I am specifically asking about the routing rules - it fails at that stage. (fyi you can recognise it as AONE5 fare - after the flight number is booking class) adding PER-ADL for example is allowed but MEL/SYD fail. even though this is the only transcon in australia so it doesnt make sense. unless its somehow counting SYD-JNB as transcon in aussie/...

The PER-SYD segment is certainly allowed by the routing rules (but you knew that already:D)
I've idea why it's being disallowed.

I am four segments in to my QF-issued DONE5
Two BA segments accrued to AAdvantage on the distance method
Two AA segments accrued to AAdvantage on the revenue method
The two AA segments were quite short, so I'm not too fussed by the impact

Tomorrow I fly a loooong QF segment (JFK-SYD) :D

What date and flight number are you choosing?

Just one data point -- have experienced an AA ticketed DONE4 and the AA coded flights that showed up on the Amadeus pnr alongside partner metal were credited as distance. The AA coded flights that were only on the Sabre record were revenue method.

When I first read your post I immediately thought of this that somewhow in some alternate universe that they are counting flying SYD-JNB as some form of trans-Australia flight.

I'm having some real problems with the AA RTW desk on this topic, wonder if anyone can advise.

I am currently booked/ticketed: MIA-JFK-LAX on an AONE4 originating in Tokyo. The JFK connection is ~20 hours. When booking five months ago, I could not get JFK-LAX to ticket into "A", so I am in business (D).

Originally I hoped something would improve, but it hasn't, and I'm now 2 weeks away from departure. However, I have tried asking the agent via phone to change it to be later so this becomes a stopover, but even though:

• The RTW tool; Expert Flyer(EF); The AA website (Japan); ITA Matrix; show enough "A" seats, the agents cannot see availability in "A"
• You can see on EF that booking this as "one" MIA-JFK-LAX has no "A" seats; booking as 2x1 ways does. So this would seem likely to be a married segment issue.

I've tried asking the agent to change the JFK-LAX flight only +/- 2 days, without any joy.

Any ideas how I can force the change, so that I avoid the married segments? I'd presume I need 24+ hours stopover. So should I do this as a two step process, i.e. change the ticket first to have a 24 hour stopover (in business, ticket it), and then suddenly magically "A" will open up? Seems odd that the system isn't showing this anyway.

I am really keen to try the Transcontinental in F, since I'm paying for it....

You could always miss your connecting flight in JFK and force a no-show and reschedule. It's the same $125 fee, just be sure you have availability on the next day's flight (as a standalone).

I inadvertently had to do this which later affected me negatively but that's not the same in your situation. I overslept until 1 hour past my departure in CGK a couple of months ago (was supposed to be a 14 hour connection), so had no choice to reschedule it.

If you don't have checked luggage, AND you're willing to pay a night in an NYC hotel AND there is JFK-LAX A availability on the next day's flight then you could "miss" your connection and simply pay $125. But you have to consider that within 24 hours some other people might pay for or be given elite upgrades and the A space disappears.

Having been on AA's "real" F on the 77W, I seriously would not go through this much effort to experience the A321T in F vs. C. The true international F isn't so much different from C except the seat.

I do love the original idea here, alas with a party of 3 it probably isn't a viable plan I feel!

I am not exactly going to be blown away by the A321T in F I agree - or the flagship lounge, however on this trip since I made the move to pay real $$$ for first over business it grates to not get the class paid for, and I will of course earn many more miles & tier points (for my BA FFP) by doing that. I've been on the transcontinental before in business.

I've realised I have an alternative, to change the route a bit. JFK-SFO is sold out, but JFK-SAN, or BOS-LAX both appear to have space. Will try that tomorrow when I have the time and energy (appreciating, no good lounge, but should be able to get the flight)

I am having continuing discussions with my TA about the upcoming DONE3.
Apparently when re-scheduling, she must request from one stopover point to the next stopover point. And this is where the question of married segments does arise. Mrs WF's married segment problem (DEN-TUS-DEN) still exists, and the current connection times means that AA disability support had better be on their best behavior at DFW. These are the only segments she is flying solo.

Another reference point results from Iberia re-scheduling our LPA-MAD flight to be under MCT for the long haul QR flight. I think just selecting a better IB flight to replace that is possible (but means the departure time is now 0730). To reschedule the long haul flights to have a more reasonable start of the day apparently will require avoiding married segment issues all the way through LPA-MAD-DOH-KUL.

