Jun 19, 2017, 9:34 pm
Last edit by: ernestnywang
oneworld Multi-Carrier Awards Wiki v0.1
Rules
1. You need two non CX/KA carriers
2. You are allowed 5 stopovers, 2 transits (<=24hrs) and 2 open jaws. You can use your stopover allowance as a transit, possibly by asking for it to be ticketed as such (extra taxes?). [Using stopover for transit is no longer possible since 2021/22?]
3. The open-jaw points do not count towards your stopover allowance. Neither does the final city on the itinerary
4. You must start and end in the same country.
5. To determine the miles required, add up all flight sectors on your itinerary and look up the award chart (ignore the distance between open-jaw points). gcmap.com is handy, though best to go via asiamiles' calculator.
6. Co-terminals (NRT/HND, LHR/LCY) do not count as an open-jaw (takes up 1 stopover/transit allowance).
If an itinerary clears the above, it is valid, though you may have to argue a lot back and forth. Keep your patience suit on and and keep referring to the terms & conditions ("What in the T&Cs makes this invalid" tends to work).
For the examples below, x=transit, o=stopover, and capitalized alphabets represent airports.
Some valid routings that have commonly been pushed back on
1. "You cannot go through the start, destination, or enroute point more than once". A-oB-oA-oC-oD-A is a valid itinerary.
2. "An open-jaw point is a stopover". A-oB-oC-D//E-oF-G//H-oI-oJ-A is valid, as is A-oB-xC-D//E-oF-G//H-xI-oJ-oK-oL-A.
Other tips
1. Tickets are valid for 1 year from the date of issuance. Potentially a pain when planning that dream RTW trip involving LATAM/AA which release seats 330 days out, that you're trying to tee-in with CX award seats released a year out.
2. A combination of BA/AA/LATAM/QF sites works well to research availability (look for saver availability)
3. You can go crazy on the routings- A-oB-A//C-oD-C//E-A is fine if A,B,E are in country/Region # 1, and, C,D are at the other end of the world.
Rules
1. You need two non CX/KA carriers
2. You are allowed 5 stopovers, 2 transits (<=24hrs) and 2 open jaws. You can use your stopover allowance as a transit, possibly by asking for it to be ticketed as such (extra taxes?). [Using stopover for transit is no longer possible since 2021/22?]
3. The open-jaw points do not count towards your stopover allowance. Neither does the final city on the itinerary
4. You must start and end in the same country.
5. To determine the miles required, add up all flight sectors on your itinerary and look up the award chart (ignore the distance between open-jaw points). gcmap.com is handy, though best to go via asiamiles' calculator.
6. Co-terminals (NRT/HND, LHR/LCY) do not count as an open-jaw (takes up 1 stopover/transit allowance).
If an itinerary clears the above, it is valid, though you may have to argue a lot back and forth. Keep your patience suit on and and keep referring to the terms & conditions ("What in the T&Cs makes this invalid" tends to work).
For the examples below, x=transit, o=stopover, and capitalized alphabets represent airports.
Some valid routings that have commonly been pushed back on
1. "You cannot go through the start, destination, or enroute point more than once". A-oB-oA-oC-oD-A is a valid itinerary.
2. "An open-jaw point is a stopover". A-oB-oC-D//E-oF-G//H-oI-oJ-A is valid, as is A-oB-xC-D//E-oF-G//H-xI-oJ-oK-oL-A.
Other tips
1. Tickets are valid for 1 year from the date of issuance. Potentially a pain when planning that dream RTW trip involving LATAM/AA which release seats 330 days out, that you're trying to tee-in with CX award seats released a year out.
2. A combination of BA/AA/LATAM/QF sites works well to research availability (look for saver availability)
3. You can go crazy on the routings- A-oB-A//C-oD-C//E-A is fine if A,B,E are in country/Region # 1, and, C,D are at the other end of the world.
oneworld Multi-Carrier Awards - sharing ideas
Jan 19, 2021, 10:41 pm
#901
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,389
Update:
Managed to book my flight. Thanks to percysmith for confirming it was OK. It ended up as follows due to award availability:
JFK-HND (STOP1)
HND-SIN (STOP2)
SIN-DOH (STOP3 used as transit)
DOH-SFO (OPENJAW1)
YYZ-HKG (TRANSIT1)
HKG-SIN (STOP4)
SIN-HKG (TRANSIT2)
HKG-LHR (STOP5)
LHR-SFO (END)
240,000 AM + $1600 USD in taxes + YQ. A bit unfortunate with the cash portion but I chose to accept the QR surcharge when I could have flown CX, as I haven't had opportunities to fly QR since moving to SFO and now they fly here. LHR is also just unavoidable for it. All in all, probably the best use I could get out of these Asia miles, and many of them were transferred a year ago with the stacked AMEX + AM transfer bonuses.
