Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

I had a similar experience with the distance calculations today.
I was trying to get the last couple of sectors of a OWA booked, knowing that I was running very close to the bone on remaining mileage.
I couldn’t get the exact sectors I wanted, but was offered an acceptable alternative. As I’ve been trying to complete this Itinerary for about 3 weeks (waiting for @#$&*% Cathay to release some award seats...) I decided to grab the plan B on offer.
The csa finished off her tasks, took the credit card details, etc., and we finished the call.
Then I thought: Oh Dear (or words to that effect), that different routing might have taken me over the mileage - I hope this goes through OK.
I have calculated out all the sectors, including a few land sectors, using the distances (in Km) provided by both GCM and OneWorld. Both methods gave me totals about 500Km (~1%) too many.

But I hope I’m right in believing that the Itinerary is OK:
* I’ve received an updated itinerary, including the new sectors, with a brand new e-ticket number;
* The Points have been deducted from my QFF account (including the change fee points); and
* The fines & taxes have hit my credit card account.

Am I OK, or do I need to worry a bit more?

Well this seems wierd...
In an optimistic, but futile, attempt to change my existing plan B flights to my preferred plan A flights, I rang QFF today.
In an effort to divert myself from the disappointment of finding that @#$&*% Cathay still hasn’t released any award seats, I asked whether the csa could see how many miles my itinerary was showing.
She said something like ‘I’m not sure, but there’s a field here that says MLS, that might be it... it says 35xyz’ (where x, y & z each indicate an integer >2).
It appears VERY plausible that MLS does mean Miles, because the number quoted was within 0.01% (yes, I do mean one 100th of a percent) of the number calculated using GCM and the OneWorld tool.
But, it’s hard to believe that the system would not enforce the strict 35,000 mileage limit.
Does anyone know if MLS = Miles, and if so, how much ‘wiggle room’ is embedded in the system?

 

[benjy]

These questions about changing are very timely as I'm finalising Part B of my One World award, and starting to get concerned my planned segments won't have the award seats available when I want to book.

What I'm doing
Part A (in just over 8 weeks ) which is all booked and ready to go
MEL > PER > KUL
KUL > HKG > NRT
NRT > HNL
(separate ticket back to MEL)

Part B (planned for September 2019, will drag it to different dates if allowed)

(separate ticket to YVR)
YVR > JFK
JFK > LHR
HEL > DOH > MEL (on QR)

If I'm reading correctly, I'm able to book Plan B now for dates in 2019 where Award seats are available, get it all ticketed etc. Then, after I've completed Part A, I can call and request to change dates for Part B as long as Award seats are available for the dates I want, and the segments, class of travel and airlines aren't changed?

If the above is true, it will be great, I will book plan B this week, stress less and then worry about it after Part A has been completed.

Thanks in advance

 

[lovetravellingoz]

These questions about changing are very timely as I'm finalising Part B of my One World award, and starting to get concerned my planned segments won't have the award seats available when I want to book.

What I'm doing
Part A (in just over 8 weeks ) which is all booked and ready to go
MEL > PER > KUL
KUL > HKG > NRT
NRT > HNL
(separate ticket back to MEL)

Part B (planned for September 2019, will drag it to different dates if allowed)

(separate ticket to YVR)
YVR > JFK
JFK > LHR
HEL > DOH > MEL (on QR)

If I'm reading correctly, I'm able to book Plan B now for dates in 2019 where Award seats are available, get it all ticketed etc. Then, after I've completed Part A, I can call and request to change dates for Part B as long as Award seats are available for the dates I want, and the segments, class of travel and airlines aren't changed?

If the above is true, it will be great, I will book plan B this week, stress less and then worry about it after Part A has been completed.

Thanks in advance

As long as you have not commenced you first flight.

 

[benjy]

As long as you have not commenced you first flight.

Oh bummer, I must have misunderstood previous posts. As soon as I fly that MEL > PER flight, game over, no more changes?

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Oh bummer, I must have misunderstood previous posts. As soon as I fly that MEL > PER flight, game over, no more changes?

