Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[margorob]

I am wanting to book a round the world trip using Qantas/One World in 2026. At the moment I can only book till March. Just wondering if anyone has some advice that if you book as far as you can go say, Asia, Europe, US but plan to add on up maybe June, should I wait to June or do I book as far as I can and add on later and still stay within the 365,800 points. I am not sure if that makes sense but hope someone can advise.

 

[Warragul]

I assume you're referring to the oneworld classic fli flight reward product, you may want to trawl through the thread below.
Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

Like many things there are pros and cons with the options. Booking what you can now gets the seats locked in, whereas waiting till June may see the seats you could book now give to somebody else.

Trying to add more flights to an existing booking means getting hold of a call centre person who has the know how to do it, provided there is availability. This could be on your first call or it could take many.

These are examples of the issues weigh up.

 

[pyramidforce]

Fiji Airways now full member, Can be used on OWA?

 

[ozflier]

Fiji Airways now full member, Can be used on OWA?

I didn’t realise that!

 

[motef]

I didn’t realise that!

From the Oneworld website

“As of 31 March 2025, Fiji Airways is the 14th full member of the oneworld Allliance.“

Fiji Airways - oneworld Member Airline

Fiji Airways is a member of the oneworld Alliance. This oneworld member airline flies to 25 destinations in 14 countries.

www.oneworld.com

 

[ozflier]

From the Oneworld website

“As of 31 March 2025, Fiji Airways is the 14th full member of the oneworld Allliance.“

Fiji Airways - oneworld Member Airline

Fiji Airways is a member of the oneworld Alliance. This oneworld member airline flies to 25 destinations in 14 countries.

www.oneworld.com

Thank you.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Fiji Airways now full member, Can be used on OWA?

From the Oneworld website

“As of 31 March 2025, Fiji Airways is the 14th full member of the oneworld Allliance.“

But… just because Fiji Airways now qualifies to be included in an OWA, let’s not jump to the conclusion that the QF systems will have already been updated to allow an itinerary to process properly…….

 

[pyramidforce]

Booked on HND-SIN on JL as part of OWA in F - JL equipment swap from APR-NOV from 777-300 to 787.

Anyone have a crystal ball and can tell me if they will swap to A350-1000 for NOV-MAR again? Or do I prepare myself for a 3 hour phone call with qantas

 

[QFFBNE]

I’ve done a few Oneworld Classic Flight Reward trips in the past but never with a break in between so seeking feedback from members.
Looking at an extended trip in 2026, with 4 weeks in Egypt/UK/Ireland Apri, back to BNE for a few months, then 4 weeks in USA in October.
I’m doing dummy bookings to see availability of 2 x Business (U) and what alternatives there are..
All depends on availability of course, but I’m currently WP and will make P1 (and LTG) in mid-August this year, so I have a slightly better chance of getting what we need. It will be complicated by the increase in required points after August this year but I have enough to cover the extra if required.

First step is a positioning BNE/CGK then commence the reward booking from there:
CGK/OOMS/CAI - STOP 1 (Oman Air)
CAI/LHR - STOP 2 (BA)
LHR/SIN/BNE- STOP 3 (QF)
BNE/ORD - STOP 4 (QF/AA)
ORD/JFK - STOP 5 (AA)
JFK/ BNE) – END -(AA or QF)

5 stops and Great Circle Mapper showing 32,697nm. Using Multi-city engine this totalled 646,000 points and $2,829.90 (We’ll organise BNE/CGK and the return London to Dublin flights separately).
Apart from having to be in Cairo on 7th April 2026, the rest is completely flexible. I’ll book first leg CGK/CAI as soon as something is available, then add on as needed over the next 12-18 months.
Any comments or suggestions more than welcome. With the increasing difficulty of using Reward Points this might be the last hurrah, so we want to make it a good one.

 

[Mr H]

I’ve done a few Oneworld Classic Flight Reward trips in the past but never with a break in between so seeking feedback from members.
Looking at an extended trip in 2026, with 4 weeks in Egypt/UK/Ireland Apri, back to BNE for a few months, then 4 weeks in USA in October.
I’m doing dummy bookings to see availability of 2 x Business (U) and what alternatives there are..
All depends on availability of course, but I’m currently WP and will make P1 (and LTG) in mid-August this year, so I have a slightly better chance of getting what we need. It will be complicated by the increase in required points after August this year but I have enough to cover the extra if required.

First step is a positioning BNE/CGK then commence the reward booking from there:
CGK/OOMS/CAI - STOP 1 (Oman Air)
CAI/LHR - STOP 2 (BA)
LHR/SIN/BNE- STOP 3 (QF)
BNE/ORD - STOP 4 (QF/AA)
ORD/JFK - STOP 5 (AA)
JFK/ BNE) – END -(AA or QF)

5 stops and Great Circle Mapper showing 32,697nm. Using Multi-city engine this totalled 646,000 points and $2,829.90 (We’ll organise BNE/CGK and the return London to Dublin flights separately).
Apart from having to be in Cairo on 7th April 2026, the rest is completely flexible. I’ll book first leg CGK/CAI as soon as something is available, then add on as needed over the next 12-18 months.
Any comments or suggestions more than welcome. With the increasing difficulty of using Reward Points this might be the last hurrah, so we want to make it a good one.

If you are travelling directly from Dublin to Brisvegas then you’d save a heap of tax if you redeemed DUB-LHR-onward rather than starting a sector from London.

