Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[vetrade]

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

I've booked the first three flights of what will end up being about 10 or 12 (flights) for my parents as a 280k award. I seriously don't know your average Mum and Dad traveller and their two kids handle booking one of these. From There are multiple cities that aren't listed in the QF booking engine meaning you have to phone up to ask availability. Some cities can be used as destinations but not origins meaning you have to search for a return booking just to see what the availability is one the second leg. The airlines releasing seats at varying stages. The extorionate 3.5k change fee per passenger every time a new seat is released. The $80 change fee (that's not supposed to be charged for Business and First redemptions but, in my case, was prompting me to make another call and speak to two operators to have it credited several days later. The agents that don't understand the rules and routing options of their oneworld partners. It's mind-boggling.

Your average family of four needs to save up far, far more than 4 x 140 or 4 x 280, once you throw in the change fees and the fact you have to satisfy several criteria before it triggers the 140/280k. I honestly have no idea how these people do it. The process is astoundingly convoluted.

Agree 100% Danger. I have experienced all of the dilemmas you mentioned, plus more e.g. trying to dodge the airlines with big surcharges etc. I have the advantage of having few commitments so I can afford the time but I have found you need several times the amount of time than originally anticipated and it takes quite a bit of mental dexterity to juggle all the variables to come up with something workable. You don't just have to be flexible, you need to be a contortionist! Each time I do it, it seems to be more difficult to get it to work than the time before even though experience should make it easier.

Then again, I do try to "stick it up 'em" by getting the last drop of blood out of my 280K. The satisfaction of "beating" a system that is stacked against you into submission is significant. I think the challenge is my main motivation really - not sure if you think the same way since you're not booking flights for yourself. With just a few dom. AA flights to complete our present itinerary we'll be up to 56,141km, 16 sectors and 5 stop-overs. Not much meat left on those bones!

 

[vetrade]

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

Ouch! Won't be long before taxes and fuel surcharges reach $2000! :shock:

We're up to $1876 pp with still a few (admittedly cheap) AA sectors to be added - would have easily broached $2000 if we'd made more use of BA, JohnK!

 

[hossein_au]

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

Ouch! Won't be long before taxes and fuel surcharges reach $2000! :shock:

Not really a OW 280K award, but my last QF JASA booking MEL-LHR-MEL (1 pax) attracted over $2200 in fees!

 

[JohnK]

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

Has anyone every thought about doing a one-week 34,999 km trip around the world with no stopovers anywhere - just flying around the world in business class and spending quality time in various lounges? With all of your food, booze, accommodation and entertainment taken care of for the week - it's actually a reasonably cheap holiday and some of the taxes might be a bit lower with each intermediate stop being a transit only. I've been playing around with a few itineraries and it's quite feasible to take in every continent (except Antarctica) and get back home within 6 days.

Good luck if you are able to do it. It is something different.

I thought about doing this in economy. Around 4-5 days. I started looking at flights.

And then sanity prevailed....

 

[serfty]

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

Not really a OW 280K award, but my last QF JASA booking MEL-LHR-MEL (1 pax) attracted over $2200 in fees!

And you are booked into U class? Ugggh!

 

[qantas21]

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

I'd be very interested in knowing what itinerary you ended up with Vetrade?

 

[robd]

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

I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who would really, really appreciate a "Oneworld Award - Successful Bookings" thread, showing routings, airlines, taxes etc.

Pretty please

 

[vetrade]

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

I'd be very interested in knowing what itinerary you ended up with Vetrade?

MEL - SYD - JNB - CPT (QF & BA) - combined stopover CPT/JNB/ with paid fare back to JNB (incl. road trip to Kruger)
JNB - DOH - CDG (QR) - stopover (Paris and northern France road trip)
ORY - MAD - BOS (IB) - BUF - BOS - JFK (AA) - stopover in NY with overnight transits in BOS/BUF/BOS
JFK - YVR (CX) - combined stopover YVR/YYC with paid fare from YVR - YYC (Canadian Rockies road trip)
YYC - DFW - LAS - stopover (road trip to G. Canyon/Monument Valley/ Bryce & Zion NPs)
LAS - PHX (AA) - LAX - MEL (QF)

The flights after YYC look convoluted but that was only through necessity - originally intended to go YYC - PHX (US) - LAS (US) - LAX (AA) but couldn't find even Y seats from YYC - PHX so had to opt to fly via DFW instead; and I found there were absolutely no award seats (Y) on Sundays or Mondays direct between LAS and LAX (plenty available Tues - Satd) so that meant a detour via PHX to LAX.
I am still hopeful that I might be able to re-route these last few flights if AA/US make more award seats available over the next 10 months.

