Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[DC3]

Expect to pay the change fee

 

[Jacques Vert]

Thanks for the advice. Would I be right in saying the 6K per person point charge for changes (adding additional flights via call centre) won't be charged as you cannot add flights to an existing itinerary online?

It's 5,000 points per person to change/amend/add to a booking (6,000 per person to cancel). And as @DC3 said, expect to be charged so make sure you have the additional 10,000 points in your account before you 'phone.

 

[Lynda2475]

Thanks for the advice. Would I be right in saying the 6K per person point charge for changes (adding additional flights via call centre) won't be charged as you cannot add flights to an existing itinerary online?

There are two charges - assistance fee (which is often waived if you cant do the change online, and always waived for J & F awards) and the change fee which is charged each time the itinerary is re-ticketed. So sometimes because QF is tardy ticketing changes you can make more than one for 1 change fee.

 

[acinod]

Is it just me or are there no Iberia flights available on the Qantas website?

I just did Madrid to Berlin in Nov23 and nothing...

Also can't seem to find any Emirates flights from Madrid to Dubai.

 

[Captain Halliday]

well there are into / out of Hanoi

via MH or CX or China Airlines

The latter is not a member of One World and can’t be used as part of a One World Classic Flight Award.

Also can't seem to find any Emirates flights from Madrid to Dubai.

Not a member of One World and can’t be used as part of a One World Classic Flight Award.

 

[algae]

Is it just me or are there no Iberia flights available on the Qantas website?

Quite the opposite, i'm seeing a lot more Iberia availability than i'm used to seeing.

eg. Madrid to Buenos Aires is plentiful in J.

But youre right, the flight to berlin isnt appearing for whatever reason, even if im looking out to may.

 

[flapper]

Is it just me or are there no Iberia flights available on the Qantas website?

I just did Madrid to Berlin in Nov23 and nothing...

Also can't seem to find any Emirates flights from Madrid to Dubai.

There are plenty of MAD-BER IB rewards flights showing on BA. I suggest you call QF and see if the CC can see them. It happened to me with IB flights before showing on BA but not QF but QF could add them.

 

[acinod]

Quite the opposite, i'm seeing a lot more Iberia availability than i'm used to seeing.

eg. Madrid to Buenos Aires is plentiful in J.

But youre right, the flight to berlin isnt appearing for whatever reason, even if im looking out to may.

Very limited Business for MAD-EZE (see below). Could Iberia have pulled out a lot of award seats for Qantas? I remember checking a while back that there would be plenty of availability for most routes. Now I can barely find one and it feels like maybe they've gone down the path of Qatar.

Also getting this error if I try to search too much


Also I can't find any Business/First class flights to Dubai via Emirates either compared to a few months ago. I know they're not OW but just seeing a pattern with reduced award seats for everyone. Very weird...

 

[ffflyer11]

What other tools/websites you guys use to find seats? AA tool tells me there are seats but when I look Qantas there is nothing... I hate the erorr " This page isn’t working If the problem continues, contact the site owner." Is this because there is no availability or something with my computer?

Is anyone able to see any availability for KHI(KArachi) to MEL,SYD,BRIS? Thank you

 

[YummiMochi]

Hi! Does anyone know whether it's possible to change the date of the first flight on our OWA booking? Still the same flight number, origin and destination for the flight. But we just want to move it to an earlier date if possible.

Thank you!

 

[Captain Halliday]

Hi! Does anyone know whether it's possible to change the date of the first flight on our OWA booking? Still the same flight number, origin and destination for the flight. But we just want to move it to an earlier date if possible.

Thank you!

It can be done if there’s award seats available.

Only possible by calling.

You’d have to pay the change fee and taxes and QF charges would be recalculated.

 

[YummiMochi]

It can be done if there’s award seats available.

Only possible by calling.

You’d have to pay the change fee and taxes and QF charges would be recalculated.

That's great! We've been in limbo for weeks where a CX segment of our itinerary was dropped while we were trying to make changes (unsure why, could have been accidentally cancelled by a consultant) and have been trying to chase up a resolution. They've popped us back on our same award seats but only as 'waitlisted', and it seems to be stopping them from being able to reticket our booking.

Managed to find alternative routes for the missing segment but that means needing to make our first flight earlier and we were worried about any rules that would stop us from doing so. It's just a domestic MEL --> SYD flight on QF. So plenty of availability (hopefully).

Thanks for the response!

 

[MelbFlyer]

This has been answered before the but the answers I found were conflicting. I'm looking to book a Oneworld Classic Reward flight (looking for 2 business seats return to Europe so capping out at 318K points each).

I don't quite have enough points for 2 so I wondered could I start booking online (say booking the most difficult legs - Aus to Asia/Japan and back) and then add additional legs as I grow my points balance?

Having called Qantas well over 100 times to add / change flights, I'd strongly recommend to get your booking done right the first time if you can find your award flights, because it WILL be a pain to change later on.

The only way to change reward bookings is to call - you can't do it online via the manage my booking portal. The only options you have is seat allocation (if on QF) and to cancel, but not change flights.

Feel free to look through my previous posts - I've posted extensively about my experience in calling Qantas to attempt to change my reward seats / dates etc.

ie. Both you and I can see reward seats online, but when calling Qantas to attempt to make the change, they mysteriously cannot see what we can see online and give excuses as to why it can't be changed.

If I were in your position now, I'd 100% top-up points and book what you can, making sure it's right the first time.

Not all of us are Gold / Platinum and get the very much coveted Hobart call centre team.

 

[sjcotz]

Hi everyone, apologies if this has been answered before/a basic question - Is status important when booking rewards seats?

Background: Currently have 318k in points and bronze status. I'm in the planning stage of a one world award ticket, starting in Aug 2024 but won't be able to book until December 23 at the earliest to book most segments in.

