BNE-NRT return - maximising SC

[Commuter]

Could someone please suggest a good routing to earn maximum SC from BNE to NRT without going too much round the houses? I can't spend ages travelling, so what I have come up so far is BNE - SYD - NRT - SYD - BNE (I'd rather fly Qantas itself, and QF out of BNE to NRT is JAL code share, so there is already a 'valid' justification). Is there a better way?

I would like to look into discount economy and business class (full economy costs more than the discounted business class, so full economy isn't really an option). (FYI, SYD - NRT - SYD earns 70 in discount economy and 280 in business. BNE - SYD - BNE earns earns 20 in discount economy, and 80 in business.).

Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[hardya]

Have you considered adding CNS into the equation or use CX via HKG? Remember also that JAL becomes part of One World next year.

 

[Commuter]

Thanks Hardya. Sorry I forgot to say it needs to happen this year.

Ahhh, I didn't think about Cairns, but that could be a possibility.

 

[Mwenenzi]

BNE-NRT return - maximising SC - circle pacific ???

Routing & class if travel all depends on what you want to pay & how much time you have. Bus class will cost more. Also worth considering is a OneWorld circle pacific fare (miles limited). Could perhaps go thru SIN or HKG to max the miles. NM is the guru on these tickets on this forum. Or ask QF or your TA.

 

[NM]

Using HKG is a good optoin and earns slightly more SCs than via SYD. You can use QF to get to HKG and then CX from there to NRT. Note that you don't earn the Status Bonus (25% for Silver, 50% for Gold, 100% for Platinum) on CX flights. HKG is a great airport to transit.

You may even find QF will charge the same for BNE-SYD/MEL-HKG as for the non-stop, especially since the non-stop is not a daily service.

 

[Commuter]

Thanks Mwenenzi - business class fare to Japan is fairly high (about $5k) considering the relatively short distance, but to be honest, I'm not hugely fussed about the costs of it.

It's more the matter of squeezing the maximum SC without spending too much time travelling, and avoiding flying on codeshares if possible.

Basically, I have 4 days to do there and back, with 2 days there including two internal flights, and so I cannot spend more than about 15 hours travelling from BNE to NRT (and vice versa). Going via Singapore is somewhat too time consuming.

 

[Commuter]

Thanks for that NM - shall definitely look into routing it via HK.

 

[jasonja3]

I have booked SYD-HKG-NRT-SYD in D class using Best Flights, and it is much less than SYD-HKG-SYD!!

Here is the catch, HKG-NRT is a JL flight, and although the TA told me I would earn SC and FF points, on this leg I will believe it when I see it, as it is a JL flight number.... If I do, I will earn 340SC for the whole trip, other wise 260C for the two QF flights only.

 

[NM]

I have booked SYD-HKG-NRT-SYD in D class using Best Flights, and it is much less than SYD-HKG-SYD!!

Here is the catch, HKG-NRT is a JL flight, and although the TA told me I would earn SC and FF points, on this leg I will believe it when I see it, as it is a JL flight number.... If I do, I will earn 340SC for the whole trip, other wise 260C for the two QF flights only.

JAL is not a QF FF partner airline. So you will not earn QF FF points or status credits on JAL flights. JAL does have a codeshare agreement with QF, but that agreement does not make them a QF FF partner airline.

JAL is an AA Advantage partner airline and you would earn AA miles on the JAL flight.

Once JAL has joined OneWorld you will earn both QF FF points and status credits when flying with JAL.

 

[serfty]

I have booked SYD-HKG-NRT-SYD in D class using Best Flights, and it is much less than SYD-HKG-SYD!!

Here is the catch, HKG-NRT is a JL flight, and although the TA told me I would earn SC and FF points, on this leg I will believe it when I see it, as it is a JL flight number.... If I do, I will earn 340SC for the whole trip, other wise 260C for the two QF flights only.

Currently, (at least until JAL join oneWORLD) and accoding to the QFF Airline Earning Table, you will not earn any points or SC's for the JAL flight.

You do earn on Cathay Pacific and they have several daily HKG - NRT flights. If possible to do so on the fare basis of your booking, I'd try for D class on CX.

 

[Commuter]

If you do HK - NRT by Cx, won't you be better off? If it's the actual JAL flight with JAL flight number, you won't be earning SC because JAL is not a OneWorld carrier.

