Oneworld Classic Flight Reward Discussion - The Definitive Thread

[MEL_Traveller]

got it - thanks - so I assume if you wanted to add flights online to an existing booking (presuming one can do this in addition to a phone call), the 5000 points fee will apply too?

Lol, yes I once forgot JQ wasn't Oneworld when trying to access a lounge in HND (not my best moment)

Correct… any cha be to your TICKET will incur the 5000 points. So adding, subtracting, changing will incur 5000 points, per person.

You can hiwever make multiple changes at the one time for 5000 points. So you could add three flights, take another two away, change some dates all on the one call and it would be 5000 total per passenger. The next time you call is another 5k.

The OWA exists only for points capping purposes (and a specific set of rules). The agent won’t really know/care if you are booking a simple return or a OWA. They’ll just enter the flights and wait for the system to tell them how much it is. In that sense booking the OWA is the same as booking say MEL-SYD-LAX-JFK.

 

[Mr_Tee]

lol, 'don't talk about the war' basically... so I may have misinterpreted Stephanie's comments about this re change fees, as presumably change fees only apply if you have to change original flights NOT b/c you're turning classic reward flights into a RTW award!

When you say 'put in' a dummy Aussie flight, what do you actually mean you need to do? (makes sense what you're saying re later complexity)

Also, I presume when you're adding flights, you want the agent to use the same booking refence number, as I assume that's the way the system knows when to 'cap' your points?

I love a good mystery - thank you.

Two points here:
1. Change fee will apply every time you call up and change something. Not just changing the original flights.

2. This is not converting a Classic Flight Reward Flight into a RTW Award. It always remains a Oneworld Classic Flight Award (whether you go around the world or not). This is the language mixup that creates confusion when people get on the phone and start asking to book a RTW ticket. A RTW ticket is a completely different product.

 

[Mr_Tee]

got it - thanks - so I assume if you wanted to add flights online to an existing booking (presuming one can do this in addition to a phone call), the 5000 points fee will apply too?

Lol, yes I once forgot JQ wasn't Oneworld when trying to access a lounge in HND (not my best moment)

You can’t make changes to a Oneworld Classic Flight Award online. Requires a phone call.

 

[Bell21]

Two points here:
1. Change fee will apply every time you call up and change something. Not just changing the original flights.

2. This is not converting a Classic Flight Reward Flight into a RTW Award. It always remains a Oneworld Classic Flight Award (whether you go around the world or not). This is the language mixup that creates confusion when people get on the phone and start asking to book a RTW ticket. A RTW ticket is a completely different product.

Thanks for the steer re point 2 - yes, I know RTW is a different product, but mixing up the language won't help when talking to an agent, that's for sure!

 

[elanshin]

Correct… any cha be to your TICKET will incur the 5000 points. So adding, subtracting, changing will incur 5000 points, per person.

You can hiwever make multiple changes at the one time for 5000 points. So you could add three flights, take another two away, change some dates all on the one call and it would be 5000 total per passenger. The next time you call is another 5k.

It might be 5k change fee per ticketing. I've had an instances where I did a change then called back a day later to do a different change on the same PNR before the first change was ticketed and it only charged me once.

 

[Bell21]

I can see why this is called the Definitive Thread

 

[MEL_Traveller]

It might be 5k change fee per ticketing. I've had an instances where I did a change then called back a day later to do a different change on the same PNR before the first change was ticketed and it only charged me once.

You are correct.

But for most tickets you’d want instant ticketing to avoid flights auto cancelling!!

 

[leaving on a jet plane]

HELP Please.
I have booked a OWA ticket for 2 in J class which I have done before. I need to finesse the itinerary as is always the case but this time I have run into a couple of new (to me) brick walls. I can see flights out of several Japanese's ports with J class availability on the days that work better for me BUT when I call QANTAS they keep telling me that these seats are only available to NEW bookings ....not existing bookings. I also had the same issue when trying to use Finnair where J seats were showing but were only available to NEW bookings. I am a Platinum QANTAS Frequent flyer and even the so called "Premium" team they say to bad that's the rule BUT I just read the article in the Australia Frequent Flyer 20.10.2025 edition titled How Stephanie Booked Her Honeymoon with Qantas Points.
in this article she says "...... The first four calls were a disaster: long holds and agents insisting flights could only be booked on new itineraries, or hanging up entirely. Hang Up And Call Again (HUACA) became my mantra…
But I refused to give up.
Finally, on the fifth call, I reached an agent who admitted she had heard about these “intense” bookings and was nervous, but willing to give it a go. After a lot of back-and-forth, endless holds, and a growing sense of dread, flights started appearing in my Qantas app. After what felt like a lifetime, she confirmed everything was added. She was proud. I was proud.

So my question is: Are these seats that show as available on the web site able to be booked into an existing itinerary? even though I have been told several times now that they are deemed only available for new bookings when you call. I ask this as it seems Stephanie was able to book them!
If Stephanie is correct (and her ticket seems to suggest she was successful) what's the work around? or who do you ask to speak too?
JC

 

[elanshin]

HELP Please.
I have booked a OWA ticket for 2 in J class which I have done before. I need to finesse the itinerary as is always the case but this time I have run into a couple of new (to me) brick walls. I can see flights out of several Japanese's ports with J class availability on the days that work better for me BUT when I call QANTAS they keep telling me that these seats are only available to NEW bookings ....not existing bookings. I also had the same issue when trying to use Finnair where J seats were showing but were only available to NEW bookings. I am a Platinum QANTAS Frequent flyer and even the so called "Premium" team they say to bad that's the rule BUT I just read the article in the Australia Frequent Flyer 20.10.2025 edition titled How Stephanie Booked Her Honeymoon with Qantas Points.
in this article she says "...... The first four calls were a disaster: long holds and agents insisting flights could only be booked on new itineraries, or hanging up entirely. Hang Up And Call Again (HUACA) became my mantra…
But I refused to give up.
Finally, on the fifth call, I reached an agent who admitted she had heard about these “intense” bookings and was nervous, but willing to give it a go. After a lot of back-and-forth, endless holds, and a growing sense of dread, flights started appearing in my Qantas app. After what felt like a lifetime, she confirmed everything was added. She was proud. I was proud.

