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

[flapper]

Hi,
Booked the first 3 flights of my trip a few months ago. Now to add the middle part as the flights are available. Just a couple of questions if anyone can help.
Can I use a flight which has an AA code but is 'operated by Republic Airways As American Eagle'?
Has anyone ever had an issue where Great Circle Mapper states the route is less than 35k miles but Qantas think it is more. I am 200 miles under on GCM. Don't want to book middle section then find out I can't get home when I try to add the last flights in 5 weeks.
Thanks in advance

I believe if it has a AA flight number then it then it is OW. The best way to check for sure is to do a dummy booking using multi-city tool on QF website and see if it stops at the OWA points. I tried it yesterday for an AA flight 'operated by Southwest as American Eagle', it also worked for AS flight numbers operated by other airlines.

 

[timeddoug]

Help! I'm new to all of this but attempting to book a Business Oneworld Classic Flight Reward. At the moment I just fall short of the 318k points required, could I still commence a booking? I can see availability for the first 2 legs that I need and I would have enough points to book them. What would I do after this to convert the booking into a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward and max the points at 318k?

 

[Captain Halliday]

Help! I'm new to all of this but attempting to book a Business Oneworld Classic Flight Reward. At the moment I just fall short of the 318k points required, could I still commence a booking? I can see availability for the first 2 legs that I need and I would have enough points to book them. What would I do after this to convert the booking into a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward and max the points at 318k?

Yes, you can book legs up to whatever points balance you have.

You don’t need to do anything specifically to convert it into a oneworld classic flight award.

If your itinerary meets the requirements, the price automatically caps at 318k points.

 

[Mr H]

If your itinerary meets the requirements, the price automatically caps at 318k points.

Noting that the poster will also have to pay change fees on top of the 318k cap.

 

[ishfrem]

ended up booking flights august to sept
MEL>SCL>MAD>BIO>ground section which is basically europe for a month>MAN>"HKG>CJK">MEL

all business class. One issue I had was booking HKG to CJK. I arrive in HKG at 6.45 and and there is a flight out from HKG to CJK at 9.15 and 15.45. I really wanted the same day 9.15am flight because it would be extremely convenient but the stupid system wouldn't let me add it. I decided to book the flights without that bit and it all worked.
Could I call the help desk and add the flight as it still fits the criteria? Or even better do so without calling anyone?

I'm guessing I would incur a charge even though the system was the issue.

 

[Warragul]

Could I call the help desk and add the flight as it still fits the criteria? Or even better do so without calling anyone?

Once booked any changes have to be via the helpdesk if it fits the criteria of a OWA then they can add it. If you've scanned the pages of this thread you'll know that is easier said than done and you may need to call the helpdesk multiple times to talk to someone who knows they systems well enough to actually complete it.

 

[gfraser]

We booked and paid the taxes for a OWA in Sept 2022 that we completed 3 weeks ago.
In January we made an addition to our schedule that reduced our taxes by approx $500.
Since then we have had no joy getting a refund either thru email or calling 131313 to the point of exasperation .
Could someone please give some advice as to what to do next?

 

[Daver6]

We booked and paid the taxes for a OWA in Sept 2022 that we completed 3 weeks ago.
In January we made an addition to our schedule that reduced our taxes by approx $500.
Since then we have had no joy getting a refund either thru email or calling 131313 to the point of exasperation .
Could someone please give some advice as to what to do next?

If you paid by credit card, initiate a charge back.

 

[ETW]

An open-jaw is not 2 stopovers?!?!?

I'm fairly sure I'm right but QF told me they couldn't ticket my flight home because there was too many stopovers. Segments and miles are fine, the issue is stopovers. I'm going to HUCA but anted some validation while I recover from that 4 hour ordeal.

Existing Route
ADL-MIA (Stopover)
MIA-INV (Stopover)
INV-BEY (Stopover)
BEY-DXB (Open Jaw - QF is telling me this an additional stopover)
DXB-HKG (Stopover)

In my view this is 4 stopovers but they are telling me it's 5

I was attempting to add
HKG-KUL (Stopover)
KUL-ADL

By their logic I should at least be able to add HKG-KUL-ADL given I've already used my Hong Kong stopover but they also said that wouldn't be possible

 

[Mr H]

An open-jaw is not 2 stopovers?!?!?

I'm fairly sure I'm right but QF told me they couldn't ticket my flight home because there was too many stopovers. Segments and miles are fine, the issue is stopovers. I'm going to HUCA but anted some validation while I recover from that 4 hour ordeal.

Existing Route
ADL-MIA (Stopover)
MIA-INV (Stopover)
INV-BEY (Stopover)
BEY-DXB (Open Jaw - QF is telling me this an additional stopover)
DXB-HKG (Stopover)

In my view this is 4 stopovers but they are telling me it's 5

I was attempting to add
HKG-KUL (Stopover)
KUL-ADL

By their logic I should at least be able to add HKG-KUL-ADL given I've already used my Hong Kong stopover but they also said that wouldn't be possible

You are right - the open jaw counts as a stopover in the place where it starts. QF are trying to make it count as two stopovers.

