Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[AngryVal]

Long time lurker (literally years) but first time poster.
Have had Gold or platinum status on Velocity for years but switching my work travel to Qantas from now on. Looking to bulk up points this year with a plan to redeem for Business class flights to Italy next Septermber. Ideally redeem 2 and buy 1.

Am sitting on approx Qantas 427,000 points but no status yet.

Looking at a NYC return in J later this year and will add several Mel-Syd flights into the mix over the next few months.

Two questions for all you experts out there:
1. Should I consider a status run to get me at least to Gold, but ideally platinum late in the year?
2. Looking at using iflyflat to help me get the tickets - worth it?

Will begin this process from next month a full 13 months out from travel - but won't have status until later in the year so assume this will make it more difficult to nail down redemptions?

Thanks in advance and appreciate the brains trust in here!

 

[melbkate]

New daily QR flight from CBR/MEL QR989 Dep MEL 15/16:15 from Oct 2022. J award seats available right now. I found plenty of J seats to Europe in Oct 2022, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun 2023. Get in quick to build your OWA.

Can I ask where you are checking availabilty? thanks

 

[Guvner]

New daily QR flight from CBR/MEL QR989 Dep MEL 15/16:15 from Oct 2022. J award seats available right now. I found plenty of J seats to Europe in Oct 2022, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun 2023. Get in quick to build your OWA.

Thanks for the heads up. Managed to snag 2 x J return on points in Oct 2022.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Long time lurker (literally years) but first time poster.
Have had Gold or platinum status on Velocity for years but switching my work travel to Qantas from now on. Looking to bulk up points this year with a plan to redeem for Business class flights to Italy next Septermber. Ideally redeem 2 and buy 1.

Am sitting on approx Qantas 427,000 points but no status yet.

Looking at a NYC return in J later this year and will add several Mel-Syd flights into the mix over the next few months.

Two questions for all you experts out there:
1. Should I consider a status run to get me at least to Gold, but ideally platinum late in the year?
2. Looking at using iflyflat to help me get the tickets - worth it?

Will begin this process from next month a full 13 months out from travel - but won't have status until later in the year so assume this will make it more difficult to nail down redemptions?

Thanks in advance and appreciate the brains trust in here!

You will, in theory, have increased award availability on Qantas operated flights if you have higher status. But the same isn’t true for partner airlines. Lots of variables, but unless you are planning to fly qantas the difference between gold and platinum may not be worth your while.

Where status may be beneficial is contacting the call centre. As a platinum you may have an increased chance of getting an Australian-based call centre, who are competent in dealing with OWAs.

Outside of booking and availability, your platinum status may get you better lounges, in ports where F lounges are available. Worth the extra spend?

I would use AFF’s own award booking service! Not that others aren’t good, but why not keep it local

Welcome to AFF!

 

[flapper]

Can I ask where you are checking availabilty? thanks

QF multi city search, I tried a few different cities in Europe, some are available some days but not others.

 

[kctt]

9th call to Fiji on Monday 4/7/22: 35 minutes waiting in queue, almost 3 hours total. Ticket issued. Additional tax is not charged yet.
Agent asked me to provide contact details and passengers in the booking for verification
I asked what is the status of my booking. She pulled up booking details and asked what is my update with the booking
To save time for both, i provided summary of previous 4 calls that noone can get ticket issued and additional tax charge authorisation on my credit card was dropped.
She contacted ticketing team without any excuse about booking is not imminent and could be fired if contacting ticketing team like one of previous agents.
She told me waiting for ticket team would be more than 1 hour and can she drop the call and call me back after she can get in touch with ticket team. I insisted that i'm happy to stay on hold no matter how many hours and previous agent never called me back.
About 2 hours waiting for ticket team, she could get a hold of ticket team and got ticket issued.
I received email with text "QANTAS E-TICKET ITINERARY AND RECEIPT". In the email, there is a section TAX INVOICE ISSUE DATE today with amount that still outstanding which was charged to my credit card 2 weeks ago but was dropped.
She said pdf booking should be sent to me within 24 hours.
I assume an automatic process needs to charge my credit card then send final pdf confirmation?
Credit card is still not charged for additional tax.
Refresh Checkmytrip 2 hours later and I can see E-ticket number for changed flights in second half of the booking which is the same number as first half that was already issued when i booked online originally.