 

[QFFBNE]

If you are travelling directly from Dublin to Brisvegas then you’d save a heap of tax if you redeemed DUB-LHR-onward rather than starting a sector from London.

Thanks yes, I'd thought of that. All depends on if we have a week in London before, or after, Ireland and/or reward availability. I'd prefer to save the extra tax out of LHR, but as I say we are very flexible and it will come down to what seats are available on which route.

 

[BriarFlyer]

First step is a positioning BNE/CGK then commence the reward booking from there:
CGK/OOMS/CAI - STOP 1 (Oman Air)
CAI/LHR - STOP 2 (BA)
LHR/SIN/BNE- STOP 3 (QF)
BNE/ORD - STOP 4 (QF/AA)
ORD/JFK - STOP 5 (AA)
JFK/ BNE) – END -(AA or QF)

5 stops and Great Circle Mapper showing 32,697nm.

I did a quick GCM check, assuming BNE-LAX-ORD and JFK-AKL-BNE and BNE-CGK to end the circle, and came up well over the 35,000 miles. You might want to re-check with your complete route rather than abbreviated.

 

[QFFBNE]

I did a quick GCM check, assuming BNE-LAX-ORD and JFK-AKL-BNE and BNE-CGK to end the circle, and came up well over the 35,000 miles. You might want to re-check with your complete route rather than abbreviated.

Thanks for double checking. I am working on starting the reward flights with CGK-OOMS-CAI flight and ending with JFK-AKL-BNE (not BNE-CGK) which comes to 33,234. Apparently this itinerary works because according 'Pointhacks' to you can finish your ticket in a city you’ve previously ‘visited’ (in this case, Brisbane)

 

[BriarFlyer]

I am working on starting the reward flights with CGK-OOMS-CAI flight and ending with JFK-AKL-BNE (not BNE-CGK) which comes to 33,234. Apparently this itinerary works because according 'Pointhacks' to you can finish your ticket in a city you’ve previously ‘visited’ (in this case, Brisbane)

I thought the rules specified that the distance must include a return to the port of origin, even if not flown (i.e. treated as a surface segment.) Hence the 'return' to CGK that you're not flying.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I thought the rules specified that the distance must include a return to the port of origin, even if not flown (i.e. treated as a surface segment.) Hence the 'return' to CGK that you're not flying.

Correct. Distance back to starting point must be included, per:

14.4.3 A one way oneworld Classic Flight Reward Itinerary will be charged as a return Itinerary. Itineraries finishing in a port other than the port of origin must include the distance to return directly to the port of origin when calculating the number of Qantas Points required to redeem the Flight Reward and the maximum distance for the Itinerary.

 

[QFFBNE]

Correct. Distance back to starting point must be included, per:

14.4.3 A one way oneworld Classic Flight Reward Itinerary will be charged as a return Itinerary. Itineraries finishing in a port other than the port of origin must include the distance to return directly to the port of origin when calculating the number of Qantas Points required to redeem the Flight Reward and the maximum distance for the Itinerary.

I thought so too, but using the multicity search i was allowed to finish in BNE and comes out at 646,000 points an $2,829 in taxes. Normally if you exceed one of the conditions it errors out, or you are charged the full number of points e.g. >800K I've tried a few times now and same result.

 

[BriarFlyer]

I thought so too, but using the multicity search i was allowed to finish in BNE and comes out at 646,000 points an $2,829 in taxes. Normally if you exceed one of the conditions it errors out, or you are charged the full number of points e.g. >800K I've tried a few times now and same result.

Well, if you can get it to book via the website and not have to debate this clause with an agent when changing/adding flights, then go for it.

PS: 2 x 318,000 = 636,000 pts if 2 pax.

 

[Mwenenzi]

I’ve done a few Oneworld Classic Flight Reward trips in the past but never with a break in between so seeking feedback from members.
Looking at an extended trip in 2026, with 4 weeks in Egypt/UK/Ireland Apri, back to BNE for a few months, then 4 weeks in USA in October.
I’m doing dummy bookings to see availability of 2 x Business (U) and what alternatives there are..
All depends on availability of course, but I’m currently WP and will make P1 (and LTG) in mid-August this year, so I have a slightly better chance of getting what we need. It will be complicated by the increase in required points after August this year but I have enough to cover the extra if required.

First step is a positioning BNE/CGK then commence the reward booking from there:
CGK/OOMS/CAI - STOP 1 (Oman Air)
CAI/LHR - STOP 2 (BA)
LHR/SIN/BNE- STOP 3 (QF)
BNE/ORD - STOP 4 (QF/AA)
ORD/JFK - STOP 5 (AA)
JFK/ BNE) – END -(AA or QF)
<snip>

Oman Air, while a QF partner, is not a OW airline. Due to join OW 30 June 2025. So will not be able to have Oman Air, in a QF Oneworld Classic Flight Reward, itinerary until then. Doubt QF would book Oman Air now, based on what should/may happen in ~3months time.

Oman Air - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oman Air, while a QF partner, is not a OW airline. Due to join OW 30 June 2025. So will not be able to have Oman Air, in a QF Oneworld Classic Flight Reward, itinerary until then. Doubt QF would book Oman Air now, based on what should/may happen in ~3months time.

Oman Air - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Good point. I was initially thinking that as the OP’s trip was well into next year, by the time they come to book Oman Air should be available.

But if the OP has been doing dummy bookings now, it will not cap the points for a OWA if Oman is included.

Which might also be why it is not calculating the return to CGK.

 

[madrooster]

Fiji Airways now full member, Can be used on OWA?

Not yet.