Managed to book my flight. Thanks to percysmith for confirming it was OK. It ended up as follows due to award availability:
JFK-HND (STOP1)
HND-SIN (STOP2)
SIN-DOH (STOP3 used as transit)
DOH-SFO (OPENJAW1)
YYZ-HKG (TRANSIT1)
HKG-SIN (STOP4)
SIN-HKG (TRANSIT2)
HKG-LHR (STOP5)
LHR-SFO (END)
240,000 AM + $1600 USD in taxes + YQ. A bit unfortunate with the cash portion but I chose to accept the QR surcharge when I could have flown CX, as I haven't had opportunities to fly QR since moving to SFO and now they fly here. LHR is also just unavoidable for it. All in all, probably the best use I could get out of these Asia miles, and many of them were transferred a year ago with the stacked AMEX + AM transfer bonuses.
Jan 19, 2021, 11:31 pm
#902
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: SFO/YYZ
Programs: AC 25K, AS MVP Gold, BA Bronze, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,468
I'm looking at a RTW where I need BA on the first segment (unless I find AY/AA J space ex-USA by some miracle, lol) since it's (ideally) USA-Northern Europe-Southern Europe-ME-India-Australia-SE Asia-Japan-USA (with some rearrangement of intermediate parts/insertion of open-jaws for availability and keeping under 25k miles, but Northern Europe comes first, and I want RTW). If BA + QR make the YQ sky high I'll probably avoid QR...
I'm not sure how bad BA is in general. I had to accept the UK APD on top of YQ so LHR-SFO has $570 USD in taxes+fees. That plus the QR flight made up about 2/3 of the cash portion.
Jan 19, 2021, 11:39 pm
#903
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,389
Yeah for reference, SIN-HKG-SFO on CX = 88 USD in taxes+fees. SIN-DOH-SFO on QR = 458 USD in taxes+fees. I deemed it worth it for this case because I wanted some Qsuites on this routing, but not without going back and forth on it for a while. If you can sub in CX anywhere it'll cut the cash portion significantly.
I'm not sure how bad BA is in general. I had to accept the UK APD on top of YQ so LHR-SFO has $570 USD in taxes+fees. That plus the QR flight made up about 2/3 of the cash portion.
I'm not sure how bad BA is in general. I had to accept the UK APD on top of YQ so LHR-SFO has $570 USD in taxes+fees. That plus the QR flight made up about 2/3 of the cash portion.
Last edited by eponymous_coward; Jan 19, 2021 at 11:54 pm
Mar 17, 2021, 1:49 pm
#904
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Stockholm
Programs: SQ, SK, QR
Posts: 386
Pretty sure this is a valid routing. Appreciate if the experts on here can help confirm.
SYD-HKG (Open Jaw 1) CX
DEL-HND (Stopover 1) JL
HND-DOH (Transit 1) QR
DOH-GRU (Stopover 2) QR
GRU-DOH (Transit 2) QR
DOH-JNB (Stopover 3) QR
JNB-LHR (Stopover 4) BA
LHR-HND (Stopover 5) JL
HND-CDG (Open Jaw 2) JL
CBR-MEL (Finished) QF
GC Mapper has the distance at 49,900 miles. If Asia Miles calculates it to be over the 50,000 limit I'll switch out SYD-HKG with SYD-KUL which should hopefully get me back under.
Aiming to book all segments in early 2022.
Does anyone know whether I'll be able to change dates and/or routing for free if a certain segment gets cancelled or has a significant schedule change?
Many thanks in advance.
SYD-HKG (Open Jaw 1) CX
DEL-HND (Stopover 1) JL
HND-DOH (Transit 1) QR
DOH-GRU (Stopover 2) QR
GRU-DOH (Transit 2) QR
DOH-JNB (Stopover 3) QR
JNB-LHR (Stopover 4) BA
LHR-HND (Stopover 5) JL
HND-CDG (Open Jaw 2) JL
CBR-MEL (Finished) QF
GC Mapper has the distance at 49,900 miles. If Asia Miles calculates it to be over the 50,000 limit I'll switch out SYD-HKG with SYD-KUL which should hopefully get me back under.
Aiming to book all segments in early 2022.
Does anyone know whether I'll be able to change dates and/or routing for free if a certain segment gets cancelled or has a significant schedule change?
Many thanks in advance.
Mar 17, 2021, 9:31 pm
#905
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Toronto
Programs: Aero Plan, Marriott, Air Miles
Posts: 106
Came across this thread while searching for ideas for redeeming AVIOS on multi carrier award ticket.
I am based at YYZ and wanted to maximize full 8 segments (actually 7 segments plus one last longest segment). focusing less taxes and better premium products.
appreciate if there are any already booked itineraries in the past so that i can start from there.
I am based at YYZ and wanted to maximize full 8 segments (actually 7 segments plus one last longest segment). focusing less taxes and better premium products.
appreciate if there are any already booked itineraries in the past so that i can start from there.
Mar 18, 2021, 12:06 am
#906
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX Diamond / SQ Gold / Bonvoy Platinum / Hyatt Globalist / Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,098
If a segment gets cancelled or significantly changed, re-routing fees should be waived with no problems. Availability would be the problem though.
