OneWorld Award

[Batesy]

I have booked myself and Mrs Batesy in J for a OneWorld award. The main aim here was to be in Germany for Christmas. Then visit a few other places along the way. Still need to book the leg between New York and LA, which is not currently available, I will keep checking to find a flight to LAX.

I found that this award is good value for 280K points and fairly flexible as I made several changes after I first booked it and can still make more if needs be. Looking foward to new experiences, particularly flying/lounging with CX as I have not flow them before. Visiting Hong Kong and Germany are both firsts as well.

Any commentary or suggestions welcome.

We start out of Sydney. All flights in business.
Flight QF 041
from Sydney (SYD) on Fri 17 Dec 10 - 15:10
to Jakarta (JKT) on Fri 17 Dec 10 - 18:40

Flight CX 776
from Jakarta (JKT) on Sat 18 Dec 10 - 14:50
to Hong Kong (HKG) on Sat 18 Dec 10 - 20:30

Flight CX 289
from Hong Kong (HKG) on Wed 22 Dec 10 - 23:50
to Frankfurt (FRA) on Thu 23 Dec 10 - 05:30

Flight BA 911
from Frankfurt (FRA) on Sun 26 Dec 10 - 18:45
to London (LON) on Sun 26 Dec 10 - 19:30

Flight BA 183
from London (LON) on Thu 30 Dec 10 - 19:55
to New York (NYC) on Thu 30 Dec 10 - 22:40

Flight CX 881
from Los Angeles (LAX) on Tue 4 Jan 11 - 00:05
to Hong Kong (HKG) on Wed 5 Jan 11 - 07:30

Flight CX 713
from Hong Kong (HKG) on Wed 5 Jan 11 - 09:10
to Singapore (SIN) on Wed 5 Jan 11 - 16:10

Flight BA 015
from Singapore (SIN) on Thu 6 Jan 11 - 20:05
to Sydney (SYD) on Fri 7 Jan 11 - 06:35

 

[Sequel]

Look like a good trip. I was thinking about a straight J Aus - Euro return for myself and Mrs Sequel, but for the extra points (280k vs 256k) I may now look into the OneWorld option and make a trip of it.

My only question is why QF041 to JKT? Not a place/flight I would take on holidays (been there a few times for work). Is it the only option to get a J flight out of Aus?

 

[moa999]

Nice use of an award. (Pity there are no JASA oneworld awards)

On NYC-LAX maybe consider an AA YUP/KUP tix - that way you at least get F and some SCs (whereas I believe the J Award books to Y)

JKT. Interesting choice. Note you will need to pay US$25 for a Visa on arrival unless you have APEC card and traffic is terrible. Recommend pre-booking SilverBird taxi to your hotel.
5* hotels in JKT very cheap although some dated. The Mandarin Oriental has recently been fully renovated and is recommended.
Lounges at JKT average although you will have a choice of two. Recommend the one on the left.
QF041 is quite a nice flight in J. Good evening meal service but still a sort of day flight. The return is less good.

On BA flights, use the Qantas Booking ref (Amadeus) to login and select seats.
On the Cathay flights call Qantas and ask for the Cathay ref numbers, then login and select seats.

Assume on SIN-SYD no availability on QF A380

 

[newformula]

Not having used points for a RTW award before, I wasn't aware you could leave legs (like JFK-LAX) unbooked to come back to later. How does this work in practice? Can you just leave one leg out or are you planning to find a JFK-LAX reward outside of this Oneworld Award?

 

[futaris]

QF41 is always easy to get seats on, especially in J.

I would recommend just buying some SPG points and staying in the Sheraton at the airport, unless you have some burning desire to sit in Jakarta Traffic. I can't stand the traffic, and my family is from Jakarta, so...

The other hotel at the airport is very cramped and average.

Don't expect much at the CGK lounges either...

Hope you enjoy Christmas in Germany. Make sure to visit at least one Christkindlmarkt or Weihnachtsmarkt...

