SYD-HNL in April 2024 on QF/OW & partners

[dairyfloss]

G'day team - hot off the back of completing bookings for our 2023 travel in the March DSC promo; my wife has now tasked me with finding a way for our family of 3 (2 adults and one child pax) to get to Honolulu and back from Sydney in April 2024, possibly around Easter time, and flying in proper J (i.e. no JQ flights, and the FJ 737 MAX also probably not allowed). 7 nights, give or take.

I'd like to do it using QFF points, of which I have close to 1M available, but could only swing it with classic rewards, not with ASA, and my understanding of SYD-HNL is that classics are just not going to appear... All the direct QF flights I've seen out as far as March 2024 are J bucket only for business, with no C, D or I to speak of. That also puts the option of requesting reward seats well out of reach.

So - what are the alternatives? I have found I could fly through Tokyo on JAL using points and maybe with a layover that could work... but what else is out there? I'd prefer not to have to fly to the mainland and double back to Hawaii, but maybe that's another one I should consider. I'd prefer QF/OW due to status benefits, and any rewards that are QF coded I would also earn SCs for as a PC/PC+ member. If I'm paying for it with cash, it really needs to be QFF SC earning. QF would like $22,587 for us to fly with them (that's Business Saver!); which I reckon is pretty unreasonable.

Appreciate your thoughts [and sympathies], in advance!

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[justinbrett]

QF SYD/HNL is near impossible to get CR J seats, definitely so for 5 pax.

HA has lie flat.

You could fly QF BNE-APW (A330), and on Fridays there is a FJ (NAN-)APW-HNL flight (also benefit is that's a day time flight) but that would require overnight in APW as the QF flight arrives an hour after the FJ flight departs.

I find SYD/HNL tolerable in Y, it's short enough - especially the return.

 

[dairyfloss]

QF SYD/HNL is near impossible to get CR J seats, definitely so for 5 pax.

HA has lie flat.

You could fly QF BNE-APW (A330), and on Fridays there is a FJ (NAN-)APW-HNL flight (also benefit is that's a day time flight) but that would require overnight in APW as the QF flight arrives an hour after the FJ flight departs.

I find SYD/HNL tolerable in Y, it's short enough - especially the return.

Thanks - only the 3 of us, but still a pipe dream for direct QF J...

HA are more expensive than QF, believe it or not! Over $32K for 3 pax, around these dates
The FJ flights to HNL are 737 MAX, with QF DOM J recliner style seats, which I know won't get the tick of approval

The search continues...

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[justinbrett]

Thanks - only the 3 of us, but still a pipe dream for direct QF J...

HA are more expensive than QF, believe it or not! Over $32K for 3 pax, around these dates
The FJ flights to HNL are 737 MAX, with QF DOM J recliner style seats, which I know won't get the tick of approval

The search continues...

Cheers,
Matt.

I'm fairly certain fares this far out (~12 months) are always expensive.

 

[kamchatsky]

Can you do SYD-LAX/SFO-HNL? It is a long way around but could work.

 

[Quickstatus]

Don't forget
Easter 2024 is 29Mar-1Apr 2024
Public school holidays 15-26Apr 2024 which will include Anzac Day 25Apr

 

[Quickstatus]

Is it easier getting classic rewards in at least one sector for these routes?

SYD-HND-SYD and HND-HNL-HND (JL)

SYD-ICN-SYD (QF) and ICN-HNL (HA)

SYD-NRT/KIX-SYD (CX)
NRT/KIX-HNL (HA)

 

[SYD]

Bemoaning the end of 747 flights (or equivalent). At least PE was in play and good upgrade chances - in fact scored old 1st seats in the nose on our last trip.

FJ is certainly an option. Just be wary of class of travel, flight code and lounge option.

 

[dairyfloss]

Is it easier getting classic rewards in at least one sector for these routes?

SYD-HND-SYD and HND-HNL-HND (JL)

SYD-ICN-SYD (QF) and ICN-HNL (HA)

SYD-NRT/KIX-SYD (CX)
NRT/KIX-HNL (HA)

Yeah - starting to play with what these look like now. Revenue J from TYO<>HNL is not too frightful, compared to what QF wants, and I'm much more likely to be able to get SYD<>HND on QF or JL than even SYD-LAX/SFO, I think...

 

[dairyfloss]

Can you do SYD-LAX/SFO-HNL? It is a long way around but could work.

Certainly open to it... though it is a fair bit of extra air-time and another time zone to factor in for the little bloke. We'd need to overnight for anything other than Fiji, but at least JP and KR are basically like our home time zone

 

[Quickstatus]

@dairyfloss

Add in
SYD-MNL-SYD (QF)
MNL-HNL-MNL (PR) A330 J uses a similar Vantage product as QF A330 J

 

[levelnine]

There's no way I'd route via MNL or TYO to get to HNL for a holiday with family members, but maybe your family is different and love circuitous routes.

Here's what I'd do in your situation.

Acquire 3 Y redemptions on QF. Seems like there's availability until the end of the calendar.

Put in a request for upgrade to J. Yes, more expensive than from a revenue fare, but you can afford a bit of inefficiency with your points balance.

And book the indirect route through MNL/TYO if that's available, your family will tolerate it & you have the points to do both.

Then:

Start acquiring VA points so you have an opportunity to grab any HA J seats that come up.

Monitor for the next 12 months. If J comes up on QF, obviously take that. If J comes up on HA and you have the points, obviously take that.

