Qantas Award Charges Outrageous

[jgm]

QF awards are never OK value. Too many points compared with most others plus YQ rip-offs.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

This is probably more accurate. Wise move on your half I believe!

I think there's very few good choices these days in how to burn points. Y is ridiculous no matter where you go, J is 'ok' value on a regular return trip. I think it's only great value as part of a J or F OWA. No doubt these rates will be enhanced in the near future.

Actually we've been quite lucky with our QF3 upgrades ie got 2 out of 2. Had we bought the saver fare & put in a points upgrade on the last trip it would've been 3 out of 3 as the flight went out with a couple of spare seats in J but I don't regret doing what we did.

 

[snabbu]

Booked an 8 segment 420k award recently, 3 of the long haul in F, transiting LHR twice, taxes coming in at $1100ish. Last segment was HND-SYD on QF in J.

Decided to switch this final segment to HND-BKK-KUL-SYD as I had time to see some friends in SEA on the way home. Found availability in J on JL/MH/MH so called up to switch the flights knowing full well I would cop the change fee. What I didn't expect was a refund of $400 in fuel fines/taxes.

#gobsmacked

 

[amaroo]

Just booked our return flight from the LOTFAP.... had two options;

1. CX ... JFK-HKG-(CNS)-BNE 4 x J = 556,000 points and US$475.76

2. QF ... JFK-LAX-BNE 4 x J = 512,000 points and US$1,736.52

Went with option 2 - pity about the CNS stopover!

 

[Buzzard]

How long is the CNS stopover?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

How long is the CNS stopover?

Scheduled for 1hr15mins. With the transit it takes about 11 hours vs 9 hours non-stop.

 

[amaroo]

How long is the CNS stopover?

Good Q. But it's more than just a stopover!

Let's start with the flying time - QF has a 7 hour advantage. However, the real question is what time does the thing land at CNS .... that would be 6.37am:shock:

6.37am screams horror flight to me. No thanks! Looks like a good way to ruin a day and a horrible way to end a great holiday!

 

[Aus ATC]

Agree - the CNS stopover is less than ideal. Also shortening the time in the air cuts down on the overnight "sleep". We did this one last year. Our next HKG-BNE flight is booked direct specifically for this reason (+ is a more preferred afternoon /evening flight).

 

[Limewood]

Well yes miss CNS and miss meeting me...

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Scheduled for 1hr15mins. With the transit it takes about 11 hours vs 9 hours non-stop.

So 2 extra hours for a USD $1,300 saving, and a better biz class experience.

I'd take this any day...

 

[amaroo]

So 2 extra hours for a USD $1,300 saving, and a better biz class experience.

I'd take this any day...

Except it's 7 hours not 2...

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Except it's 7 hours not 2...

I've done the CNS transfer a number of times and it's painless... unlike LAX ;-)

 

[blackcat20]

Just booked our return flight from the LOTFAP.... had two options;

1. CX ... JFK-HKG-(CNS)-BNE 4 x J = 556,000 points and US$475.76

2. QF ... JFK-LAX-BNE 4 x J = 512,000 points and US$1,736.52

Went with option 2 - pity about the CNS stopover!

We've done similarly for LAX-MEL this year. CX was slightly more points (I think 130k ish versus 96k) but the taxes were far less, and we get to spend the day in HKG on the way home.

 

[Limewood]

We've done similarly for LAX-MEL this year. CX was slightly more points (I think 130k ish versus 96k) but the taxes were far less, and we get to spend the day in HKG on the way home.

No doubt about it, HKG is such a great gateway, brilliant airport, brilliant city and some of the best lounges around. Of course if you can commence award flights in HKG then you'll have so many direct award flights onwards direct to so many US and European cities on OneWorld airlines, we have done this a number of times, it beats the hell out of paying those outrageous Qantas fees.

Footnote:
Mind you we have a number of old Aussie mates who have been living in HK for decades, one who was in control or the airport tower on his shift for 25 years, now retired), a few years back we had a full tour of it, took some organising on his part getting approval for us and we found it so fascinating.

 

[WeeWillyWonka]

Booked J class to Singapore return next month:

Outbound with Qantas - 60,000 points + $325 AUD
Inbound with Singapore Airlines - 58,000 points + $56 SGD

Where's the middle finger emoji for Qantas when you need it :evil:

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Booked J class to Singapore return next month:

Outbound with Qantas - 60,000 points + $325 AUD
Inbound with Singapore Airlines - 58,000 points + $56 SGD

Where's the middle finger emoji for Qantas when you need it :evil:

Whose program was SQ through?

When I did a cost comparison BCN/BNE SQ taxes (Kris Flyer) were more than QF.

 

[oz_mark]

Whose program was SQ through?

When I did a cost comparison BCN/BNE SQ taxes (Kris Flyer) were more than QF.

Was that before March? SQ removed fuel surcharges from Award flights in a restructure back then.

 

[WeeWillyWonka]

Whose program was SQ through?

When I did a cost comparison BCN/BNE SQ taxes (Kris Flyer) were more than QF.

KrisFlyer - as Ozmark mentions above, their surcharges have dropped.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Yes it was prior to March so that explains it. Thought you might've booked the SQ award via another *A partner like Avianca Life Miles.

Not that you can always join Alaska Mileage Plan and purchase miles which can be used for QF, CX plus several other airlines and the taxes are low.

Alternatively use your QF points for CX tickets ex HKG to somewhere as the taxes are the same whether in Y, PE, J or F. Our HKG/YVR award on CX in J using Qantas points the taxes were only AUD58.00 pp.

 

[JohnK]

Booked J class to Singapore return next month:

Outbound with Qantas - 60,000 points + $325 AUD
Inbound with Singapore Airlines - 58,000 points + $56 SGD

Where's the middle finger emoji for Qantas when you need it :evil:

Are Qantas surcharges that high one way? I recently booked BNE-SIN-BKK award and surcharges were ~$190 from memory. I know surcharges are a little higher ex-SIN but didn't think they were that high.