Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Captain Halliday]

Some more newbie questions, this time about our USA to Chile sector in November:

1. Would you choose LAX-xMIA-SCL or SFO-xDFW-SCL (both with AA)? I've been warned about trying to get domestic flights from LAX.
2. In either of the above scenarios, would we clear immigration/customs on departure at LAX/SFO, or during the layover at MIA/DFW?
3. How long should we allow for the layover/connection between the domestic leg and the international leg? The QF multi-city tool lets me choose options with as little as a 50min layover, but I'm assuming that's not a smart move.

1. LAXxMIA-SCL would give you some chance of a widebody on the LAX-MIA sector. In other words a better hard product IMHO.

2. Not sure. Others will know.

3. If it’s available to book and it’s all on the one PNR you’ll be protected. In other words, if you miss a connection they’ll book you on other flights.

But only you will know how this will affect your other plans. For example if you miss a flight due at 2200 and they rebook you the next day, you might lose $ on a hotel booking. Depends on your other plans really.

And of course, if a 50min connection is going to have you stressing, that’s no way to spend a holiday.

 

[mrsterryn]

Reward 1st class booked
SYD HND Qantas
HND CDG JAL

LHR SIN BA
SIN MEL Qantas
MEL SYD Qantas

Now going to LAX straight after this trip.
Have checked reward flights and they are available from LHR via LAX to Syd
Can I change my return flight ?
How am I best to do it?
I don't want to cancel the whole thing as I have a JAL 1st class that I want to try lol
I do have enough points to do the new LHR leg autonomously
Thanks
Just edited in case the carrier makes a difference

 

[Aussiejosh]

Reward 1st class booked
SYD HND
HND CDG

LHR MEL
MEL SYD

Now going to LAX straight after this trip.
Have checked reward flights and they are available from LHR via LAX to Syd
Can I change my return flight ?
How am I best to do it?
I don't want to cancel the whole thing as I have a JAL 1st class that I want to try lol
I do have enough points to do the new LHR leg autonomously
Thanks

Check on the qantas website. Then ring up Qantas. Will cost 5000 points to change existing booking. Just has to be availability on the dates you want

 

[mrsterryn]

Check on the qantas website. Then ring up Qantas. Will cost 5000 points to change existing booking. Just has to be availability on the dates you want

There is surprisingly quite a bit for the dates I want.
Would be much easier than flying home from LHR to Syd and then flying out to LAX

 

[Beano]

I don't know if my question has been raised before? I am planning a trip with my wife to Europe and have enough points for one of us to use them for the round trip. I'm QP but my wife has no status. I thought to transfer my points to her so she can get the points travel and I would pay so I get the status credits. Doe that sound OK? My wife does not fly much so status is not mportant to her.

 

[rock86]

I don't know if my question has been raised before? I am planning a trip with my wife to Europe and have enough points for one of us to use them for the round trip. I'm QP but my wife has no status. I thought to transfer my points to her so she can get the points travel and I would pay so I get the status credits. Doe that sound OK? My wife does not fly much so status is not mportant to her.

You should just book the award travel from your account (unless for some reason she would personally need to make any changes to the booking if required). This way you also get access to QF awards from day of release, or if none are available can request for an award seat to be released as you're platinum.

 

[Beano]

You should just book the award travel from your account (unless for some reason she would personally need to make any changes to the booking if required). This way you also get access to QF awards from day of release, or if none are available can request for an award seat to be released as you're platinum.

Thanks. So I can book my wife's flight on my account with my points. That soulds a good idea and much simpler.

 

[rock86]

Thanks. So I can book my wife's flight on my account with my points. That soulds a good idea and much simpler.

You most certainly can.

 

[flychrisfly]

Some more newbie questions, this time about our USA to Chile sector in November:

1. Would you choose LAX-xMIA-SCL or SFO-xDFW-SCL (both with AA)? I've been warned about trying to get domestic flights from LAX.
2. In either of the above scenarios, would we clear immigration/customs on departure at LAX/SFO, or during the layover at MIA/DFW?
3. How long should we allow for the layover/connection between the domestic leg and the international leg? The QF multi-city tool lets me choose options with as little as a 50min layover, but I'm assuming that's not a smart move.

2. How would you clear immigration at the start of a domestic flight? Think about it. Also, in the US there is no immigration to clear - just securtity then board. International and domestic flights often leave from adjacent gates.

 

[wentworthmeister]

2. How would you clear immigration at the start of a domestic flight? Think about it.

I know what you mean, but some carriers are doing this now e.g. QF9 from MEL-xPER-LHR where you can clear customs/immigrations in MEL before the domestic leg.

 

[wentworthmeister]

1. LAXxMIA-SCL would give you some chance of a widebody on the LAX-MIA sector. In other words a better hard product IMHO.

Both domestic options (LAX-MIA and SFO-DFW) are on a A321, so no difference there. MIA-SCL is a B777-200 whereas DFW-SCL is a B787.

