Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Nfrequentflyer]

Hi all

It has been a while since I last booked flights using QFF points so thought Id join up here with a few questions. (Yes I know there is a search function, however hoping more experienced people can give me a quick rundown beforehand).

Query 1. I was trying to book a oneworld rewards ticket (the 132400 pnts capped round the world ticket) for around mid september this year, starting in Perth The multicity booking all seemed to indicate reward flights were available for each leg (as it had the little reward symbol on the flights), however, each time I tried to book the "somewhere in asia" to dubai to europe leg, error kept coming up saying no reward flights available for your requested dates... tried the business oneworld reward ticket and the same thing happens.
1. Is something dodgy going on?
2. Do I need to call Qantas to try and make the bookings?
3. Is there anyway you can be exempt from the 7700 pnts cost for making a booking over the phone?

Query 2. Checking the classic rewards qff points cost to fly from Perth to say Lisbon or Madrid return (or oneway), indicates a specific points cost (e.g per-sin-london 51200, lon-mad 14000) however when you try to "search for available flights, the points cost is always higher... same occurs for business flights.
4. Shouldnt the points cost be the same as what the points calculator indicates when flights are availlable?
5. Ive tried to extend travel dates into next year to try and secure flights using points, however it only goes to february 2026... So you cant try and search/book reward flights more than 11months in advance?

Regards

 

[Mr H]

Hi all

It has been a while since I last booked flights using QFF points so thought Id join up here with a few questions. (Yes I know there is a search function, however hoping more experienced people can give me a quick rundown beforehand).

Query 1. I was trying to book a oneworld rewards ticket (the 132400 pnts capped round the world ticket) for around mid september this year, starting in Perth The multicity booking all seemed to indicate reward flights were available for each leg (as it had the little reward symbol on the flights), however, each time I tried to book the "somewhere in asia" to dubai to europe leg, error kept coming up saying no reward flights available for your requested dates... tried the business oneworld reward ticket and the same thing happens.
1. Is something dodgy going on?
2. Do I need to call Qantas to try and make the bookings?
3. Is there anyway you can be exempt from the 7700 pnts cost for making a booking over the phone?

Query 2. Checking the classic rewards qff points cost to fly from Perth to say Lisbon or Madrid return (or oneway), indicates a specific points cost (e.g per-sin-london 51200, lon-mad 14000) however when you try to "search for available flights, the points cost is always higher... same occurs for business flights.
4. Shouldnt the points cost be the same as what the points calculator indicates when flights are availlable?
5. Ive tried to extend travel dates into next year to try and secure flights using points, however it only goes to february 2026... So you cant try and search/book reward flights more than 11months in advance?

Regards

You may be trying to include EK which is not OW. The telephone assistance fee is waived for J. Miles seem to be charged for each connecting flight in an itinerary until they call out if the OWA rules are met. You cannot book flights before they are released, either when paying with points or cash. The search function is your friend.

 

[Nfrequentflyer]

You may be trying to include EK which is not OW. The telephone assistance fee is waived for J. Miles seem to be charged for each connecting flight in an itinerary until they call out if the OWA rules are met. You cannot book flights before they are released, either when paying with points or cash. The search function is your friend.

Thanks for your response.

Hmmm, you're correct it was an Emirates flight, weird that they showed up with the Rewards Flight symbol on that leg AND I did click Rewards slider option.

Queries for all again:
1. Post-covid, how early should you be looking to try and book Classic Reward tickets to Europe in general? (The last time I managed to book a Oneworld Reward Classic ticket I did around 6months in advance with no issues, doing the PER-aus east coast-usa-europe travel direction)

2. Seeing as Emirates is not part of the OW alliance, what would be the airlines/routes leg to try if you want to go to Europe from Perth via the middle east region using Classic Rewards ticketing (I dont really want to have to go via longer London route then "backwards" slightly into europe)? Or is it better just to travel via the USA?

Regards

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for your response.

Hmmm, you're correct it was an Emirates flight, weird that they showed up with the Rewards Flight symbol on that leg AND I did click Rewards slider option.

