Some newbie questions - please help!

[Jaykat]

Hi - I'm new to this forum but have been looking at posts for a while.

I'm planning a trip to the US in April 09. I'm trying to book a flight, using points from Sydney to SFO (early april) and then return from SFO to sydney via HNL (end of april). The total is 102,000 points per person. I understand that not all the dates are showing up in the system yet, but some dates already seem to be sold out (eg SYD-SFO on 2/3/4 April are not available, only 1st and 5th April available).

My question is: is it worth waiting and hoping that the dates I want (eg 2/3/4 April) become available soon or should I wait until 1st July when you can supposedly use points to book any seat on any flight?? I know that this same flight may cost me more than 102,000 pts with this new system but given that its still quite far in advance, maybe the increase wont be too much.....


Thanks

 

[jamesatfish]

My question is: is it worth waiting and hoping that the dates I want (eg 2/3/4 April) become available soon or should I wait until 1st July when you can supposedly use points to book any seat on any flight?? I know that this same flight may cost me more than 102,000 pts with this new system but given that its still quite far in advance, maybe the increase wont be too much.....

Having booked a few overseas trips using points over the last few years, in my experience the availability of points flights is quite slim and what you are seeing (with various dates unavailable) is par for the course. All flights are released approximately 12 months in advance (the actual number of days varies between airlines) and you'll find that the more popular points flights are taken fairly quickly.

Indeed, when booking my points fares, I generally plan the trips about 18 months out, then make the bookings on the day the flights are released. That is, if I plan to fly on 2 April 09 I would be ringing up Qantas on 2 April 08 to check for availability, and then every day thereafter until I got flights.

From that point of view, I would not hold out for the currently unavailable dates to become available as 'regular' awards flights, because IF they do become available it might not be until March 09.

Under the new 'any seat' scheme you should find you can get points tickets on the flights that are currently unavailable, but I would budget about 150%-200% of the current points offering. Until Qantas actually release more information we won't know for sure how much extra it will cost, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was a major jump over the 'regular' award tickets.

Good luck!

 

[Optics]

Hi - I'm new to this forum but have been looking at posts for a while.

I'm planning a trip to the US in April 09. I'm trying to book a flight, using points from Sydney to SFO (early april) and then return from SFO to sydney via HNL (end of april). The total is 102,000 points per person. I understand that not all the dates are showing up in the system yet, but some dates already seem to be sold out (eg SYD-SFO on 2/3/4 April are not available, only 1st and 5th April available).

My question is: is it worth waiting and hoping that the dates I want (eg 2/3/4 April) become available soon or should I wait until 1st July when you can supposedly use points to book any seat on any flight?? I know that this same flight may cost me more than 102,000 pts with this new system but given that its still quite far in advance, maybe the increase wont be too much.....


Thanks

Welcome to AFF Jaykat

The number of points required for the anyseat awards will be based on the level of bookings for the particular flight, ie if the flight is heavily booked, it will require more points for an anyseat award. As the flights you are looking at are popular (which is why the ordinary award seats are booked so early in advance) they will cost a high premium for an anyseat award.

I think you would be better booking the flights that are available now, even if they are not the most desirable for you. If availability for more deisrable flights becomes available later, you can always change and the points cost for changing will likely be significantly less than the premium you would pay for an anyseat award.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

• Book them now.

Most likely over time you will see LESS availabity...not more for such a popular route.

TIP:
1/ When redeeming FF points the trick is not to expect to fly on exact dates, but to rather have a window. If you get your exact dates...then great...but if they are not there then take the next best.
2/ For some desination there may still be available by a longer route via another city(which may mean extra points)

• The new incoming "anytime" rewards will most likely be at much increased costs...so unless you have large quantities of points (it will say cost you two or more times more..)