 

[jasonja3]

You have all confirmed what I had already suspected Whats that they say about the ones you miss out on........

If you do HK - NRT by Cx, won't you be better off? If it's the actual JAL flight with JAL flight number, you won't be earning SC because JAL is not a OneWorld carrier.

Yes, better off with SC and service!! But this was the fare offered, and it suited my requirements and the company budget, so JAL for one leg it is :evil:

 

[jasonja3]

JAL flight is this Friday, maybe a good opportunity to start stealing candy... DO I have enough time?

 

[Commuter]

I'm pretty sure you can join the JAL frequent flyer scheme instantly online, although I apologise if you can't!

It's not a bad scheme.

 

[NM]

JAL flight is this Friday, maybe a good opportunity to start stealing candy... DO I have enough time?

SYD-HKG is 4581 miles flown, which is 6871 EQP in D.
HKG-NRT is 1842 miles flown, which is 2763 EQP in D. Running total is now 9634.
NRT-SYD is 4846 miles flown, which is 7269 EQP in D, so challenge complete.

Friday is not too late to start. You need to join AA on line and get a number. Call AA in the USA per instructions on the AA Platinum Challenge thread. It will need to be dated to start 1st July. Then you will have AA Platinum status until Feb 2008.

Oh yes, and you will earn 18,931 AA miles, almost enough for an economy return trip anywhere in Australia and/or NZ with minimal taxes.

What will you earn posting this trip to QF?

 

[jasonja3]

Hmmmm, 21,250 QF points, and 260 SC. My anniversary is next month to start requalification for WP, so I have this at least until August 07. I am sure at the moment I will easily do this.
The only real adv I see for the challenge (for me in my situation) is increased points as I stay in the Asia Pacific region when travelling. I have quite a few points to burn at the moment (collectively 700k+) but must redeem for eastern state rewards as Mrs Jasonja3 cannot travel internationally, so SYD-BNE-SYD in J X 2 for $189 seems like a reasonable deal.:shock:
Ultimately I guess it would be good to maintain both, and find a way to efficiently convert AMEX points to AA so I don't have to pay at all!!!

As for starting Frida, that is the JL flight, SYD-HKG is Wed am..... better start harrasing QF to remove my FF number!!

 

[JohnK]

JAL is not a QF FF partner airline. So you will not earn QF FF points or status credits on JAL flights. JAL does have a codeshare agreement with QF, but that agreement does not make them a QF FF partner airline.

Please say that this is not so.

How about QF374 BNE-SYD? No SC's and FF points? It is a codeshare flight operated by JAL and I am more than certain that you get QF SC's and FF points for this flight.

 

[Commuter]

Hi JohnK, how I understand it is this.

If you fly on JAL flight with your ticket issued with a QF flight number (i.e. you are flying as a QF customer on a codeshare flight), then you earn FFP and SC.

If you fly on JAL flight with your ticket issued with a JAL flight number, even though you are flying on a flight that is codeshared with QF (i.e. some of the tickets on the same flight may be issued by QF but not yours), you won't earn FFP or SC.

I did earn FFP and SC on BNE-NRT-BNEE on a QF codeshare flight operated by JAL, but I was flying as a QF customer - I had my tickets issued with a QF flight number.

 

[oz_mark]

Please say that this is not so.

How about QF374 BNE-SYD? No SC's and FF points? It is a codeshare flight operated by JAL and I am more than certain that you get QF SC's and FF points for this flight.

There are probably numerous cases where Qantas codeshares with other airlines, but that does not make the provider of the actual flight an FF partner. However, on a codeshare, you will generally get the SC and FF points.

 

[NM]

Please say that this is not so.

How about QF374 BNE-SYD? No SC's and FF points? It is a codeshare flight operated by JAL and I am more than certain that you get QF SC's and FF points for this flight.

QF374 is a QF flight as indicated by the QF in the flight number. Hence it earns QF FF points and QF Status Credits just as any other QF flight does.

If you were booked on the JL flight number of the same aircraft, then no QF FF points or status credits.

The point noted above was that the JL flight HKG-NRT is a JL flight as indicated by the JL in the flight number on his ticket. JL is not a QF FF Partner Airline and hence no QF FF points or Status Credits for that flight.