Classic reward to Tokyo late March/early April 2022?

[Lewdannie]

I was looking at booking classic reward seat to BNE- Tokyo in late March/early April next year and there only appear to be JAL flights from SYD available.
Probably a naive question, but any idea when the Qantas metal might be available to book?

 

[Matt_01]

A couple of weeks back I asked QF about this, at that point in time I was advised that the schedule had not been loaded.

 

[henrus]

A couple of weeks back I asked QF about this, at that point in time I was advised that the schedule had not been loaded.

Cash seats have been loaded but not award seats.

 

[Lewdannie]

so check everyday then?

 

[sudoer]

Schedules and inventory have definitely been loaded - BNE-HND is only operating Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

I was able to request 2 x J awards on MEL-HND for 25 March and HND-MEL 11 April. All my requests on SYD-HND around those dates were declined, as were Sat/Sun flights on MEL/BNE-HND vv. Given this I really can't see Qantas opening up much availability for general booking by non status pax.

Many QF flights in the 26 Mar - 10 Apr fortnight popular for cherry blossoms don't even have I class availability. JL has heaps of availability, I would suggest booking that instead - yes it's 16k points pp more expensive (return) and doesn't earn SC (if you have Points Club) but you'll save a bucket on taxes and get a better hard + soft product.

 

[Lewdannie]

Thanks...while I have your attention.
The Qantas site is showing only a 1:15hr gap between arrival at the domestic terminal and the international departure.
Is this enough time to transfer to the international terminal?

 

[sudoer]

The Qantas site is showing only a 1:15hr gap between arrival at the domestic terminal and the international departure.
Is this enough time to transfer to the international terminal?

At which airport? If you book it as a multi-city (i.e. SYD-BNE, BNE-HND or whatever your routing is) you can pick an earlier domestic flight.

 

[Lewdannie]

Sorry
Sydney

 

[sudoer]

75 minutes is definitely not a comfortable transit time in Sydney - it is the absolute minimum bookable.

Given JL52 departs at 9:15am I'd recommend booking a domestic flight to SYD the night prior and stay in one of the hotels near the airport.

 

[kingzac]

February was only loaded a week or so ago, I'd say March/April wouldn't be too far off

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Slightly/majorly OT
I have tried the Rydges at Sydney Airport, its quite noisy, go the Ibis Budget (cheap) at Sydney Airport, yes, its got plane noise, and traffic noise from the main Qantas Dr, but you don't at the Ibis Budget have got trucks and buses reversing noise, or the fumes from trucks delivering goods to the Rydges hotel.
If you do decide the Ibis Budget though, make sure to book a taxi pick up, from the night before, for early the day of your international flight, from the hotel.
Do not do as I once did, thinking that at 4.45am, there would be taxies at the SYD T2/T3 domestic airport terminal, nope, none to be found, none at all!
I had to phone up the only number I could think of, 132211 for Adelaide, didn't know that wasn't a whole of Aust number for taxies, thought it was, so rang up that number, got an answer, ordered a taxi, there I was, the only person at T2/T3 SYD, and a while van, with no name MPV turns up at the special zone pick up at the area between T2/T3 at SYD airport, it must have been an Uber that the 132211 phone operator sent.
He (driver) called me on my mobile to point me to where he was, and I got to the international terminal ok for the LA flight from SYD to AKL.
Hopefully, the international border closures that SM has put in place, will be lifted by the time, for you case, OP.
I would definitely do the overnight in SYD, for any flights that early.
Not sure if you can get a linked PNR from BNE, or if BNE QF check in would do anything for you, for the transfer in SYD.
QF domestic at SYD -> QF international, if borders open, with that internal road bus, its a blessing, but with the iffy border system we have in place, and if the transit bus from near Gate 15 at T2 is not running, its very tight, 7.45am to 9.15am, ...
Best of luck, if you want to try it.

 

[Captain Halliday]

To help get us back on topic, I’m not seeing any CX flights in Mar or Apr.

Perhaps the days of predictable award release dates is another victim of Covid.

 

[Lewdannie]

Yes sorry for the diversion, returning to the topic at hand
With the no penalty cancellations is there any reason I can’t book the JAL flights via Sydney and if the direct from BNE Qantas pops up later book that as well and cancel the original booking?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes sorry for the diversion, returning to the topic at hand
With the no penalty cancellations is there any reason I can’t book the JAL flights via Sydney and if the direct from BNE Qantas pops up later book that as well and cancel the original booking?

Good plan! (Bird in the hand and all that stuff.)

 

[sudoer]

By the rules, Fly Flexible only applies to QF flight numbers and until Feb 2022. But I was able to voluntarily cancel a JAL award without penalty a couple of months ago, so I'm not sure how strictly enforced it is.