 

[knightfall88]

Reward 1st class booked
SYD HND Qantas
HND CDG JAL

LHR SIN BA
SIN MEL Qantas
MEL SYD Qantas

Now going to LAX straight after this trip.
Have checked reward flights and they are available from LHR via LAX to Syd
Can I change my return flight ?
How am I best to do it?
I don't want to cancel the whole thing as I have a JAL 1st class that I want to try lol
I do have enough points to do the new LHR leg autonomously
Thanks
Just edited in case the carrier makes a difference

Hi, looking to book a First myself.

Isn't your itinerary only 4 stopovers? Can't you have 5?

 

[knightfall88]

What do you guys think of my F itinerary?

1. Sydney to Paris (Qatar First)
2. Paris to Hong Kong (Cathay First)
3. Hong Kong to Tokyo (JAL First)
4. Tokyo to New York (JAL First)
5. New York to LA (AA First) - hopefully there is First for domestic
LA to Sydney (Qantas First)

 

[mrsterryn]

Hi, looking to book a First myself.

Isn't your itinerary only 4 stopovers? Can't you have 5?

Actually ended up being
SYD to HND business Qantas
HND CDG first JAL
LHR LAX business BA (I am going to watch out for a first for that leg
LAX SYD first Qantas

I know I could have had CDG to LHR however we prefer the Eurostar and it is ten mins walk to where we stay in London

So far I have had one itinerary change which was very easy to do via the phone. As I was already at the 420,000 points cost it only cost 5000 points for the change

 

[mrsterryn]

Check on the qantas website. Then ring up Qantas. Will cost 5000 points to change existing booking. Just has to be availability on the dates you want

What was interesting was Qantas saw flights that I didn't see.

Is it worth ringing them randomly to see if a first class LHR to LAX has come up ?

 

[Kangol]

What do you guys think of my F itinerary?

1. Sydney to Paris (Qatar First)
2. Paris to Hong Kong (Cathay First)
3. Hong Kong to Tokyo (JAL First)
4. Tokyo to New York (JAL First)
5. New York to LA (AA First) - hopefully there is First for domestic
LA to Sydney (Qantas First)

It's over the 35k miles. At least you are thinking of the options...

 

[Warren Mason]

Dealing with Qantas has to be the most frustrating experience I have ever had.

I contacted Qantas via chat last night to check on the cost of the taxes on my flights that I had completed booking in January as something seemed amiss. I was informed that he couldn’t help and he gave me the link to request the tax invoice for by booking. He said that was the way or to call. So the link doesn’t work and just gives a message about an email error. I was feeling brave so I called and to my amazement got through in just under 30 minutes. Great help he was just telling me to use the same link that didn’t work!

He asked if he could do anything else and as we had been toying with the idea of flying to London from Amsterdam rather than taking the train, I asked if he could see any flights. On the website there were none so I wasn’t expecting any. Surprisingly he could see 11 on the day I wanted to fly. He booked the one we were after and I begged him to make sure the ticket was reissued so I didn’t lose my hard searched for CX flights. That was at 10pm last night. He went away and came back reassuring me he had done everything. Pigs you know what!!! I checked at 2am and everything looked good. I checked again at 5am and still all good. 5:15 and all CX flights are gone. Got through to them by 5:40 and my flights to Perth are gone. All others are OK just we are now stranded in Hong Kong. At least they gave me back my 10K points!

Moral to the story is you DO NOT believe the consultants because they lie! If you have CX flights hang on and pray. We seem to be wait listed for the flight home waiting to see if CX will release some seats for us. Here’s hoping.

 

[rock86]

Dealing with Qantas has to be the most frustrating experience I have ever had.

I contacted Qantas via chat last night to check on the cost of the taxes on my flights that I had completed booking in January as something seemed amiss. I was informed that he couldn’t help and he gave me the link to request the tax invoice for by booking. He said that was the way or to call. So the link doesn’t work and just gives a message about an email error. I was feeling brave so I called and to my amazement got through in just under 30 minutes. Great help he was just telling me to use the same link that didn’t work!

He asked if he could do anything else and as we had been toying with the idea of flying to London from Amsterdam rather than taking the train, I asked if he could see any flights. On the website there were none so I wasn’t expecting any. Surprisingly he could see 11 on the day I wanted to fly. He booked the one we were after and I begged him to make sure the ticket was reissued so I didn’t lose my hard searched for CX flights. That was at 10pm last night. He went away and came back reassuring me he had done everything. Pigs you know what!!! I checked at 2am and everything looked good. I checked again at 5am and still all good. 5:15 and all CX flights are gone. Got through to them by 5:40 and my flights to Perth are gone. All others are OK just we are now stranded in Hong Kong. At least they gave me back my 10K points!

Moral to the story is you DO NOT believe the consultants because they lie! If you have CX flights hang on and pray. We seem to be wait listed for the flight home waiting to see if CX will release some seats for us. Here’s hoping.

If CX don't, then QF will more then likely re-route you on their metal due to the agent knowing but not 'rectifying' the error.

 

[love_the_life]

If CX don't, then QF will more then likely re-route you on their metal due to the agent knowing but not 'rectifying' the error.

Though you might have to ask for the transcript/recording of call.

 

[Warren Mason]

Though you might have to ask for the transcript/recording of call.

The original call where he stuffed up? How would I do that as I didn't know it was possible.