The Qantas Newbie Questions Thread

[KingHuang]

Yes, the rules for Qantas Club membership are that you need to be flying Qantas in economy or premium economy (or Jetstar or I think maybe Emirates under certain conditions) to access a Qantas Club lounge. If flying business or above, you have access to One World lounges.

So if I was flying business on reward seats, I can access qantas lounge? But still need QF ticket?

 

[henrus]

So if I was flying business on reward seats, I can access qantas lounge? But still need QF ticket?

If it's oneworld (for example Cathay) business class then you can access oneworld lounges (such as a Qantas club) based on the class of travel but note this doesn't come with guest access.

I booked under Cathay which is under one world, however because it does not start with QF, I was refused my qantas points clubs plus lounge access.

For Qantas club members they need to be booked on a QF or JQ flight number to access Qantas operated lounges. This handy table outlines the details:

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/at-the-airport/airport-lounges/qantas-lounge-access-eligibility.html#qantas-club

 

[p--and--t]

Perhaps think of it as separate access rule sets.

QC membership must be on QF or JQ flight numbers (paid or points) - follow QC rules

OW rules - can access a OW lounge (including QC) based on status or J or F tickets on a OW airline

 

[KingHuang]

Thank you all for your reply.

If I was to book the round the world trip using points, not all of them would be QF I assume, so would that mean lounge access will the vary case by case?

Given the scenario is to travel through business via QF/other Oneworld partners.

 

[Forg]

You have to be on a QF flight with a QF ticket … even if it’s a code-share … so if you’re on a BA aircraft with BA crew but it’s also QF165, and your ticket is a QF ticket on QF165, then you can use Qantas Club lounges. Note that it’s not all One World lounges … so if Qantas don’t have a lounge somewhere (or they don’t partner with a lounge somewhere), you don’t get lounge access … however I have zero clue about how widespread those partner lounges are to be honest (others will know! ).

I dunno how one buys RTW tickets, is it via one airline?

 

[p--and--t]

Thank you all for your reply.

If I was to book the round the world trip using points, not all of them would be QF I assume, so would that mean lounge access will the vary case by case?

Yes. Will also vary on class of travel.

For example if traveling on a QF points ticket in class J on a QR prefix flight you could access the QR lounge in Doha - Class of travel applies, not because you have QC membership. If in Y on a QR prefix flight, no access.

Suggest you download the LoungeBuddy App and put in which memberships, Ccs etc you have etc and your flight details and it will give you most of the access info you require. Not always perfect but right most of the time.

 

[hutch]

If you are looking to use your lounge passes, you must be on a Qantas or Jetstar code.

If you are flying a round the world ticket, in economy, if one of your flights is with Qantas, you can use a lounge pass before that flight, assuming Qantas operates its own lounge from the departure port (excluding LAX). You can't use these passes for flights with other airlines.

If you are flying a round the world ticket in business, you can access any Oneworld business lounge before your flight (assuming this is a Oneworld rtw ticket). No lounge pass needed and codes are irrelevant. If your flight is departing from a market where there are no Oneworld lounges, you will use whatever contracted lounge the airline uses.

If you are flying business, on reward points, the same applies to the above paragraph if it is a on a Oneworld carrier. If the reward booking is Emirates, you access Emirates lounges and Qantas lounges in some markets.

 

[henrus]

so if Qantas don’t have a lounge somewhere (or they don’t partner with a lounge somewhere), you don’t get lounge access

Officially only the partner lounges in NZ (CHC/ZQN) and NOU allow those on a QF flight number, all other partner lounge require QF club members to be travelling on both a QF flight number and QF operated service.

Post automatically merged: Aug 20, 2024

I dunno how one buys RTW tickets, is it via one airline?

For oneworld flights you can acutally book via their website:

Enjoy great savings on your Round the World flights with oneworld.

Booking Round the World flights is easier and smarter with oneworld. Choose from over 1100 cities when you book a oneworld Explorer Round the World ticket.

rtw.oneworld.com

It's not cheap but often interesting to see what comes up.

 

[elanshin]

Used QFF to redeem China Eastern (MU)

Is there a way to OLCI on MU website? Or not because it is a partner redemption?

Not sure if you found your answer, but no way to do OLCI for MU except through their WeChat miniapp.

I dunno how one buys RTW tickets, is it via one airline?

For oneworld flights you can acutally book via their website:

Enjoy great savings on your Round the World flights with oneworld.

Booking Round the World flights is easier and smarter with oneworld. Choose from over 1100 cities when you book a oneworld Explorer Round the World ticket.

rtw.oneworld.com

It's not cheap but often interesting to see what comes up.

For cash RTW, there's the xONEx fares which actually offer good value if you actually want to go around the world. There's some stricter rules than QF's OWA and different origin countries will have different costs. exCAI used to be the cheapest (not sure if its still the case) but for a more local ex JP is the cheapest from Asian region.

 

[RichardMEL]

QC has basically zero to do with oneworld. It is a paid membership (or free vua PCP). QC has some rights with other lounges and parters as above, but it should be considered totally separately to oneworld benefits - which apply basically to earned status or Class of Service (ie flying in Business or First).

