Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi all,

I am wanting to book a 4 month holiday on the Oneworld Award in business class.

Obviously going to be difficult finding business class reward seats for my first legs by the time my last legs become available... anyone figured out a way to circumvent this? Happy to pay extra points to amend trip if it helps.

Cheers!

You can just book available legs as you go, and add to the itinerary as flights become available. If you can find a holding flight out of australia to start with… even in economy, it will set up the booking in AUD rather than a foreign starting point.

 

[SnowmanShroomz]

I see, thanks for your help - so I can just book individual legs at a time and keep adding to my itinerary until it caps out at the 318,000 mark?

 

[andye]

I see, thanks for your help - so I can just book individual legs at a time and keep adding to my itinerary until it caps out at the 318,000 mark?

Yes but need to call up every time you add after your first booking

 

[Mr H]

Yes but need to call up every time you add after your first booking

And the change surcharge (5,000 points per change IIRC) will be reintroduced at some point. https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/member-offers/flexible-classic-flight-rewards.html

 

[algae]

On the plus side requesting e-ticket recipt via Finnair (link below) is now giving me details per the amadeus dump that QF sent me, even though downloading the same from QF still has older e-ticket number.

Order your e-ticket receipt

You can use this form to order your e-ticket receipt. If the reservation is no longer active, please contact our customer service.

www.finnair.com

That's a useful link! Thanks for that!
My booking reference number still doesn't work through the Finnair manage my booking (says it can't find any booking).
But at least this e-ticket receipt did work and shows my Finnair flights! Add that to my pile of documentation

 

[jeza]

I don't know how people find reward flights, I'm struggling to find Australia to Europe next year in May.

I imagine around the world would be a royal pain!

The Oz-Europe go very quickly. You have to be a bit flexible, try going either points or revenue flight to somewhere in Asia eg Indonesia/Bali, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore etc & then onward to Europe,

I'd also look at places that might not be as popular but are close by in Europe to your intended destination eg if wanting to go to London but struggling to find availability try Manchester as an alternative.

All of CGK, DPS, BKK & MNL have J availability in early May to Europe, not as much from KUL & SIN from the couple of routes I searched.

There is a bit of availability ex Oz with CX via HKG to for example Manchester but that has it's own issues currently.

 

[lalaland]

The Oz-Europe go very quickly. You have to be a bit flexible, try going either points or revenue flight to somewhere in Asia eg Indonesia/Bali, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore etc & then onward to Europe,

I'd also look at places that might not be as popular but are close by in Europe to your intended destination eg if wanting to go to London but struggling to find availability try Manchester as an alternative.

All of CGK, DPS, BKK & MNL have J availability in early May to Europe, not as much from KUL & SIN from the couple of routes I searched.

There is a bit of availability ex Oz with CX via HKG to for example Manchester but that has it's own issues currently.

I assume people book the leg travelling to Europe first, and then wait a few weeks and book return flight when is availability?

I did read that with around the world though, you can only book once you know your return flight and that's available?

Currently I'm thinking just a fly with my Krisflyer points with Singapore as there's a lot of flights available with Singapore.

Unfortunately Qatar and Emirates have huge taxes ATM, business class and first class have the same taxes with only a 30000 Point difference between them.

My mate and I were hoping to travel together on the same flights, but there's no availability for more than one first class seat.

I assume if you want to fly together you need to fly business class.

Is there more availability in June, than May? I've never actually use points to book before so it's all new.

 

[kctt]

I assume people book the leg travelling to Europe first, and then wait a few weeks and book return flight when is availability?

I did read that with around the world though, you can only book once you know your return flight and that's available?

Currently I'm thinking just a fly with my Krisflyer points with Singapore as there's a lot of flights available with Singapore.

Unfortunately Qatar and Emirates have huge taxes ATM, business class and first class have the same taxes with only a 30000 Point difference between them.

My mate and I were hoping to travel together on the same flights, but there's no availability for more than one first class seat.

I assume if you want to fly together you need to fly business class.

Is there more availability in June, than May? I've never actually use points to book before so it's all new.

Emirates is not partner airline for OWA ticket

Ultimate Beginners Guide To Qantas Classic Flight Rewards

This is the ultimate beginners guide to Qantas Classic Flight rewards. Essential for every points hacker!

flighthacks.com.au

From what i read in the last 100 pages, at the moment chance to find Qatar business seat is close to zero

 

[Mr H]

I assume people book the leg travelling to Europe first, and then wait a few weeks and book return flight when is availability?

I did read that with around the world though, you can only book once you know your return flight and that's available?

Currently I'm thinking just a fly with my Krisflyer points with Singapore as there's a lot of flights available with Singapore.

Unfortunately Qatar and Emirates have huge taxes ATM, business class and first class have the same taxes with only a 30000 Point difference between them.

My mate and I were hoping to travel together on the same flights, but there's no availability for more than one first class seat.

I assume if you want to fly together you need to fly business class.

Is there more availability in June, than May? I've never actually use points to book before so it's all new.

This is a thread specifically about One World Award bookings - not RTW, not Singapore Airlines, not Emirates, not returns to Europe.

 

[squid01]

I have had a flight change on my OWCA, on an AA flight.

QF have I suppose put a suggested change of flight on the booking, asking me to confirm if ok. I was going to ring up to see what other options there are as the new flight they putting me on leaves at 6am which isn't an ideal time.

If after speaking to the phone agent come to a decision that I want to go with the option QF have suggested in my booking/app then am I best to confirm that via the App? Or do it whilst on the phone? Will the whole itinery have to be re-priced or anything like that?

Just want to confirm the change via the best avenue which has the least amount of risk in things screwing up for the rest of the itiniery. Thanks!