It should be easier to schedule wandering....
Fred

I am putting together a RTW ticket with Japan as a starting point this Fall. I would like to accrue as many AA Loyalty Points (LP) as possible before the end of the year. I have several questions:

1. If you book with HND/NRT as the starting point, are you automatically ticketed by JAL or can you elect to be ticketed through AA?
2. Are you credited with AA Loyalty Points as you fly each segment or only after the itinerary is complete? (I have a LP target I need to reach by 12/31/24.)
3. When you fly on AA metal are you credited with LP as if you purchased the ticket on AA or are you credited as any other OneWorld carrier?

This is the first time I've ever done the RTW ticket thing. This forum has been very helpful. Any other advice/tips for a first timer would be appreciated!

1. If you book using the awful, error-prone Oneworld online booking tool, there is no way to guarantee the ticketing carrier. Qantas appears to be the default, but it's possible that JAL will ticket if the first segment is JL-coded. If you want to be ticketed by AA, call the AA RTW desk.
2. As with any LP-eligible flight, you are credited with AA LPs after flying each segment. Of course, allow for time to post credit afterwards depending on the operating carrier.
3. This is more of a question about AAdvantage program rules and crediting, but it primarily depends on the flight number (marketing carrier). AA metal + partner flight number follows the partner's accrual chart on aa.com
AA metal + AA flight number likely* going to credit as revenue method. *there is no obvious determination as to whether this will credit as revenue or distance method, so safe to assume revenue method.

If you want to maximize AA LPs on a RTW ticket, the common sense advice is to maximize the long haul segments on partner flight numbers (not AA, BA, or IB) with higher D fare accrual percentages. This would be Finnair, JAL, Qatar Air, and Royal Air Maroc.

Starstruck1 welcome to FT
In addition to good post above look here ---> https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...e-miles-7.html

Sadly it appears even going via BOS (EF showing A7+) didn't change the situation so I'm stuck with my original flights and probably regular calls to see if anything changes a bit closer to the time. Sigh. Combined with JAL F being blocked it is leaving a sour taste in my mouth, as I've got no way to monitor or work out what availability they are using, but blocking your own flights, when very open, is not on.

IIRC F in the 321T is the same hard product as J on the 777. I like it. I flew F on the 321T once, LAX-JFK. The meal was excellent, -- poached salmon in some type of butter sauce.


Fred, any particular reason you are not using the AA desk? I just give them my itinerary flight by flight, without worrying about which are stops and which are connections. Never had a problem with this.


Remember, however, the either TATL or TPAC must be AA marketed if you use the AA RTW desk to book the ticket.


But remember how much you are saving with this ticket as opposed to just buying a regular F ticket.

I have used her services for almost 20 years. And email with her is easier than telephone to the AA RTW team (who I have previously used).
I am considering a LONEx next year and UL issued with UL flights means bid for upgrade will be apparently permitted for those flights.
The stopover to stopover issue may be related to the GDS she uses (Galileo?)
almost wandering
Fred

Well to report back on this, a couple of days later and Stacy from AA (excellent service) was able to see A7 from Boston (MIA-BOS-LAX), so I now have the evening flight, and a chance to take the kids to Boston rather than NYC (which is nice as will add to their airport list), if no flagship lounge

As for the saving, indeed it is a massive saving - but only if you actually get the F seats when you'd like. I used to book things like this using miles, so am well aware of the challenges and flexibility you need to have :), but it is excellent value - the cost of a one-way HKG-LHR with CX in F is more than a Japan AONEx with ~14 segments.

I would like to recognise though: British Airways, Cathay and even American (across the oceans, and domestic outside of transcontinental) though as offering a fair amount of Ax, but way more Dx... when booking early

Perhaps a little off topic but I think my next few RTWs will just be in business class, booked via AA, as:

