Change classic rewards flight to day without availability

[golfimbulldogg]

A bit of a strange question. We are hoping to get back from Japan in late January (ideally Tokyo-Cairns) on Jetstar with a classic rewards booking. Already have the trip to Japan booked in early/mid January.

There is no classic reward availability for Tokyo-Cairns until February 23. If we book February 23 and then change the booking, is there any chance we could change to a date we want (January 22ish)? Or will we only be offered flights that already have classic reward seats available? I realise there'll be 5000 points/ticket but that's nothing in the scheme of things.

 

[FlyingFiona]

A bit of a strange question. We are hoping to get back from Japan in late January (ideally Tokyo-Cairns) on Jetstar with a classic rewards booking. Already have the trip to Japan booked in early/mid January.

There is no classic reward availability for Tokyo-Cairns until February 23. If we book February 23 and then change the booking, is there any chance we could change to a date we want (January 22ish)? Or will we only be offered flights that already have classic reward seats available? I realise there'll be 5000 points/ticket but that's nothing in the scheme of things.

If booking as a reward booking, don't book it as a return. Book individual sectors so that if/when you change you are changing it before having begun the journey on the ticket.

Edit: clarified I was referring to reward bookings.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

A bit of a strange question. We are hoping to get back from Japan in late January (ideally Tokyo-Cairns) on Jetstar with a classic rewards booking. Already have the trip to Japan booked in early/mid January.

There is no classic reward availability for Tokyo-Cairns until February 23. If we book February 23 and then change the booking, is there any chance we could change to a date we want (January 22ish)? Or will we only be offered flights that already have classic reward seats available? I realise there'll be 5000 points/ticket but that's nothing in the scheme of things.

If you are booking a classic reward, you will only be able to change to a date where classic rewards are available.

If there are no seats on the 22th, you can’t change it to the 22th.

However, keep an eye out because award availability can change at any time.

 

[golfimbulldogg]

If there are no seats on the 22th, you can’t change it to the 22th.

However, keep an eye out because award availability can change at any time.

Thanks. It's not looking good, Tokyo to Cairns is quite freely available throughout 2025 right up until December 25, 2025. Then nothing until February 23, 2026. It seems like a deliberate decision perhaps.

Any thoughts on why that may be the case (bear in mind it is a Jetstar flight)?

 

[offshore171]

December 25, 2025. Then nothing until February 23, 2026. It seems like a deliberate decision perhaps.

It's the combo of AU School holidays and JP ski season.

Japan flights are in peak demand in Dec and (especially) January. And flights back to AU in late January are the peak of the peak, as the school holidays come to an end.

Has been that way for many years now. How many seats are you chasing?

 

[golfimbulldogg]

It's the combo of AU School holidays and JP ski season.

Japan flights are in peak demand in Dec and (especially) January. And flights back to AU in late January are the peak of the peak, as the school holidays come to an end.

Has been that way for many years now. How many seats are you chasing?

I've been checking daily at 10am for months now and never a blip on the radar. Even now there's nothing at all even for one seat between December 25 and Feb 23 (all other periods six seats are readily attainable). Silver status.

We're looking for six which is at this point seems highly unlikely to happen. Do they do batch releases with Jetstar?

It's amazing it's just that two month window of nothing at all and the rest of the time it's ridiculously easy to get classic reward seats for that leg. You also can't book the Jetstar flight via QANTAS in that 2 month window either (for cash) but can at all other times.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Can u book for cash on the Jetstar site? Rather than Qantas?

Award seats are generally seats which the airline does not think it is going to be able to sell. So not having any award seats available simply means that they are likely to be expecting the demand to meet the supply.

Have you tried looking at alternative routes for example through Taipei or Hong Kong?

Are you doing a search for six seats in total? If yes try breaking the search down to smaller batches like two seats.

 

[offshore171]

We're looking for six which is at this point seems highly unlikely to happen. Do they do batch releases with Jetstar?

6 award tickets from Japan to Australia in late January is nigh on impossible.

It's amazing it's just that two month window of nothing at all and the rest of the time it's ridiculously easy

Yep as per reasons above, ski season and everyone with school age kids wants to travel in that window.

 

[golfimbulldogg]

Can u book for cash on the Jetstar site? Rather than Qantas?

Yes, for 6 it'll be ~ $4,500 AUD

Award seats are generally seats which the airline does not think it is going to be able to sell. So not having any award seats available simply means that they are likely to be expecting the demand to meet the supply.

Makes sense for sure. They must just have that two month window of no love for classic rewards. It's strange there isn't a one week period the entire rest of the year that has that though (can always get six seats back).

Are you doing a search for six seats in total? If yes try breaking the search down to smaller batches like two seats.

Yes tried that just to get the lay of the land. Nothing at all in that 2 month window

6 award tickets from Japan to Australia in late January is nigh on impossible.

Good to know, might jsut have to pony up for cash

Yep as per reasons above, ski season and everyone with school age kids wants to travel in that window.

Also good to know. Any time in December is fine though oddly. Surely the same factors?

 

[FlyingFiona]

It's strange there isn't a one week period the entire rest of the year that has that though (can always get six seats back).

Any time in December is fine though oddly. Surely the same factors?

No. Schools don't break until at least mid-December. You're looking at returning to Australia with everyone else who are coming back to get ready for the new school year/work year.

 

[golfimbulldogg]

No. Schools don't break until at least mid-December. You're looking at returning to Australia with everyone else who are coming back to get ready for the new school year/work year.

That's not quite true. November 28 for private schools here in Queensland. December 12 though for public schools.

But I take your point. It just seems a big period that extends all the way to Feb 23 (schools are back 3-4 weeks before that).

So the prevailing thought is that the flights I sought were never released as classic rewards at all?

 

[aikman]

(schools are back 3-4 weeks before that).

You're forgetting universities.

 

[FlyingFiona]

So the prevailing thought is that the flights I sought were never released as classic rewards at all?

Correct. Welcome to the pain point of reward bookings

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Get your wallet out, you need to pay cash for these flights

 

[golfimbulldogg]

Get your wallet out, you need to pay cash for these flights

It's not so bad, got the classic reward tickets over.

So no chance of a batch release down the track for these dates in the hive mind's learned experience/opinion?