Mar 18, 2021, 4:09 am
#907
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Stockholm
Programs: SQ, SK, QR
Posts: 386
Mar 18, 2021, 5:40 am
#908
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,800
I’m finding that CX is far more ready to make a married segment available as standard redemption when a stand-alone segment to/from HKG Is not. Maybe that’s the way to go for oneworld awards (if you can navigate thru all the quarantine rules).
Mar 19, 2021, 8:55 pm
#909
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Stockholm
Programs: SQ, SK, QR
Posts: 386
Anyone have some insights on how taxes are calculated? I just tried to ticket the following:
SYD-HKG (Stopover 1) CX
HKG-HND (Stopover 2) JL
HND-DOH (Transit 1) QR
DOH-GRU (Stopover 3) QR
GRU-LHR (Open Jaw 1) BA
HEL-HND (Stopover 4) JL
HND-SYD (Stopover 5) JL
SYD-DOH (Transit 2) QR
DOH-ARN (Open Jaw 2) QR
KUL-SYD (Finished) MH
Agent quoted a whopping 11,000HKD+ in taxes, whereas when I search these segments individually (and transits as transits) on the Asia Miles site I get something closer to 6000HKD.
I suspect YQ is being added on the HND-DOH-GRU segment on QR, which is not the case when you book a one-way award. Maybe this can be added since the ticket is originating in Australia (where YQ is allowed) rather than Japan (where YQ isn't allowed)?
SYD-HKG (Stopover 1) CX
HKG-HND (Stopover 2) JL
HND-DOH (Transit 1) QR
DOH-GRU (Stopover 3) QR
GRU-LHR (Open Jaw 1) BA
HEL-HND (Stopover 4) JL
HND-SYD (Stopover 5) JL
SYD-DOH (Transit 2) QR
DOH-ARN (Open Jaw 2) QR
KUL-SYD (Finished) MH
Agent quoted a whopping 11,000HKD+ in taxes, whereas when I search these segments individually (and transits as transits) on the Asia Miles site I get something closer to 6000HKD.
I suspect YQ is being added on the HND-DOH-GRU segment on QR, which is not the case when you book a one-way award. Maybe this can be added since the ticket is originating in Australia (where YQ is allowed) rather than Japan (where YQ isn't allowed)?
Mar 27, 2021, 10:01 am
#911
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,167
Ive just discovered the world of Multi Carrie Awards... and have booked my first trip! Not as exciting as the trips listed above , but i did get one CX leg in FIRST and the rest in business AKL-LHR Return for 240k AVIOS points over the xmas period. Bookable online on BA.COM without having to ring up etc.
CX0198 - Cathay Pacific Airways | Business | Confirmed
Auckland - Hong Kong
CX0255
Cathay Pacific Airways | First | Confirmed
Hong Kong - Heathrow (London)
MH0003 - Malaysia Airlines | Business | Confirmed
Heathrow (London) - Kuala Lumpur
MH0133 - Malaysia Airlines | Business | Confirmed
Kuala Lumpur - Auckland
Avios points debited 240000
Payment Total GBP 366.92
CX0198 - Cathay Pacific Airways | Business | Confirmed
Auckland - Hong Kong
CX0255
Cathay Pacific Airways | First | Confirmed
Hong Kong - Heathrow (London)
MH0003 - Malaysia Airlines | Business | Confirmed
Heathrow (London) - Kuala Lumpur
MH0133 - Malaysia Airlines | Business | Confirmed
Kuala Lumpur - Auckland
Avios points debited 240000
Payment Total GBP 366.92
Jul 11, 2021, 8:54 pm
#914
Join Date: Jul 2021
Programs: AP AS BA
Posts: 364
Ive just discovered the world of Multi Carrie Awards... and have booked my first trip! Not as exciting as the trips listed above , but i did get one CX leg in FIRST and the rest in business AKL-LHR Return for 240k AVIOS points over the xmas period. Bookable online on BA.COM without having to ring up etc.
CX0198 - Cathay Pacific Airways | Business | Confirmed
Auckland - Hong Kong
CX0255
Cathay Pacific Airways | First | Confirmed
Hong Kong - Heathrow (London)
MH0003 - Malaysia Airlines | Business | Confirmed
Heathrow (London) - Kuala Lumpur
MH0133 - Malaysia Airlines | Business | Confirmed
Kuala Lumpur - Auckland
Avios points debited 240000
Payment Total GBP 366.92
CX0198 - Cathay Pacific Airways | Business | Confirmed
Auckland - Hong Kong
CX0255
Cathay Pacific Airways | First | Confirmed
Hong Kong - Heathrow (London)
MH0003 - Malaysia Airlines | Business | Confirmed
Heathrow (London) - Kuala Lumpur
MH0133 - Malaysia Airlines | Business | Confirmed
Kuala Lumpur - Auckland
Avios points debited 240000
Payment Total GBP 366.92