1. The continued shortage of F routes in general, if only CX would restore their SYD flights (am going HKG-SIN-SYD with QF to get my F fix)
2. These issues booking certain routes with this ticket (see more here)
3. I have started to realise that a lot of F flights now are very full a few weeks from travel, which limits the ability to use the flexibility of the ticket. When booking 6 months out there is plenty of space, but for example when I wanted to consider switching my LHR-MIA leg to either LHR-JFK or an alternative day for LHR-MIA, I realised that the AA and BA flights are pretty full in F (to be unavailable for 3 of us), so I stuck with my original route.
4. Many airlines only make A2 available (JAL on their transcontinental routes, Qatar Airways), and even months later of watching seems no indication they will ever release another seat, so one of the adults has to sit in business. This is definitely a "first world" problem as I appreciate most people travel in couples not with 3 or 4 seats, but means I need to wait till the kids are a lot older
5. I have started to appreciate, as the counter to #1, that the number of interesting A350 type routes giving me direct access to a city (particularly with BA club suites into the US) outweighs the perks of a UK-JFK-XXX in international F/domestic F), and when combined with the number of "business only" airlines, you get a lot more flexibility on creative routings
6. I now appreciate truly the AA RTW desk in comparison to using the online tool and random airline staff who have no idea on the rules: I've realised I have paid far more change fees than I ever needed to due to that lack of knowledge, plus multiple painful calls/re-dials etc.

Question on DONE4
 

I have booked a DONE4 ex Cairo as follows:
CAI-CMN-JFK-LAX//LAX-MEL//MEL-KUL//KUL-LHR//LHR-MAD-CAI
As far as I understand i can make changes subject to surcharges and taxes after the first leg is flown.
I am thinking of extending my stay in LHR until the start of my BA TP collection year with a view to earning some TPs for the new year. Can i please confirm:
1. Maximum number of flights in Europe/Middle East (inc Cairo) is 4?
2. I am restricted to one further stopover?

Can I choose whatever flights i like eg LHR-HEL, HEL-AGP, AGP-HEL, HEL-DOH, assuming i dont stay in HEL or AGP more than 24 hours? I presume i could backtrack between Europe and Middle East as well eg LHR-DOH, DOH-HEL, HEL-DXB, DOH-CAI?
thanks in advance

Need some advice,
​​​my wife missed one of the segment due to visa issue upon check in, when we manage to resolved it on the spot, it already passed the check in time.

Her next segment is in 3 days time, I am trying to get hold of QF for the no show charges, so that the remaining segment still active.

Is this possible? Or it's a gone case?

OW 3015 rules

Super helpful thread, thanks! I'm currently looking at a Business Class RTW itinerary and I would appreciate some help if someone can give it. So far I priced it out from Oslo and Cairo (as these are said to be the cheapest starting locations). So far I have only used the online booking tool (both the old one and the new beta which is even worse). Example routing OSL-DOH-HKG-PER-SYD-TYO-HNL-BOS-OSL (not all direct).

1. Cairo currently has an extremely attractive base fare (less than US$ 3k), but whenever I try pricing out an itinerary it switches the currency to Australian Dollars and doubling the base fare in the process. I tried itineraries without Australia or any Qantas flights, but it still does it. How do I get the Egyptian base fare?
2. Are there guidelines on how to minimize taxes and fees (e.g., which airline to avoid). For example flying SYD to TYO directly on Qantas adds US$1000+ in fees as compared to just flying via Brisbane with the long haul on JAL.
3. Given the pain-in-the-neck factor of the tool, I would probably prefer booking directly with an airline. Is there a "preferred" airline to use? What happens if you price it out on the tool and the airline agent quotes you a much higher price for the same itinerary.
4. Not sure if this is on topic (please disregard if isn't). Given the complexity, I would be interested working with a knowledgeable travel agent, but these have become rare. How would I find one who is good at this type of thing and/or can someone make a recommendation?

We used a travel agent to book our first RTW, and indeed not easy finding one that understands the rules.

I understand that AA are good for booking RTW but you need to have a transoceanic or transcontinental flight with them, their number has been posted. I am planning our second RTW and plan to use them.

i would appreciate a definitive response/summary to 2) 😊

Try reading earlier posts.

I have a question about this (at least the closest I found to refer to): I would like to rebook my DGLOB34 ex-CAI, not only in terms of time but also to change three different routing points. Instead of (...) FRA-HEL-DFW(AY)-SJO(AA) (...) HKG-BKK(CX)-CMB(UL) (...) I would like to change to (...) FRA-DFW-SJO (AA) (...) HKG-CGK(CX)-CMB{UL). My understanding of the ticket rules is that a change should be possible for the fee of 125USD if it's done in one transaction (D-space still wide open), but with no further fare difference (the ex-CAI RTW has already been started, first 2 legs done, I am currently on a three-month "break", after starting in CAI before continuing). However, the QF social media team replied to me:

"Please note to change the following flights would be considered as a voluntary change with a change fee of USD125.00 per person and any difference in cost would apply.(...) The additional cost for these changes are AUD 3733.00 per person including the change fee USD125.00 per person."