LAX-HKG-SIN-SYD looks like the long way home. Looks like it was a good idea to stopover in SIN.

 

[dajop]

and traffic is terrible.

Unless specifically wanting to go/see somewhere in Jakarta, Sheraton Bandara is an option. Its about 5-10 mins from the airport, a little dated but Ok price.

18:50 arrival from a J seat - without dawdling - should be out of airport by perhaps 19:30 and at hotel in town by 20:30-21:00. And for 14:50 departure want to really leave hotel at 11:30 at the latest probably, so hardly worth going into centre of Jakarta.

 

[futaris]

Not having used points for a RTW award before, I wasn't aware you could leave legs (like JFK-LAX) unbooked to come back to later. How does this work in practice? Can you just leave one leg out or are you planning to find a JFK-LAX reward outside of this Oneworld Award?

They already have 5 stopovers (>24 hrs):
HKG, FRA, LHR, JFK/LAX, SIN

Hence the need for the surface segment.

Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Terms & Conditions

14.5.4 The following Stopover conditions apply:
(a) up to five free Stopovers are permitted;
(b) additional Stopovers are not permitted;
(c) only one Stopover is permitted in any one city in the Itinerary; and
(d) only two Transfers may be taken at any one city in the Itinerary.
14.5.5 Surface Segments are permitted as part of oneworld Award Itineraries, but the distance between the disembarkation point and the next embarkation point will be included in the Award Point zone calculation for that Itinerary.

 

[wile_e]

Not having used points for a RTW award before, I wasn't aware you could leave legs (like JFK-LAX) unbooked to come back to later. How does this work in practice? Can you just leave one leg out or are you planning to find a JFK-LAX reward outside of this Oneworld Award?

I've managed to get one of these awards as well (and will be in the some of the same cities as Batesy, and during the same time!). AFAIK, you can have gaps in your ittinerary however the milage between gaps still counts to the overall mile (35,000) and stop (5) limit that governs the award. For 280k points, I think its fantastic value!

Batsey, I agree with questions... given its included in your milage calculations anyway, is there a reason why you've left the JFK-LAX leg open? You should be able to book the JFK-LAX leg (Mrs wile_e and I have tickets, abiet JFK-LAS (and in Y) on pretty much those dates). Given your WP status and that you'll have to call the call centre to make award booking changes anyway, could you request a couple of seats?

When I made a couple of changes to the redemption, I was once slugged a 2.5k points charge to alter our tickets (as Qantas have already ticketed) and got away with it another time (as it had yet to be formally ticketed).

 

[newformula]

They already have 5 stopovers (>24 hrs):
HKG, FRA, LHR, JFK/LAX, SIN

Hence the need for the surface segment.

Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Terms & Conditions

Thanks, appreciate the explanation.

 

[futaris]

18:50 arrival from a J seat - without dawdling - should be out of airport by perhaps 19:30 and at hotel in town by 20:30-21:00. And for 14:50 departure want to really leave hotel at 11:30 at the latest probably, so hardly worth going into centre of Jakarta.

Definitely agree with this.

I just checked SPG then re: room rates.

140 USD outright [Rack Rate], if you buy a room (Garden View). 2,000 SPG points (which can be bought for 70 USD) otherwise.

There is also a free shuttle bus that goes there, and often has the JL/CX stewardesses on it. NB, They also have a little arrivals lounge...

 

[futaris]

Still need to book the leg between New York and LA, which is not currently available, I will keep checking to find a flight to LAX.

Flight BA 183
from London (LON) on Thu 30 Dec 10 - 19:55
to New York (NYC) on Thu 30 Dec 10 - 22:40

Flight CX 881
from Los Angeles (LAX) on Tue 4 Jan 11 - 00:05
to Hong Kong (HKG) on Wed 5 Jan 11 - 07:30

I'm only seeing Economy Anytime Awards or Business/First MileSAAver using AA miles. Don't like your chances of anything (in economy) opening up in that timeframe. QFF points only have availability in Business or First on 767-200s on the 1st Jan 11.

