Very few Reward seats to Europe in 2023

[Spizz]

For me, Qantas has points have fallen in desirability because they are challenging to redeem internationally.

I presume you tried multi city search? Ie search AU to HGK, the HGK to EU. Or via Japan, Doha, Sirlanka, Fiji, Duba, Singapore.

Agreed. Luckily I had some Virgin Velocity points a few weeks ago to book 2* Qatar Business class seats to Europe next year. I’m moving my earn to Virgin points currently as at least they have both Qatar and Singapore Business awards 330days out with decent availability. Also enjoy that you can increase the points redeemed to reduce taxes.

My huge pool of Qantas points are currently useless for my useage case with no Emirates, Qatar, or Qantas Business class seats availability currently a year in advance and only the 4 months in advance that by which time they are mostly snapped up. YMMV.

 

[Withnail & I]

That has been the case for a long time, especially for non-elites. It's also now very risky and very expensive to use the points on partner airlines.

Risky because of the chance of them cancelling and QF refunding your points rather than providing alternative flights?

 

[Mattg]

Recently nearly all rewards flights in all classes from Australia to Europe in 2023 seem to have disappeared. I’ve been using the interactive map but I’ve tried a number of specific searches too. Is this because I only have bronze status?

It's not just you. Qantas is releasing virtually no premium seats on its own flights to Europe and there is very little availability on oneworld & other partners. Qatar is withholding availability, Emirates has no seats to/from Australia and other partners have limited options.

If your ultimate goal is to redeem for flights to Europe, Qantas Frequent Flyer is IMHO a terrible choice of frequent flyer program. KrisFlyer and Velocity offer a lot more and better options, but ultimately my suggestion would be to focus on a flexible points currency like Amex points which can be transferred to different airlines as needed. This saves you getting stuck with just one type of points currency which ends up being useless.

 

[Happy Dude]

Risky because of the chance of them cancelling and QF refunding your points rather than providing alternative flights?

Most definitely, as @Anna has highlighted above. Looking for QF metal awards or booking QF rewards on partner airlines be like:

 

[Withnail & I]

It's not just you. Qantas is releasing virtually no premium seats on its own flights to Europe and there is very little availability on oneworld & other partners. Qatar is withholding availability, Emirates has no seats to/from Australia and other partners have limited options.

“If your ultimate goal is to redeem for flights to Europe, Qantas Frequent Flyer is IMHO a terrible choice of frequent flyer program.” KrisFlyer and Velocity offer a lot more and better options, but ultimately my suggestion would be to focus on a flexible points currency like Amex points which can be transferred to different airlines as needed. This saves you getting stuck with just one type of points currency which ends up being useless.

Most definitely, as @Anna has highlighted above. Looking for QF metal awards or booking QF rewards on partner airlines be like:

View attachment 306712

Haha! Some quality memes coming through today

From my very limited reading, CX seems to be the main culprit when it comes to cancelling QF issued partner flights, which appears to have been due to HK COVID problems. Fingers crossed things will improve in 2023. Otherwise I can see a number of arguable legal issues on both sides of the refund/rebook dispute and few people would want to take an airline (or multiple airlines) to court over it.

 

[MELso]

Wow, I didn’t know that! i have some QR and JAL flights booked so I think when the departure dates approach I’ll start checking their websites to make sure all is on track instead of relying on Qantas.

I've booked MEL-DOH-MXP on QR through QF for May next year (along with MXP-SIN on SQ through VA and SIN-MEL on JQ through QF). There's now nothing other than a smattering of CX flights to MXP now as classic rewards, even in Y, so I count myself fortunate to have gotten what I did.

At any rate, to (hopefully) reduce the risk of the flight not being re-ticketed in the event of a time change or other issue, I signed up for Privilege Club on QR and added my PNR to it. This will hopefully alert me if there's something requiring my attention, even if QF doesn't. It certainly did when there was a minor schedule change a few days ago - while QF was quick to reissue the tickets as it did not require interaction on my part, QR also sent an email indicating I could contact my travel agent if I was eligible for a rebooking or refund according to their T&Cs (I wasn't eligible but it's nice to know that I should get notified if I need to attend to anything with the booking).

