Transpac: more upgrade availability on A380 or 747?

[Geoffrey]

Hi guys,

I'll be flying SFO-LAX-SYD return in Feb-Mar next year, with no status but plenty of points to burn.
In order to maximise my chances of upgrade from eco (to business ideally, but premium eco would do in the worst case), should I aim for a flight on an A380 or a 747?

747: shorter layover in LAX. 0F seats, 58 J, 36 PE
A380: quieter, smoother. 14F in addition to +6J and +1PE seats compared to a 747

Thanks!
Geoff

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Hi guys,

I'll be flying SFO-LAX-SYD return in Feb-Mar next year, with no status but plenty of points to burn.
In order to maximise my chances of upgrade from eco (to business ideally, but premium eco would do in the worst case), should I aim for a flight on an A380 or a 747?

747: shorter layover in LAX. 0F seats, 58 J, 36 PE
A380: quieter, smoother. 14F in addition to +6J and +1PE seats compared to a 747

Thanks!
Geoff

If you intend to use points to register in the upgrade lottery, make sure the economy fare you purchase is in fact eligible for a points upgrade.

The A380 flights are always highly sought after so you may have a slightly better chance on a 744 operated flight.

Avoid flights ex USA on a Thu or Fri night as they tend to be busier with business people wanting to arrive back in Oz on the weekend for the start of the working week.

 

[Mattg]

I would tend to agree that a 747 may be the way to go. Keep in mind that there are 100 fewer seats in economy, so 100 less people competing for an upgrade. Also, flying on a Monday or Tuesday night will possibly increase your chances.

 

[Nizar]

Realistically, does the OP have a chance on this route with no status ?

 

[Mattg]

Realistically, does the OP have a chance on this route with no status ?

I wouldn't say there is no chance. It really depends on the specific flight. Flying on less popular days could help. I would also note that the average load QF load factors this year from USA to Aus were 84% in February but only 72% in March, so flying in March could increase the chances.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I don't want to start a new thread so hopefully I can piggyback on this. A friend has asked me to help him with getting a J classic award to and from Lax next year. I have just started looking daily (and have started looking at 10am, which I think is the time they are released.). I am a real novice at this as I always pay for my overseas flights, however I probably know more than him. Anyway what I have noticed is it is quite easy to get awards in 747s but I haven't seen one on an A380. He is quite happy with a 747 but I thought an A380 would be nicer for his first experience of J with Qantas. Is a J award seat always released on an A380 each day and I am just missing it, or is it more random than that? Unfortunately he is a teacher, so I will be looking at getting him a seat in school holidays which I know is difficult, somI want to have all my ducks in a row, so I can book quickly for him - he is going to give me access to his FF account, so I can do it all for him - hope I don't stuff it up.

 

[Mattg]

I don't want to start a new thread so hopefully I can piggyback on this. A friend has asked me to help him with getting a J classic award to and from Lax next year. I have just started looking daily (and have started looking at 10am, which I think is the time they are released.). I am a real novice at this as I always pay for my overseas flights, however I probably know more than him. Anyway what I have noticed is it is quite easy to get awards in 747s but I haven't seen one on an A380. He is quite happy with a 747 but I thought an A380 would be nicer for his first experience of J with Qantas. Is a J award seat always released on an A380 each day and I am just missing it, or is it more random than that? Unfortunately he is a teacher, so I will be looking at getting him a seat in school holidays which I know is difficult, somI want to have all my ducks in a row, so I can book quickly for him - he is going to give me access to his FF account, so I can do it all for him - hope I don't stuff it up.

I would have that that at least one seat on the A380 flights would be released 353 days out. If none are showing when you look, then they are either not being released, or they are being snapped up immediately. If it's the latter, you can try calling QF on the morning you expect a seat to be released (before 10am) and asking if they can sell you the seat. If there is one available, you will be able to purchase it before it is released to the public online - you'll just need to pay the ~$60 phone assistance fee on top of whatever else you need to pay.