 

[Isochronous]

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

I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who would really, really appreciate a "Oneworld Award - Successful Bookings" thread, showing routings, airlines, taxes etc.

Pretty please

I might setup a Jessica Tam style googledoc later tonight.

 

[Danger]

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

I spent quite a bit of time on the phone to a QF agent this morning asking for award availability to Miami, Houston, Montreal and New York, all from Doha with QR and for the first 23 days of May next year. It took her quite some time. My argument is if you're going to charge me 3.5k points for a charge I could make myself (if you provided that ability on your poorly functioning website) then I'm damn well going to make you work for it. It's propesterous that you can't search for flights from a oneworld hub of all places.

 

[NM]

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

I spent quite a bit of time on the phone to a QF agent this morning asking for award availability to Miami, Houston, Montreal and New York, all from Doha with QR and for the first 23 days of May next year. It took her quite some time. My argument is if you're going to charge me 3.5k points for a charge I could make myself (if you provided that ability on your poorly functioning website) then I'm damn well going to make you work for it. It's propesterous that you can't search for flights from a oneworld hub of all places.

Given its only 28th May today, you were seeking availability in the 337-360 day range. While QF release their award seats to QFF at the 353 day mark, some airlines don't release their award inventory until later (AA for example at 330 days). So even if QR released at 353 days out, the latest you could find would be 16th May.

 

[Danger]

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

Given its only 28th May today, you were seeking availability in the 337-360 day range. While QF release their award seats to QFF at the 353 day mark, some airlines don't release their award inventory until later (AA for example at 330 days). So even if QR released at 353 days out, the latest you could find would be 16th May.

Qatar releases award availability 360 days out, hence my search up to 23 May next year.

 

[NM]

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

Qatar releases award availability 360 days out, hence my search up to 23 May next year.

And are you sure that QFF can see them at that time? For example, QF release award availability at 353 days, but AAdvantage cannot see them until 330 days. And AAdvnatage sees US Air awards a few days before they see AA awards.

 

[vetrade]

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

Using the QF website to search for award flights "Doha" does not exist as a departure city but you can select it as an arrival city. Go figure! Just another failure of QF's platform.

 

[vetrade]

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

And are you sure that QFF can see them at that time? For example, QF release award availability at 353 days, but AAdvantage cannot see them until 330 days. And AAdvnatage sees US Air awards a few days before they see AA awards.

QF could see the 2 QR flights I booked a month ago at 360 days out, so yes they can see 'em.

 

[NM]

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

QF could see the 2 QR flights I booked a month ago at 360 days out, so yes they can see 'em.

That's good to know.

 

[Danger]

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

And are you sure that QFF can see them at that time? For example, QF release award availability at 353 days, but AAdvantage cannot see them until 330 days. And AAdvnatage sees US Air awards a few days before they see AA awards.

There was no availability on any flight on 21, 22 and 23 May but there was availability on 20 May.

 

[NM]

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

There was no availability on any flight on 21, 22 and 23 May but there was availability on 20 May.

I do note that some airlines state "up to xx_ days" for availability, and the actual release is not always consistent. I have been watching AA release of awards at the extremity of 330 days and they seem to get the US Air flights consistently then, but the AA flights seem to pop up in batches up to a week later (maybe 2 or 3 times a week). These things may not always be as automated as we would expect.

 

[nickfromeastryde]

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

Has anyone reported any further problems adding new flights to turn what are currently QFF Awards to OneWorld awards. I have booked the first three legs of my 280K award flight which came to 228K of points and looking to book my next few flights in a few days which will then get me to the 280K point mark.

A few pages ago, it was mentioned that some help desk staff weren't allowing this to be done and just wondering if anyone since then has either had problems or managed to complete their bookings

 

[serfty]

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

I do note that some airlines state "up to xx_ days" for availability, and the actual release is not always consistent. I have been watching AA release of awards at the extremity of 330 days and they seem to get the US Air flights consistently then, but the AA flights seem to pop up in batches up to a week later (maybe 2 or 3 times a week). These things may not always be as automated as we would expect.

flights are bookable at 331 days - awards may or may not be available on those flights at that time.

Often award availability can appear two weeks or so later.

I'm sure there is less automatically allocated availability these days with much more manual intervention.