10th call to overseas call centre on 6th July: did not check but accent sounds like South Africa. Agent asked every details for verification (passenger names, Qff number, flight date and destination ...)
I asked if ticket is all good and is there any action needed from my end. At this point, remaining tax charge from reprice does not show up in my credit card yet even as authorisation.
She said booking is already ticketed and ticketing team would not issue ticket if tax is not paid. Nothing else is needed on my end.
Check my credit card today and see charge for additional tax on Tuesday 5th July.
It looks like my booking is all set
There is no pdf ticket though. Only "QANTAS E-TICKET ITINERARY AND RECEIPT" in text format in email body sent by previous agent.
Is there any tip if i can and i should reserve seat in advanced asap on Finnair, JAL, British Airways for 3J seats?
I tried before on JAL site but got error that my flight is not available for seat reservation yet
Huge thanks to info and discussion in this thread

 

[melbkate]

Does anyone know if what this is about or anyway around it?

QR J seats are available to DOH from CBR via MEL. I am in MEL. That flight goes via MEL. Meaning if I want to get one I'd have to fly MEL-CBR-CBR-DOH (stopping back in MEL again)

Same day and flight there are no J seats out of MEL.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Does anyone know if what this is about or anyway around it?

QR J seats are available to DOH from CBR via MEL. I am in MEL. That flight goes via MEL. Meaning if I want to get one I'd have to fly MEL-CBR-CBR-DOH (stopping back in MEL again)

Same day and flight there are no J seats out of MEL.

Sounds like married segments to me

 

[flapper]

Does anyone know if what this is about or anyway around it?

QR J seats are available to DOH from CBR via MEL. I am in MEL. That flight goes via MEL. Meaning if I want to get one I'd have to fly MEL-CBR-CBR-DOH (stopping back in MEL again)

Same day and flight there are no J seats out of MEL.

It looks like the MEL-DOH seats went very quickly but there is a separate CBRxMEL-DOH allocation that is still available. When QR J rewards seat are available you need to get in quick.
Also you only search MEL-DOH if you are planning on a stopover in DOH. If you only want to transit in DOH search MEL-LHR or CDG etc.

 

[melbkate]

Sounds like married segments to me

If I book it Id have to book MEL-CBR-DOH (via MEL again)-FCO.

Do you think a consultant has the ability to book the flight without booking the CBR-MEL segment so we board in MEL for DOH?

 

[motef]

If I book it Id have to book MEL-CBR-DOH (via MEL again)-FCO.

Do you think a consultant has the ability to book the flight without booking the CBR-MEL segment so we board in MEL for DOH?

No. They see the same as you see online

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

If I book it Id have to book MEL-CBR-DOH (via MEL again)-FCO.

Do you think a consultant has the ability to book the flight without booking the CBR-MEL segment so we board in MEL for DOH?

If you do go ahead with it, you might need to book the MEL-CBR sector on a separate PNR.
Otherwise it might fall foul of this rule:

14.3.5 A Classic Flight Reward Itinerary must contain no more than one departure from the city or country of first departure on that Itinerary.

Link to book of rules:

Frequent Flyer Terms and Conditions | Qantas

These Terms and Conditions form the basis of Qantas Frequent Flyer, to protect both Members and the Qantas Group.

www.qantas.com

 

[Kangol]

Looks like QR989 CBR-DOH is on a single flight number, meaning the transit in MEL is not counted in the system - despite the plane stopping in MEL.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

Looks like QR989 CBR-DOH is on a single flight number, meaning the transit in MEL is not counted in the system - despite the plane stopping in MEL.

It looks like you’re right.
From the T&Cs:

'Flight' means one way travel (without a Stopover) on a scheduled air service with a single flight number (even if the travel includes a change of aircraft). If travel includes a change of flight number, each change is a new Flight even if there is no change of aircraft

So does that mean the MEL ’transit’ wouldn’t count as one of the 16 segments either?
And, if not, then would the distance be calculated as CBR-DOH, or CBR-MEL-DOH?

 

[Kangol]

It looks like you’re right.
From the T&Cs:

'Flight' means one way travel (without a Stopover) on a scheduled air service with a single flight number (even if the travel includes a change of aircraft). If travel includes a change of flight number, each change is a new Flight even if there is no change of aircraft

So does that mean the MEL ’transit’ wouldn’t count as one of the 16 segments either?
And, if not, then would the distance be calculated as CBR-DOH, or CBR-MEL-DOH?

I'm pretty sure it would be counted as origin to destination, CBR-DOH, because the system sees it as one segment on one flight number.

 

[squid01]

All good thanks for having a look!!