Otherwise, J on the 747 is still nice, and it's pretty much always a refurbished aircraft on the USA routes.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Thanks - I have about a month to go before I need to do this, so will continue with my daily monitoring

 

[zainman]

A380 is just an awesome aircraft. I would pick the A380 over the 747 each time unless it's LH 744 in F

 

[Geoffrey]

Thanks everyone, looks like I'll have better chances with a good old 747 then, even though I love the A380!

---

Wow just saw the news that Qantas now flies non stop to SFO. I might wait and see until the flight becomes bookable!

 

[Nickor]

I don't want to start a new thread so hopefully I can piggyback on this. A friend has asked me to help him with getting a J classic award to and from Lax next year. I have just started looking daily (and have started looking at 10am, which I think is the time they are released.). I am a real novice at this as I always pay for my overseas flights, however I probably know more than him. Anyway what I have noticed is it is quite easy to get awards in 747s but I haven't seen one on an A380. He is quite happy with a 747 but I thought an A380 would be nicer for his first experience of J with Qantas. Is a J award seat always released on an A380 each day and I am just missing it, or is it more random than that? Unfortunately he is a teacher, so I will be looking at getting him a seat in school holidays which I know is difficult, somI want to have all my ducks in a row, so I can book quickly for him - he is going to give me access to his FF account, so I can do it all for him - hope I don't stuff it up.

FM are you ticking the FIRST box as well when searching? In April I managed to book 2 J SYD-LAX-BNE-SYD and spent the weeks leading up to my preferred dates checking seat availablility on EF each morning at 10am. What I found was the following:

1. 1 F SYD-LAX Tues-Thurs on A380
2. 1 F MEL-LAX as above
3. 2 J SYD-LAX Tues-Thurs on 744
4. At least 2 J BNE-LAX most days on 744

If your friend is travelling solo and has the points, I would chase the F seat on 11/93, then J on the 744 and select either 5B or 5J. I didn't take the F seat as we prefer to travel together. Coming home is a different story, hence why we are returning via BNE next April. Basically, I found no availability of award seats to SYD/MEL from LAX. There were however, seats available from DFW including F. Our flights are also during the school holidays.

 

[Nizar]

FM are you ticking the FIRST box as well when searching? In April I managed to book 2 J SYD-LAX-BNE-SYD and spent the weeks leading up to my preferred dates checking seat availablility on EF each morning at 10am. What I found was the following:

1. 1 F SYD-LAX Tues-Thurs on A380
2. 1 F MEL-LAX as above
3. 2 J SYD-LAX Tues-Thurs on 744
4. At least 2 J BNE-LAX most days on 744

If your friend is travelling solo and has the points, I would chase the F seat on 11/93, then J on the 744 and select either 5B or 5J. I didn't take the F seat as we prefer to travel together. Coming home is a different story, hence why we are returning via BNE next April. Basically, I found no availability of award seats to SYD/MEL from LAX. There were however, seats available from DFW including F. Our flights are also during the school holidays.

Appreciate the time you took to put together that post.
I have found it very helpful.

 

[Flying mermaid]

FM are you ticking the FIRST box as well when searching? In April I managed to book 2 J SYD-LAX-BNE-SYD and spent the weeks leading up to my preferred dates checking seat availablility on EF each morning at 10am. What I found was the following:

1. 1 F SYD-LAX Tues-Thurs on A380
2. 1 F MEL-LAX as above
3. 2 J SYD-LAX Tues-Thurs on 744
4. At least 2 J BNE-LAX most days on 744

If your friend is travelling solo and has the points, I would chase the F seat on 11/93, then J on the 744 and select either 5B or 5J. I didn't take the F seat as we prefer to travel together. Coming home is a different story, hence why we are returning via BNE next April. Basically, I found no availability of award seats to SYD/MEL from LAX. There were however, seats available from DFW including F. Our flights are also during the school holidays.

No I wasn't because I checked with him and he said he only had enough for J. He is flying solo, but doesn't have a large no of points.

