Qantas FF Points to get Around the world ticket
Aug 12, 2019, 2:23 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: Qantas Frequent Flyer
Posts: 9
Qantas FF Points to get Around the world ticket
Hi all.
Newbie here so please be gentle.
My father in law is trying to use his Qantas frequent flyer points to book an around the world ticket. We have seen that one of these is 140,000 points or so.
When we go to book it through the Qantas site, we select ‘using points’ and it directs us to the one world rtw website. We put in all of the stops, being careful not to break any rules (it tells us when we do) and when we have finished the itinerary, it comes up with a price in cash and not points! He has been on the phone to Qantas 6 times and they haven’t been able to help. They can’t even book it themselves!
Has anyone else had problems doing this? We have tried different itineraries with no luck and I can’t believe this is so hard.
The last Routing we tried: Phuket - Kuala Lumpur - Delhi - Doha - Rome - Dallas/Ft. Worth - Los Angeles - Hong Kong - Phuket.
We were able to select each flight but it comes up with price 25,195.00 THB and no points option. We have tried depart/return Sydney but get the same result just in dollars.
Any help all would be greatly appreciated. We are tearing our hair out!
Thanks.
Newbie here so please be gentle.
My father in law is trying to use his Qantas frequent flyer points to book an around the world ticket. We have seen that one of these is 140,000 points or so.
When we go to book it through the Qantas site, we select ‘using points’ and it directs us to the one world rtw website. We put in all of the stops, being careful not to break any rules (it tells us when we do) and when we have finished the itinerary, it comes up with a price in cash and not points! He has been on the phone to Qantas 6 times and they haven’t been able to help. They can’t even book it themselves!
Has anyone else had problems doing this? We have tried different itineraries with no luck and I can’t believe this is so hard.
The last Routing we tried: Phuket - Kuala Lumpur - Delhi - Doha - Rome - Dallas/Ft. Worth - Los Angeles - Hong Kong - Phuket.
We were able to select each flight but it comes up with price 25,195.00 THB and no points option. We have tried depart/return Sydney but get the same result just in dollars.
Any help all would be greatly appreciated. We are tearing our hair out!
Thanks.
Aug 12, 2019, 2:47 am
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
The Oneworld site is for buying the Oneworld RTW products, for award tickets you must do it on qantas.com.au wth the Oneworld reward table at https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequen...ds/tables.html ... good news is that for Y awards it is reduced to 132,400 miles now (from 140,000).... of course J and F awards have gone up a lot in cost. You redeem by booking flights on the regular QF flight booing system selecting "multi-city" (not round the world!!!) and "use points".
Your other problem is that this award requires using Oneworld airlines and does not allow Jetstar (which is the main HKT service) ... there may be seaonal flights by MH and QF and even RJ which you could use. You way you found all your desired flights on the oneworld.com site, you should be able to book those as awards with Qantas but it may have to be done by phone as some of your routes are not often sold by QF (as there is no QF service) so they may not be loaded into the web site. You can ask for the assistance fee to be waived if it is impossible to book on the website.
Your other problem is that this award requires using Oneworld airlines and does not allow Jetstar (which is the main HKT service) ... there may be seaonal flights by MH and QF and even RJ which you could use. You way you found all your desired flights on the oneworld.com site, you should be able to book those as awards with Qantas but it may have to be done by phone as some of your routes are not often sold by QF (as there is no QF service) so they may not be loaded into the web site. You can ask for the assistance fee to be waived if it is impossible to book on the website.
Last edited by number_6; Aug 12, 2019 at 3:00 am
Aug 12, 2019, 3:15 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: Qantas Frequent Flyer
Posts: 9
Thanks number_6 for your reply it is greatly appreciated. So from what you are telling me, Qantas have put a ‘round the world’ option on their frequent flyer website that directs you to a website that you can’t even make the booking on!
We we will try the multi city option that you suggested and let you know if it displays the points correctly. How come you know this and the Qantas people on the phone don’t?
We we will try the multi city option that you suggested and let you know if it displays the points correctly. How come you know this and the Qantas people on the phone don’t?
Aug 12, 2019, 5:18 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: Qantas Frequent Flyer
Posts: 9
Hi number_6. Thanks again for this. We have tried what you have suggested but it does not work with multi-city. It brings up in excess of 240,000 points. I'm starting to think this can not be booked online even though we are able to select all of the flights. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Aug 12, 2019, 1:10 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 786
follow this guide: https://www.pointhacks.com.au/qantas...c-award-guide/
Make sure no backtracking, all in same cabin class (economy), and all oneworld carriers.