 

[TonyS]

I'm trying to book reward flight on China Eastern Airlines. The agent told me that they can't book it because it's on a waitlist? Sorry never come across this before. Does this mean all I can do is to try to call back closer to the date of the flight to see if it's no longer a waitlist? Or am I suppose to go on the waitlist therefore how long do I have to wait until it's confirmed? Route is Shanghai to Seoul in economy.

 

[henrus]

Route is Shanghai to Seoul in economy.

Are you able to share what date (or even month) you're looking at? China Eastern doesn't actually release a lot of reward space on the PVG-ICN route so it's possible that there aren't any reward seats to book. As for why the agent said it's on waitlist, well they probably mean no seats are available and it's got lost in translation (something that sadly happens a bit when calling airlines or businesses with overseas call centres).

 

[TonyS]

Are you able to share what date (or even month) you're looking at? China Eastern doesn't actually release a lot of reward space on the PVG-ICN route so it's possible that there aren't any reward seats to book. As for why the agent said it's on waitlist, well they probably mean no seats are available and it's got lost in translation (something that sadly happens a bit when calling airlines or businesses with overseas call centres).

24th December flight MU5033. Tried to book directly to get an indication on how full the flight was but I couldn't check directly on China Eastern website as they make you pay first to be able to select seats. But looking on Expert Flyer the plane looks pretty much empty except for some blocked out seats.

As a seperate issue, it doesn't seem like you can search China Eastern reward flights on the Qantas site anymore. Every route I've checked always comes up with an error.

 

[elanshin]

24th December flight MU5033. Tried to book directly to get an indication on how full the flight was but I couldn't check directly on China Eastern website as they make you pay first to be able to select seats. But looking on Expert Flyer the plane looks pretty much empty except for some blocked out seats.

As a seperate issue, it doesn't seem like you can search China Eastern reward flights on the Qantas site anymore. Every route I've checked always comes up with an error.
View attachment 403768

I wouldn't trust EF seatmaps for Chinese flights (not necessarily because they have erroneous data) but habitually, you're not going to have a lot of people booking a short hop nor seat select this far out.


As for the reward flight itself, the fact MU currently is gone from QF is likely the reason it's waitlisted. Clearly something is going on between QF and MU. Basically in this case you have no real ticket and no guarantee of a ticket.

 

[TonyS]

I wouldn't trust EF seatmaps for Chinese flights (not necessarily because they have erroneous data) but habitually, you're not going to have a lot of people booking a short hop nor seat select this far out.


As for the reward flight itself, the fact MU currently is gone from QF is likely the reason it's waitlisted. Clearly something is going on between QF and MU. Basically in this case you have no real ticket and no guarantee of a ticket.

I do think something is going on as well as about a month ago I was able to search MU flights on the Qantas site.

You're right about not having a ticket and waiting it out is risk. I do have the ability book a reward flight within China from Chengdu to Qingdao which will allow me to book a cheaper cash fare from Qingdao to Seoul. I may just book that option so that I can continue with my trip planning.

 

[elanshin]

I do think something is going on as well as about a month ago I was able to search MU flights on the Qantas site.

You're right about not having a ticket and waiting it out is risk. I do have the ability book a reward flight within China from Chengdu to Qingdao which will allow me to book a cheaper cash fare from Qingdao to Seoul. I may just book that option so that I can continue with my trip planning.

If you're considering actual cash fares any reason not just booking something from Shanghai to Seoul? I see $127 fares for dec 24.

 

[TonyS]

If you're considering actual cash fares any reason not just booking something from Shanghai to Seoul? I see $127 fares for dec 24.

That is an option. Reward flights points + taxes. It would be the same from Chengdu to Shanghai/Qingdao. Mainly just need to look at flight timings to see which option is best. Wouldn't be a bad idea take a morning flight to Shanghai, explore city and then catch a late afternoon flight to Seoul.

 

[henrus]

As a seperate issue, it doesn't seem like you can search China Eastern reward flights on the Qantas site anymore. Every route I've checked always comes up with an error.

I actually think this is a larger problem with China Eastern as finding their reward seats through any Skyteam partners is quite hard. For example without logging in you can search skyteam reward seats from the delta website and you'll notice on the Shanghai to Seoul route the options are China Southern or Korean Airlines instead.

 

[Flyfrequently]

We are booked on Christmas Day on DSC status run, same PNR, revenue J there, red e deal Y back same day MEL-ADL-MEL.

Tuesday 1st notification ADL-MEL Y flight is now 10 minutes later - ok no problem, E-ticket reissued

2nd notification last night, Qantas have now cancelled our J flight MEL-ADL and options are cancel for refund or accept change to another flight.
This doesn't suit.

Happy to cancel the both flights but want to retain PNR for DSC to rebook for MEL-CNS -MEL.
Question: is this possible/easy?
Need to call or can be done online?
Thanks in advance for any tips

 

[RichardMEL]

We are booked on Christmas Day on DSC status run, same PNR, revenue J there, red e deal Y back same day MEL-ADL-MEL.

Tuesday 1st notification ADL-MEL Y flight is now 10 minutes later - ok no problem, E-ticket reissued

2nd notification last night, Qantas have now cancelled our J flight MEL-ADL and options are cancel for refund or accept change to another flight.
This doesn't suit.

Happy to cancel the both flights but want to retain PNR for DSC to rebook for MEL-CNS -MEL.
Question: is this possible/easy?
Need to call or can be done online?
Thanks in advance for any tips

Just cancel to vuucher. It retains the PNR.