Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[burnt]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Why not originate in BKK then HEL-CPH-LHR-BOS-SFO-NRT-HKG-JNB-HKG, still only around 32,300 so still a bit spare?, if needed could go via DOH to JNB and RETURN via DOH to HKG.

 

[burnt]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

The "last trip" HKG-JNB could be 6 months after the return to HKG if that is home, or a long as it is no later than 12 months from the date of the first flight, ie when you book you can only book out 12 months, but after you start to fly, you can do date changes as long as the last flight is not more than 12 months from the date of the first flight.

 

[Isochronous]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I don't believe you can return to your point of origin until you hang up your FF card (ie. end your trip).

What about transiting other points, e.g. HKG-SIN (stopover)-KUL-MEL-KUL-DOH-WAW-BER-CPH-HEL-BKK-xSIN-HND-xNRT-SYD-MEL - in that case the first SIN visit would be a stopover, the second time I'd probably buy a cheap 3K ticket BKK-SIN to catch a JL flight?

NB why are JL award seats so hard to come by whereas CX seems to be plentiful?

 

[dalereardon]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

The Qantas search engine doesn't show JL award seats. You need to use the BA Exec Club search engine or KVS or AwardNexus.

Dale.

 

[Kangol]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

NB why are JL award seats so hard to come by whereas CX seems to be plentiful?

JL just seem to release less, kinda like QF with their F/J awards on the A380.

 

[Isochronous]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

The Qantas search engine doesn't show JL award seats. You need to use the BA Exec Club search engine or KVS or AwardNexus.

Dale.

I've been using KVS and Awardnexus.

Is there any 'change' fee for adding additional segments after booking? Let's say for instance I book and only use something like 29k miles, ending in MEL, then when CX releases more awards 2 weeks out, I ring up and ask to use some remaining distance to book MEL-HKG on CX - is that allowed?

 

[Buzzard]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I have never booked a One World award but it is something on my list.

There is so much information on this thread, it's just amazing. A credit to all the posters that help those like myself that don't have a clue or just need a hand.

 

[MrHanky]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Can't seem to find a straight answer to this question online.

Looking at booking the following OW award, all in business class:

MEL-KUL-HKG(stop)-ICN(stop)-LHR(stop)-YUL(stop)-LHR-ORY(stop)-HKG-MEL

Airlines that I've earmarked for each sector are:
MH(MEL-KUL)
CX(KUL-HKG),(HKG-ICN),...,(ORY-HKG-MEL)
BA(ICN-LHR),(LHR-YUL),(YUL-LHR-ORY)

And the baggage on each carrier varies from 30kg (CX) to 3x32KG!! (BA). Frankly 3x32 I doubt I'll need, but 2x32kg is possible for this journey.

Does anyone know what the rules for this are? There seems to be something about IATA "most significant carrier" rules which must come into play here in which the baggage allowance of the first carrier to cross between IATA zones has their baggage allowance applied to the entire trip. If I've interpreted this correctly, this means that all sectors would inherit the 3x32kg allowance from the BA (ICN-LHR) sector - is this correct?

Edit: Forgot to add - did a mock-search for a similar itinerary using the QF booking engine; although I couldn't select MH, I was able to search many of the other flights (not all) and received the oh-so-helpful message "*null Baggage Allowance applies to your itinerary"...

 

[Isochronous]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Thinking we should create a JessicaTam style google spreadsheet for people's bookings on this!

 

[Danger]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

What about transiting other points, e.g. HKG-SIN (stopover)-KUL-MEL-KUL-DOH-WAW-BER-CPH-HEL-BKK-xSIN-HND-xNRT-SYD-MEL - in that case the first SIN visit would be a stopover, the second time I'd probably buy a cheap 3K ticket BKK-SIN to catch a JL flight?

NB why are JL award seats so hard to come by whereas CX seems to be plentiful?

Transiting other points should be fine.

Can't seem to find a straight answer to this question online.

Looking at booking the following OW award, all in business class:

MEL-KUL-HKG(stop)-ICN(stop)-LHR(stop)-YUL(stop)-LHR-ORY(stop)-HKG-MEL

Airlines that I've earmarked for each sector are:
MH(MEL-KUL)
CX(KUL-HKG),(HKG-ICN),...,(ORY-HKG-MEL)
BA(ICN-LHR),(LHR-YUL),(YUL-LHR-ORY)

And the baggage on each carrier varies from 30kg (CX) to 3x32KG!! (BA). Frankly 3x32 I doubt I'll need, but 2x32kg is possible for this journey.

