QFF award flights Sydney to Bangkok

[JohnK]

Hi All,

This is my first post on this forum and would appreciate any help. Sorry for the long post.

I have been trying to redeem an award flight Sydney-Bangkok for a stay of around 12 days and have found this absolutely impossible. Why are Qantas making it so hard to redeem international award flights? Some people have been able to book these flights but I find it very hard to book 12 months in advance.

Anyway I think I have found a way around this but not sure if it is valid. I I can book an award flight Sydney-Singapore and then fly Finnair Singapore-Bangkok by paying for this flight out of my pocket and receiving status credits and ff points. SAS or Swiss flights Singapore-Bangkok do not earn status credits or ff points in SE Asia.

My dilemma is in order to fly Finnair to Bangkok I would need to arrive in Singapore at the latest around 20:00 on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday. That rules out the direct flights to Singapore from Sydney or Melbourne as they arrive too late. I have been able to find an available award seat via Brisbane that arrives in Singapore at 19:50 which would enable me to connect with Finnair and still arrive in Bangkok at 23:10.

The award flight program displays and allows this routing although I have not taken it through to the booking stage. The points needed for SYD-BNE-SIN-SYD is the same points SYD-SIN-SYD which the program has calculated at 50,000 points.

Does anyone see a problem with this booking? Has anyone had a similar experience? The rules are not that specific and I have found QFF staff not very helpful.

 

[thadocta]

Firstly, award flights are har to get to BKK because QF only has one flight a day, so they go quickly.

If routing via SIN and then onto Finnair, rather than pay for the SIN-BKK sector, why not just get a OW award and go all the way on points? Will cost you a bit extra in terms of points (but not much) and save you some dollars.

Dave

 

[JohnK]

Thanks Dave.

I would rather use my ff points for longer flights and pay for the shorter journeys. Before May 25 SIN-BKK with Finnair requires 25,000 points and after May 25 SIN-BKK it requires 24,000 points plus 2,500 points booking fee. If I pay for SIN-BKK it costs AUD$250 and I get 30 status credits plus close to 1800 ff points.

John

 

[NM]

Johnk, I think you may have misunderstood thadocta's suggestion. Rather than redeem a separate award for the AY flight SIN-BKK-SIN, you could consider changing the whole award to a single OneWorld Award. SYD-BNE-SIN-BKK-SIN-SYD is just under 10,000 miles, so fits into the current Zone 3 OneWorld Award category, whoch costs 70,000 points in economy.

After May 25th, a 10,000 mile OneWorld Awards will fit into the new Zone 6 and will cost 102,000 points! So if you want to use this, get in early.

But I understand your point that for a short hop like SIN-BKK-SIN (900 miles each way), it may be better to paid with real money rather than redeem an extra 20,000 points.

Also note there are some different rules with OneWorld Awards, such as not being able to make any changes once the flight flight has commenced.

 

[dajop]

QF codeshare on both the Swissair & Finnair flights. Can you get a redemption on the QF code? That would mean only using a QF redemption not the one world redemption - and therefore cost no more than just going to Singapore.

 

[JohnK]

Thanks guys,

I think I will redeem an award flight to Singapore and pay my way to Bangkok.

Trying to understand the rules and conditions of the ff program sometimes drives me up the wall. I think they intentionally make it more difficult to understand with every change.

And the staff at the ff contact centre......... don't get me started. I can ring on 3 different days and get 3 different interpretations of the conditions. Not very helpful.........

 

[NM]

QF codeshare on both the Swissair & Finnair flights. Can you get a redemption on the QF code? That would mean only using a QF redemption not the one world redemption - and therefore cost no more than just going to Singapore.

No, QF FF Terms and Conditions section 13.3.7 states:

13.3.7 Award Flights are not available on Codeshare Flights unless otherwise specified by Qantas. Award Flights must be booked using the airline designator of the operating carrier unless otherwise specified by Qantas.

And there is nothing that identifies that particular flight as an exception under section 13.3.7.