I can't do a dummy booking check for final mileage as I don't have sufficient points, sorry.
Make sure no backtracking, all in same cabin class (economy), and all oneworld carriers.
I can't do a dummy booking check for final mileage as I don't have sufficient points, sorry.
Aug 12, 2019, 1:24 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP/LTG | UA P
Posts: 13,530
If only JQ goes to Phuket (HKT), note #6’s remark that JQ is not a OW airline. Perhaps go to BKK instead of HKT and purchase a separate ticket on any airline (not part of the RTW) BKK-HKT-BKK.
Aug 12, 2019, 1:43 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,994
Newbie here so please be gentle.
My father in law is trying to use his Qantas frequent flyer points to book an around the world ticket. We have seen that one of these is 140,000 points or so.
When we go to book it through the Qantas site, we select ‘using points’ and it directs us to the one world rtw website. We put in all of the stops, being careful not to break any rules (it tells us when we do) and when we have finished the itinerary, it comes up with a price in cash and not points! He has been on the phone to Qantas 6 times and they haven’t been able to help. They can’t even book it themselves!
Has anyone else had problems doing this? We have tried different itineraries with no luck and I can’t believe this is so hard.
The last Routing we tried: Phuket - Kuala Lumpur - Delhi - Doha - Rome - Dallas/Ft. Worth - Los Angeles - Hong Kong - Phuket.
We were able to select each flight but it comes up with price 25,195.00 THB and no points option. We have tried depart/return Sydney but get the same result just in dollars.
Any help all would be greatly appreciated. We are tearing our hair out!
My father in law is trying to use his Qantas frequent flyer points to book an around the world ticket. We have seen that one of these is 140,000 points or so.
When we go to book it through the Qantas site, we select ‘using points’ and it directs us to the one world rtw website. We put in all of the stops, being careful not to break any rules (it tells us when we do) and when we have finished the itinerary, it comes up with a price in cash and not points! He has been on the phone to Qantas 6 times and they haven’t been able to help. They can’t even book it themselves!
Has anyone else had problems doing this? We have tried different itineraries with no luck and I can’t believe this is so hard.
The last Routing we tried: Phuket - Kuala Lumpur - Delhi - Doha - Rome - Dallas/Ft. Worth - Los Angeles - Hong Kong - Phuket.
We were able to select each flight but it comes up with price 25,195.00 THB and no points option. We have tried depart/return Sydney but get the same result just in dollars.
Any help all would be greatly appreciated. We are tearing our hair out!
Your planed route --->Great Circle Mapper
OW link--->https://www.oneworld.com/flight-search
AA forum link--->Where exactly does AA fly to Europe? Which routes have good business seats?
Then find award availability on that route. If no availability you may have to go via a 3rd airport
Consider these Award booking services - a list and some reviews
You have a long way to go before being successful booking an award.
Have you booked award flights with QF ff points before?
The rules for RTW *ONE* revenue flights are not the same as QF RTW awards.
Is a good thread on Aust Freq Flyer on this topic.
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Aug 12, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Aug 12, 2019, 4:45 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: Qantas Frequent Flyer
Posts: 9
Hi Mwenenzi . Thanks for your help. My Father In Law is 74 and has used his frequent flyer points to book 112 different airlines, 392:5 (5 parachute) flights very successfully up until now, just ask him!
He's the kind of guy who keeps a spreadsheet on every flight he has ever taken and doesn't have much patience for issues like this hence him asking me to help out.
So are you saying the flights that come up when I select 'multiple city' and 'use points' and then put in his destinations, are not all actually award available flights?
I still have to go off and research each leg even though it's providing me options for every leg?
Thanks again all.
Regards
He's the kind of guy who keeps a spreadsheet on every flight he has ever taken and doesn't have much patience for issues like this hence him asking me to help out.
So are you saying the flights that come up when I select 'multiple city' and 'use points' and then put in his destinations, are not all actually award available flights?
I still have to go off and research each leg even though it's providing me options for every leg?
Thanks again all.
Regards
Aug 12, 2019, 4:54 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 20,994
On the QF web site If a flight with "use points" shows as available it is an award.
Stringing them together somewhere near the dates he wants is the issue.
I would initially select as individual flights, record in the spreadsheet and then phone QF to try to get issued.
https://www.australianfrequentflyer....planning-wiki/
https://www.australianfrequentflyer....e-thread.8228/
Stringing them together somewhere near the dates he wants is the issue.