Might be worth buying a fare on AA, or flying Virgin America or another airline? Or perhaps connecting?

 

[dajop]

Don't expect much at the CGK lounges either...

Have come to the conclusion it does depend on what the airlines pay for. I was waiting 3 hrs for QF42 one night in (I think) the Premier Lounge (on the left), and there was quite a spread of food laid out, someone making noodles etc, and I was on the phone at the time, so didn't have anything. As soon as the EK flight departed, most of the (good) food disappeared...so I missed out.

 

[JohnK]

Oneworld awards are always good value.

(Pity there are no JASA oneworld awards)

A business any seat award for 280,000 QFF points and earning ~1200 SC's? Hmmm....

Assuming not travelling in peak times then it is possible to construct a RTW trip made up of Any Seat Awards and Oneworld awards for roughly the same QFF points as a Oneworld Award. The one I have constructed has 3 stopovers so the challenge is to be able to increase the number of stopovers.

 

[futaris]

A business any seat award for 280,000 QFF points and earning ~1200 SC's? Hmmm....

CBA-SYD-HBA is 16,000 QFF points + 68.88 or 22,219 QFF points all-in and earns 100 SCs. Do that 12 times, and you'll earn 1200 SCs, for less than 280k QFF all-in, even before taking into account the QFF points you'll earn for each trip.

Or did you actually want to go somewhere with your quasi oneworld award?

I reckon the most SCs you can earn on a JASA RTW (total cost < 280k QFF ) would be circa 700 SCs.

 

[JohnK]

Or did you actually want to go somewhere with your quasi oneworld award?

Funny you should ask. I actually want to go somewhere.

 

[straitman]

I reckon the most SCs you can earn on a JASA RTW (total cost < 280k QFF ) would be circa 700 SCs.

A pity you cannot get double SCs for some of this :!:

 

[Batesy]

An update and answer to questions.

I have now booked the JFK-LAX leg. On the 1st of Jan. AA185 (in J) departs 20:55 arrives LAX 00:35. Booked as part of the booking. No fee changes as the booking was yet to be ticketed. Each QF FF consultant I have spoken to has advised me to regularly check availability if I want to make any changes. I will keep checking to avoid unnecessary stopovers such as Jakarta or Bangkok.
My preference is to to stay in NYC a little longer.

All consultants have been extremely helpful.

• Going through Jakarta simply to get through to Hong Kong and onto Frankfurt. Its simply about availability to get out of Oz .
• Wont be straying far from Jakarta airport for our 1 night.
• No longer WP. Have fixed my profile. Miss the Flounges.
• Will look at the Sheraton Bandara. Am SPG gold so makes sense.
• The leaving legs open is standard for a oneworld award.

Thanks for feedback and commentary. Mrs Batesy's birthday is 31/12 so its NYE in NYC for us!!

 

[JetLagged]

Batsey - or any other of our expert informants - what booking engine did you use to make your booking? I try the Qantas site and repeatedly get the following message:

Request Entity Too Large

A request entity is longer than the server can handle.

 

[wile_e]

Batsey - or any other of our expert informants - what booking engine did you use to make your booking? I try the Qantas site and repeatedly get the following message:

Request Entity Too Large

A request entity is longer than the server can handle.

Hi JetLagged, I used this Qantas link to do my booking. Just note that for this award (Oneworld) you are limited in terms of distance, stops and transfer cities. If you exceed any of those, you will pretty much have to split it into two bookings.

HTH

 

[Batesy]

Batsey - or any other of our expert informants - what booking engine did you use to make your booking? I try the Qantas site and repeatedly get the following message:

Request Entity Too Large

A request entity is longer than the server can handle.

This message has been talked about in other threads. I'm not sure how to link them. Look for the other thread. Its a software issue. try using Safari instead of explorer.