However your post has just made me realise I am doing something silly - I haven't always been logging in, so I have probably been seeing a reduced set! He is only bronze so that is what he would be able to book anyway, although I might be able to work round that. He is quite happy with the 747 and even without logging in I have seen quite a lot of J availability on those. One question - I have been putting in Cbr lax and I noticed that where the Cbr syd leg is in J it is 96,000 points + taxes, but where the Cbr syd leg is in Y the points go up to 112,000 - seemed strange!

I will make sure I log in each day before I check, to make sure I see all flights. I would love to see him fly F, being an F fan, but it has taken me 10 years to talk him into J

Thank-you very much for the reply!

 

[Nickor]

No I wasn't because I checked with him and he said he only had enough for J. He is flying solo, but doesn't have a large no of points.

However your post has just made me realise I am doing something silly - I haven't always been logging in, so I have probably been seeing a reduced set! He is only bronze so that is what he would be able to book anyway, although I might be able to work round that. He is quite happy with the 747 and even without logging in I have seen quite a lot of J availability on those. One question - I have been putting in Cbr lax and I noticed that where the Cbr syd leg is in J it is 96,000 points + taxes, but where the Cbr syd leg is in Y the points go up to 112,000 - seemed strange!

I will make sure I log in each day before I check, to make sure I see all flights. I would love to see him fly F, being an F fan, but it has taken me 10 years to talk him into J

Thank-you very much for the reply!

I should have clarified that I am PS, so as a WP you may see more availability on EF/QF. You are correct about work-arounds being available to you when booking. Not sure why the points for Y from CBR were giving such strange results. Too bad about the points restrictions. Maybe apply for the current QF ANZ CC offer and get 50,000 bonus points? F SYD-LAX is 144,000 points (48,000 points more then J), so maybe F outbound and J return or vice versa? You may also have more luck leaving CBR out of your search. I found the QF search engine doesn't always show awards seats available despite EF saying otherwise. Downside to this is separate CBR-SYD return which costs more points or $$. Happy hunting!

 

[Flying mermaid]

I should have clarified that I am PS, so as a WP you may see more availability on EF/QF. You are correct about work-arounds being available to you when booking. Not sure why the points for Y from CBR were giving such strange results. Too bad about the points restrictions. Maybe apply for the current QF ANZ CC offer and get 50,000 bonus points? F SYD-LAX is 144,000 points (48,000 points more then J), so maybe F outbound and J return or vice versa? You may also have more luck leaving CBR out of your search. I found the QF search engine doesn't always show awards seats available despite EF saying otherwise. Downside to this is separate CBR-SYD return which costs more points or $$. Happy hunting!

Thanks again for ideas - I will mention CC to him - he is a bit of a wheeler and dealer, so it might be attractive. He is the friend who filled in 5 Qantas FF applications for us in 1998 because I couldn't be bothered, so I feel I owe him some help

 

[Mattg]

Thanks again for ideas - I will mention CC to him - he is a bit of a wheeler and dealer, so it might be attractive. He is the friend who filled in 5 Qantas FF applications for us in 1998 because I couldn't be bothered, so I feel I owe him some help

Wow... considering that you seem to have almost reached lifetime gold now, I think you owe it to him to get him into F!

 

[Flying mermaid]

Wow... considering that you seem to have almost reached lifetime gold now, I think you owe it to him to get him into F!

There was some rewarding done many years ago, when I realised what frequent flying meant to us. .

 

[Flying mermaid]

Wow... considering that you seem to have almost reached lifetime gold now, I think you owe it to him to get him into F!

Thinking about this overnight it would be really fun to see him in F! QF93 was available when I did my morning check, so fingers crossed for when it is actually time to do the booking

 

[BD1959]

Will the proposed switching of 747 onto SYD-SFO and consequent introduction of the AA 77W not muddy the 747 vs 380 debate, anyway?

Regards,

BD

 

[get me outta here]

Mattg, thanks for pointing me over to this thread.

I used to pay for J on the 747 SYD-LAX sitting upstairs in row 13 (edit, I think it was row 16 actually), with heaps of room. I liked the capsule and the side storage bin. Is that all gone now with the refurb?

snip .... Otherwise, J on the 747 is still nice, and it's pretty much always a refurbished aircraft on the USA routes.