Think we will just have to make our own way from KUL to HKT on a revenue fare with Malindo. This means an 8hr stop over in HKT instead of a 10hr one, no through checked bags, no lounge at KUL, must clear immigration at KUL. A fair few minor inconveniences stacking up with this but at least we can retain the overall route from ADL>LHR. Don't want to lose those J seats on QR from HKT to LHR.

Guess I will just get them to drop that flight, suppose then they need to reticket the whole intinery then?

In regards to the above I was thinking of booking the cheapest MH airfare from KUL to somewhere in Malaysia so I can then get lounge access at KUL. Would only cost about $30 each and probably worth it? Coming off a long haul international flight in business (PER>KUL) and then can have access as going on an economy short haul domestic flight with MH, that will grant me lounge access yes?

I would plan to just be a no show for that MH flight from KUL. Or when I go to get my Malindo flight maybe tell them at the lounge I will be a no show? Any ramifications on doing that? The MH flight will be a seperate PNR of course.

 

[doonie]

Hi all, I'm hoping this is the right place to ask. I would like to book SYD-LHR on Qantas (using classic rewards) for ideally 24th June 2023 but okay with leaving in the few days after that. I've been looking every day at 11am for 353 days ahead to see if Qantas release any QF flights but all I can see is Qatar and BA flights but they cost more in points and money (66,200 points and $460).
Do I wait and see if Qantas release any rewards flights or just suck it up and book the BA flight? I know it is peak time but I really don't want my high school aged kids to miss school if possible, plus we want to go to Wimbledon
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[ChrisMars]

Hi all, I'm hoping this is the right place to ask. I would like to book SYD-LHR on Qantas (using classic rewards) for ideally 24th June 2023 but okay with leaving in the few days after that. I've been looking every day at 11am for 353 days ahead to see if Qantas release any QF flights but all I can see is Qatar and BA flights but they cost more in points and money (66,200 points and $460).
Do I wait and see if Qantas release any rewards flights or just suck it up and book the BA flight? I know it is peak time but I really don't want my high school aged kids to miss school if possible, plus we want to go to Wimbledon
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

If you have double the points of what is needed, I would do the following:
Secure the booking on QR or BA.
Keep looking for availabilitirs on Qantas. If something comes up, book Qantas, then once ticketed, cancel QR or BA for free. Cancelation of international awards is free and fullt refundable till the end of the year if not mistaken (check first).

If you dont have enough points, you can, instead of booking-canceling, call Qantas to change your QR or BA award to the Qantas one (if you find award of course). There is a tiny risk that the call center stuff up, as seen in several threads recently, but in theory that ahould work. This is allso free till the end of the year if not mistaken.

In any case, if you book QR, be aware that Qantas needs to ticket your itinery within a day or two (can t remember exactly) or QR will drop your award. So if you don t get the pdf ticket quickly, you will need to call and insist with the call center. BA is better as far as I know, in that aspect.

Good luck

 

[doonie]

If you have double the points of what is needed, I would do the following:
Secure the booking on QR or BA.
Keep looking for availabilitirs on Qantas. If something comes up, book Qantas, then once ticketed, cancel QR or BA for free. Cancelation of international awards is free and fullt refundable till the end of the year if not mistaken (check first).

If you dont have enough points, you can, instead of booking-canceling, call Qantas to change your QR or BA award to the Qantas one (if you find award of course). There is a tiny risk that the call center stuff up, as seen in several threads recently, but in theory that ahould work. This is allso free till the end of the year if not mistaken.

In any case, if you book QR, be aware that Qantas needs to ticket your itinery within a day or two (can t remember exactly) or QR will drop your award. So if you don t get the pdf ticket quickly, you will need to call and insist with the call center. BA is better as far as I know, in that aspect.

Good luck

Oh yes great idea, thank you so much! I will double check the refund conditions.

 

[jeza]

Hi all, I'm hoping this is the right place to ask. I would like to book SYD-LHR on Qantas (using classic rewards) for ideally 24th June 2023 but okay with leaving in the few days after that. I've been looking every day at 11am for 353 days ahead to see if Qantas release any QF flights but all I can see is Qatar and BA flights but they cost more in points and money (66,200 points and $460).
Do I wait and see if Qantas release any rewards flights or just suck it up and book the BA flight? I know it is peak time but I really don't want my high school aged kids to miss school if possible, plus we want to go to Wimbledon
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated

Do you have status with QF? If you are Bronze you won't see any QF flights until 297 days out by that time they are often taken.

As others have advised book what you can get now & look at other options if they become available.