Yes, you can do as you propose (assuming that the desired award seats open up for you, and no ticket re-issue is required). I have made this type of change with 2 connecting QR flights.

Refer to the rule extract below:

14.7.6 Subject to this clause 14.7, the following changes are permitted to a Classic Flight Reward flight before departure of that flight, provided the booking contains one or more Flight Segments that are not within Australia, and the Flight Segment(s) being changed do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change. Any such change will incur a Change Fee (see the Fee Schedule) per passenger:

(a) change to flight number; and
(b) change to date of travel.

 

[benjy]

Yes, you can do as you propose (assuming that the desired award seats open up for you, and no ticket re-issue is required). I have made this type of change with 2 connecting QR flights.

Refer to the rule extract below:

14.7.6 Subject to this clause 14.7, the following changes are permitted to a Classic Flight Reward flight before departure of that flight, provided the booking contains one or more Flight Segments that are not within Australia, and the Flight Segment(s) being changed do not include a partner airline that requires a ticket to be reissued for the change. Any such change will incur a Change Fee (see the Fee Schedule) per passenger:

(a) change to flight number; and
(b) change to date of travel.

Thanks Jimmy. That's the condition I was looking at and reading previous posts which made it thought my thinking was possible.

Funny you mention QR because they're the flights I'm having difficulty with. At the moment, the HEL > DOH > MEL flights I want can be found but about 270 days out, not 360 days out like all other sectors (previous to HEL>DOH>MEL) that I'm having no issue with. Which makes think I'll have to book Part B where availability permits just before I fly Part A, then make the date changes after Part A has been flown.

Assuming I fly the same flight number on the different dates this won't cause the ticket reissue and I'll be sweet?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Oh bummer, I must have misunderstood previous posts. As soon as I fly that MEL > PER flight, game over, no more changes?

Sorry I misread your post. You can make changes. I thought you meant adding in the last batch of flights after you had already commenced. My bad.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

——— Snip
Assuming I fly the same flight number on the different dates this won't cause the ticket reissue and I'll be sweet?

I’ve had a look back at what happened for me (about 3 years ago...).
I had the last 2 sectors of my itinerary moved forward about 3 weeks.
Both sectors were with QR.
Both sectors had the exact same departure times on the earlier dates as they had on the original dates.
But (surprisingly) both sectors had different flight numbers on the earlier dates Vs the originals.
The new QF itinerary had new ticket numbers (the ones starting with “081-“).

Of course, this is a sample of only one data point, YMMV...

Good luck with your travels.
J

 

[benjy]

Sorry I misread your post. You can make changes. I thought you meant adding in the last batch of flights after you had already commenced. My bad.

I’ve had a look back at what happened for me (about 3 years ago...).
I had the last 2 sectors of my itinerary moved forward about 3 weeks.
Both sectors were with QR.
.

Of course, this is a sample of only one data point, YMMV...

Good luck with your travels.
J

Thank you both for your help. Yes, I'm definitely booking the final sectors before I commence Part A. Finding the availability on the dates I want for Part B is proving difficult. So I think I'll just book Part B now where there is availability, get it all ticketed, happy days. Then come back from Part A then change the dates for Part B to when I want them (and where availability permits of course). Happy days.

One final question. Can I move Part B to outside of 12 months since taking the first flight of Part A or does all flights have to be strictly within that 12 month window?

Thanks all

 

[exceladdict]

I have a feeling that something has happened with AY flight surcharges. NRT-HEL//HEL-HKG currently pricing at ¥67040 ($812 AUD) - breakdown below. Tried combining with a PER-HKG-NRT-HEL/HEL-HKG-PER which jumps to $1800AUD, so I don't think it's a POS issue.

I'm worried that the 125EUR for up to 6 flights may no longer be a thing.

 

[exceladdict]

One final question. Can I move Part B to outside of 12 months since taking the first flight of Part A or does all flights have to be strictly within that 12 month window?

I think the 12 month is commonly accepted however I couldn't see anything referring to this in a quick scan of the T&Cs and Qantas T&Cs page. Perhaps there's a seperate rule where tickets can only have up to 12 months' duration?

