It's a direct flight but not a non-stop flight, stops at AKL. I just did a random multi trip reward search and QF4 was showing, maybe a vagary of the book engine. Should be bookable by the call centre.
View attachment 322536
I called them up and they said it was an issue with the website showing fake availability for a number of my sectors sadly. I cross-referenced with Expert Flyer as suggested elsewhere for those sectors in this forum and it also suggested this was an issue of phantom availability. I ended up changing my plans and the order of my flights.
Would appreciate some advice from someone re the questions below. My booked itinerary (woo!) is now as follows:
*SYD-ADL
(ADL-DPS on a separate classic rewards flight as I couldn't find non-Jetstar or Oneworld flights for SYD-DPS on my dates)
(DPS-TPE separately as no reasonable Oneworld options (maybe DPS-SIN-TPE could work but it's more work + more points than I have which makes a revenue fare DPS-TPE more sensible)
(TPE-SIN - I was going to do this on points separately but could also do this as part of my one world classic reward itinerary - I'm a bit confused about the best option here, see below)
*SIN-DBV
(DBV-BCN - revenue fare)
*BCN-EWR
*EWR-LAX
*LAX-SYD
I'm a bit confused about what changes I can make in future, if availability opens up on the SYD-DPS route, can I later change my first flight to SYD-DPS? As I understand it, I can then cancel by ADL-DPS flight for a cancellation fee of 6,000 points?
I am considering adding in a longer/more awkwardly timed/non-direct flight option but which is One World and so fits into my classic reward itinerary to get from TPE-SIN instead of buying a direct flight with points on China Airlines. The main reason for this would be because I'd like to fly back into Singapore 2-3 days before my SIN-DBV flight, but I'm worried about somehow not being able to get back to SIN in time because of typhoons etc. that sometimes happen in Taiwan at that time of year. If I add in a TPE-SIN to my current classic reward fare, would they help rebook me on the SIN-DBV if there are issues? I assume the rest of my fare wouldn't automatically cancel then if I missed a flight because an earlier classic reward flight on the same booking reference was canceled, right?
Or, as this is a worse flight option, for the more experienced travellers out there, is 2 and a half days enough leeway to get to my SIN-DBV sector if I choose the direct TPE-SIN China Airlines classic reward flight and need to get on a new flight/wait out a weather event? Would Qantas still cancel my other flights if the reason why I couldn't get there is a because a classic reward flight on a different booking reference got canceled or some type of force majeure?
Thanks again all!
I'm wondering whether I'm the only one who is struggling with finding rewards flights in April 2024? I'm halfway booked with my OWA itinerary for next year but can't find any (non China Air) flights from Asia back to Aus! I'm starting to get worried as it's getting very close to the dates I was looking to book. I've checked from SIN, HKG, BKK, KUL, HND/NRT, PVG to MEL, SYD, and BNE. I don't mind which OW airline but am feeling very despondent as even economy flights are few and far between. I do know it's school holidays at the time I'm trying to book, but I log on every day at 10am AEST and keep checking throughout the day and still nothing... Thanks for any help or insights!