I would initially select as individual flights, record in the spreadsheet and then phone QF to try to get issued.
https://www.australianfrequentflyer....planning-wiki/
https://www.australianfrequentflyer....e-thread.8228/
Aug 12, 2019, 11:45 pm
#10
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
..So are you saying the flights that come up when I select 'multiple city' and 'use points' and then put in his destinations, are not all actually award available flights?I still have to go off and research each leg even though it's providing me options for every leg?....
MH does fly HKT-KUL several times a day. However CX does not fly HKG-HKT -- that is a Dragon route (KA) which is not Oneworld. So you have to change the HKG-HKT to be HKG-KUL-HKT flying on CX and MH for example. Presuming your other flights are good, it is this HKG-HKT non-stop flight that increases the award cost dramatically.
Your other option is to phone an agent and pay the booking fee if need be.
Aug 12, 2019, 11:55 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP/LTG | UA P
Posts: 13,530
Yes, except that with the current disruptions in HKG, you might enjoy far longer wait times than usual. No doubt there will be hundreds if not thousands of people on the phone unless the QF IT system is very good in rebooking and advising people of where they stand.
Aug 12, 2019, 11:58 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: Qantas Frequent Flyer
Posts: 9
Thanks once again number_6.
I've been to the one world site as mentioned above and chosen flights that come up, we've checked the distance is less than 35,000 miles.
I follow all the rules mentioned by you and everyone (we have changed routes several times to try and just get it to come up at the 132,400 points, No Jetstar etc etc. I get so far and then a dreaded error comes up as below.
It looks like something went wrong there We can't find any flights for that time. (#9200)
We would book it through the phone but it is so hard to get through, and when we do get through, the agent doesn't seem capable of doing this.
We have called 6 times now to no avail,they have promised to call back which they haven't. I understand that they are busy but this should be fairly straight forward for them. We will be paying for one of those FF services soon if we have no further luck.
Thanks again for your help.
Cheers
I've been to the one world site as mentioned above and chosen flights that come up, we've checked the distance is less than 35,000 miles.
I follow all the rules mentioned by you and everyone (we have changed routes several times to try and just get it to come up at the 132,400 points, No Jetstar etc etc. I get so far and then a dreaded error comes up as below.
It looks like something went wrong there We can't find any flights for that time. (#9200)
We would book it through the phone but it is so hard to get through, and when we do get through, the agent doesn't seem capable of doing this.
We have called 6 times now to no avail,they have promised to call back which they haven't. I understand that they are busy but this should be fairly straight forward for them. We will be paying for one of those FF services soon if we have no further luck.
Thanks again for your help.
Cheers
Aug 13, 2019, 5:57 am
#14
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Singapore
Programs: QF LTG, SQ EGTP, Bonvoy LTG
Posts: 4,844
Are you missing a zero? Is this the price for the taxes/surcharges on the itinerary or can you go through and purchase for this price? That's $1200 AUD and if this price is correct for purchasing I'd just pay for it and forget about the awards (although I'd be 99% certain the price you have quoted, is incorrect)
Last edited by lokijuh; Aug 13, 2019 at 6:02 am
Aug 13, 2019, 6:23 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Programs: Qantas Frequent Flyer
Posts: 9
Hi there. We have finally cracked it. I got my wonderful wife who works for BA to chop and change a few legs.
She was unwilling to help at first as she had read somewhere you had to call Qantas to do this.
Thanks to you guys who proved it could be booked online for the points stated, she helped out.
Knowing you can't backtrack, she worked out that there is no way he can fly into EBB from DEL and then fly from EBB to FCO without going via DOH both ways. Yet he can't go via DOH both ways as this would be backtracking, So the only solution is to surface from EBB to another African city which BA fly from to then take him into Rome.
Here is what the flights look like for those who are interested
HKT MH x/KUL MH DEL UL x/CMB UL x/DOH QR EBB//NBO BA x/LON BA FCO AA DFW AA x/HKG CX HKT
Thanks again everyone for your assistance.
She was unwilling to help at first as she had read somewhere you had to call Qantas to do this.
Thanks to you guys who proved it could be booked online for the points stated, she helped out.
Knowing you can't backtrack, she worked out that there is no way he can fly into EBB from DEL and then fly from EBB to FCO without going via DOH both ways. Yet he can't go via DOH both ways as this would be backtracking, So the only solution is to surface from EBB to another African city which BA fly from to then take him into Rome.
Here is what the flights look like for those who are interested
HKT MH x/KUL MH DEL UL x/CMB UL x/DOH QR EBB//NBO BA x/LON BA FCO AA DFW AA x/HKG CX HKT
Thanks again everyone for your assistance.