Qantas to PEK

[Steady]

I am looking at enrolling on a study tour as part of a Uni course. The Uni offer pre-arranged flights out of an inconvenient airport for me (HBT) on a non preferred alliance but I can make my own travel arrangements. (I love accessing the F-Lounge in MEL or SYD)

I have been looking at multi city bookings as the arrival is PEK and the departure is ex HKG but nothing looks very friendly - or should I say I really don't understand what it means for me with SC and lounge access transiting HKG when QF force me onto a dragonair, HK airlines, or China airlines flight from HKG to PEK however I suspect/expect I would get neither. There are some MU offerings that at least I know I would get lounge access with.

I looked at MEL/SYD - PVG - PEK but QF will only give me MEL/SYD - PVG x HKG - PEK.

I found flight options that appealed on the oneworld site via NRT, (QF25 then a JL flight to PEK) but that doesn't seem to be available from QF online.

I am also thinking it may be easier to just get a HKG return ticket and get a one way to PEK on CX

I am planning on giving QF a call, but before I do I was wondering what others may have done to get to PEK - while earning QF SC's, being able to join the upgrade lottery on the longer legs and have lounge access?
Maximising the FFP earn is not important to me in this situation, I would be booking flex Y (maybe PE if there was an Aquire fare on the dates I need) after doing a bit of homework on expert flyer of course

 

[JohnPhelan]

You WILL get points and status credits (at the partner rate) on Dragonair. You will get points, but NOT status credits, on China Eastern.

https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/flying/earning-points-partner-airlines

A oneworld Emerald travelling on Dragonair gets lounge access to the CX lounges in HKG and PEK.

All of this is because Dragonair is a subsidiary of CX, and is an "affiliate" of oneworld.

Re the JL option, you would need to book that via the call centre.

 

[dajop]

what it means for me with SC and lounge access transiting HKG when QF force me onto a dragonair, HK airlines, or China airlines flight from HKG to PEK however

Dragonair is a member of oneworld, CX's regional arm, therefore if travelling on a flight operated by Dragonair or Cathay Pacific (don't use codeshares operated by Air China, with flight number KA 11xx), you will get full lounge access at HKG, to the rather nice CX First Lounge's there. SC's earn will depend on the fare.

 

[Isochronous]

Via NRT on JL would be an interesting option but you would need a TA

 

[Anna]

This is straight off the QF website - "You can fly direct from Australia to Shanghai on Qantas and connect with our codeshare partner China Eastern to Beijing". So I'm not sure why they want you to go to HKG as well.

Cheap flights to China | Flights to China | Qantas

 

[Steady]

I don't understand it either.

 

[Himeno]

Re the JL option, you would need to book that via the call centre.

Can it be done on the website using the multicity option?

 

[dajop]

This is straight off the QF website - "You can fly direct from Australia to Shanghai on Qantas and connect with our codeshare partner China Eastern to Beijing". So I'm not sure why they want you to go to HKG as well.

Because a lot of travellers would probably prefer to do a intl-intl transit at HKG and relax during transit there, with the much more pleasant lounges, during the inevitably delayed flight to PEK, than fly domestically within mainland China, and deal with a delayed domestic flight to PEK.

 

[JohnPhelan]

This is straight off the QF website - "You can fly direct from Australia to Shanghai on Qantas and connect with our codeshare partner China Eastern to Beijing". So I'm not sure why they want you to go to HKG as well.

Cheap flights to China | Flights to China | Qantas

Transiting in HKG is a much better experience than PVG; KA is a much better experience than MU.

 

[smit0847]

I was very impressed with KA A330 J.

 

[Melburnian1]

Have you thought of travelling by train from either Shanghai or (further) from Hong Kong to Beijing?

More pleasant than flying and as a bonus you avoid the inevitable mainland Chinese airport delays.

 

[Steady]

I am happy to transit through the HKG and visit the Wing again, I didn't realise KA came with oneworld privileges. Transiting through NRT would be a new experience for me.

I am yet to get the multi city to generate an itinerary for DPO - PEK. HKG - DPO unless it is a classic award (2 x one way revenue tickets are fine)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

There are some MU offerings that at least I know I would get lounge access with.

Just out of interest - do you get lounge access flying MU (even on a QF code share) by virtue of status (as opposed to class-of-service)? According to OW lounge rules this wouldn't be the case?

 

[Steady]

Just out of interest - do you get lounge access flying MU (even on a QF code share) by virtue of status (as opposed to class-of-service)? According to OW lounge rules this wouldn't be the case?

I expect you are right - MU was a typo/mistake. I was thinking MH but looking at some MU connections and typed the wrong code.....

 

[Anna]

Because a lot of travellers would probably prefer to do a intl-intl transit at HKG and relax during transit there, with the much more pleasant lounges, during the inevitably delayed flight to PEK, than fly domestically within mainland China, and deal with a delayed domestic flight to PEK.

Unless I'm misunderstanding the OP, QF isn't saying fly to Shanghai OR Hong Kong. They are saying first fly to PVG then to HKG then to PEK, which makes no sense to me geographically or in any other way (except perhaps as an SC run on a codeshare )

 

[Steady]

I was trying to find route options with the multi city tool by including various options inc SIN, HKG, PVG and NRT when it spat out PVGxHKG - PEK.

I cannot get it to come up with that routing again tonight - not that I want it.

 

[clazman]

Just allow plenty of time for delays flying in and out of China, 3 hours is not uncommon

 

[Steady]

3 extra hours in the Wing does not sound that bad

 

[MEL_Traveller]

3 extra hours in the Wing does not sound that bad

No - but 8+ hours as has been experienced on several days over the last couple months is no place to spend at a lounge in PEK or PVG. Plus missed connections and even if the airline provides you with a hotel in HKG, you might not get there until 3am or 4am in the morning.

While connecting in PVG to fly to PEK is not much better (can be significant delays), non-stops to China (CA, or connections outside of HKG SAR are probably preferable (for example SQ).