Has anyone here had any recent experience or advice on how I can sensibly proceed (knowing well, esp. after reviewing the many posts on this, how difficult and complicated it is to even make any change in this tariff when dealing with QF).

I'd be very curious how they arrived at that number, you can ask them but I'm sure they'll try to be opaque. I'm pretty sure the new fare is a lot more than AUD3700 more than the old one, so it's an odd number. But probably the only thing you can do is fight for the rules. After the first segment is flown the ticket doesn't reprice, the only differences should be airport / country taxes and different YQ / YR. You're not changing carriers, so the YQ / YR wouldn't be significantly different. Taxes are different in Indonesia vs. Thailand but neither are much in the big picture, so they're pulling that number out of some magic hat somewhere.

All you can do is keep pushing back by quoting the correct rules, but you may never win. They hold the cards unfortunately and there is very little recourse in Australia. There's no consumer agency with any teeth to file a complaint with, nothing like the US DOT for example. Suing them might get somewhere, but at what cost to you? They are in breech of contract, but enforcement is very difficult.

I would suggest that things are not quite this grim. I have flown three of these fares in the last year, all ticketed by Qantas, and all have had multiple changes after departure.

Has it been a bit painful to make the changes? Absolutely. Some agents were able to get it right on the first time, and sometimes it took 10 or more calls. that said, even after getting a string of bad agents with bad advice and super high price increases, I always managed to get to an agent who knew what they were doing eventually. Keep calling back, and eventually it will all work out. You’re completely right that it sounds like there should be no fare increase at this point.

This thread is as so helpful when I was first booking my ticket!!

I now have a new question.

We have Global Explorer tickets booked OSL-DOH-AKL-NAN-LAX-LHR-GOT and then HEL-OSL

Our first flight from OSL to DOH with Qatar has been changed to later in the day so I’m looking at change possibilities.

Starting in OSL is cheapest for us but not the most convenient when we want to fly to DOH in December.

Would this be valid?
OSL-HEL-CPH-DOH-AKL-NAN-LAX-LHR-GOT and then HEL-OSL

The OSL to CPH via HEL would be a placement flight for us so that we could depart on our main flight to DOH from CPH in December. The LAX-LHR-GOT leg is also continuous so the only stopovers we would have over 24 hours would be CPH and HEL.

We are booked with AA who have already offered to waive the change fee if we wanted to start and end our itinerary in ARN instead of OSL. But this is not preferable because this ticket would be considerably more expensive due to the change in start country from Norway to Sweden.

Obviously the Oneworld tool does not allow this but it doesn’t allow the ticket I have bought either!

Thank you if anyone can shed some light on this.

No because you have five flight segments in Europe, the max allowed is four.

Thank you for the quick reply!

Just to confirm then - it is not just stopovers but number of actual flights including transit stops?

We want to fly OSL - CPH but are forced to transit due to route availability on Oneworld carriers.

So this leg would be considered two segments and there is no way around it?

Yes, this is a valid Global Explorer (it is however an invalid Oneworld Explorer)
You have five flight segments in Europe/Middle East which the Oneworld Explorer does not allow (the max allowed is four)
The Global Explorer limits the number of stopovers per continent (max of four, except for the continent of origin where the max is two), and does not limit the number of flight segments per continent.

ps I'm currently in Fiji and loving it (again. It's my fifth time here :))

pps You're not yet a true FTer
- only ten of the allowed sixteen segments, and well under the 34,000 miles allowed on a business class Global Explorer!
- nothing between DOH and AKL (DOH-CMB-SYD/MEL-AKL?)
- or between NAN and LAX (NAN-CXI/APW/HNL-LAX?)
- or between LAX and GOT (LAX-MIA-xLHR-GOT, LAX-SJO-xMAD-ARN?

