QF rewards (lack of availability), SING-MEL Oct 23

[dsotm]

I just use the clunky Multi-city search button. Make sure you check the "Flexible with dates for all flights" box.

 

[Sprucegoose]

As a NB, if you phone through, you will most likely get to the outsourced call center, outside of HBA.
Oct is a time of high demand, as its school holidays in most parts of Aust.
And as QFF NB, any upgrades opportunities would have been taken up by higher status members, and you are down the bottom of the pile.
QFd is different, where if there are seats in the U subclass, you can "burn" points and get them ASAP.
On QFi, its different, its from the top of the status ladder, down to the bottom.
Don't laugh, I have seen points "burn" asking for QFF points in the 1m for some sectors, and that is one way QFi.

Yes, indeed, Poochie, as always, it's all context. If you're on the bottom, you look up; on the top, you look down. ....putting it as politely as possible

 

[JohnK]

The September school holidays are a highly desirable time to travel. Success is more likely if you avoid peak travel periods.

Miss those days when one could travel when they wanted and find the cheapest days to travel months in advance. With a 6 year old going to school we're now limited to travel during school holidays.

Planning March-April 2023 BNE-BKK//CNX-BNE and airfares are now $2000+ per person in economy and going up each day. I'm even toying with the idea of flying out of SYD or MEL as their school holidays start later but still high airfares. Ridiculous.

Air Asia X SYD-KUL and Thai Air Asia KUL-BKK is ~$600 per person.

SQ CNX-BNE is ~$900 per person.

I've looked at June-July and airfares are worse as that is the time people go to Europe. September school holidays just as bad.

 

[jpp42]

Planning March-April 2023 BNE-BKK//CNX-BNE and airfares are now $2000+ per person in economy and going up each day.

Bit off topic, since not QF or rewards, but ..

Do you mean you can choose between BKK and CNX, or you want an open-jaw itinerary? For a straight return trip to CNX, I found some fares in that time frame for around $1400 return via TPE on Eva Air. 15 hours travel time but that isn't that much different to some itineraries through SIN or KUL... worth considering if you're price sensitive.

For BKK I found one option for $839 return via ADL and KUL - 16 hours and 2 connections so not a good idea. Cathay via HKG has a much simpler $1200 return fare which is probably what I would choose, especially if you have QF/OW status.

I use IATA Matrix and Google Flights for these kinds of airline-wide searches.

 

[JohnK]

I use IATA Matrix and Google Flights for these kinds of airline-wide searches.

Thanks. I've been using SQ, Skyscanner and Webjet. I think ExpertFlyer would have given better results. I've not used ITA Matrix for quite some time.

Were travelling to BKK and returning from CNX. Were travelling during QLD school holidays in April 2023.

I've been able to find a SYD-SIN(TR)-BKK(SQ) departing 4 days before QLD school holidays begin (11 days before NSW school holidays begin) and return CNX-SIN(TR)-BNE(SQ) returning 2 days after QLD school term begins on Webjet for ~$4000 total for 3 of us and I'm happy with that airfare.

Hope to book tomorrow if still available.

 

[jase05]

Me and my partner have 1M QFF points and want to travel to Europe Sep and Oct 23. We have no other airline rewards points so Asia Miles / Krisflyer are out of the question.

There are no business classic reward flights to London, Paris, etc on any days that I checked, direct from Sydney or via Singapore or HK.

We're just QFF Bronze and it seems like the points we have are just going to waste.

There are options if you are prepared to be flexible
With QF you have SYD-CGK and SYD-MNL J availability almost every day in September and even some SYD-KUL J availability on MH.
From Asia you can then work your way to Europe
Yes it may not be the most direct route but it’s something

 

[Sprucegoose]

There are options if you are prepared to be flexible
With QF you have SYD-CGK and SYD-MNL J availability almost every day in September and even some SYD-KUL J availability on MH.
From Asia you can then work your way to Europe
Yes it may not be the most direct route but it’s something

Agree the real gems are off the beaten track. I would consider obscure places you wouldn't ordinarily pick, and with an open mind, who knows what heaven you could be in? The Maluku (Moluccas) Islands are spectacular and will all feed back into SIN, from there up through a 'Stan' and stumble through the Euro backdoor. Research time, desire and curiosity are important to travel satisfaction.

As one possibility.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

My understanding of that part of the world - and please correct me if I’m mistaken here, is that once you’re in a major hub like SIN (for QF, JQ, BA, SQ), NRT (for JL, QF, JQ), KUL (for MH), TPE (for BR and QF partner CI) BKK (for TG) the rest is all child’s play as infra-Asia flights tend to be highly competitive both on schedule and pricing. Hence an approach might be to first find a flight to these hubs first then build out your infra-Asia itinerary from there.

 

[DrGear]

Me and my partner have 1M QFF points and want to travel to Europe Sep and Oct 23. We have no other airline rewards points so Asia Miles / Krisflyer are out of the question.

There are no business classic reward flights to London, Paris, etc on any days that I checked, direct from Sydney or via Singapore or HK.

We're just QFF Bronze and it seems like the points we have are just going to waste.

I know the pain. 1.3M points, bronze. May as well be Waltons gift vouchers for all the things I can book with them. Trying to get to Japan for our belated honeymoon, nothing except Jetstar budget flights for basically the whole calendar. Had we been able to do it before covid, JAL first class was what we had booked.

I’m probably going to change my QBR Amex to a Platinum and just accrue points there so I might have a better chance at getting something somewhere one day.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I know the pain. 1.3M points, bronze. May as well be Waltons gift vouchers for all the things I can book with them. Trying to get to Japan for our belated honeymoon, nothing except Jetstar budget flights for basically the whole calendar. Had we been able to do it before covid, JAL first class was what we had booked.

I’m probably going to change my QBR Amex to a Platinum and just accrue points there so I might have a better chance at getting something somewhere one day.

It's not just the membership rewards points that make it attractive, but also all the travel benefits you get including a free night's stay at Accor properties in Asia-Pacific, comprehensive lounge access (i.e. Virgin lounge access when flying Virgin, priority pass, Centurion and plaza premium lounge memberships covering north of 1000 lounges globally), a $450 travel credit and $400 dining credits every year plus AmEx offers that are arguably better than what you get on your Qantas card.

All of that said, yes award availability outside of Qantas can be quite good indeed. I'm flying Sydney to Toronto next year with a 2 week stopover in Zurich, all in business class, flying Virgin, Etihad, and TAP along the way for 110,000 Aeroplan points. I doubt you could get as far as Los Angeles in business with a comparable amount of Qantas Points! What those membership rewards points buy you is flexibility. You get to check the various frequent flyer programs they support (~8 in total) and see where the availability is. Only then do you transfer the points from AmEx over to the frequent flyer program to make the booking.

-RooFlyer88