The change fee is 5k points (iirc) but as the JAL flight costs an additional 8k each way, you'd still be due a 3k points refund if you switched to QF down the track. You would get slugged a couple of hundred in taxes for the convenience.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

By the rules, Fly Flexible only applies to QF flight numbers and until Feb 2022. But I was able to voluntarily cancel a JAL award without penalty a couple of months ago, so I'm not sure how strictly enforced it is.

The change fee is 5k points (iirc) but as the JAL flight costs an additional 8k each way, you'd still be due a 3k points refund if you switched to QF down the track. You would get slugged a couple of hundred in taxes for the convenience.

Fly flexible applies to qantas paid tickets, but there is another waiver for classic awards. Classic awards can have a date change, or cancellation free of charge:

Flexible Classic Flight Rewards​

Changes on or before 28 February 2022​

If you’re due to travel on a Classic Flight Reward booking (using Qantas Points) that was made before 31 July 2021 and wish to change your date of travel, you can do so by 28 February 2022 and we’ll waive the change fee.

If you’re due to travel on a Classic Flight Reward booking (using Qantas Points) and wish to cancel your trip, you can do so by 28 February 2022 and we’ll waive the cancellation fee on bookings made up to 31 July 2021. The total Qantas Points used and any taxes, fees and carrier charges paid will be refunded.​

​

The points fee waiver applies to itineraries that consist only of Classic Flight Rewards. If you combine a Classic Flight Reward with a non-Classic Flight Reward fare, this fee waiver won’t apply.​

 

[Spacetravel]

Yes sorry for the diversion, returning to the topic at hand
With the no penalty cancellations is there any reason I can’t book the JAL flights via Sydney and if the direct from BNE Qantas pops up later book that as well and cancel the original booking?

I'm looking at booking flights at exactly the same period (late march 2022) and doing exactly this. Booking JAL and switching to QF if availability shows up.

 

[sudoer]

Fly flexible applies to qantas paid tickets, but there is another waiver for classic awards. Classic awards can have a date change, or cancellation free of charge

Yep, aware there are different rules for cash/award flexibility, just going off the terms on the Fly Flexible page under classic awards -

Fly Flexible | Qantas

To ensure you can book with confidence, we're introducing further flight flexibility on eligible flights.

www.qantas.com

When you use Qantas Points to book a Classic Flight Reward on Qantas flights before 31 July 2021, you can change your plans until 28 February 2022

• If you wish to change your travel dates, we’ll waive the change fee.
• If you wish to cancel, we’ll waive the cancellation fee. The total Qantas Points used and any taxes, fees and carrier charges paid will be refunded.

Edit: reading it again I can see the date limit is to make changes by, rather than travel date. Qantas flight restriction seems clear though

 

[Captain Halliday]

By the rules, Fly Flexible only applies to QF flight numbers and until Feb 2022. But I was able to voluntarily cancel a JAL award without penalty a couple of months ago, so I'm not sure how strictly enforced it is.

The change fee is 5k points (iirc) but as the JAL flight costs an additional 8k each way, you'd still be due a 3k points refund if you switched to QF down the track. You would get slugged a couple of hundred in taxes for the convenience.

I’m looking at this option and hoping some award inventory on QF metal comes online.

The tax increase is unpleasant and the in-flight experience would probably be better on JL.

But the SC as a PCP, and a direct flight to avoid Int>dom in SYD will outweigh the negatives IMHO.

YMMV.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yep, aware there are different rules for cash/award flexibility, just going off the terms on the Fly Flexible page under classic awards -

Fly Flexible | Qantas

To ensure you can book with confidence, we're introducing further flight flexibility on eligible flights.

www.qantas.com

When you use Qantas Points to book a Classic Flight Reward on Qantas flights before 31 July 2021, you can change your plans until 28 February 2022

• If you wish to change your travel dates, we’ll waive the change fee.
• If you wish to cancel, we’ll waive the cancellation fee. The total Qantas Points used and any taxes, fees and carrier charges paid will be refunded.

Edit: reading it again I can see the date limit is to make changes by, rather than travel date. Qantas flight restriction seems clear though

I see what you mean!

That makes it confusing because there is another page here: https://www.qantas.com/au/en/travel-info/travel-updates/coronavirus/booking-changes-and-refunds.html

That includes the text in my post, which does not limit the policy to qantas flights.

If you’re due to travel on a Classic Flight Reward booking (using Qantas Points) that was made before 31 July 2021 and wish to change your date of travel, you can do so by 28 February 2022 and we’ll waive the change fee.​

If you’re due to travel on a Classic Flight Reward booking (using Qantas Points) and wish to cancel your trip, you can do so by 28 February 2022 and we’ll waive the cancellation fee on bookings made up to 31 July 2021. The total Qantas Points used and any taxes, fees and carrier charges paid will be refunded.​

​

I recommend that anyone making a classic award booking for non-QF flights to take a screenshot of the page I linked just in case it disappears!