Does anyone know what the rules for this are? There seems to be something about IATA "most significant carrier" rules which must come into play here in which the baggage allowance of the first carrier to cross between IATA zones has their baggage allowance applied to the entire trip. If I've interpreted this correctly, this means that all sectors would inherit the 3x32kg allowance from the BA (ICN-LHR) sector - is this correct?

Edit: Forgot to add - did a mock-search for a similar itinerary using the QF booking engine; although I couldn't select MH, I was able to search many of the other flights (not all) and received the oh-so-helpful message "*null Baggage Allowance applies to your itinerary"...

I concur with your understanding of your baggage allowance. BA is the first carrier to cross IATA areas so their allowance should apply for the entire journey. Remember, if you have oneworld Emerald status you are also entitled (on this itinerary) to one extra piece of luggage (which I think would be at 32kgs in this case).

 

[MrHanky]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I concur with your understanding of your baggage allowance. BA is the first carrier to cross IATA areas so their allowance should apply for the entire journey. Remember, if you have oneworld Emerald status you are also entitled (on this itinerary) to one extra piece of luggage (which I think would be at 32kgs in this case).

Thanks for your input! If this is the case I'll go ahead and pull the trigger on this booking I think! Sadly, no oneworld status (QF NB here) but I'll keep that in mind, should I ever be amongst the flying elite

 

[Isochronous]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Feel like the luckiest cough - just booked a 280k award for this July/August!

SIN-KUL-MEL-KUL-DOH-WAW-xCPH-HEL-KIX-xNRT-SYD-HKG on a cominbation of MH, QR, AY, and QF. Taxes were $1,288.84.

Almost had a heart attack when HEL-SIN according to the phone agent wasn't available, despite KVS showing 2 J seats being available on AY. We then searched BKK, HKG, and NRT to no avail, but then I suggest KIX or Nagoya and luckily, there was a seat to KIX.

After NRT-SYD according to the oneworld 280k rules I couldn't include MEL again in the itinerary because I already had a stopover there - anyone know if it would be worth changing the start to KUL-ADL-xSYD-KUL and book ADL-MEL-SYD separately with cash so I can come down to MEL on the award? That way I can get CX for MEL-HKG on the midnight flight (SYD had no award availability, but she must have checked with yield management because after 5mins she came back and said I could have my pick on QF for any day of the week)

 

[mrdctau]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I'm pretty new to OneWorld Awards too, but I'm increasingly of the view they represent the best value for money for QFF point redemptions. I booked my first one last month for a nice round world trip with my wife next year and booked another today for my wife to do two separate solo trips to Asia ex-Melbourne, six months apart including a brief stop-over to catch up with a friend working in the Middle East - all in J for 280K plus $1,200 tax and $200 for a one-way economy paid ticket to Auckland where the trip needs to start in order to have two departures out of Melbourne. Depending how much your points are valued (I use a rule of thumb of about 60 cents) these two business class trips to the Asia are no more than $1,600 each which is pretty good value. Hopefully this will keep me in the good books for at least another year!

 

[Isochronous]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Feel like the luckiest cough - just booked a 280k award for this July/August!

SIN-KUL-MEL-KUL-DOH-WAW-xCPH-HEL-KIX-xNRT-SYD-HKG on a cominbation of MH, QR, AY, and QF. Taxes were $1,288.84.

Almost had a heart attack when HEL-SIN according to the phone agent wasn't available, despite KVS showing 2 J seats being available on AY. We then searched BKK, HKG, and NRT to no avail, but then I suggest KIX or Nagoya and luckily, there was a seat to KIX.

After NRT-SYD according to the oneworld 280k rules I couldn't include MEL again in the itinerary because I already had a stopover there - anyone know if it would be worth changing the start to KUL-ADL-xSYD-KUL and book ADL-MEL-SYD separately with cash so I can come down to MEL on the award? That way I can get CX for MEL-HKG on the midnight flight (SYD had no award availability, but she must have checked with yield management because after 5mins she came back and said I could have my pick on QF for any day of the week)

Another thought to avoid the 2 stopover rule - what if I changed the end to NRT-SYD-xMEL-HKG? Would the open jaw between SYD and MEL count as a prohibited second MEL stopover?

 

[Grooba]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I'm pretty new to OneWorld Awards too, but I'm increasingly of the view they represent the best value for money for QFF point redemptions.