So the AY flight number must be used. That means it is a joint QF/AY award and that must come from the Partner Award Table. Before May 25th, the 10,000 mile Partner Award will cost 65,000 points. The OneWorld Award, costing 70,000 points, must use at least two non-QF OneWorld airlines. So that will require travel between SIN-SYD on BA to qualify. But it does permit a stopover in SIN and BNE since it includes up to 5 free stopovers.

 

[dajop]

No, QF FF Terms and Conditions section 13.3.7 states:

Oh well, just a thought. Also a shame that Jester Asia don't have the same arrangements withs QF as JQ do here in Australia - as JQ now fly SIN-BKK.

 

[Bob]

It may because I am WP, but I had little trouble last week getting two BNE BKK BNE award bookings for the last week in April. I had to be flexible within a couple of days for the outbound and return trips and go with CX via HKG one way and QF via SYD on the return. 70,000 points for each ticket.

 

[BBloke]

Thanks guys,

I think I will redeem an award flight to Singapore and pay my way to Bangkok.

Hi, I often do this trip (via Singapore to bkk) and have found it economical to travel with airasia.com at around $25AUD each way. They also have a connecting flight late at night. Its pain switching airlines but good value.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Quite a few discount carriers on SIN-BKK route.

 

[JohnK]

Bob,

I was flexible to travel anytime in a 2 month period for a period of around 12 days but for any outbound flight I found the only return flight was 3 months away so hence my option to Singapore and then on to Bangkok.
I think your status has more to do with availability as you are WP and I am only PS ( I hope this is right).

I now have a booking in early June (issues at work so I had to move the date) to Singapore from Sydney via Brisbane to allow me time to connect with Finnair to Bangkok and return again with Finnair to Singapore and direct flight to Sydney.

BBloke,

I know there are a lot of cheap flights Singapore to Bangkok with other airlines but Finnair is just as good and I get the opportunity to accumulate status credits so that I can keep PS for another year

 

[serfty]

I think your status has more to do with availability as you are WP and I am only PS ( I hope this is right).

I know WP & SG get access to T class as well as X. I thought PS did as well. :?:

 

[ronone69]

Maybe I missed something but why don't you fly BA instead of QF ?

They also have a daily flight from Sydney to BKK and they are a far better airline in any case.

There always seem to be seats on BA during the week. Weekends are a little more difficult.

I use them for point bookings all the time

 

[JohnK]

I prefer QF over BA anyday but that is to do with my experience. I returned from BKK with BA in Nov 2003 (not my choice, QF was full months in advance and waitlist never came through) and was not too impressed with service.

With QF I get seat allocation as soon as I make booking and normally I am in first couple of rows in economy as I ask for forward aisle. I have never had this request refused with QF and on my trip to BKK over New Years I was upgraded to business class both legs. Whereas on the BA flight in Nov 2003 they decided that my confirmed forward aisle seat was not as confirmed as I thought and gave me a window seat somewhere towards the back of the plane. Not a very enjoyable trip and I will try to avoid BA at all costs unless I have no choice.

The award flight in June booked 2 weeks ago I have been allocated 23B for BRI-SIN leg and 27G for SIN-SYD leg. Pretty good as far as I am concerned.

 

[JohnK]

Rather than redeem a separate award for the AY flight SIN-BKK-SIN, you could consider changing the whole award to a single OneWorld Award. SYD-BNE-SIN-BKK-SIN-SYD is just under 10,000 miles, so fits into the current Zone 3 OneWorld Award category, whoch costs 70,000 points in economy.

After May 25th, a 10,000 mile OneWorld Awards will fit into the new Zone 6 and will cost 102,000 points! So if you want to use this, get in early.

Wow my first ever thread on AFF! One year and 1 day ago!

Still in the planning stages and I am looking to redeem an award SYD-BKK-SYD for travel Aug 28-Sep 8.

Option 1: I have found availability SYD-BKK on BA10 and BKK-SYD on BA9 for total of 60,000 points. Sounds fair!

