flight goes via MEL. Meaning if I want to get one I'd have to fly MEL-CBR-CBR-DOH (stopping back in MEL again)

Same day and flight there are no J seats out of MEL.
It looks like the MEL-DOH seats went very quickly but there is a separate CBRxMEL-DOH allocation that is still available. When QR J rewards seat are available you need to get in quick.
Also you only search MEL-DOH if you are planning on a stopover in DOH. If you only want to transit in DOH search MEL-LHR or CDG etc.
 
Last edited:
If I book it Id have to book MEL-CBR-DOH (via MEL again)-FCO.

Do you think a consultant has the ability to book the flight without booking the CBR-MEL segment so we board in MEL for DOH?
If you do go ahead with it, you might need to book the MEL-CBR sector on a separate PNR.
Otherwise it might fall foul of this rule:

14.3.5 A Classic Flight Reward Itinerary must contain no more than one departure from the city or country of first departure on that Itinerary.

Link to book of rules:
 
Looks like QR989 CBR-DOH is on a single flight number, meaning the transit in MEL is not counted in the system - despite the plane stopping in MEL.
It looks like you’re right.
From the T&Cs:

'Flight' means one way travel (without a Stopover) on a scheduled air service with a single flight number (even if the travel includes a change of aircraft). If travel includes a change of flight number, each change is a new Flight even if there is no change of aircraft

So does that mean the MEL ’transit’ wouldn’t count as one of the 16 segments either?
And, if not, then would the distance be calculated as CBR-DOH, or CBR-MEL-DOH?
 

Enhance your AFF viewing experience!!

From just $6 we'll remove all advertisements so that you can enjoy a cleaner and uninterupted viewing experience.

And you'll be supporting us so that we can continue to provide this valuable resource :)


Sample AFF with no advertisements? More..

Recent Posts

Back
Top