Queries for all again:
1. Post-covid, how early should you be looking to try and book Classic Reward tickets to Europe in general? (The last time I managed to book a Oneworld Reward Classic ticket I did around 6months in advance with no issues, doing the PER-aus east coast-usa-europe travel direction)

2. Seeing as Emirates is not part of the OW alliance, what would be the airlines/routes leg to try if you want to go to Europe from Perth via the middle east region using Classic Rewards ticketing (I dont really want to have to go via longer London route then "backwards" slightly into europe)? Or is it better just to travel via the USA?

Regards

The system doesn’t know you are booking a OWA, so it will show you all award availability, from any airline. It will show KLM and Air France for example as well.

You could look at options such as Sri Lankan Airlines if you want to get to the ME. And BA onwards from the ME. You could fly Cathay Pacific, or Royal Jordanian.

 

[Nfrequentflyer]

The system doesn’t know you are booking a OWA, so it will show you all award availability, from any airline. It will show KLM and Air France for example as well.

You could look at options such as Sri Lankan Airlines if you want to get to the ME. And BA onwards from the ME. You could fly Cathay Pacific, or Royal Jordanian.

Thanks for your response. Hmmm they need/should provide a function for specific ticketing like OW Classic Rewards when booking, simple programming nowadays...

Ah ok, shall look into Sri Lanka routing. I don't specifically want to go to the ME, just prefer the mid-way break in Dubai etc. over the extra long haul of like a SIN-LON leg... Cathay I did try as dont mind a HK stop as part of a long trip, however didnt seem to be available at all for a HK-euro leg... Guess Ill have to keep looking and hoping!

 

[jase05]

Thanks for your response. Hmmm they need/should provide a function for specific ticketing like OW Classic Rewards when booking, simple programming nowadays...

Ah ok, shall look into Sri Lanka routing. I don't specifically want to go to the ME, just prefer the mid-way break in Dubai etc. over the extra long haul of like a SIN-LON leg... Cathay I did try as dont mind a HK stop as part of a long trip, however didnt seem to be available at all for a HK-euro leg... Guess Ill have to keep looking and hoping!

Don’t rule out India as a stopover. Often decent award availability on BA and AY to Europe and India is a great place to stop for a couple of days

 

[Mr H]

Thanks for your response. Hmmm they need/should provide a function for specific ticketing like OW Classic Rewards when booking, simple programming nowadays...

The harder it is, the more it advantages those who put in the time to figure out how the system works.

 

[Nfrequentflyer]

Don’t rule out India as a stopover. Often decent award availability on BA and AY to Europe and India is a great place to stop for a couple of days

Ah that's a great suggestion, Ive never thought of stopping over through India, but it makes sense as the flight break-up would/should be similar to a Dubai/ME stop, thanks!

 

[shankoz]

Thanks for your response.

Hmmm, you're correct it was an Emirates flight, weird that they showed up with the Rewards Flight symbol on that leg AND I did click Rewards slider option.

Queries for all again:
1. Post-covid, how early should you be looking to try and book Classic Reward tickets to Europe in general? (The last time I managed to book a Oneworld Reward Classic ticket I did around 6months in advance with no issues, doing the PER-aus east coast-usa-europe travel direction)

2. Seeing as Emirates is not part of the OW alliance, what would be the airlines/routes leg to try if you want to go to Europe from Perth via the middle east region using Classic Rewards ticketing (I dont really want to have to go via longer London route then "backwards" slightly into europe)? Or is it better just to travel via the USA?

Regards

As a fellow Perth based flyer, the route I took early last yer was PER-HKG (stop) then HKG-HEL-OSL. You'll find award availability hardest to get on the PER-HKG leg but they are definitely there. Hong Kong to Helsinki is usually much easier, and from there, Finnair flies to a lot of destinations within Europe. I think finding a direct Cathay flight from HKG to somewhere in Europe will be very challenging.

