1mil points - likelihood of getting 4x business rewards seats?

[bbuchan8]

Hi guys,

I've accumulated 1 million QFF points over the last couple of years and am currently also Gold QFF status. I'm looking to try book a return business class trip with my family of 4 using rewards points but really not sure if this is even a possibility.

I'm not too phased on destination, could do Europe, Asia (Japan/Korea?) or the USA.

Anyone had any experience trying to do this before? I'm also thinking about using a paid FF points booking service to help me with this (would be great if anyone has any recommendations), but just wanted to get an idea of what is or isn't possible before I start.

Thanks!

 

[cjd600]

Definitely possible.
I have 4 J (Business) for Sep/Oct
SYD-HND-JFK JL
JFK - LHR BA
CDG-BCN BA
BCN-LHR-LAX BA
LAX-HND-SYD JL

Over the last 2 years of Covid, have shuffled the trip multiple times and with slightly different routing (SYD-Europe-USA-SYD) and always managed to get the 4J
I am QF Bronze

 

[craven morehead]

Hi guys,

I've accumulated 1 million QFF points over the last couple of years and am currently also Gold QFF status. I'm looking to try book a return business class trip with my family of 4 using rewards points but really not sure if this is even a possibility.

I'm not too phased on destination, could do Europe, Asia (Japan/Korea?) or the USA.

Anyone had any experience trying to do this before? I'm also thinking about using a paid FF points booking service to help me with this (would be great if anyone has any recommendations), but just wanted to get an idea of what is or isn't possible before I start.

Thanks!

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[bbuchan8]

Definitely possible.
I have 4 J (Business) for Sep/Oct
SYD-HND-JFK JL
JFK - LHR BA
CDG-BCN BA
BCN-LHR-LAX BA
LAX-HND-SYD JL

Over the last 2 years of Covid, have shuffled the trip multiple times and with slightly different routing (SYD-Europe-USA-SYD) and always managed to get the 4J
I am QF Bronze

Nice, thanks for sharing!

Any tips on how you booked this - did you do it all through Qantas or other platforms/services?

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Thanks, I will check it out!

 

[cjd600]

Nice, thanks for sharing!

Any tips on how you booked this - did you do it all through Qantas or other platforms/services?

All through Qantas myself
Study the legs you want, learn the release patterns per airline that you identify as potentially releasing 4 on your routes.
Snap them up when released, immediately for your dates. Dont wait for the return leg, add that separately when released (no change fee currently, or can book as a standalone booking anyway)
Know your options from the oneworld/QF partner airlines that you can use points on
Be flexible/creative on how you get from A to B.
(e.g. instead of maybe, say, only looking at SYD-HKG-CDG, be aware of SYD-HKG-DOH-CDG).
In that example you need to search those legs, not just throw in a SYD-CDG. So knowing the options for what you are after allows for targeted searching. If you're not comfortable and confident doing all this (it can be a time consuming pursuit!), maybe utilising the AFF Assist service mentioned above by @craven morehead is a suitable option.
But you can do it all yourself, the more prepared you are the better for jumping on what you want ( and have Plan B and Plan C) when those flights get released for your dates

 

[sudoer]

JL availability is wide open next year, a good option for Japan, Korea, Europe or even USA. Booked 6 x return J to Tokyo for under $2k all in.

 

[rurounimaikeru]

I'm similar with SQ /VFF. Am looking 12 mths ahead on different routes. Routes with short stop overs are popular so if you're willing to hang at airport or stay over night then you might have more luck.

 

[Nailz]

Booked JL SYD-HND in the 2022 School holidays return with QFF points J x 4 the other day.
Get onto it!

 

[bbuchan8]

Have had a bit of a change of plans and now thinking of doing Japan/Hawaii instead of Europe.

I can see some J seats from MEL > NRT on JAL available as well as J seats on JQ from HNL > MEL on the home stretch. However can't seem to find any direct flights on the Qantas website from NRT/HND to HNL - everything wants to go via LA or back via SYD then back up to HNL which is crazy.

When I search directly on the Japan Airlines site I can see plenty of direct flights from NRT/HND > HNL but these aren't showing when searching on Qantas.

Any ideas on how to book these NRT/HND > HNL flights using QFF points?

 

[BriarFlyer]

They're probably not showing on Qantas because Qantas does not have any award seats left on those flights. You could try departures from other cities in Japan, e.g. Osaka and Nagoya, to Honolulu.

