Any tip for booking to Canada in Business

[z28]

I am looking for ways to search for flights from Australia, Perth preferably but Sydney/Melbourne .. will be fine, to Toronto using AA Miles for June next year. AA website doesn't show much if redeeming miles. If I searched AA website normally, Qantas flights are available in Business, or even JL. Does that mean I could ring AA and book these ? or if anyone knows a way to book, any airline, in Business.

Only has enough points for one way in Business, so the other way is also OK: Vancouver back to Australia in mid July.

 

[Franky]

Z28 we flew QR from Perth to the East Coast of the US in February on awards in J thru Doha. Time and distance are about the same, with only one stop, I’m sure QR fly direct from Doha to Toronto. Was easily booked online thru AA. You’re flying in peak season but we had no issues with availability when we booked ours.

 

[BriarFlyer]

If you can't find availability all the way, my strategy would be to identify airlines and routes that would get you to N America in general rather than YYZ specifically. You may find a way to get the longest hop in business, even if you have to break the journey and buy a revenue ticket for the rest of the trip. Example, a quick search shows one day in June with MEL-LAX in business and in July one day with YVR-SYD in J (if they're not phantom.) As Franky indicated, June/July is going to be tough, esp. mid-July for yr return.

 

[Franky]

Can’t believe I forgot tell you this in my first post z28, as here I am sitting in the Etihad lounge at LHR T4 on the way back to Perth. This was a rather late booking, made in June for travel late September. As you’re probably aware, EY don’t fly out of Perth any longer, so I had to re-position to Singapore but when I first looked at availability there were 6 J seats available SIN-LHR return which I monitored and finally grabbed one as they slowly got taken up. As with QR, EY are now bookable online thru AA, with the added benefit of lower fees. If you have a good look at both QR and EY, I believe they both fly out of DPS, CGK, SIN, KUL and BKK to the east coast of North America, so you have numerous choices. We also did a trip a few years ago PER-HKG-JFK return on CX, and they have just recently become bookable on AA, but I have no experience of that yet. With CX though, you have the down side of the red eye daily out of Perth, but they also have an early morning departure 2 or 3 days a week. Best of luck.

 

[z28]

Thank everyone, I have enough Krisflyer points for two from Singapore to Toronto (for a wedding) and also enough for Vancouver back to Singapore for one. That's OK as my wife is going on a tour in Vancouver with her mum and I will go back to Perth, so I am now looking at Toronto to anywhere before Perth using AA Miles. All these routings are doing my head in. Obviously we still have to get to Singapore and back but with points these are manageable. Anyhow, how do you force AA to go certain route or certain airline ?

 

[luxury-lizard]

Thank everyone, I have enough Krisflyer points for two from Singapore to Toronto (for a wedding) and also enough for Vancouver back to Singapore for one. That's OK as my wife is going on a tour in Vancouver with her mum and I will go back to Perth, so I am now looking at Toronto to anywhere before Perth using AA Miles. All these routings are doing my head in. Obviously we still have to get to Singapore and back but with points these are manageable. Anyhow, how do you force AA to go certain route or certain airline ?

AA has very specific routing rules which must be adhered to otherwise you will be charged per sector - these are well explained on the AA forum on FlyerTalk. In particular you cannot book Australia - North America via Asia as a 'single award' you must pay for 2 awards (Oz-Asia + Asia-North America) which IMO makes using AA miles for such an itinerary poor value for money (ie points)

If you wish to book a specific route which does not show up then search each sector separately and if there is availability you can call AA on their Australian number and they will book it over the phone (and waive the phone booking fee).

 

[daft009]

I booked EVA air from Singapore to Toronto using krisflyer points. Short transit in Taipei. Was great

 

[aggie57]

I fly to Canada a lot and try to stick with AA as much as I can, being Qantas platinum. You’ll be surprised how many AA flights to Canadian cities are regional only, with no business/US first. I realize Toronto should be OK but drop down a level, say Calgary and even Montreal and it can be tough to book business. Many flights are puddle jumpers out of Philly or O’Hare, economy/coach only.

 

[Atleastonce]

I am trying to get SYD to YVR on a 2X reward J for September 2020. Routing is all over the place and QF have told me J seats get released some time after Y seats. I only need one way as cruising back Vancouver to Sydney. I have a few options and time on my side but I too like booking 11 months out.