Anyone had luck booking 90K J Savers to Europe next summer?

[BriarFlyer]

@Duffa. Interested to know how you found 108,000. I'm only seeing 180,000 for flexi between 27 June and 25 August (seems to have been a two-month blackout on Saver releases.)

Answering my own question as I just saw this pricing which came up, same route, with a long transit in Doha.

 

[masco131]

Well done @Kuz !

Last year, Qatar basically didn't make any business class awards available (apart from the "Flex" awards which cost double the points) to/from Europe in Summer. Lots of us surmised that it was because of the Paris Olympics.

I'm now beginning to wonder if this is a yearly pattern, of Qatar not making awards available during the peak European summer period, but then making them available again once that period is over.

I think you might be right there. Iw as looking at flights from MEL to Europe and plenty of availability from start of year till May using avios.
Fair enough tho because they probably will be able to get pax paying cash fares.

 

[Duffa]

That would late July? Did you book a while back?

12th July 2025. Sorry, should have made that clear ..

 

[BriarFlyer]

Have, happily, booked 2 x J at Saver rate DUB-MEL for our preferred date in Sept 2025. Thanks again @Kuz for the heads-up post!

 

[avioslover]

Here's my MEL <-> EUR Qsuite reference, takes into account recent redemption fee hike and includes Velocity costs for comparison.

Reward availability​

Velocity | -331 days, 0000 AE(S/D)T
QAvios | -361 days, 0300 AST (-361, 1000 AEST / 1100 AEDT)

Off-peak periods​

• 28 Apr 2025 - 26 Jun 2025 (QAvios avail. 2 May 2024 | Velocity avail. 1 Jun 2024)
• 26 Aug 2025 - ? (QAvios avail. 30 Aug 2024 | Velocity avail. 29 Sep 2024)

Best value return: 180k QAvios + 1k AUD
Cash comparison: 2.3k AUD for Y, 10k AUD for J, 5.5k AUD (Buy Avios+40% +Fee) for J

Flights (Qsuite)​

Outbound​

MEL → EUR​

Velocity | 139k (-14%) + 784.68 AUD (~=)
QAvios | 90k (-20%) + 523.48 AUD (-17%)

MEL → DOH​

Velocity | 104k + 442.98 AUD
QAvios | 70k + 399.18 AUD

• 1515 → 2245 | QR989 | 777-300ER
• 2100 → 0430 | QR905 | 777-300ER

DOH → LHR​

Velocity | 57k + 346.70 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 580 QAR [231.32 AUD]

• 0110 → 0625 | QR105 | A350-900 [Connect QR989 +1]
• 0855 → 1410 | QR7 | 777-300ER [Connect QR905 +1]
• 1245 → 1800 | QR1 | A350-1000
• 1310 → 2025 | QR15 | 777-300ER
• 1645 → 2200 | QR5 | 777-200LR/A350-900

DOH → AMS​

Velocity | 57k + 346.70 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 580 QAR [231.32 AUD]

• 0810 → 1355 | QR273 | 777-300ER [Connect QR905 +1]

DOH → FRA​

Velocity | 55k + 317.60 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 580 QAR [231.32 AUD]

• 0155 → 0715 | QR69 | 777-300ER [Connect QR989 +1]
• 0910 → 1435 | QR67 | 777-300ER [Connect QR905 +1]

DOH → CDG​

Velocity | 57k + 346.70 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 580 QAR [231.32 AUD]

• 0135 → 0725 | QR41 | 777-300ER [Connect QR989 +1]
• 1505 → 2055 | QR37 | 777-300ER

DOH → MAD​

Velocity | 57k + 346.70 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 580 QAR [231.32 AUD]

• 0755 → 1425 | QR149 | 777-300ER [Connect QR905 +1]

Inbound​

LHR → DOH​

High taxes (Velocity 760.90 AUD | QAvios 356.09 GBP [691.83 AUD])

AMS → DOH​

Velocity | 57k + 412.70 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 179.56 EUR [290.71 AUD]