Is there any benefit in trying to get to silver status? Have a return trip Melbourne to Ireland in Sept 24 I have yet to book. I'm considering booking with qantas in a higher fare to maximise status credits.
It would be considerably more expensive but would it pay off for the trip next year?

Appreciate any nuggets of wisdom!

 

[MelbFlyer]

Is status important when booking rewards seats?

If you can see the reward seats you want at the time of searching and it fits into your itinerary - do it.

Your status won't be of much importance when you do the booking itself if you can see the reward seats.

It WILL be a pain to change later on if you decide to change - I've had this conversation with Qantas consultants well over 100 times - I've got a rewards booking I wish to change (ie. flight number, class), I can see the reward seats online but the consultant can't.

Is there any benefit in trying to get to silver status?

You'll probably just be able to see reward seats before bronze members, but also after Platinum / Gold etc.

 

[sjcotz]

Thank you for that.

I've actually done a 180 overnight and have been researching starting my trip in February 2024 instead (I am very flexible and I think weather will be better for the trip I plan to do).

So some context, I'm Irish, I live in Melbourne, would like to go to South America, visit my sister in Vancouver, visit family and friends in Ireland and return to Melbourne before returning to work in August 2024. Have been fortunate enough to travel a lot of Asia and I'm keen to spend as much time at home as possible so not totally maxing out my flights.

Current itinerary

MEL - SANTIAGO (connecting) - EZE Buenos Aires 8th Feb 2024
SANTIAGO - BOG direct 14th March 2024
MEX - LAX (connecting) - VAN 30th April 2024
VAN - LGW (connecting) - DUB 24th May 2024

I have managed to find all of these on classic rewards, first 3 economy and last one is business class

I want to fly back from LHR - MEL mid July 2024 (hopefully business +- a stopover) but currently only showing flights until 24th May 24

Should I go ahead and book the first 4 segments? I'm happy to pay the extra points as I'm worried as there are less than 5 seats left for the MEX - VAN leg.
AA are the only option for that flight and don't want to risk it being sold out, particularly when London to Melbourne should have lots of options.

It is totalling 198000 points and 900AUD in charges.

Am I missing something? I think I meet all the rules but it seems too good to be true.

Any and all advice would be appreciated

 

[funnybrus]

Thank you for that.

I've actually done a 180 overnight and have been researching starting my trip in February 2024 instead (I am very flexible and I think weather will be better for the trip I plan to do).

So some context, I'm Irish, I live in Melbourne, would like to go to South America, visit my sister in Vancouver, visit family and friends in Ireland and return to Melbourne before returning to work in August 2024. Have been fortunate enough to travel a lot of Asia and I'm keen to spend as much time at home as possible so not totally maxing out my flights.

Current itinerary

MEL - SANTIAGO (connecting) - EZE Buenos Aires 8th Feb 2024
SANTIAGO - BOG direct 14th March 2024
MEX - LAX (connecting) - VAN 30th April 2024
VAN - LGW (connecting) - DUB 24th May 2024

I have managed to find all of these on classic rewards, first 3 economy and last one is business class

I want to fly back from LHR - MEL mid July 2024 (hopefully business +- a stopover) but currently only showing flights until 24th May 24

Should I go ahead and book the first 4 segments? I'm happy to pay the extra points as I'm worried as there are less than 5 seats left for the MEX - VAN leg.
AA are the only option for that flight and don't want to risk it being sold out, particularly when London to Melbourne should have lots of options.

It is totalling 198000 points and 900AUD in charges.

Am I missing something? I think I meet all the rules but it seems too good to be true.

Any and all advice would be appreciated

How are you getting to SCL? I haven't seen Qantas open up any availability in any class for 2024 yet, and you can't use Latam as they are no longer part of oneworld.

 

[sjcotz]

How are you getting to SCL? I haven't seen Qantas open up any availability in any class for 2024 yet, and you can't use Latam as they are no longer part of oneworld.

Ohhhhh that's why it seemed too good to be true.

Could I still book given its coming to 198,000 points for the 4 flights?
I know it wouldn't be a one world reward ticket, but I only have one more flight to book with 120,000 points leftover.
Apologies in advance if this is incredibly dense question to ask.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Ohhhhh that's why it seemed too good to be true.

Could I still book given its coming to 198,000 points for the 4 flights?
I know it wouldn't be a one world reward ticket, but I only have one more flight to book with 120,000 points leftover.
Apologies in advance if this is incredibly dense question to ask.

Yes you can still book those flights but as you say it won't be a Oneworld Award and therefore there will be no maximum number of points required. Given you may be flying in Y (economy) on some/many flights, you may find the total number of points is within your reach.

Note that the Oneworld Award max's out at 318,000 for Business Class, 132,400 for Economay. If you include non-Oneworld airlines (such as LATAM) it costs the total of the individual fights added together which, depending on how many of your flights are in Busniess, usually works out to be considerably more than the 318,000.

Also note that if you wish to return from DUB in Business, you will need more than 120,000 points (at least 159,000 and possibly considerably more depending on what itinerary is available).

Good luck

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes you can still book those flights but as you say it won't be a Oneworld Award and therefore there will be no maximum number of points required. Given you may be flying in Y (economy) on some/many flights, you may find the total number of points is within your reach.

Note that the Oneworld Award max's out at 318,000 for Business Class, 132,400 for Economay. If you include non-Oneworld airlines (such as LATAM) it costs the total of the individual fights added together which, depending on how many of your flights are in Busniess, usually works out to be considerably more than the 318,000.

Also note that if you wish to return from DUB in Business, you will need more than 120,000 points (at least 159,000 and possibly considerably more depending on what itinerary is available).

Good luck

Although could possibly make own way to London and fly QF from there? 126k points?