Changes to Qantas search tool and points redemption?

[Pushka]

Not sure what you are looking for but i found flights out of ADL to DOH but i could not get DOH to ADLView attachment 259066

It's the return trip I'm after. At the time of booking, Doha was on the red list for UK.

 

[Pushka]

After the QF FF shake up in Mid 2019 the points cost to fly to the UK/EU on any of the partners will be 318K points which is also the cap for the OW rewards if you just use OW carriers. Flying CX/ JL may use a few more points but the taxes are less.

I assume you are searching for 1 PAX, it is known that QR seems to only offer x1 J to QFF ex AU but more if going through other locations e.g. KUL, HKG. As a follow on from above as point will cap an extra flight may be required if someones wants to include QR.

At present I am looking to book flights AU-UK/EU rtn in 2022, I am not concerned which carrier or whatever obscure route I may have to use there or back, as points cap at 318K and milage will not be issue. Getting to the UK via a green zone and getting back to ADL as the first AU entry point is the driving factor and MH or SQ seems to be the best options.

I looked at Webjet in desperation and see booking through Swiss Air and a slight loop through Zurich yields J fares for $6800 on SQ in and out of Adelaide and then Swiss from Sin - Zurich - LHR. That's the cheapest.

 

[whole-lotta-moxie]

After the QF FF shake up in Mid 2019 the points cost to fly to the UK/EU on any of the partners will be 318K points which is also the cap for the OW rewards if you just use OW carriers. Flying CX/ JL may use a few more points but the taxes are less.

I assume you are searching for 1 PAX, it is known that QR seems to only offer x1 J to QFF ex AU but more if going through other locations e.g. KUL, HKG. As a follow on from above as points will cap an extra flight may be required if someones wants to include QR.

At present I am looking to book flights AU-UK/EU rtn in 2022, I am not concerned which carrier or whatever obscure route I may have to use there or back, as points cap at 318K and milage will not be issue. What is important is getting to the UK via a green zone and getting back to ADL as the first AU entry point, MH or SQ seems to be the best options.

Interesting about the 1 PAX. When i did the random search i only looked for 1 PAX for the DOH flights, so maybe that is why it worked for me

I have been looking to book flights from Singapore to Melbourne for 2 people next year and there really aren't too many seats. I am really surprised by this. I would have assumed that there would be heaps of seats. I think only FF would be booking flights this early with the majority of the public not really thinking about it yet

Are you worried about transiting through Singapore or MH and then getting back into ADEL. I have family there and I can't wait to get there. Do you think you will have any problems with the boarders? The flights i am looking at are transiting through Syd with final destination being Mel and I am a little concerned that i might get stuck in Syd.... maybe I am just being pessimistic???

BTW - I have not kept up with the rules.... 318k cap for flights... i didn't realise that. I remember everything went up but i didnt realise there was a cap where miles would not matter

 

[BriarFlyer]

I can’t select days beyond the 9th even though it suggests thing are available out to the 15th…

I've experienced this as well, but managed to make it work by going back a day -- in this example selecting Sept 8 -- and then trying the future date. Hence, I could select through to Sept 16:

 

[SYD]

I've experienced this as well, but managed to make it work by going back a day -- in this example selecting Sept 8 -- and then trying the future date. Hence, I could select through to Sept 16:

View attachment 259069

<channelling teenager> OMG, OMG, OMG, that actually works!

 

[Matt_01]

Interesting about the 1 PAX. When i did the random search i only looked for 1 PAX for the DOH flights, so maybe that is why it worked for me

I have been looking to book flights from Singapore to Melbourne for 2 people next year and there really aren't too many seats. I am really surprised by this. I would have assumed that there would be heaps of seats. I think only FF would be booking flights this early with the majority of the public not really thinking about it yet

Are you worried about transiting through Singapore or MH and then getting back into ADEL. I have family there and I can't wait to get there. Do you think you will have any problems with the boarders? The flights i am looking at are transiting through Syd with final destination being Mel and I am a little concerned that i might get stuck in Syd.... maybe I am just being pessimistic???

BTW - I have not kept up with the rules.... 318k cap for flights... i didn't realise that. I remember everything went up but i didnt realise there was a cap where miles would not matter

Hopefully I can answer/address your questions
Line 1 - Ex AU on QR 1 pax redemption to DOH is quite normal.
2nd paragraph - If on QF try looking SIN-KUL-AU, heaps of availability. I would not assume only FF are looking to book redemption seats, I have become the resident family TA for many family members who are wanting to travel.
3rd paragraph - No issues with transiting through SIN, KUL or both as I will not go landside. I would just like to arrive back in ADL as the first port as this is where I live. Pre Covid SYD or MEL arrivals would have not have been a concern as I have places I can stay in, in both locations. I just have no interest in been stuck in a quarantine location not of my choosing.
4th paragraph - The 318K cap is the maximum your points will be capped at if you choose only OW carriers and stay under the 35K mile limit.

