If I Cancel QR/VA Rewards Flight, and Rebook a SQ Flight on Velocity, Will I Lose Out?

[dsotm]

I'm booked ATH-DOH-MEL for October in J on points, but I'm think of pushing the date further out and flying back on Singapore Airlines instead. The SQ flight is shorter and only $300 in fees vs $750 on Qatar. If I ring Velocity and cancel will I get the difference in points and fees back quickly? Or are refunds/point restores messy from Qatar?

 

[shadrach]

I recently (as in a month or so ago) cancelled Qatar flights redeemed via Velocity and all points appeared back in my account while I was still on the phone with the agent. Fees and taxes took a few days IIRC. As a bonus they didn't even charge me the normal cancellation fee.
You do run the risk of the SQ flight disappearing if you don't book it straight away after cancelling your Qatar flights.

 

[goldenhorn]

Yes, I would book the SQ flight first and once that's confirmed, cancel the QR.

Personally, I would pay the extra $450 for the QR experience. Even longer way home on QR sounds great to me.

 

[dsotm]

Maybe! It's a six hour layover in Doha, and I hear they have a great business lounge.

 

[sydunipete]

Maybe! It's a six hour layover in Doha, and I hear they have a great business lounge.

They do. Just check your fare includes lounge access. Since QR introduced unbundled fares some passengers are getting nasty surprises. I'm not sure what the situation is with award flights.

 

[dsotm]

Just check your fare includes lounge access

I think someone on the forum confirmed VA award tickets do allow access to the lounge. I'd better search and confirm that to be sure.

 

[Human]

I did this myself earlier this year and the experience was seamless. I did have to pay the $60pp Velocity cancellation fee, though.

My original itinerary was to fly to, and from, Europe on separate Qatar bookings, made through Velocity. In the end I flew to Europe on Singapore and back on Qatar. We had lounge access in Doha and spent most of our time in the new Garden North Lounge overlooking the trees. Very pleasant.

Re @goldenhorn ’s comment above … I would be very tempted to pay the extra $450 in the future. Singapore’s Business class, is, of course, excellent. But for a whole lot of reasons and not for the first time I found Qatar’s to be a cut above.

 

[jase05]

Q suites to MEL trumps any SQ J service by a fair bit IMO. I’d definitely stay with the QR booking unless time restraints are an issue

 

[bernardblack]

Q suites to MEL trumps any SQ J service by a fair bit IMO. I’d definitely stay with the QR booking unless time restraints are an issue

This. QSuites, or even the reverse-herringbone fitout on the 388 and early 359s, is well ahead of anything on SQ in terms of bed/seat. And SQ's food/bev is generally pretty good, but QR's is a cut above.

Post automatically merged: Dec 17, 2023

If there were any risk of getting the 77Ws with the 2-2-2 seats, it would be a different matter, but I think it's a long time before they've been sent to any Australia port.