Advice: upgrade or reward flight...

[steve0123]

Hi all-

I am planning a trip SYD-LAX on QF. I'm not sure whether it is better value to pay for an economy ticket and upgrade to business with points (only a silver, so even then there's a good chance i'll be knocked back), or to make an award booking using points. Either way, my account will be utterly decimated, but from my calculations it seems as though there's not much difference. ie: If I'm going to upgrade it will cost me 2 x 72000 points plus the cost of the economy ticket, whereas if I just use the points to book a return trip in business it will cost me 2 x 96000 points - a difference of 28000 points all up.

If that's the case, wouldn't I be better off just making an award booking? I have never made an award booking or international upgrade before, so I'd really appreciate the advice of some experienced FF's...

What would you do if you had to choose?

 

[NM]

The availability of business class award seats and upgrade seats between SYD and LAX is scarce. So I would be looking for award seat availability and if there then snap them up as a guaranteed business class trip. But if I could not find any award seats available, then I would be paying for economy and preparing myself to travel in economy. The chances of a business class upgrade for a Silver status member is low, but don't let that stop you waitlisting for it because it just may happen.

Try to choose flights and travel days that are least likely to be fully booked. QF8 LAX-SYD tends to have less business travellers and more leisure travellers, so may have a better chance for an upgrade. But it only operates once a week most of the year. Its also a daytime flight so would be my preference if travelling in economy.

For SYD-LAX, look for travel mid-week if you can (Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday often have less business travellers).

And for awards, look for non-direct routings, such as via BNE, MEL or AKL, or even via HKG or NRT with partner airlines. Note that for CX flights via HKG you will need to call Qantas since those flights don't show up on the on-line system at the moment.

 

[serfty]

It's a matter of balance and what may work best for you. You'll need to weigh up the issues. This is particularly important when deciding whether to use an award or purchase.

Booking award:

• J award flights would cost:
  • 192,000 QFF points and
  • $438.98 in +++ comes out at (currently).
• Hard to get J awards, for across th pacific you have a 23 day window between when QFF members can book and the rest of oneworld FFers. (Once you get within 11 months of travel availability for J awards becomes very scarce).

Purchasing ticket and requesting an upgrade.

• As a PS you would earn 18,728 QFF points for the trip and 90 SC's. Aside from status, those 90 SC's represent an additional 1000 QFF points when your next "Loyalty bonus" comes along.
• No guarantee of getting that upgrade.
• Cost of Upgradeable ticket: currently $2261.08 in late Feb '09.

To summarise:

To use an award in this context actually costs 211,728 (192,000+18,728+1,000) QFF points and $438.98, but at least you're booked in J seating from the time of ticketing.

To purchase and (hopefully) upgrade costs 124,272 (144,000-18,728-1,000) QFF points and $2261.08. You'll not know until the day of the flights whether your upgrades were successful.

Note: the above comparison are relevant to the OP as they are deciding which way to go, thay may not be applicable to other circumstances.

 

[steve0123]

Thank you (both!) for your excellent advice. It's been really helpful and shed light on areas I hadn't considered. I have thought the whole thing through again bearing your advice in mind, and I've decided that:

1) I'm going to keep all my business within QF and OW from now on - previously I shopped around and had miles distributed throughout five different programs. I need to work on my account balance and won't use it until I've racked up a couple of hundred thousand more miles.

2) I'm going to just book and pay for a J fare for the trip. I'll be guaranteed the seat, get a cabin bonus, and wipe all the stress that comes with all the variables. Just on that point - does anyone know where the best place is to buy J class tickets? Does it work out cheaper to avoid qantas.com and get them from, say, a travel agent?

OK - well, thanks again for your advice!


On that note: my JAL mileage bank and United Mileage Plus miles are now pretty useless to me. I don't know if it's possible, but if it is, would anyone like to take them off my hands (no strings attached)?

 

[MelUser]

A good travel agent who is experienced in Business travel will be able to find a better fare than you'll get on line (in my view).

I agree with you in buying the fare. Heaven help you if you ever want to change a business class award flight - whilst in theory you can, in practice you can't because the QF people will say over the phone - sorry there are no seats - there never seem to be seats for QF business award flight customers who want to change their flights. From this point of view, if $ is an issue, a flexible economy ticket with an upgrade request may be better although you do have to remember to relodge the upgrade request each time you change the booking. Qantas upgrade requests don't follow a booking after changes are made.

Have you looked at the One World Business class circle pacific fare - about $7300 in J and $9000 in First.