Flying to South America from OZ using QFF points

[vladiclav]

Hi guys,



I thought I'd reach out after having a similar experience as the post "LATAM Boeing 787 Business Class Review" where I've made multiple calls to centre reps, all of which from Hobart and by the third attempt ended up getting through to a supervisor. 6 hours on the phone with no luck trying to have the EZE-SCL-SYD released as reward seats on LATAM. Supervisor claimed there was no availability for 1 business class seat on this leg over a 6 month period from Jan to Jun 2025.

Supervisor had also mentioned she'd open up a case on my profile to coordinate a response from LATAM regarding this but this may take months with no guarantee of ever receiving a response. I'm wondering if any of you know if anything has changed since that post your LATAM review that you're aware of? Would you happen to have the flight numbers of that particular route so that I may direct hopefully another supervisor to mimic this route.

Given that it was mentioned that there was plenty of business reward seat availability on LATAM, I find it bizarre that a supervisor isn't able to see not even one throughout a 6 month period.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Steve

 

[Mwenenzi]

I thought I'd reach out after having a similar experience as the post "LATAM Boeing 787 Business Class Review" where I've made multiple calls to centre reps, all of which from Hobart and by the third attempt ended up getting through to a supervisor. 6 hours on the phone with no luck trying to have the EXE-SCL-AKL released as reward seats on LATAM. Supervisor claimed there was no availability for 1 business class seat on this leg over a 6 month period from Jan to Jun 2025.

Supervisor had also mentioned she'd open up a case on my profile to coordinate a response from LATAM regarding this but this may take months with no guarantee of ever receiving a response. I'm wondering if any of you know if anything has changed since that post your LATAM review that you're aware of? Would you happen to have the flight numbers of that particular route so that I may direct hopefully another supervisor to mimic this route.

Given that it was mentioned that there was plenty of business reward seat availability on LATAM, I find it bizarre that a supervisor isn't able to see not even one throughout a 6 month period.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

QF ffp can only "request" other airlines to open an award seat. Not force a release.
Guessing airport EXE is EZE.

Ministro Pistarini International Airport - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Have you looked as EZE-SCL and SCL-AKL as 2 independent awards.

And/or QF SCL-SYD, with cash or award back to AKL.

LATAM is now not in Oneworld alliance. Is associated with DL. Got any DL ff pesos?

 

[levelnine]

no luck trying to have the EXE-SCL-AKL released as reward seats on LATAM.

Qantas has no ability to release award seats on other airlines.

 

[SYD]

There’s also the added complication that you can’t actually search EZE-SYD one way via QFF (just one of those things or IT issues). The work around is to search SYD-EZE (return) and if you can find something back, call up and ask for those seats.

 

[Mattg]

When I tried to book a similar reward using Qantas points, I first checked for availability on the flights I wanted before calling Qantas. I did this using seats.aero and also using the multi-city tool on the Qantas website, searching separately for EZE-SCL and (in my case) SCL-AKL.

To get the multi city tool to show flights originating in Argentina, try putting SYD-MEL as the first flight (just to get the tool to work) and EZE-SCL or EZE-SYD as the second flight.

Once I was able to find flights with availability, I called Qantas to try to book - unfortunately this took 7 calls because most of the offshore agents either couldn't see the flights or didn't know how to check properly.

So there's two parts to this: Firstly finding availability, and secondly booking over the phone. Frustratingly, even if you can get past step 1 you could get stuck at step 2 unless you win the Qantas call centre lottery and/or get someone in Hobart or Auckland (I never did).

I'd suggest starting by searching for seats that are available on a SCL-SYD flight. You can do this on the Qantas website as it will let you book a ticket ex Chile. Use the multi-city tool to see a month-long calendar view. Once you've found a SCL-SYD flight with availability, you can then try to find a flight on the EZE-SCL or AEP-SCL routes that connects to it.

This can be tricky - good luck and if you're still having trouble, you may wish to get in touch with Frequent Flyer Concierge.

 

[madrooster]

and secondly booking over the phone

... and thirdly not having MNL cancel a flight that LA opens up for you

 

[Mattg]

... and thirdly not having MNL cancel a flight that LA opens up for you

Don't get me started on that mess

That wasn't exactly a stellar performance from Qantas' outsourced service provider...

 

[antycbr]

A lot/all of the services operated by LA to Argentina from SCL don’t have business class, they are on A320 or A321 and have a “Euro Business” type product sold as Premium Economy. You can use Qantas points on a fifth freedom KLM service but the timing doesn’t work well to connect.

My strong recommendation is to concentrate on the transpacific sectors to get business awards which will be hard enough with only 3 flights a day typically on QF and LA.

If travelling on an AU passport you should avoid entering Chile unless you actually need or want to. Visas are *complex*

 

[vladiclav]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your input on this one.

I have question on the final leg to get back home, specifically if the bags will be checked all the way through from GRU right through to SYD given that we are stopping over at SCL flying GRU- SCL (LATAM) then SCN-SYD (Qantas).

I hear mixed reviews of people being successful in having through checked baggage, whereas other have been unsuccessful. Qantas have mentioned that LATAM is not apart of their interline agreement but having said that it can sometimes come down to the representatives at the check in counter on the day.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Regards,

Steffano

 

[SYD]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all your input on this one.

I have question on the final leg to get back home, specifically if the bags will be checked all the way through from GRU right through to SYD given that we are stopping over at SCL flying GRU- SCL (LATAM) then SCN-SYD (Qantas).

If it’s all on one booking/ticket, they should check through luggage.

I hear mixed reviews of people being successful in having through checked baggage, whereas other have been unsuccessful.

That’s usually on seperate tickets.

Qantas have mentioned that LATAM is not apart of their interline agreement but having said that it can sometimes come down to the representatives at the check in counter on the day.

That’s bollocks. QF and LA still have a strong bi-lateral agreement beyond interline (but again, normally that thru check of bags is only on one ticket).

 

[vladiclav]

Thought that would be the case with through checked baggage given you can book as a single ticket through the multi city itinerary through Qantas.

Trying to avoid the painful Chilean visa at all costs with the one PNR.