Qantas FF Award Seat Releases

[b_rad]

I have one question about the release of award seats. I have booked an award flight from Sydney to Santiago in September. When I booked this (4 - 5 months ago) there was only 2 available dates in September.

Since this time my friends are getting married at the end of October. We have decided to delay our trip until after the wedding (start of November). For the last two months I have been checking the frequent flyer seats available after the wedding and there is virtually no seats available in November or Dec or Jan for that matter.

Out of interest I have been checking Sep and Oct to see what new seats are becoming available. there seems to be new seats available every week in these months (lots more than when i booked), yet in november there is nothing.

I was wondering if anyone has worked out a system of when they release seats on this flight. On the phone they give me vague answers that is when people cancel they become available etc. Why would people be canceling all in sep and oct, but none in nov. I literally check once or twice a day for the seats so they cant be slipping past.

Anyway, if anyone knows any inside info that would be great.

Thanks
Brad

 

[serfty]

Firstly, b_rad, welcome to AFF.

No inside information here, only experiaince.

Basically Holiday periods are the hardest times to get award seats, so that make December and January very difficult and November not a great deal better.

One issue you have is that to get to Santiago, I am assuming you are booking on LA metal even though it might be a QF flight number. This generally makes award seats even harder to find.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Welcome to AFF b_rad

Only direct option is on LAN flight (yes there is also a QF codeshare). You dont say what class you're looking for, but given it is a wedding (ie fixed date) I'd be prepared to travel any class there is availability rather than trying for first (basically impossible with only 5 F seats) or business (only slightly easier).

Since I presume there are 2 of you, also be prepared to take seats in different class, or even 1 paid and 1 award.

Lastly, consider spending more (a lot more) miles for the longer trip via LAX or JFK which may have more availability.

 

[pksw]

Unless things have changed the Sydney - Santiago flight is code-shared with Lan Chile.

There is a stop over in Auckland, where the LAN Chile plane takes over from the Qantas plane (Sydney - Auckland).

I went to Santiago last year, and could not get an award flight either. In the end I just paid for the ticket. I tried all sorts of combinations too - flying via Los Angeles etc...

There was a special offer last year if I flew 3 of the partner airlines. Can't remember the deal, but if it's still around it is reduced points as long as you fly three routes. eg Sydney - LA via Qantas. LA - Florida via another partner, and Florida to somewhere in South America via a third partner airline. I think the offer was for 120000 points economy class, or 80000.... can't really remember.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Unless things have changed the Sydney - Santiago flight is code-shared with Lan Chile.

There is a stop over in Auckland, where the LAN Chile plane takes over from the Qantas plane (Sydney - Auckland).

LA operates the flight from Santiago to Sydney with transit in Auckland both ways. QF codeshares the same flight. On an award there is little point in changing to a QF operated flight for the leg between Sydney and Auckland if flying all the way to Santiago, unless there is no availability on LA.

 

[ric_melb]

South Americans living in Australia have a tradition of going back to their home countries at Christmas. Flights are certainly full for December and January, plus many of them book early in the year to get a flight. Then I guess the demand transfers to November. Good luck with your flights.