Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[Danger]

ANZ credit card insurance covers your whole trip if $200 of travel expenses are charged to the card before travel commences. The taxes should reach that limit. Other credit cards I think are less accommodating.

Two hundred and fifty dollars.

 

[Mr H]

Two hundred and fifty dollars.

I stand corrected - it has been a while...

But more importantly, requires a return ticket to Australia to qualify. Flying out of AU To start the rtw in DPS wouldn’t be a problem per se, but you’d also need a ticket back to australia at the end.

I imagine pretty much anyone living in Australia would have a ticket home.

 

[Noah Count]

I imagine pretty much anyone living in Australia would have a ticket home.

In most cases yes but not all, I have just started OWR trip for travel in 2023. We will take a one way flight to NZ (seperate PNR) so we can commence from NZ and travel to JP and back to AU, stop in AU for 6 months, then head to the AU-EU-AU. When we return to AU from part 2 we have no plan to actually end the trip in NZ and then have to fly back to AU. I am a little lost on the ANZ card insurance thing but if my understanding/ of @MEL_Traveller post correctly the ANZ card insurance only kicks in if you have a return trip.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

In most cases yes but not all, I have just started OWR trip for travel in 2023. We will take a one way flight to NZ (seperate PNR) so we can commence from NZ and travel to JP and back to AU, stop in AU for 6 months, then head to the AU-EU-AU. When we return to AU from part 2 we have no plan to actually end the trip in NZ and then have to fly back to AU. I am a little lost on the ANZ card insurance thing but if my understanding/ of @MEL_Traveller post correctly the ANZ card insurance only kicks in if you have a return trip.

Bit OT for this thread, but as long as you are coming back to Australia on the ticket it might be ok. I would confirm directly with the underwriter.

 

[Noah Count]

I'm in the process of planning out my own 2xJ 318k awards at the moment and will post my routes later, but I've set myself three rules to minimise the chance of cancelled flights - no CX, no UL, and I'm avoiding Europe to North Asia (vv) routes where possible.

I have just kicked off my bookings 2023 OWR bookings and also have found FR24 to be quite useful. When booking in May 21 for April 22 (which we cancelled) and again in Oct 21 for Sep 22 (should happen) I would just check on FR 24 if the flights ran on a regular basis. My reasoning being if they ran trough covid they would most likely be running post covid. The Russia/ Ukraine situation may have thrown a spanner into the works.

 

[Mr H]

In most cases yes but not all, I have just started OWR trip for travel in 2023. We will take a one way flight to NZ (seperate PNR) so we can commence from NZ and travel to JP and back to AU, stop in AU for 6 months, then head to the AU-EU-AU. When we return to AU from part 2 we have no plan to actually end the trip in NZ and then have to fly back to AU. I am a little lost on the ANZ card insurance thing but if my understanding/ of @MEL_Traveller post correctly the ANZ card insurance only kicks in if you have a return trip.

I had naively assumed that simultaneously holding an outbound ticket and an inbound ticket would suffice but having looked at the Ts and Cs I am not so sure - it looks like it may end to be on the same ticket number. I will ask for clarification.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I had naively assumed that simultaneously holding an outbound ticket and an inbound ticket would suffice but having looked at the Ts and Cs I am not so sure - it looks like it may end to be on the same ticket number. I will ask for clarification.

It says a return ticket. There are two ways to read that. I have always travelled on two or more separate tickets, but with a defined return date to Australia. I’m pretty sure i clarified with them previously that that was ok.But will be useful to have that confirmed.

 

[Arkana]

As mentioned you are probably putting too many segments into your search string on the Qantas site. I can search six segments but anymore and it freaks out.

One thing to note in the OWA limitations is that a surface sector counts as a segment (so add them to the number of flights you have) You are allowed a total of 16 segments so that could be a factor.

Question as it has been a while since I booked my last one, you don’t have to include a Qantas flight do you? Just so long as you have two other partner airlines you are all good? Or must you have a QF flight (I’m remembering not)?

 

[Aristotle9]

Finally sorted my ticketing. The call centre staff was on hold to points and then ticketing for over 2 hours.


I highly recommend not changing stuff ATM if ur trip is soon!

 

[jaseb]

Currently have MXP-DOH-KUL booked in J on QR. I want to change that to MXP-DOH-BKK.

Because the MXP-DOH-KUL flight is a connecting only, we would need to cancel MXP-DOH-KUL and rebook the whole thing; MXP-DOH-BKK.

Unfortunately whilst there's availability in J from DOH-BKK there is no more availability MXP-DOH.