 

[Fil-Ski]

Two weeks ago I could have got return J on Qatar out of Adelaide to Europe in June/July. Now it looks like that’s gone and all the other good flight options are gone.
Can’t even get Cathay. Just Japan Airlines.

 

[whole-lotta-moxie]

Can’t even get Cathay. Just Japan Airlines.

Japan airlines might be alright... I have never flown them before

 

[vetrade]

I'll throw my 2 cents worth in:
I don't know whether QF or QR are to blame but QR award availability seems to be "all over the ship".
The example I can cite relates to QR availability on the JNB - DOH route which I have been checking on a near daily basis for over 2 months.

There has been plenty of availability showing for some time for nearly every day from June to 12th July, 2022. I kept waiting for dates after 12th July to open up but QF only showed the option of JNB - LHR - DOH on BA after that date.
Then, 2 - 3 weeks ago I noticed there was availability showing for dates from 23/8/22 onwards but still nothing between 12 July and 23 August.
As of today there is plenty of availability for dates before 13th July and from 23/8/22 to 17/9/22. so there seems to be a blackout for dates inbetween.

FWIW the availability has been identical for 1 or 2 pax

Also, a month ago I checked skyscanner to see what QR had in the way of direct flights for August 2022 from DOH to a variery of AU cities but the only options showing were indirect flights via KUL etc. Looking again today there are now plenty of direct options showing but they are expensive - eg DOH - MEL $2650 in Y one way.

Irregularities will probably keep cropping up until some semblance of regular OS travel occurs

 

[ozflier]

Thank you all. It has been a long time since i have looked for flights and the old brain cells are struggling. I forgot that going via Hong Kong would add more miles and therefore making the cost of flights higher

With your guidance i have been able to make it work. I forgot to use the multi city search tool.

It is looking like it use to

View attachment 258895

Interesting that QFF is now showing availability from Australian ports to Doha but ONLY one "U" seat.
I compared a sample of dates where QFF offer one business award seat and BA is showing 4 seats . Still I guess one seat is better than none !

 

[Jacques Vert]

Japan airlines might be alright... I have never flown them before

I've flown JL and would have no hesitation to fly with them again; a very nice experience.

 

[ozflier]

After the QF FF shake up in Mid 2019 the points cost to fly to the UK/EU on any of the partners will be 318K points which is also the cap for the OW rewards if you just use OW carriers. Flying CX/ JL may use a few more points but the taxes are less.

I assume you are searching for 1 PAX, it is known that QR seems to only offer x1 J to QFF ex AU but more if going through other locations e.g. KUL, HKG. As a follow on from above as points will cap an extra flight may be required if someones wants to include QR.

At present I am looking to book flights AU-UK/EU rtn in 2022, I am not concerned which carrier or whatever obscure route I may have to use there or back, as points cap at 318K and milage will not be issue. What is important is getting to the UK via a green zone and getting back to ADL as the first AU entry point, MH or SQ seems to be the best options.

Matt , thanks for that clarification re QR maxing U seats for QFF. It is always easy to blame QFF when in fact the whole award seat allocations can be so complicated.

 

[whole-lotta-moxie]

Interesting that QFF is now showing availability from Australian ports to Doha but ONLY one "U" seat.
I compared a sample of dates where QFF offer one business award seat and BA is showing 4 seats . Still I guess one seat is better than none !
View attachment 259426

I have completely forgotten that i could search using BA.... This is what i use to do as well and then cross reference with QF.. Thanks for jogging the memory @ozflier

 

[ozflier]

I have completely forgotten that i could search using BA.... This is what i use to do as well and then cross reference with QF.. Thanks for jogging the memory @ozflier

I had forgot also - only started again when I was finding it hard to access some sectors on the QFF award booking site. In the past , you had to ring and request if there was availability on Royal Air Maroc ( AT) into and out of Cascablanca (CMN) .
But I found that the BA site seemed to duplicate AT award availability with QFF so that helped.
Interesting that QFF ( or AT) seems to be blocking access to AT at the moment.
I know that I can't start a request with CMN ( similar to Doha) .I assume that its related to calculation of taxes etc which need to be done manually and / or using another currency.
Now, even I start with another origin city eg LHR in the search , the system breaks down if I request CMN or Marrakech ( RAK) as the destination-it comes up with the error-
"Please review the following items

• We have found several arrival airports or cities with the name you entered. Please select an airport or city from the list. (10027)"

this particular issue doesn't affect Doha for whatever reason.

If there a workaround for this, I would be very grateful to hear of it.