Oneworld award 280K [Post trip review/comments]

[trblvb]

Just came back from a RTW 'Oneworld' 280K award trip (2 months OS).

Just one thing I want to say about Qantas and their Oneworld Partners - EXCELLENT

In the process of planning the next one.

 

[k3nnis]

Welcome Back

 

[Red Roo]

Just came back from a RTW 'Oneworld' 280K award trip (2 months OS).

Just one thing I want to say about Qantas and their Oneworld Partners - EXCELLENT

In the process of planning the next one.

Awww...shucks. Hope the next one is soon.

 

[casanovawa]

Yeah i did a 140k award in 2011 which was a good base for a 2.5 month RTW trip... Would like to do a 280k in the future, already got the itinerary sketched out, just need the points now...

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Yeah i did a 140k award in 2011 which was a good base for a 2.5 month RTW trip... Would like to do a 280k in the future, already got the itinerary sketched out, just need the points now...

I last did one in 2006...have saved enough now for another one for 2 of us in July 2014....starting the planning now and doding some dummy runs but coming in at much more than 280K ...what did your itinerary look like

 

[tomo69]

Just came back from a RTW 'Oneworld' 280K award trip (2 months OS).

Just one thing I want to say about Qantas and their Oneworld Partners - EXCELLENT

In the process of planning the next one.

Interested in hearing about it, where you went, booking etc.

 

[trblvb]

Gold Coast – Sydney – Singapore – London – Berlin (Hilton Berlin) – Venice (Hilton Molino Stucky) – Prague (Hilton Old Town) – Dresden (Hilton Dresden) – London (Hilton Park Lane) – Barcelona (Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona) – Boston (Hilton Boston Downtown/Faneuil Hall) – Miami – New Orleans (Hilton St Charles Ave) – Dallas – Brisbane.

All booked online with a lot of research and great assistance from this Forum.

Hilton was also fantastic (HHonors Gold member). Booked online during Flash sales etc. Had numerous free stays on points and upgraded at every property (bookings made well in advance).

Note advance bookings are very risky but well worth it when they ‘come off’.

Arrived in Boston just after Marathon bombing – not good. Also left New Orleans on Mother’s Day just after shootings there.

Other than those two incidents the trip was carefree.

 

[ellen10]

A Oneworld award is on my list.
Glad you had a great time thanks for sharing you route.
Note taking

 

[Inver]

What was the highlight of the trip? Where would you like to visit again?

 

[sergeyvzn]

Which airlines did you use to move around Europe? As you had so many stops there, it was way over the 5 stops allowed. Did you book them separately?

 

[JohnK]

I have book 2 Oneworlds awards, in 2007 and 2009, and thoroughly enjoyed the trips.

Looking forward to the next 7 Oneworld awards....

 

[casanovawa]

I last did one in 2006...have saved enough now for another one for 2 of us in July 2014....starting the planning now and doding some dummy runs but coming in at much more than 280K ...what did your itinerary look like

Noreen, i'm sure i have written it up on here somewhere, and not wanting to hi-jack the post, but just quickly for anyone else seeing thr route for the OP and getting the creative juices flowing and so another point of reference mine was:

SYD-EZE (stop) and use Lan South American airpasses to go to a few places around South America
GIG-MIA-ORF (stop) to my sisters place in Norfolk and a 3 week road trip around US/Canada
ORD-LHR-ARN (stop) Some cheap Norwegian Air tickets to a few scandinavian places and bus to Berlin
TXL-LHR-FCO (stop) Rome then train down do Napoli
NAP-MAD-BCN-MAD-JNB (stop) some cheap airfares down in Africa to go up to Livingston/Vic Falls than back down to Cape town and back to Jo'burg
JNB-SYD

Next one i would like to use to see last 3 of the 7 wonder of the world i haven't seen and maybe a coast to coast trip across the US and/or maybe a cruise

 

[Nizar]

Gold Coast – Sydney – Singapore – London – Berlin (Hilton Berlin) – Venice (Hilton Molino Stucky) – Prague (Hilton Old Town) – Dresden (Hilton Dresden) – London (Hilton Park Lane) – Barcelona (Hilton Diagonal Mar Barcelona) – Boston (Hilton Boston Downtown/Faneuil Hall) – Miami – New Orleans (Hilton St Charles Ave) – Dallas – Brisbane.

Interesting, thanks for sharing.
I'm considering a 280k Award and keen to know some more info please; such as :
- How far ahead did you have to book your flights ?
- Which airlines would you recommend ? Which would you avoid ? Did any specifically stand out ? Which airline provided the best overall J experience (seat, food, lounge, etc)?

Thanks.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Excellent...thanks

 

[flychrisfly]

Don't forget people, you don't HAVE to go around the world on one of these fares though that's what I've done with them

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

5 stops of 24 hours or greater, and can be open jaws (so arriving and leaving from different places) but the land leg distance between where you stop and resume is included in the 35,000 mile caluclation....

My 2006 trip was kept simple and done on line...I think the future one will be similar too

Mel - Hong Kong (Stop for 4 nights)
Hong Kong via London to Rome (Stop) ( Travelled by train from Rome to Florence to Venice return)
Rome to London (Stop) ( Hired Car and toured the UK)
London to New York (Stop)
New York to Los Angeles (Stop) Hired Car Drove up to Pacific Coast Highway over to Las Vegas and back to LA
Los Angeles to Melbourne (via Brisbane)

 

[Grooba]

Interesting, thanks for sharing.
I'm considering a 280k Award and keen to know some more info please; such as :
- How far ahead did you have to book your flights ?
- Which airlines would you recommend ? Which would you avoid ? Did any specifically stand out ? Which airline provided the best overall J experience (seat, food, lounge, etc)?

Thanks.

I've found that generally the 140k Y is pretty easy to get the flights you want, to the destinations you want, on the dates you want.

The 280k J option is a completely different story. You need to be really flexible if you want to go the whole way in J. For example, I wanted to go from LHR to New York when I booked my 280k award, however there were absolutely zero J award seats on that specific route around the time I was hoping to travel (from memory within a 6 week window). I could have booked a Y seat but I was determined to sit in J for every sector of my trip. The only option I could find across the pond was LHR-PHL on BA, so needless to say that's what I booked.

In case you haven't browsed through the specific thread set up for these types of questions have a good read through http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ogram/oneworld-award-140k-280k-420k-8228.html

So much information contained within.

 

[ellen10]

If you combine classes e.g. some legs in Y and some in J. Does that reflect in the points cost?

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

If you combine classes e.g. some legs in Y and some in J. Does that reflect in the points cost?

Hi Ellen

Yes it does from memory and whne using a Y / J combination it will always calculate at the higher class.

Not sure though when using AA flights and no J product available and your booked into First ??

 

[casanovawa]

If you book a OW award and have 10 flights in Y and one flight in J you will be charged the J rate (280k)....