Then:

Close to your flight. Monitor loads for your direct SYD-HNL with the points upgrade. I think J upgrades are relatively easy to get on the SYD-HNL route as you have so few business/work travellers. Your average SYD-HNL traveller is a couple or a family that won't have enough points to upgrade the whole family or they'll have bought a non-upgradeable sale fare. Only route where I've seen Bronze members regularly get upgraded.

If the upgrade odds look good on QF SYD-HNL, cancel the indirect route.

But if the odds look bad, cancel the direct route & go the indirect route.

 

[justinbrett]

I think J upgrades are relatively easy to get on the SYD-HNL route as you have so few business/work travellers. Your average SYD-HNL traveller is a couple or a family that won't have enough points to upgrade the whole family or they'll have bought a non-upgradeable sale fare. Only route where I've seen Bronze members regularly get upgraded.

That sounds like it should be correct but i don’t think it is. Excluding the time there was a 744 on the route, none of my upgrades cleared on this route, yet to LAX my success rate is over 50%.

I think it’s emphasised by the lack of J reward seats and the high J revenue fares (can be more than LAX).

I guess it comes down to time of year / day of week, but I think Easter would also be a period of peak travel (a lot of my flights were around Christmas)

 

[levelnine]

I think it’s emphasised by the lack of J reward seats and the high J revenue fares (can be more than LAX).

I guess it comes down to time of year / day of week, but I think Easter would also be a period of peak travel (a lot of my flights were around Christmas)

FWIW, my partner who is Bronze has been upgraded ~8 times on SYD-HNL-SYD, always flying during school holidays (generally June/July & December). But never on flights to mainland USA on a standalone booking. Every time I fly to LAX & DFW and get a peek at the passenger manifest, I'm always shocked at how many CL/P1/WPs are in J on those routes. But yes, it's not an exact science. Each flight will be different.

 

[Quickstatus]

upgraded ~8 times on SYD-HNL-SYD,

What's the hit rate?

 

[dairyfloss]

There's no way I'd route via MNL or TYO to get to HNL for a holiday with family members, but maybe your family is different and love circuitous routes.

Here's what I'd do in your situation.

Acquire 3 Y redemptions on QF. Seems like there's availability until the end of the calendar.

Put in a request for upgrade to J. Yes, more expensive than from a revenue fare, but you can afford a bit of inefficiency with your points balance.

And book the indirect route through MNL/TYO if that's available, your family will tolerate it & you have the points to do both.

Then:

Start acquiring VA points so you have an opportunity to grab any HA J seats that come up.

Monitor for the next 12 months. If J comes up on QF, obviously take that. If J comes up on HA and you have the points, obviously take that.

Then:

Close to your flight. Monitor loads for your direct SYD-HNL with the points upgrade. I think J upgrades are relatively easy to get on the SYD-HNL route as you have so few business/work travellers. Your average SYD-HNL traveller is a couple or a family that won't have enough points to upgrade the whole family or they'll have bought a non-upgradeable sale fare. Only route where I've seen Bronze members regularly get upgraded.

If the upgrade odds look good on QF SYD-HNL, cancel the indirect route.

But if the odds look bad, cancel the direct route & go the indirect route.

Just my wife & son with me... and they both [mostly] like the journey aspect, so we're good there. I'd certainly prefer to fly direct, but Y is not being
entertained (including playing QF upgrade lotto), and the J asking price is too nuts, right now.

I do like the idea of having the indirect route as the back-up and watching for availability or options on QF as we draw nearer... I'll have to see how that might work as I'd have hotels and such booked too. OK with losing some points on cancellation of SYD<>TYO to move to SYD<>HNL, and should have enough to do both, if I needed to act fast. I actually noticed looking in the coming couple of weeks that there is some 'I' class available on QF103 SYD-HNL, and so that puts it into reward seat release territory! This Sat 22nd April, for example, is J9 C9 D7 I3 U0. Everything is pretty well sold out coming home 7 days later though.

Anywhere we'd route via would have a layover and possibly extend to a mini-visit of its own, so it's not really that bad. That said, MNL isn't appealing for this purpose, and I don't really want to fly on PR, either... but TYO is a real option, as it could mean confirmed J travel at between 1/2 and up to a 1/3 of the revenue cost of a direct option (assumes reward seats to HND, and revenue J for TYO<>HNL). I'm ok with this, and some time on either end in Tokyo. Unless a miracle happens with QF reward availability, I think it's our most likely outcome.

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Blackadder]

Another routing option , maybe SYD-NAN-HNL-SYD

 

[Quickstatus]

FJ 737 MAX also probably not allowed

SYD-NAN-HNL-SYD

see above...

 

[justinbrett]

FWIW, my partner who is Bronze has been upgraded ~8 times on SYD-HNL-SYD, always flying during school holidays (generally June/July & December). But never on flights to mainland USA on a standalone booking. Every time I fly to LAX & DFW and get a peek at the passenger manifest, I'm always shocked at how many CL/P1/WPs are in J on those routes. But yes, it's not an exact science. Each flight will be different.

We're both quoting a small snapshot of data, so quite possible I've had bad luck and your partner has had good luck

(Likewise I've had good luck on the mainland routes and you've had bad luck).

I would say objectively though the high fares and low/nil CR availability on this route (even in Y) is a new thing post covid - and I wonder if HA stopping BNE has anything to do with it. I would not be holding my breath for an upgrade, but possibly it will be better by next year.

I'm flying Y in June (only one way) and the best I'm hoping for is a shadow.

 

[Blackadder]

SYD-NOU-AKL-HNL ? Air Calin /HA if you can get VA points to nab some seats?