QF award availability to AAdvantage members

[NM]

Found an interesting scenario when seeking award flights for my daughter. Flying Australia to Germany and return, my QFF Gold account was only presented with one option, which was QF BNE-ADL connecting to EK ADL-DXB then EK DXB-MUC. Return was via DXB and PER with an over-night stop in PER. This was quoted on-line as requiring 120,000 QFF point plus approx $800 in fees.

Looking on-line via AAdvantage Gold account I was presented QF BNE-MEL-DXB-LHR connecting to BA LHR-MUC outbound and AY MUC-HEL-SIN connecting to BA SIN-SYD and QF SYD-BNE for the return. I note that all the carriers in this itinerary are OneWorld partners and obviously presenting award availability to AAdvantage Gold status member but not available to a QFF Gold status member.

The AA award was 120,000 AA miles plus US$350.

So while 120K QFF points is easier to come by than 120K AA miles for me (and hence I value AA miles more highly than QFF points), more convenient flight schedule, an option to stay a night in London (a night at the theatre in West End is a huge attraction to her) and lower co-payment once again leaned towards the AA award option.

It seems that QF's award availability, even on its own operated flights, is more restricted to sub-Platinum QFF members than to other partner FF programs. We know they offer different award availability for Plat and Plat-One members than they do for Gold, Silver, Bronze. But it seems in this recent experience that its not additional availability for super-elite, but restricted availability for plebeian status members.

 

[Mattg]

Assuming the AA availability wasn't "phantom" availability, it sounds to me like this is more of an issue with the Qantas website than with Qantas award availability per-se.

Did you try using the QF multi-city booking tool and searching for the flights you found on AA.com sector by sector? They may well have appeared then.

 

[NM]

Assuming the AA availability wasn't "phantom" availability, it sounds to me like this is more of an issue with the Qantas website than with Qantas award availability per-se.

Was not phantom. I have actually booked it, paid and received confirmation.

Did you try using the QF multi-city booking tool and searching for the flights you found on AA.com sector by sector? They may well have appeared then.

I did. At least tried to find BNE-LHR and nothing came up. I didn't go down to individual sector by sector though. QFF only wanted to present EK flight options and not QF for the long-haul.

 

[Mattg]

I did. At least tried to find BNE-LHR and nothing came up. I didn't go down to individual sector by sector though. QFF only wanted to present EK flight options and not QF for the long-haul.

I suspect that the AA options would have come up on the QF website if broken down sector-by-sector. Searching for any city pair between Australia and Europe is unlikely to yield many results on the QF website, so I usually check individually for options between Australia/Europe and SIN, HKG, DXB, DOH, HND etc.

Anyway, you were able to book something that you were happy with so that's the main thing.

 

[drron]

Though on 2 occasions I have been able to book J awards on QFs BKK service on AA when not presented on mrsdrron's QFF plat account.On one occasion not even when ringing the QF plat line.On the second occasion I didn't bother ringing QF just booked the AA offering

 

[LA10]

Thanks for letting us know.

 

[NM]

Looking today at some domestic flights, my QFF Gold account is seeing business class availability that AA is not presenting. So as usual, its a case of YMMV ... check all options and don't assume any single view of award availability is the full picture. Check all options.

 

[diningdecadence]

has there been any changes to QF award availability?

e.g. QF is showing availability on a particular flight, but EF, AA, BA can't see that availability. I'm only a lowly bronze, but are they restricting redemption to QF points only? unfortunately i don't have enough points to go through to the confirmation screen to check if it's phantom. the online agent tool confirms availability though.

 

[Danger]

has there been any changes to QF award availability?

e.g. QF is showing availability on a particular flight, but EF, AA, BA can't see that availability. I'm only a lowly bronze, but are they restricting redemption to QF points only? unfortunately i don't have enough points to go through to the confirmation screen to check if it's phantom. the online agent tool confirms availability though.

I don't believe it's uncommon for a particular airline to only offer some or all seats on its own flights to its own frequent flyers. This is likely the case here.

Note also that ExpertFlyer availability can be affected by point of sale.

 

[Limewood]

I for one have been complaining about Qantas greedy fees and charges for years, reason we get Y to HKG and go J from there to USA or Europe with more seats available and next to nothing in fees.

 

[Croupier]

I for one have been complaining about Qantas greedy fees and charges for years, reason we get Y to HKG and go J from there to USA or Europe with more seats available and next to nothing in fees.

Exactly what I do, then to get back I usually find a deal from Flyertalk Prem fare deals thread, this gives me 2 x trips to EU for a decent spread of Miles and Cash.