IMHO they are the best guaranteed value for money if used wisely.
Points upgrades on long haul sectors would be on par if it wasn't for the stupid lottery that exists today.

 

[legroom]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

IMHO they are the best guaranteed value for money if used wisely.
Points upgrades on long haul sectors would be on par if it wasn't for the stupid lottery that exists today.

I keep reading this thread even though I have no intention of creating an itinerary in the short / medium term.

Why ?

It's such a lovely use of your points.

The best value there is IMO !

 

[serfty]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

...
I concur with your understanding of your baggage allowance. BA is the first carrier to cross IATA areas so their allowance should apply for the entire journey. Remember, if you have oneworld Emerald status you are also entitled (on this itinerary) to one extra piece of luggage (which I think would be at 32kgs in this case).

Thanks for your input! If this is the case I'll go ahead and pull the trigger on this booking I think! Sadly, no oneworld status (QF NB here) but I'll keep that in mind, should I ever be amongst the flying elite

No, that is not the case.

It may have been if the itinerary included travel in the USA, but without that the US DOT exception can not apply, so IATA 302 applies in full and the MSC is recalculated for each individual journey (stopover to stopover).

That is the checked baggage allowance may vary with each journey within the booking.

I've been using KVS and Awardnexus.

Is there any 'change' fee for adding additional segments after booking? Let's say for instance I book and only use something like 29k miles, ending in MEL, then when CX releases more awards 2 weeks out, I ring up and ask to use some remaining distance to book MEL-HKG on CX - is that allowed?

Each time you make a change the international 3500 point pet pax would be charged. Maybe an assisted service fee as well.

These would be charged Irrespective of how many segments are added, changed or removed.

Additional +++ may be charged as well.

 

[Joshua]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

I don't post about bookings much but a couple months ago I booked a J alliance award to clear out some QF points.

Routing was AMS-HEL-ARN-HEL-NRT HND-SFO LAX-YYZ-HKG-KUL-PEN-KUL-DOH-ALG-AMM-AMS. SFO-LAX was a surface sector due to stopover limits. Fare is nested with a bunch of other bookings including a CX CMB fare, a MH LAX-xNRT-KUL-CDG 51k award and more.

The whole thing was booked within 48 hours of first departure, so it can be done in a rush. Obviously not completely optimised due to this but that was never my concern. I specifically made sure to only pick routes without F on it. I will have another booking in place to deal with all my F long hauls.

I have had to change it a couple times and somewhere in the process the premium desk 'lost' the QR sectors and it was reticketed without them. On the plus side I've avoided change fees because of this.

The two JL 787 flights (HEL-NRT, HND-SFO) had great service but I came to realise how rubbish the planes are for premium long haul. Partly the airlines choice of seat configuration. The YR added for the QR flights significantly increased the taxes so in future I may well avoid QR on these types of bookings.

For anyone with a large number of QF points wanting to move them and able to plan a little bid ahead (hey! 48 hours is pretty good for me!) then it is the way to go. Compared to other alliances the oneworld awards are great with limited routing rules. The value on MH/CX/JL is definitely better (similar to what AA was but + tax) which is where I'll be booking my F flights.

 

[vetrade]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

While trying to add YVR-HKG-MEL (both CX flights) to our OW J RTW 280K itinerary this morning I came across a problem that I have not seen mentioned in this thread previously. It is worth being aware of when planning this type of award booking.

The situation is this:
Checked availability of 2 J seats online for both these flights separately this morning as I knew that CX released the HKG-MEL flight I wanted today. Confirmed J available on both flights so I rang QF to add them but when the operator checked she said there was no availability. She advised that there is a particular idiosyncrasy when booking consecutive award flights with both CX and MH (transiting through either HKG or KUL respectively) in that even though there may be plenty of J availability on both flights, CX (and likewise MH) blocks availability if the second leg departs less than 24 hrs after the first flight arrives. If you stay more than 24 hrs you have no problem getting availability on both flights. Unfortunately we can't do it this way as it would create one too many stopovers for us - we already have 5. I was a bit sceptical but another online search did confirm that there was no availability if you searched YVR-HKG-MEL but individual searches of the YVR-HKG and HKG-MEL flights showed J availability for both segments.

Just another trap to avoid.............

 

[N860CR]

re: "oneworld" award (140K/280K/420K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Yeah I ran into the same problem with them. Seats were available BKK-HKG and HKG-FCO however as it was within 24 hours there was no availability BKK-HKG-FCO.