 

[Mr H]

I have had a flight change on my OWCA, on an AA flight.

QF have I suppose put a suggested change of flight on the booking, asking me to confirm if ok. I was going to ring up to see what other options there are as the new flight they putting me on leaves at 6am which isn't an ideal time.

If after speaking to the phone agent come to a decision that I want to go with the option QF have suggested in my booking/app then am I best to confirm that via the App? Or do it whilst on the phone? Will the whole itinery have to be re-priced or anything like that?

Just want to confirm the change via the best avenue which has the least amount of risk in things screwing up for the rest of the itiniery. Thanks!

If the QF proposal looks sub-optimal, I would go into a conversation with an alternative proposal that you have found for yourself - do not rely on them to propose something. There is a real danger too that you could feel pressured into making a decision on the spot based on a verbal explanation of an alternative that does not stack up when you re-read it after the ink has dried. If the reroute was involuntary then QF will eat any additional charges but I think you will have to pay for any subsequent changes - I have never known whether this includes any part of the cost that QF may be wearing from an involuntary change.

 

[squid01]

If the QF proposal looks sub-optimal, I would go into a conversation with an alternative proposal that you have found for yourself - do not rely on them to propose something. There is a real danger too that you could feel pressured into making a decision on the spot based on a verbal explanation of an alternative that does not stack up when you re-read it after the ink has dried. If the reroute was involuntary then QF will eat any additional charges but I think you will have to pay for any subsequent changes - I have never known whether this includes any part of the cost that QF may be wearing from an involuntary change.

Yes I will definitely have a couple of other options ready to go/propose. But all J availability has dried up so not sure if they will open up J seats on the flights I purpose (is an AA fight remember).

What QF has suggested isn't so bad, and if they are still in J and confirming the change via the app is somewhat instant then I would probably pick that. Just trying to work out if the phone agent takes my suggested changes if it would mean the whole ticket is in jeopardy.

The last QF flight change they changed it to a better flight and even opened up J (from prem eco) for me which was a huge surprise, so have a bad feeling about this one that needs to be done.

 

[lalaland]

This is a thread specifically about One World Award bookings - not RTW, not Singapore Airlines, not Emirates, not returns to Europe.

Emirates is not partner airline for OWA ticket

Ultimate Beginners Guide To Qantas Classic Flight Rewards

This is the ultimate beginners guide to Qantas Classic Flight rewards. Essential for every points hacker!

flighthacks.com.au

From what i read in the last 100 pages, at the moment chance to find Qatar business seat is close to zero

I found plenty of Qatar Business/First.

KL-Doha-Rome.
Paris-Doha-Sydney.
Rome-Doha-Sydney.

Sorry, Emirates flights pop up when I put in cities. I thought their part of One World? I get so confused.

Just assumed because these are the airlines showing up for reward seats, sorry.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I found plenty of Qatar Business/First.

KL-Doha-Rome.
Paris-Doha-Sydney.
Rome-Doha-Sydney.

Sorry, Emirates flights pop up when I put in cities. I thought their part of One World? I get so confused.

Just assumed because these are the airlines showing up for reward seats, sorry.

The booking engines show all Qantas partners not just those in one world. Emirates and air france-klm are not one world members but are partners, for example

 

[prozac]

The booking engines show all Qantas partners not just those in one world. Emirates and air france-klm are not one world members but are partners, for example

Which booking engines do you mean @MEL_Traveller ? I'm still a missionary position kinda booker.

 

[levelnine]

I thought their part of One World?

You can always check here: oneworld Members: Airlines In The oneworld Alliance

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Which booking engines do you mean @MEL_Traveller ? I'm still a missionary position kinda booker.

The booking engine (singular!) on the qantas website. It will show you all available flights, whether or not they are oneworld. AMS-LHR will show flights by KLM, Air france and BA. But only BA is oneworld and eligible for OWAs.

 

[Mr H]

So I needed a one way journey from Asmara to Melbourne in June 2023. I explored One World possibilities and found ADD-DOH-DAC-KUL-MEL (QR, QR, MH, MH all in J). I can spring for a revenue Y ticket ASM-ADD. Then it occurred to me that this could be the beginning of a One World Award. I can use a stopover in DAC, the itinerary is 9,400 miles (but need to double it to get back to the origin) and I can use my second stopover in MEL. I am thinking that my next holiday of a lifetime after this one is likely to be North and West Africa, so I could add flights on to the ticket at a later date to get me back to Africa - and that would minimise the mileage issue created by an open jaw booking.

So all booked (but not yet ticketed) thanks to Maria in Fiji. Total cost is 165,000 points and $1,170 taxes. I am slightly puzzled by the taxes, TBH, as if I did a dummy booking with the same flights online, but with an additional MEL-SYD at the beginning to allow the computer to work, I get total taxes of $870. I am surprised that deleting MEL-SYD adds $300 to the price, but hey ho. I guess I will be adding flights in due course which will cause the ticket to be re-priced anyway so not worth puzzling too much over it.

 

[straitman]

Total cost is 165,000 points and $1,170 taxes. I am slightly puzzled by the taxes, TBH, as if I did a dummy booking with the same flights online, but with an additional MEL-SYD at the beginning to allow the computer to work, I get total taxes of $870. I am surprised that deleting MEL-SYD adds $300 to the price, but hey ho. I guess I will be adding flights in due course which will cause the ticket to be re-priced anyway so not worth puzzling too much over it.

It probably should read taxes and carrier charges rather than just taxes.

 

[Mr H]

It probably should read taxes and carrier charges rather than just taxes.

Yes. Although to me it is all a tax as the payment is the points and any money I pay feels like a tax on the transaction, whether the proceeds go to a government, an airline or an airport.