 

[Captain Halliday]

An open-jaw is not 2 stopovers?!?!?

I'm fairly sure I'm right but QF told me they couldn't ticket my flight home because there was too many stopovers. Segments and miles are fine, the issue is stopovers. I'm going to HUCA but anted some validation while I recover from that 4 hour ordeal.

Existing Route
ADL-MIA (Stopover)
MIA-INV (Stopover)
INV-BEY (Stopover)
BEY-DXB (Open Jaw - QF is telling me this an additional stopover)
DXB-HKG (Stopover)

In my view this is 4 stopovers but they are telling me it's 5

I was attempting to add
HKG-KUL (Stopover)
KUL-ADL

By their logic I should at least be able to add HKG-KUL-ADL given I've already used my Hong Kong stopover but they also said that wouldn't be possible

You are right - the open jaw counts as a stopover in the place where it starts. QF are trying to make it count as two stopovers.

Just to add clarity to the post by @Mr H , DXB is a stopover.

If you arrive in DXB and do not fly out within 24 hours it’s a stopover.

But HKG should not be.

 

[Mr H]

Just to add clarity to the post by @Mr H , DXB is a stopover.

If you arrive in DXB and do not fly out within 24 hours it’s a stopover.

But HKG should not be.

I was assuming that BEY-DXB was a land sector. It would be helpful to everyone if the OP could specify which bit is a land sector.

 

[Captain Halliday]

I was assuming that BEY-DXB was a land sector. It would be helpful to everyone if the OP could specify which bit is a land sector.

Agreed.

However, I assumed BEY-DXB is a flight.

Is so, and the OP doesn’t depart DXB within 24h (which appears to be the case), then HKG is stopover number five and the QF agent is correct.

But as you say, requires clarification from @ETW .

 

[ETW]

Agreed.

However, I assumed BEY-DXB is a flight.

Is so, and the OP doesn’t depart DXB within 24h (which appears to be the case), then HKG is stopover number five and the QF agent is correct.

But as you say, requires clarification from @ETW .

Ah yes sorry BEY - DXB is a surface sector

 

[Captain Halliday]

Ah yes sorry BEY - DXB is a surface sector

In that case, I make your stops MIA, INV, BEY, HKG.

Are your transits all <24h?

 

[ETW]

In that case, I make your stops MIA, INV, BEY, HKG.

Are your transits all <24h?

Yep, one is 14 but that’s by far the longest

 

[elanshin]

You are right - the open jaw counts as a stopover in the place where it starts. QF are trying to make it count as two stopovers.

Are you sure for land sectors it counts where it starts?

I've currently got a valid booking that is ticketed:

CGK >HKG (stop)
HKG > PVG (stop)
PVG > SYD (open jaw stopover)
MEL >SYD> DFW>IAD (next leg) (stop)
LAX > SYD (end)

I need to go add the other regional flights as the Booking wouldn't let me using multicity.
This is capped at 318k

Given that PVG > SYD is a stop and so would the end point of SYD (as we're not ending in CGK and it's being counted as a surface sector to end) this would constitute it being 2 stops at SYD. (My full itinerary has us doing PVG > SYD > MEL but I couldn't add that domestic leg to the multicity without the IT breaking).

Or does the last end leg not count as a "stop"?

 

[Jacques Vert]

An open-jaw is not 2 stopovers?!?!?

I'm fairly sure I'm right but QF told me they couldn't ticket my flight home because there was too many stopovers. Segments and miles are fine, the issue is stopovers. I'm going to HUCA but anted some validation while I recover from that 4 hour ordeal.

Existing Route
ADL-MIA (Stopover)
MIA-INV (Stopover)
INV-BEY (Stopover)
BEY-DXB (Open Jaw - QF is telling me this an additional stopover)
DXB-HKG (Stopover)

In my view this is 4 stopovers but they are telling me it's 5

I was attempting to add
HKG-KUL (Stopover)
KUL-ADL

By their logic I should at least be able to add HKG-KUL-ADL given I've already used my Hong Kong stopover but they also said that wouldn't be possible

I agree with the other comments that this should be counted as 4 stopovers, not 5.

However, this is not a new problem. I've come across this a number of times including before Covid. The only thing I can suggest is to HUACA. Hopefully you will get someone who knows what the rules are; but in the 3 or 4 times I've run into this issue, I have never won the argument and ended up changing the itinerary.

One agent told me there is an internal working document that states that land sectors are to be counted as two stopovers (obviously written by a manager who has no idea of the rules).

 

[DC3]

Or does the last end leg not count as a "stop"?

The final city is not a stop, because when you arrive, the itinerary has ended

 

[elanshin]

The final city is not a stop, because when you arrive, the itinerary has ended

Right, but given it's not the same place as the start point, does it count as a transit?