So my question is: Are these seats that show as available on the web site able to be booked into an existing itinerary? even though I have been told several times now that they are deemed only available for new bookings when you call. I ask this as it seems Stephanie was able to book them!
If Stephanie is correct (and her ticket seems to suggest she was successful) what's the work around? or who do you ask to speak too?
JC

There certain married segment or specific requirement seats that show up from time to time.

Other times its just the call centre person unable to find it and then saying anything.

An example i can give (not OWA but awards booking) was that I saw a SIN - HND J flight available but when i tagged on a MEL-SIN QF to go with it, it didn't show up and two platinum consultants couldn't solve it. They could see the flight on their own but as soon mel - sin was added all sorts of problems happened.

Eventually i got a more senior HBA staff and she sounded confused for a sec then did a bunch of stuff and suddenly she was like "all solved".

 

[leaving on a jet plane]

So does your last paragraph mean the "Are" available??

When the call centre staff say they cant see the seat I then have had them check as if I was making a stand alone new booking. When they do that the seat appears...but they cant seem to get it show when its for an existing booking. I figured it must be just another way to make OWA bookings a bit harder.
I have not encountered the problem with AA or CX or BA its only JAL and Finnair.

 

[Kangol]

So does your last paragraph mean the "Are" available??

When the call centre staff say they cant see the seat I then have had them check as if I was making a stand alone new booking. When they do that the seat appears...but they cant seem to get it show when its for an existing booking. I figured it must be just another way to make OWA bookings a bit harder.
I have not encountered the problem with AA or CX or BA its only JAL and Finnair.

In the past, when adding segments to existing OWAs, I've had agents search, not find award space, then search again "in another window", then find the seats.
One told me it was along the lines of searching "Qantas and partners" vs "all airlines", or words to that effect - those are the 2 different windows/screens, from what I gather.
I don't know if it's related to any specific airline, but something to consider next time.

 

[MelbFlyer]

AFF writer Stephanie shared this case study of booking a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward for two, using it on a "circle Pacific" routing rather than to fly around the world:

Case Study: How Stephanie Booked Her Honeymoon with Qantas Points

For her honeymoon, Stephanie wanted more than just a regular trip. Using Qantas Points, she booked a Oneworld Classic Flight Reward in Business Class, helping to make this an unforgettable trip.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Gosh, this reminds me of the time 2 years ago when I was booking a business OWA for my honeymoon as well.

100+ calls and hours later (80% of calls weren't helpful, therefore I HUACA many times), I finally managed to sort out the OWA.

My posts are extensively in this thread from pages ago, it was so frustrating at the best of times.

 

[Bell21]

Hmmm I'm not sure if I should ask this question or not, but as someone about to embark on trying to book an OWA, why is it so damn tricky at times? I've long held a view that QF has legacy IT systems which seems to cause all kinds of booking issues (and potentially training of customer service staff issues as well).

On a separate note, is 9 months lead-in to booking a business OWA to Europe reasonable for July 2026 or have I left our run a little late? (we are flexible with regards to stop-over points on the journey there and back as well as dates generally)

 

[elanshin]

Hmmm I'm not sure if I should ask this question or not, but as someone about to embark on trying to book an OWA, why is it so damn tricky at times? I've long held a view that QF has legacy IT systems which seems to cause all kinds of booking issues (and potentially training of customer service staff issues as well).

On a separate note, is 9 months lead-in to booking a business OWA to Europe reasonable for July 2026 or have I left our run a little late? (we are flexible with regards to stop-over points on the journey there and back as well as dates generally)

9 month is a tad late in terms of having the most options but still possible. Your challenges are always going to be getting off Australia and getting back to Australia as the main.

Getting to Europe generally has options from Asia just which carrier and to where. July also has a school holiday block in it which can mean flights get booked out as well.

 

[Bell21]

That's what I thought too - I figured that I would have to start the OWA off Australia somewhere in SE Asia with a positioning flight first (although I'll book a holding 'off Aust' outbounds flight based on earlier comments to reduce currency complexity etc) --- sound like I might have to do sometime similar on the return as well?

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

That's what I thought too - I figured that I would have to start the OWA off Australia somewhere in SE Asia with a positioning flight first (although I'll book a holding 'off Aust' outbounds flight based on earlier comments to reduce currency complexity etc) --- sound like I might have to do sometime similar on the return as well?

Here’s a way out of Aus in July 26 (2 x J)…

 

[leaving on a jet plane]

Here's a back door with a few options......if you hurry

 

[leaving on a jet plane]

MEL -CMB_LHR 13/7 - 14/7

 

[leaving on a jet plane]

That's what I thought too - I figured that I would have to start the OWA off Australia somewhere in SE Asia with a positioning flight first (although I'll book a holding 'off Aust' outbounds flight based on earlier comments to reduce currency complexity etc) --- sound like I might have to do sometime similar on the return as well?

 

[Bell21]

thanks for your efforts - will check it tonight