Getting to the US in J with points?

[justinbrett]

This may or may not happen.

I would not rely in it.

Better to make a new booking if there is availability and see it ticketed before cancelling the old.

The point was they can and quite often do, so just because you don't see availability today doesn't mean there will never be.

I've snatched loads of long haul J flights (mostly to/from US) within a few months of departure.

Just keep looking.

 

[DC3]

I think it was more about not assuming that the seats are returned to inventory. I know that they may, and the question would be when.

Some need to plan way ahead for all sorts of reasons, and need certainty with award availability. Others can fly at the drop of a hat and can use cash if necessary.

 

[serfty]

I've snatched loads of long haul J flights (mostly to/from US) within a few months of departure.

So have I, but in the context of recent posts, such cannot be relied upon.

This week I took the risk of calling to add a segment to an existing transpacific U class booking. If there had been an option to book without calling I would have and then cancelled the other, even at the cost of 6k points.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Transits between airports in Japan aren't allowed at the moment, are they?

In the absence of any other options I think it’s good to book JL via Japan. It’s speculative, but could pay off. And without any cancellation fees there’s not a lot to lose.

Those who made speculative bookings late last year are getting to travel on award seats now. Those who wanted to wait and see what happened are asking where all the seats are

 

[Franky]

In the absence of any other options I think it’s good to book JL via Japan. It’s speculative, but could pay off. And without any cancellation fees there’s not a lot to lose.

Those who made speculative bookings late last year are getting to travel on award seats now. Those who wanted to wait and see what happened are asking where all the seats are

Well put...

 

[ketsuzei]

In the absence of any other options I think it’s good to book JL via Japan. It’s speculative, but could pay off. And without any cancellation fees there’s not a lot to lose.

Those who made speculative bookings late last year are getting to travel on award seats now. Those who wanted to wait and see what happened are asking where all the seats are

Sensational JL mixed class fares ex SYD to Europe fr. $3823 return

Widely available as far as you can book (currently to June 16 2021), mixed class fares flying one way JAL premium economy and the return from Europe in business class, $3823 return. Covers many popular European destinations with code-shares via Helsinki where necessary on Finnair. Finnair...

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[RichardMEL]

If an award seat goes back into U inventory is really determined by the YM rules for the flight at the time of the cancellation and these constantly change so as others say you can't assume a cancelled award seat will return to award inventory. Certainly not something to bank any kind of expectation on.

I would also expect, as a general rule, the closer in to departure of a flight the less chance of an award seat becoming available post a cancel - unless the flight is doing pretty poorly (which was the case during the pandemic in many instances, but not so much now with demand booming). Of course QF have been known to release very late minute inventory (eg: I have seen F seats to LAX show up within about 3 days of departure) but certainly for J on popular routes it's more likely demand would be higher and QF would try and extract a last minute business (travel) sale.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Try searching multicity Brisbane - Honolulu - San Francisco on 24/5

If you want a flight via Fiji, Honolulu to San Francisco for 150k plus taxes. There was also J from Honolulu to Seattle. All are 737s (Max 8, Max 9)

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Try multicity Melbourne - Narita - San Francisco on 1/6

If you want a J for 160k plus taxes. All 787-8s.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Here's a way over

View attachment 273429

You were actually close. There was a from Narita option for fight 2 just under the one you selected.

 

[cove]

Kris Miles put us thru Singapore to get to the US but doing that from the east coast of Australia is quite a long cut to get to Los Angeles. We have never had an issue getting there.

 

[craven morehead]

You were actually close. There was a from Narita option for fight 2 just under the one you selected.

Bugger! I was busy at work and had a half hearted look won't do that again.