oneworld cuts prices of its alliance fares by 10 per cent for 10 more weeks to mark 10th anniversary

26 August 2009

oneworld®, the leading quality alliance, is cutting the prices of its market-leading range of alliance fares worldwide by 10 per cent for another 10 weeks to mark its 10th birthday - and the 10th anniversary of the addition of its first airline recruits.

The alliance initially offered the 10 per cent reduction for 10 weeks from 1 February - its actual birthday.  This was the first time any of the global alliances had offered this kind of special promotion across its full range of consumer fares - and oneworld offers a wider choice of alliance fares than any of its alliance competitors.  There's something for everyone who wants an extensive journey - from a captain of industry flying right around the world to a student backpacker exploring a continent or two.

It is repeating the special offer now to mark the 10th anniversary of the first recruits being added to the alliance.  Finnair and Iberia joined oneworld's founding members American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas on 01 September 1999.   Since then, LAN, Japan Airlines, Malév Hungarian Airlines and Royal Jordanian have been added too.  Mexicana will board the alliance later this year, and Russia's S7 Airlines in 2010.

This second 10 per cent discount offer runs from Wednesday 26 August 2009 to Tuesday 3 November inclusive.  It applies to all oneworld's alliance fares - but does not apply to fares offered by its member airlines individually or in conjunction with other carriers.

It means savings on a typical trip using the alliance's flagship round-the-world oneworld Explorer fare of US$1,690 flying through six continents in First Class from the USA, GBP979 from the UK or A$1,819 from Australia.   For a typical oneworld Explorer journey through four continents in Economy Class, it means savings of US$440 for travel from the USA, GBP154 for travel from the UK and A$369 for travel from Australia.   For more examples of savings, see below.

Using any of the alliance's fares, flights can be on any of its ten member airlines - which include some of the best and biggest in the world - plus their 20 affiliated airlines - providing more choice and flexibility and great value for money.  Between them, these airlines serve some 700 destinations in around 150 countries worldwide with 9.000 flights a day. 

oneworld is the only airline alliance that offers a truly global network, as the only grouping with any member airlines based in South America, Australia or Asia's Middle East, making it an ideal choice for travelers who want to visit those regions.  

oneworld became the first in the travel industry to sell multi-airline round-the-world air tickets on-line when its new internet booking tool for its oneworld Explorer fare was switched on late last year.  This also made oneworld the first global airline alliance to offer any of its consumer fares for sale through the worldwide web.  So the 10 per cent 10th anniversary promotion is an added incentive for consumers and travel agents to try out that facility.

oneworld Vice President Commercial Nicolas Ferri said: "This special offer is one extra great reason to try oneworld's unmatched range of attractively priced, highly flexible fares, flying on some of the highest quality airlines in the world - and to be among the first to book a round-the-world trip on-line.  We hope as many people as possible will take advantage of this special oneworld 10th birthday present to our customers. 

"oneworld is in business to offer more services, products and value than any airline can provide on its own, and our alliance fares are a classic example of this - fares covering more destinations in more countries than any individual airline can offer, with more flights to choose from, all on some of the world's best airlines."

When oneworld was launched in 1999, it had just one alliance fare.  Today its portfolio of consumer fares has grown to 12 - more than any competitor alliance offers - and all of these are available through its 10 per cent discount offer:

  • The world's most popular alliance round-the-world fare, oneworld Explorer, which uniquely is based on the number of continents you travel through, rather than the miles flown, making planning as simple and as flexible as possible.
  • Four multi-continent Circle fares
  • - Circle Pacific, for travel through Asia, Southwest Pacific, North and South America.
  • - Circle Trip Explorer, for travel through Africa, Europe, Asia and Southwest Pacific.
  • - Circle Asia and Southwest Pacific, for travel through Asia and Southwest Pacific.
  • - The new Circle Atlantic, for travel through Europe and North and South America.
  • Seven single continent or country fares - its Visit passes for Africa, Asia, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, North America and South America. oneworld is the only alliance offering this kind of pass for each of the world's six continents.