Thank you very much, that's exactly what I understood. Indeed, the new fare (now) is also completely different from the numbers (significantly more, as you said). One correction from me: FRA-HEL-DFW is booked on AY, not AA. The change to AA would therefore logically (thank you very much for the oint!) entail some taxes, but I have run through this once in the OW RTW tool using the existing flights as an example and now come to 2550.82AUD taxes/fees compared to the original costs for the new routing (as mentioned) compared to 2235.71AUD t/f that I originally paid - a difference of 315.11AUD (plus actual fee for rebooking).

@ironmanjt: Many thanks to you too! I have now tried only via social media. The way via the call center/HUCA would indeed still be an option.

Thank you both for your response. If there are any recent experiences, especially on the subject of changing the routing points, I would be grateful for further information.

Thank you for the answers and great to hear that you are enjoying Fiji ☀️

and no I realise that we really haven’t taken full advantage of our ticket possibilities but it is our first time and we are constrained by dates and having to work. I do intend to look at the end part and see what we can do but we need to fly to New Zealand and quickly as possible from Northern Europe and then get back home again fairly directly.

But next time 😁😇

Not Oneworld, but are you aware of these deals?
Round the World - Star Alliance - $3k-$4k Ex-Italy - Page 2 - FlyerTalk Forums

I did. I only asked questions that I couldn't find an answer to.

Everyone has suggested contacting the AA RTW desk. I'm not sure how you missed that part.

Hi!

Quick question in case I'm missing something. I'm trying to get a DONE4 ex Oslo set up through AA RTW desk. The fares/validation team came back to say that it's not allowed because of my routing through Africa, but to my mind I haven't broken any of the rules. has anyone experienced anything similar?

Relevant part of the routing is OSL-xDOH-JNB-xLHR-DUB-DOH-HKG (the rest of the itinerary is fine through Asia and North America, ending in Oslo).

They are saying that because I originated in Europe, I can't go to Africa and then come back to Europe and have a stopover - I have to do all my Europe stopovers before going to Africa and then just use Europe/Middle East as a transit to carry on to Asia. I don't understand this though - the relevant section of the rules I believe is below and I can't see anything that would make that the case. I have asked the RTW agent to check again if possible, but not hopeful to be honest.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

(e) Only one intercontinental departure and one intercontinental arrival permitted in each continent except as follows:
3. Two permitted in Europe/Middle East for travel to/from/via Africa. If travel is to/from Europe in both directions, itinerary may not include Mauritius/South Africa.

I think AA is right. You're travelling from Europe to SA (OSL-DOH-JNB) and then returning to Europe (JNB-LHR). Your travel is to Europe in both directions and hence can not include SA. If you were going to say NBO in Africa, this would be ok. Alternatively, do both your Europe stopovers first and then fly LHR-JNB and continue JNB-DOH-HKG, this would be allowed.

Oh OK I understand. I thought routing via Doha one of the directions would solve that but obviously not since I'm starting in Europe.

if I did your 2nd suggestion and flew from JNB-DOH-HKG on the way up, can I have a stopover in DOH, or does it have to be transit only?

Hi @Padkir

Here are my thoughts FWIW.

I think you are correct and the agent is wrong. I can think of three ways the agent could be wrong.

1. Perhaps the agent is misremembering the rule. This rule has had a number of changes over the years and has been quite messy at times. There was a time when only a transit of Europe/Middle East was allowed, at other times in certain circumstances travel between the Europe and Middles East Zones would not be allowed. Trying a different agent might give you a better outcome

2. Perhaps the agent is misinterpreting the rule. Here I disagree with @R2 in the previous post. The rules break the continent of Europe/Middle East into two zones and if your flights to/from Africa are both from the Europe Zone then South Africa and/or Mauritius cannot be included in the itinerary. Since you are flying from DOH to Sth Africa then, in my opinion, one of the flights is from the Middle East Zone so you can include Sth Africa. The AAgent (and R2) is saying that the ‘travel’ is actually from Europe (presumably because you are merely transiting DOH). This can be easily tested – simply change the transit of DOH into a stopover there (you have a stopover there later in the itinerary so simply switch that around).

3. Perhaps the agent is misinterpreting what is showing on the agent’s screen and it could be an error elsewhere in the itinerary. You say “the rest of the itinerary is fine through Asia and North America, ending in Oslo”, but is it? You already have three flight segments and two stopovers in Europe/Middle East; what does the end of your itinerary look like – an additional stopover perhaps, or more than one flight segment in the continent?