My biggest fear is cancelling MXP-DOH-KUL and the MXP-DOH J seats not becoming available again.

Is there a way to relinquish our current J seats MXP-DOH whilst ensuring they become available to snap up again when rebooking MXP-DOH-BKK?

 

[cjd600]

Currently have MXP-DOH-KUL booked in J on QR. I want to change that to MXP-DOH-BKK.

Because the MXP-DOH-KUL flight is a connecting only, we would need to cancel MXP-DOH-KUL and rebook the whole thing; MXP-DOH-BKK.

Unfortunately whilst there's availability in J from DOH-BKK there is no more availability MXP-DOH.

My biggest fear is cancelling MXP-DOH-KUL and the MXP-DOH J seats not becoming available again.

Is there a way to relinquish our current J seats MXP-DOH whilst ensuring they become available to snap up again when rebooking MXP-DOH-BKK?

Try calling and saying you just want to change DOH-KUL to DOH-BKK and see how you go?

 

[Mr H]

Is there a way to relinquish our current J seats MXP-DOH whilst ensuring they become available to snap up again when rebooking MXP-DOH-BKK?

No guarantee and I would not risk it. Could you add on an MH from KUL to BKK?

 

[jaseb]

Try calling and saying you just want to change DOH-KUL to DOH-BKK and see how you go?

Tried that. Because MXP-DOH-KUL is a 'through' flight they confirmed I can't alter DOH-KUL only, the whole journey would need to be cancelled and rebooked

No guarantee and I would not risk it. Could you add on an MH from KUL to BKK?

That's probably what we will need to do. Just adds an extra ~day to our travel time to get home is all. Not the end of the world though!

 

[Danger]

I had naively assumed that simultaneously holding an outbound ticket and an inbound ticket would suffice but having looked at the Ts and Cs I am not so sure - it looks like it may end to be on the same ticket number. I will ask for clarification.

I can't remember the last time I had an outbound and inbound on the same ticket. Although I've rarely needed to claim through ANZ's CC insurance, it's never been an issue when I have.

 

[k_sheep]

Is it possible to change the first flight of the OWA without totally stuffing up the rest of it? I'm currently booked SYD-xDFW-EZE but if by some miracle the SYD-SCL route starts again I'd much rather that.

 

[levelnine]

OWA without totally stuffing up the rest of it? I'm currently booked SYD-xDFW-EZE but if by some miracle the SYD-SCL route starts again I'd much rather that.

As long as it retickets, it'll be fine. But I wouldn't rate your chances of getting award seats on SYD-SCL even if it does restart in time.

 

[sudoer]

I've recently been in process of booking my first oneworld J award (for 2 pax) and have the following already locked in:

SYD-HND (QF) stop 1 / surface sector
NGO-xHND-xSIN (JL) 18 hour day transit in SIN
-xHEL (AY) 10 hour day transit in HEL
-MXP (AY) stop 2
TBC-JFK stop 3
JFK-xHND-SYD (JL)

Taxes so far have come to $378pp.

Planning to visit Madrid, London and Amsterdam before crossing the pond, but might book some of those as Iberia cash fares for cheap SCs while I'm in the neighbourhood.

Transatlantic seats haven't yet opened up for the dates I'm looking at, but leaning towards the new BA J seats on the A350. Open to any suggestions/critiques!

 

[algae]

I'm in the process of planning out my own 2xJ 318k awards at the moment and will post my routes later, but I've set myself three rules to minimise the chance of cancelled flights - no CX, no UL, and I'm avoiding Europe to North Asia (vv) routes where possible.

Are there issues with CX im not aware of?

I know when i previously booked my oneworld J award for 2020 travel (then moved to 2021 and then cancelled) there was plenty of CX J availability from perth to Canada.

Trying to book a similar trip for 2023 now, and i'm seeing next to nothing for Cathay flights.

 

[sudoer]

Are there issues with CX im not aware of?

Just my opinion: including Hong Kong as a stop or transit feels risky as we don't know what testing/entry rules will exist in 6-12 months in response to future variants. Given both the pandemic and geopolitical situation we also don't know which routes CX can sustainably operate, as demand for business and leisure travel will probably remain significantly down vs 2019. I hope CX pulls through but things are looking pretty grim.

 

[levelnine]

Open to any suggestions/critiques!

If you are flexible with your schedule, wouldn't it be better to go to JFK first then MXP? Avoids the backtrack to SIN if you choose the right route back to Australia (eg via DOH).