 

[WeeGraeme]

I have a different but related question. Has Qantas completely done away with the matrix they used to display for reward flights?

 

[jakeseven7]

I have a different but related question. Has Qantas completely done away with the matrix they used to display for reward flights?

No / use multi trip search tool to bring it up

 

[bbuchan8]

Bit of a change of plans but managed to book my family of 4 for a holiday in June/July next year in business class with 12 nights in Japan and 10 nights in Bali on the way back.

MEL - NRT (JL)
NRT - KUL (MH)
KUL - DPS (MH)
DPS - SYD (JQ)
SYD - MEL (QF)

Thanks for the tips.. time to start racking up some more points to book the next one!

 

[jase05]

Bit of a change of plans but managed to book my family of 4 for a holiday in June/July next year in business class with 12 nights in Japan and 10 nights in Bali on the way back.

MEL - NRT (JL)
NRT - KUL (MH)
KUL - DPS (MH)
DPS - SYD (JQ)
SYD - MEL (QF)

Thanks for the tips.. time to start racking up some more points to book the next one!

Did you consider other options from DPS or no availability elsewhere?
JQ on a night flight would be hard work IMO

 

[sudoer]

Did you consider other options from DPS or no availability elsewhere?
JQ on a night flight would be hard work IMO

DPS-SYD on a QF 737 is really no better than a JQ 787, and QF will be so short on widebodies in the short term I can't see this route being upgauged quickly once international returns...

To be honest I would have dropped KUL onwards off the award and paid cash instead, MH KUL-DPS is usually dirt cheap, as are QF one-ways from DPS back to Australia. But I guess OP always has that option at a later date with no penalty given free changes etc.

 

[jase05]

DPS-SYD on a QF 737 is really no better than a JQ 787, and QF will be so short on widebodies in the short term I can't see this route being upgauged quickly once international returns...

To be honest I would have dropped KUL onwards off the award and paid cash instead, MH KUL-DPS is usually dirt cheap, as are QF one-ways from DPS back to Australia. But I guess OP always has that option at a later date with no penalty given free changes etc.

I was more meaning picking up a cheap DPS-CGK flight and then getting CGK-SYD in J.
Agree with KUL-DPS too, often a cash fare is better.

 

[Matt_01]

JL availability is wide open next year, a good option for Japan, Korea, Europe or even USA. Booked 6 x return J to Tokyo for under $2k all in.

JL is one of my go to airlines both for the destination (Japan) and as a carrier. Did you book x6 return flights (6 PAX) on the same same return flights or was it a smaller number of PAX across a few trips.

 

[sudoer]

Did you book x6 return flights (6 PAX) on the same same return flights or was it a smaller number of PAX across a few trips.

6 on the same flight to Japan, then split across multiple flights back - due to our travel plans rather than availability. There are many flights in each direction with 9 x J award seats. I've never seen JAL inventory this good.

Taxes were higher than usual due to a fuel surcharge levied on bookings made in Oct/Nov but that was removed in Dec and it's back to around $90pp.

The seat maps show the 1-2-1 reverse herringbone 787-9 rather than the 2-2-2 apex suites, but I think it's still an excellent redemption especially if you can nab the bulkheads with more spacious foot cubby.

 

[bbuchan8]

DPS-SYD on a QF 737 is really no better than a JQ 787, and QF will be so short on widebodies in the short term I can't see this route being upgauged quickly once international returns...

To be honest I would have dropped KUL onwards off the award and paid cash instead, MH KUL-DPS is usually dirt cheap, as are QF one-ways from DPS back to Australia. But I guess OP always has that option at a later date with no penalty given free changes etc.

Just checked and MH KUL-DPS is $2K AUD for 4x in business.. not exactly dirt cheap. Unless they often come up on sale?

I was more meaning picking up a cheap DPS-CGK flight and then getting CGK-SYD in J.
Agree with KUL-DPS too, often a cash fare is better.

I can't see any flights available in July from CGK to SYD/MEL.. only option that comes up is to fly back via Tokyo on JL.

I couldn't see any better way of getting back home from DPS other than flying business on JQ.. so for now I'll take it!

 

[sudoer]

Just checked and MH KUL-DPS is $2K AUD for 4x in business.. not exactly dirt cheap. Unless they often come up on sale?

Yep, it was often around $250-300pp return in J pre Covid but MH hasn't yet restarted their intra Asia sales.