Many of these fares are available for travel in a choice of cabins - Economy, Premium Economy, Business or First - and most earn frequent flyer miles and points.  Members of any oneworld member airline frequent flyer programme receive all their regular privileges when they fly with any of the alliance's carriers, including lounge access for Emerald and Sapphire cardholders.

Almost 100.000 passengers travelled on oneworld fares last year, generating revenues for its member airlines totaling some US$850 million.   In oneworld's first year of operation ten years ago, its then single alliance fare, oneworld Explorer, generated revenues of just US$200 million.  oneworld Explorer remains the most popular of the alliance's fares, used last year by around 50.000 passengers. 

Notes

The following table indicates savings on typical journeys using two of the most popular versions of the oneworld Explorer round-the-world fare from oneworld home and key markets. 

Typical savings from     

6 continent oneworld Explorer

4 continent oneworld Explorer

First Class

Economy

First Class

Economy

Australia

A$1,819

A$499

A$1,569

A$369

Chile

US$1,540

US$440

US$1,140

US$330

Euro-zone countries

EUR1,244

EUR339

EUR999

EUR239

Hong Kong

HK$12,760

HK$3,670

HK$10,320

HK$2,620

Hungary

HUF300,000

HUF82,000

HUF238,000

HUF59,000

Japan

JPY142,300

JPY50,000

JPY112,600

JPY36,900

Jordan

JOD920

JOD325

JOD710

JOD235

UK

GBP979

GBP214

GBP779

GBP154

USA

US$1,690

US$600

US$1,250

US$440

Typical prices for all oneworld fares from most countries, after the 10 per cent discount, can be seen at www.oneworld.com/ow/air-travel-options

Savings are valid as of 26 August 2009 and may vary depending on exchange rate fluctuations.

The small print

Global Explorer, which offers travel on all oneworld carriers plus a number of airlines that are not members of the alliance, is not included in the 10 per cent discount offer.

Extra coupon charges, extra stopover charges, Premium Economy/World Traveller Plus surcharges, and charges for rebookings, reroutings or cancellations are not subject to the reduction

oneworld's corporate sales products - businessflyer and or other corporate programmes - are not included in the 10 per cent discount offer.

For all terms and conditions, see oneworld.com/10years

oneworld benefits are only available to passengers on scheduled flights that are both operated and marketed by a oneworld member airline or on a oneworld member airline affiliate. 

At peak periods, access to certain lounges may be restricted due to capacity constraints.  Access is available on the day of departure when the next onward flight is with a oneworld airline.  Access may not apply at a limited number of lounges operated by third parties.  Access is not available to AAdvantage members travelling on solely North American itineraries.

American Airlines AAdvantage and British Airways Executive Club members can earn and redeem miles, and earn tier status credit, on all eligible flights except:

- American Airlines AAdvantage members will not earn or redeem miles or earn tier status credit on British Airways transatlantic flights between the USA and UK. AAdvantage miles and top tier status credit may be earned though miles may not be redeemed on all American Airlines code-share services operated by British Airways when the booking is made under the AA code.

- British Airways Executive Club members will not earn or redeem miles or earn tier status credit on American Airlines transatlantic flights. BA miles and tier points may be earned though miles may not be redeemed on all British Airways code-share services operated by American Airlines when the booking is made under the BA code.

About oneworld

oneworld brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business - American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Japan Airlines, LAN, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Qantas and Royal Jordanian, and around 20 affiliates including American Eagle, Dragonair, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru.  Mexicana and its affiliate Click Mexicana will join the alliance in 2009 and Russia's S7 Airlines in 2010.

Between them, these airlines:

  • Serve almost 750 airports in nearly 150 countries, with some 8.500 daily departures.
  • Offer nearly 550 airport lounges for premium customers.
  • Carry some 330 million passengers a year.
  • Employ 300.000 people.
  • Operate almost 2.500 aircraft.
  • Generate some US$100 billion annual revenues in total.

It is the only alliance with any airlines based in Australia, South America or Asia's Middle East.

The alliance enables its members to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own.  These include a broader route network, opportunities to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles and points across the combined oneworld network and more airport lounges.  

oneworld was voted the World's Leading Airline Alliance for the sixth year running in the latest (2008) World Travel Awards.   It is the only winner of this award since it was introduced in 2003.