Yes it is quite circuitous but with Qatar no longer providing QF any reward seats (at least ones that allow you to book with any sort of decent advance notice), going via the Middle East is next to impossible.

 

[Nfrequentflyer]

As a fellow Perth based flyer, the route I took early last yer was PER-HKG (stop) then HKG-HEL-OSL. You'll find award availability hardest to get on the PER-HKG leg but they are definitely there. Hong Kong to Helsinki is usually much easier, and from there, Finnair flies to a lot of destinations within Europe. I think finding a direct Cathay flight from HKG to somewhere in Europe will be very challenging.

Yes it is quite circuitous but with Qatar no longer providing QF any reward seats (at least ones that allow you to book with any sort of decent advance notice), going via the Middle East is next to impossible.

Hi thanks a lot for that detailed PER itinerary, that sounds like a pretty good compromise if the ME routes are not covered by OW partners anymore. Quite circuitous indeed, but at least I dont have to go through LON route, and Ive never been to Scandinavia region so also a little bonus!

Out of interest, how early did you book to get your classic reward flight/s for that itinerary?

 

[jase05]

going via the Middle East is next to impossible.

One stop perhaps but RJ often has some availability and WY are joining soon and have pretty good availability ex a number of Asian ports

 

[DC3]

It has been a while since I last booked flights using QFF points so thought Id join up here

And welcome to AFF

 

[Nfrequentflyer]

And welcome to AFF

Thanks! I need/want to utilise my QFF points more noawdays

 

[Nfrequentflyer]

A general forum question, what does the abbreviation mean when people use "Y" and "J" or other letters on their own, when posting about flights/seats etc?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A general forum question, what does the abbreviation mean when people use "Y" and "J" or other letters on their own, when posting about flights/seats etc?

Those are the traditional airline booking codes for economy (Y), business (J) and first (F).

Premium eco is generally something like W. But most people refer to it as PEY.

there’s a list of abbreviations somewhere here on AFF, I don’t know where it is, but someone usually posts a link to it

 

[NM]

A general forum question, what does the abbreviation mean when people use "Y" and "J" or other letters on their own, when posting about flights/seats etc?

These are the common booking codes used for economy (Y) and business class (J) for fares.

At the bottom of every AFF forum page there is a link to Forum Help. In that link there is another link to Abbreviations & Explanations where you will find some explanations of some of the jargon we use at AFF.

 

[Nfrequentflyer]

Those are the traditional airline booking codes for economy (Y), business (J) and first (F).

Premium eco is generally something like W. But most people refer to it as PEY.

there’s a list of abbreviations somewhere here on AFF, I don’t know where it is, but someone usually posts a link to it

Ah great, thanks for that!

 

[NM]

there’s a list of abbreviations somewhere here on AFF, I don’t know where it is, but someone usually posts a link to it

See my previous post. Bottom of every page is Forum Help, and in there is the Abbreviations & Explanations page.

 

[shankoz]

Hi thanks a lot for that detailed PER itinerary, that sounds like a pretty good compromise if the ME routes are not covered by OW partners anymore. Quite circuitous indeed, but at least I dont have to go through LON route, and Ive never been to Scandinavia region so also a little bonus!

Out of interest, how early did you book to get your classic reward flight/s for that itinerary?

No problem - and welcome to AFF (as you can see by my post count I'm relatively new myself!)

I booked about 12 months out. Was fortunate enough to find a PER-HKG leg for two so grabbed it and then built the itinerary from there. Helsinki is a pretty good airport to transit through - not overly flashy and staff are friendly.

One stop perhaps but RJ often has some availability and WY are joining soon and have pretty good availability ex a number of Asian ports

Ah yes you're right, completely forgot RJ. Haven't yet flown them (or WY for that matter)

 

[Nfrequentflyer]

These are the common booking codes used for economy (Y) and business class (J) for fares.

At the bottom of every AFF forum page there is a link to Forum Help. In that link there is another link to Abbreviations & Explanations where you will find some explanations of some of the jargon we use at AFF.

Thanks for the info source!