MEL - LAX Award Flight

[DTM1]

unless I have to make the trip a quick one (and therefore fly J to make it more bearable), my preference is to book in Y and then try to upgrade with points. As a platinum FF, if I pick my flights and dates carefully, I can almost always get an upgrade on points (well, it has worked the last 4 times anyway).

That said, on the LAX route, J seats are in high demand, so it might not be so easy. My last 2 trips to LA were for business, so was in J. You might be best to see if someone flies that route regularly and can give you hints on best flights to take to improve your chances of an upgrade(for eg, QF 25 from Mel to LA via NZ might have less demand than the direct flight).

 

[Expon]

(for eg, QF 25 from Mel to LA via NZ might have less demand than the direct flight).

So that's where that flight goes, I always wondered how 2 LA flights escaped out of melbourne with me only noticing QF93.

That said, on the LAX route, J seats are in high demand, so it might not be so easy. My last 2 trips to LA were for business, so was in J. You might be best to see if someone flies that route regularly and can give you hints on best flights to take to improve your chances of an upgrade

Good point, does anyone know which days of the week are less full on this sector? I noticed last year flying to Japan that Tuesdays were a good day to fly, but weekends....forget it.



Thanks for the advice guys, always interesting to read a forum where the objective isn't to tear everyone else down.

 

[Shano]

Midweek flights typically have lighter loads than end of week (Friday / weekends).

I have tried numerous times to upgrade LAX-MEL and have been successful only once - which was a Tuesday night flight and downstairs J cabin was only half full. All other attempts were for Saturday nights and flights practically full.

 

[NM]

Good point, does anyone know which days of the week are less full on this sector? I noticed last year flying to Japan that Tuesdays were a good day to fly, but weekends....forget it.

Most business travellers tend to fly on Friday through Monday. I generally find Tuesday through Thursday is best chance for successful upgrade waitlists. Now with that said, I have a waitlist for an upgrade on QF29 coming up for a Monday departure. But i consider the 11pm departure to really be a Tuesday as far as business travellers are concerned.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

QF 25 from Mel to LA via NZ might have less demand than the direct flight

I wouldn't count on it - remember that flight picks up passengers from NZ as well as MEL. Annoyingly on awards QF does seem to reserve a lot of business seats on this flight to ex-MEL, leaving little ex-AKL :evil: Cunning ploy to make us burn more points via SYD/MEL/BNE. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Edited to add - often the 2 NZ flights ex-AKL sell out in business and premium economy. When they do, chances are good QF flight will also sell out. There isn't enough capacity to meet demand on this route, even with NZ starting AKL-LHR via HKG which will have taken a lot of business pax off the route.

 

[DTM1]

Most business travellers tend to fly on Friday through Monday.

True, but if you are going to ever fly in september, then the best flight to get on is on the 10th or the 11th because of people not being prepared fly around September 11 (anniversary of 9/11). Came back from HK last year on the 11pm flight on the 10th (Sunday night), and only 6 people upstairs and less than half full downstairs - could have simply been an anomaly, but I have heard similar stories from other people who have flown on those dates.

 

[d15.in.oz]

...could have simply been an anomaly, but I have heard similar stories from other people...

I was on a mid-con US east coast flight, out of NYC "9/12" last year - 5% full.

(Also on this flight, in Y, was the first time I have ever seen someone tip the FAs, after paying for an in-flight drink service. Although I will admit they were some of the best Y FAs on AA I have ever encountered, perhaps enjoying an empty plane.)

 

[yuppieshrink]

Nah, go the massive holiday, I spent the first week thinking about my job (I really am a shrink).

I am in California for 4 weeks, its great.

As for business vs economy, I travel with the family and try to tax deduct via incorporatng conferences at the beginning or end of the holiday and use the points for the spouse/accompyanying aunties. Be interested in anyone who does this too.

 

[Maca44]

True, but if you are going to ever fly in september, then the best flight to get on is on the 10th or the 11th because of people not being prepared fly around September 11 (anniversary of 9/11).

I agree that some people would think this way, especially in the USA, but in October 1977 I was hit by a bus whilst on a pedestrian crossing and I think I have more chance of that happing again then a plane I'm on being taken over. However, as you say if people have those thoughts it would make more room for others who are not paranoid.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

True, but if you are going to ever fly in september, then the best flight to get on is on the 10th or the 11th because of people not being prepared fly around September 11 (anniversary of 9/11).

On US flights I presume?

 

[NM]

As for business vs economy, I travel with the family and try to tax deduct via incorporatng conferences at the beginning or end of the holiday and use the points for the spouse/accompyanying aunties. Be interested in anyone who does this too.

My understanding is that you can you can only claim a tax deduction for the proportion of the trip that is work-related. So if you have a 2 day conference at the start of a 20 day trip, followed by 18 days of vacation, then you can only claim 10% of the airfare cost since the trip was 10% work and 90% personal. But as with any taxation matters, consult your tax advisor first.

 

[DTM1]

On US flights I presume?

Not only - they're pretty sensitive to it in asia as well. had that experience out of HKG.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Not only - they're pretty sensitive to it in asia as well. had that experience out of HKG.

Not in my experience (hence my question).