 

[exceladdict]

Calling all advisors - looking for feedback on a variant of the below, in particular if there's a routing I could try to cut taxes down from. Looking at 2 people in J:
SIN-NRT(JL)/HND-SYD-PER(QF)/PER-HKG-HND(tf)NRT-HEL(CX/JL/AY)/HEL-HKG-PER(AY/CX) comes to $1850 approx
SIN-NRT(JL)/HND-SYD-PER(QF)/PER-ADL-DOH-HEL(QF/QR)/HEL-HKG-PER(AY/CX) comes to $2100AUD approx
SIN-NRT(JL)/HND-SYD-PER(QF)/PER-ADL-DOH-HEL(QF/QR)/LGW-DOH-ADL (QR) comes to $2K AUD approx (surprisingly lower)

As mentioned above, isolating the second half of the ticket (PER-HEL ret) as per the first itinerary still results in taxes of $1700 so I'm a bit stumped as originally thought it might be the QF segment causing the trouble.

Another fun fact - booking BA HKG-LHR by itself only has taxes of around $100AUD but adding it to the itinerary blows it out by $800.

 

[jetpack]

I think the 12 month is commonly accepted however I couldn't see anything referring to this in a quick scan of the T&Cs and Qantas T&Cs page. Perhaps there's a seperate rule where tickets can only have up to 12 months' duration?

This one perhaps?

14.6.1 Classic Flight Rewards will be valid for one year from the original ticketed departure date, unless otherwise specified.

 

[exceladdict]

This one perhaps?

14.6.1 Classic Flight Rewards will be valid for one year from the original ticketed departure date, unless otherwise specified.

Hardest to see what's right in front of you!

 

[benjy]

Thank you everyone for your assistance. Going to give Qantas a call tomorrow and finish off my ticket. Then change Part B to the dates I want once availability comes available, most likely after I've completed Part A

 

[jeza]

Is there anything in the T&C's that prevent you from doing something like Singapore -> Europe -> Australia & stopping for 10 months, then finishing the award itinerary by going back to Europe -> Singapore?

Understand I'd have to do it all in 12 months & would have to pay the change fee in points when booking the 2nd part of the itinerary, also that I'd have to be mindful of keeping the miles below 35K.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Is there anything in the T&C's that prevent you from doing something like Singapore -> Europe -> Australia & stopping for 10 months, then finishing the award itinerary by going back to Europe -> Singapore?

Understand I'd have to do it all in 12 months & would have to pay the change fee in points when booking the 2nd part of the itinerary, also that I'd have to be mindful of keeping the miles below 35K.

Nothing at all. Both my OWCAs have been done this way,

 

[jeza]

Nothing at all. Both my OWCAs have been done this way,

Thank you

 

[exceladdict]

Is there anything in the T&C's that prevent you from doing something like Singapore -> Europe -> Australia & stopping for 10 months, then finishing the award itinerary by going back to Europe -> Singapore?

Understand I'd have to do it all in 12 months & would have to pay the change fee in points when booking the 2nd part of the itinerary, also that I'd have to be mindful of keeping the miles below 35K.

This is what I'm planning ATM. Difficulty is finding short term availability for the first leg as it's only being booked 2 months out, and then needing to book the rest of it before departing on the first leg of the itinerary as after that point it's only date/flight number changes allowed.

 

[brett-au]

Hi all - questions.
* Is there anyway I can download this thread and make a PDF/searchable document. It seems questions like those below have been answered somewhere in the previous 288 pages.

* When flying from say LAX to HNL or PHX to ANC on an award costing 280k (all J) am I going to fly in first class domestically or business class. It seems some AA flights have first class, business class, extra space and regular economy or some combo. I'd like to sit in the first 10 seats on their inter continential A321 for example.

* When flying from HNL to SYD are you better off to fly via NRT or LAX and enjoy the J experience as I hear (and see) direct redemption tickets being hard to come by.

* Perhaps the wiki can be updated with difficult routing options or tips for each carrier, rather than just the fuel fines.