Option 2: I have also found availability for SYD-HKG-BKK on CX110 and CX703 and BKK-SYD on BA9 for total of 100,000 points. Sounds fair? No! It seems that it is a OneWorld Award utilising 2 or more OneWorld airlines.

I have never flown CX and am interested in the experience. Is there anything that says I cannot redeem two separate one-way awards for the dates mentioned above? The outbound flights on CX are 42,000 points and the inbound flight on BA is 30,000 points. OK, total of 72,000 points so not as good as option 1 of 60,000 points but much better than option 2 of 100,000 points.

 

[one9]

i have found there to be a lot of availability for last minute bookings on BA for SYD-BKK. try it by searching for a test booking next week or in two weeks. I believe BA may open up more award bookings close to the flight.

 

[serfty]

... I have never flown CX and am interested in the experience. Is there anything that says I cannot redeem two separate one-way awards for the dates mentioned above? The outbound flights on CX are 42,000 points and the inbound flight on BA is 30,000 points. OK, total of 72,000 points so not as good as option 1 of 60,000 points but much better than option 2 of 100,000 points.

Nothing at all, IMHO it's the better way to go if you wish to experience CX.

If you would like to try a 'free' stopover in HKG (and maximize your SG Wing experience) you could do that a Multi Destination booking SYD-HKG and take a CX option, overnight in HKG and take another CX option the next day to BKK. This works as long as the scheduled departure of the second segment is within 24 hours of the schedued arrival of the first segment and it's the same clarrier and class.

 

[NM]

SYD-BKK on BA10 is an evening flight, arriving into BKK around 11pm. Using CX is longer travel time via HKG, but is all daytime flights, arriving around 7pm.

What value do you put on arrival time convenience? But note its an early morning departure from SYD at 7:35am.

CX in econpmy is nothing special to write home about. Seat will be similar to BA and service is not the same in the premium cabins.

For the extra points, can you get BA WT+ availability?

 

[JohnK]

Nothing at all, IMHO it's the better way to go if you wish to experience CX.

If you would like to try a 'free' stopover in HKG (and maximize your SG Wing experience) you could do that a Multi Destination booking SYD-HKG and take a CX option, overnight in HKG and take another CX option the next day to BKK. This works as long as the scheduled departure of the second segment is within 24 hours of the schedued arrival of the first segment and it's the same clarrier and class.

Good idea! I could get the CX138 flight SYD-HKG the night before arriving HKG 5:25 morning and then CX703 flight HKG-BKK departing 18:40 for 42,000 points. Check my bags through to BKK and have almost a full day in HKG to cruise harbour and experience the lounges. Note from what I have seen there are no CX departures HKG-BKK before 18:40!

SYD-BKK on BA10 is an evening flight, arriving into BKK around 11pm. Using CX is longer travel time via HKG, but is all daytime flights, arriving around 7pm.

What value do you put on arrival time convenience? But note its an early morning departure from SYD at 7:35am.

CX in econpmy is nothing special to write home about. Seat will be similar to BA and service is not the same in the premium cabins.

For the extra points, can you get BA WT+ availability?

I normally leave SYD early morning and don't arrive into BKK on AY until midnight anyway so I can burn candle at both ends and most times add a 2 hour car trip as well to get to destination.

I understand that CX economy may not be fantastic but just the same it would be good to experience as I have never flown with them. Most of their short haul Asian flights are expensive so may not get the chance to fly with them in the near future.

I am only in the early planning stages and WT+ would be a good idea but I didn't think I could do it online and I am not really in the mood to start planning it with telephone staff.

There is option 3 available as well.

Option 3: SYD-HKG-BKK on CX110 and CX703 for 42,000 points or even CX138 and CX703 for 42,000 to maximise HKG stopover, D class BKK-SIN on AY for A$300 and 60 SC's, SIN-MEL-CBR-SYD on Australian Airlines to MEL and QF to CBR and SYD for 30,000 points. This option would kill 3 birds, fly on CX, fly on Australian Airlines before it disappears and visit CBR airport for first time!