• 1615 → 2330 | QR274 | 777-300ER [Connect QR988 -1]

FRA → DOH​

Velocity | 55k + 415.10 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 199.55 EUR [323.14 AUD]

• 1025 → 1720 | QR70 | 777-300ER [Connect QR904]
• 1715 → 0010 | QR68 | 777-300ER [Connect QR988 -1]

CDG → DOH​

Velocity | 57k + 485.90 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 224.97 EUR [364.49 AUD]

• 0905 → 1630 | QR42 | 777-300ER [Connect QR904]
• 2255 → 0550 | QR38 | 777-300ER

MAD → DOH​

Velocity | 57k + 338.60 AUD
QAvios | 43k + 133.85 EUR [216.79 AUD]

• 1610 → 2355 | QR150 | 777-300ER [Connect QR988 -1]

MAD → MEL​

Velocity | 139k (-14%) + (==)
QAvios | 90k (-20%) + 297.71 EUR [482.08 AUD] (-25%)

DOH → MEL​

Velocity | 104k + 423.10 AUD
QAvios | 70k + 940 QAR [374.91 AUD]

• 0305 → 2330 | QR988 | 777-300ER
• 2015 → 1645 | QR904 | 777-300ER

 

[dsotm]

Just a head up, there is excellent availability on 90K savers to and from Europe at the moment if booking a year out. There only seems to be two savers on each flight but way better than just a month ago. I snagged two BCN-MEL with €600 fees.

 

[BriarFlyer]

Also note that the new "Reward Seat Finder" makes it easier to search for availability.

 

[Duffa]

Also note that the new "Reward Seat Finder" makes it easier to search for availability.

Hnmmm. I was utterly disappointed with it. Still WON'T filter to premium cabins only. Seems like a mobile app version of the useless website

 

[Gold Member]

Just a head up, there is excellent availability on 90K savers to and from Europe at the moment if booking a year out. There only seems to be two savers on each flight but way better than just a month ago. I snagged two BCN-MEL with €600 fees.

Good find! I know this is the QR thread, but do we know if this availability extends to Velocity Rewards? I don’t have access to my VA account atm so can’t check.

 

[dsotm]

Good find! I know this is the QR thread, but do we know if this availability extends to Velocity Rewards? I don’t have access to my VA account atm so can’t check.

AFAIK Qatar release their seats to Privilege Club a month before releasing to Velocity. I know this as I was watching both sites before booking my BCN-MEL direct on Qatar. I’ve found that the best and quickest flights in civilised hours go within a few days. Maybe QR releases more awards as the Velocity opens up.

 

[Nexus007]

Good find! I know this is the QR thread, but do we know if this availability extends to Velocity Rewards? I don’t have access to my VA account atm so can’t check.

You do not need VA account to check for QR velocity award flight on Virgin Website.

 

[KingHuang]

AFAIK Qatar release their seats to Privilege Club a month before releasing to Velocity. I know this as I was watching both sites before booking my BCN-MEL direct on Qatar. I’ve found that the best and quickest flights in civilised hours go within a few days. Maybe QR releases more awards as the Velocity opens up.

does this matter what privelege club tier you are in?

 

[dsotm]

I don’t think so. I’m on the bottom QR status, but could book my flights a month ahead of Velocity.

 

[Clayton]

AFAIK Qatar release their seats to Privilege Club a month before releasing to Velocity. I know this as I was watching both sites before booking my BCN-MEL direct on Qatar. I’ve found that the best and quickest flights in civilised hours go within a few days. Maybe QR releases more awards as the Velocity opens up.Qatar isn't restricting the award availability to Veloci

Qatar releases award availability 360 days out, where as Velocity releases all its award availability, including that from partner airlines (QR, SQ etc) at 330 days out. So it is Velocity restricting the award availability not Qatar. By 330 days, pretty much all J and F award availability to/from Aus has been taken, the best hope is to monitor around 3 months out and closer in, cancellations sometimes are released as awards.