MH J Award using QFF Points (intra-Asia)

[dairyfloss]

Hi Folks - I'm looking to book an intra-Asia return on MH a little later this year, traveling SIN-xKUL-LGK and return. I'll be booking revenue D class for myself, as I want the J SCs to top-up to WP renewal for the year, but for my wife and young son, who don't need the SCs, we were hoping to book J awards.

I can see availability on just about every flight option in Y, but never in J. I've checked other points in the year and it's the same story. Is this a restriction that is imposed by MH or QF, and I'd need to call up to book (I recall some years ago there was no online availability for MH at all), or is it more likely that it's simply not there? Deep discount J fares are available on all the same flights with MH (Z & I class), so if it was going to show up on fare basis, I think it would.

Any experience or advice with MH J using QFF points, particularly for intra-Asia?

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[fresherbill]

Can you see availability if you only search for 1 seat? IME MH only releases a single J award seat on many intra-Asia flights. I tried calling up QF to get a second seat on KUL-BKK but to no avail - they said it was all MH made available. I did notice that more seats did become available a couple of days before departure. Didn't help me though because I'd already booked Y awards.

 

[Mattg]

You can usually get 1 award seat, but not 2.

 

[dairyfloss]

Thanks, guys - tried with one adult on multiple dates and flights (shoulder season timing - flights are totally open in all fare buckets) and still getting nothing. Will play some more and see how it goes.

My son is too young for me to book him separately, so if I can’t get 2 on an award in one booking, I’d need to buy him a revenue (D) fare with me, and my wife would go on the award. It’s all too hard, sometimes!

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Pele]

Today i booked an intra Asia flight in J on MH using QFF points. The flight is for next week so maybe that helped.

 

[dairyfloss]

Today i booked an intra Asia flight in J on MH using QFF points. The flight is for next week so maybe that helped.

Was it a single seat, or you've manage to snare more than 1? Mind if I ask what route?

 

[Pele]

A single seat from KUL-SIN.

 

[dairyfloss]

Thanks - I do actually see options for single sectors - SIN<>KUL next week, for an adult + child in J. Most days there are multiple direct MH flight options bookable for 20K QFF points + the co-pay, unfortunately though I can't find anything similar for the KUL<>LGK legs, so unless I maybe wait it out and try to connect an award SIN<>KUL booking with a revenue KUL<>LGK booking, I reckon this is just going to the too hard basket!

 

[serfty]

Yes, there's often late availability.

I booked a single seat SIN-KUL award in business on 7th March for 11th March. At the time, i could have booked 4.

But LGK may be another issue.

 

[muppet]

Thanks - I do actually see options for single sectors - SIN<>KUL next week, for an adult + child in J. Most days there are multiple direct MH flight options bookable for 20K QFF points + the co-pay, unfortunately though I can't find anything similar for the KUL<>LGK legs, so unless I maybe wait it out and try to connect an award SIN<>KUL booking with a revenue KUL<>LGK booking, I reckon this is just going to the too hard basket!

Have you had a look at any trip reports, honestly i reckon let your +1 have your seat and save the cash or points and travel in Y. Such short flights. No booze. Likely very light meal.

 

[dairyfloss]

Have you had a look at any trip reports, honestly i reckon let your +1 have your seat and save the cash or points and travel in Y. Such short flights. No booze. Likely very light meal.

I've probably taken well over a hundred MH short haul / regional flights in the last decade, so I'm my own reviewer on this one... as well as a bit of a sucker for punishment, clearly! Not worried about food or grog; just a bit of extra space & comfort on a long awaited SEA holiday. I've got more points than I can use for now, so was hoping I could burn some, but the MH Biz Promo fares are usually reasonable enough if I can't make the awards work.

 

[dairyfloss]

Thanks again for the inputs on this one, folks... now get this... I ended up being able to find and book the revenue D class Business seats on MH SIN-xKUL-LGK and return, when incorporating to a multi-city on QF's site, together with my QF SYD-SIN-SYD ticket, and it only added about $230 per pax to do so, (that's about 2 x the co-pay amount for a Y award on the same route). An extra 120SCs at about $1.92 a pop. Very surprising, but of course very welcome!

Good things come to those... who've given up

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Another option is to move a few Amex points into Enrich and book using those miles.
Unlimited availability in all fare classes, whereas QF will only have access to X/U.

ASEAN flights using Enrich miles can be worth it even with dynamic redemption as the rate is not static like other airlines.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Another option is to move a few Amex points into Enrich and book using those miles.
Unlimited availability in all fare classes, whereas QF will only have access to X/U.

ASEAN flights using Enrich miles can be worth it even with dynamic redemption as the rate is not static like other airlines.

Here I am advocating for swinging points to Enrich for better availability...

Yesterday I was searching for any award space to get into SYD next week and found that Malaysia Airlines is giving more award inventory to Qantas than their own Enrich members.

Same day.
Same flight.

 

[Pele]

QFF also offered the same flight on the 30th March and I booked it as well as the night flight on the 31st March which someone else booked. These flights were all released less than 10 days prior to departure.