 

[sudoer]

At any rate, to (hopefully) reduce the risk of the flight not being re-ticketed in the event of a time change or other issue, I signed up for Privilege Club on QR and added my PNR to it. This will hopefully alert me if there's something requiring my attention, even if QF doesn't. It certainly did when there was a minor schedule change a few days ago - while QF was quick to reissue the tickets as it did not require interaction on my part, QR also sent an email indicating I could contact my travel agent if I was eligible for a rebooking or refund according to their T&Cs (I wasn't eligible but it's nice to know that I should get notified if I need to attend to anything with the booking).

CheckMyTrip, a free Amadeus product, provides push notifications for any booking changes. It can also be used to verify whether bookings have been reticketed after changes and is an essential tool in preventing the loss of award seats due to slow QF ticketing procedures.

 

[MELso]

CheckMyTrip, a free Amadeus product, provides push notifications for any booking changes. It can also be used to verify whether bookings have been reticketed after changes and is an essential tool in preventing the loss of award seats due to slow QF ticketing procedures.

I also have CMT enabled too... (Belt and braces!)

 

[jase05]

For many years now I’ve tried to get points flights to Asia and then cheap J flights to Europe. Normally always something decent on offer.
PR have one way J to Australia ex SIN or KUL for around $1100 which is an option and return for only about $1600 which could come in handy as a nesting flight.
I’m not a huge fan of LCC’s personally but Scoot is doing Scoot Plus for around $500 ex Australia to SIN if you are comfortable with up to 8hrs in that.

 

[Withnail & I]

I signed up for Privilege Club on QR and added my PNR to it. This will hopefully alert me if there's something requiring my attention, even if QF doesn't. It certainly did when there was a minor schedule change a few days ago - while QF was quick to reissue the tickets as it did not require interaction on my part, QR also sent an email indicating I could contact my travel agent if I was eligible for a rebooking or refund according to their T&Cs (I wasn't eligible but it's nice to know that I should get notified if I need to attend to anything with the

I did the same with QR for ADL-DOH-ATH! Nothing‘s changed yet but I’m glad to hear it works.

I have JAL flights for CDG-HND-SYD-ADL so I also joined the JAL Mileage Bank. But the JAL app is pretty poor. I can’t seem to be able to plug my PNR in like you can with the QF and QR apps.

 

[encryptededdy]

I can’t seem to be able to plug my PNR in like you can with the QF and QR apps.

You definitely can, but you have to be logged out of JMB if the booking isn't tied to your JMB account.

 

[Withnail & I]

CheckMyTrip, a free Amadeus product, provides push notifications for any booking changes. It can also be used to verify whether bookings have been reticketed after changes and is an essential tool in preventing the loss of award seats due to slow QF ticketing procedures.

Hey, thanks, that’s a good app! Only thing is, I’m a bit nervous to enter my Reservation numbers (hacking) and if you just enter flight numbers and dates you can’t enter multiple flights from/to the same departure/arrival points on the same date but different times (I have split flights as I couldn’t get the whole family on the same flights for one leg)

 

[sudoer]

Hey, thanks, that’s a good app! Only thing is, I’m a bit nervous to enter my Reservation numbers (hacking) and if you just enter flight numbers and dates you can’t enter multiple flights from/to the same departure/arrival points on the same date but different times (I have split flights as I couldn’t get the whole family on the same flights for one leg)

Amadeus run the systems which stores Qantas PNR data. If they are severely compromised, it's unlikely to matter whether you are using CMT or not, a malicious attacker could have access to your PNR anyway.

 

[antycbr]

Amadeus run the systems which stores Qantas PNR data. If they are severely compromised, it's unlikely to matter whether you are using CMT or not, a malicious attacker could have access to your PNR anyway.

The biggest threat is not a hacker accessing your data - it’s QF erasing your booking.

Amadeus is used by a large number of tier one airlines, I have more faith in them than QF.

 

[Withnail & I]

You definitely can, but you have to be logged out of JMB if the booking isn't tied to your JMB account.

You definitely can, but you have to be logged out of JMB if the booking isn't tied to your JMB account.

You’re right, it worked! However, I was met with this message so something‘s changed but the booking still exists on the QF app without any apparent changes.

In any event, can JAL flights booked through QF be managed via a JAL website? For example, when choosing QR seats you can’t do it through the QF site but you can through the QR site/app.

 

[sudoer]

can JAL flights booked through QF be managed via a JAL website?

Yes. You may need to append your middle name (if you have one on the booking) and title in the first name field to pull up the booking. For example, Mr John Robert Citizen would enter the first name Johnrobertmr

 

[Withnail & I]

Yes. You may need to append your middle name (if you have one on the booking) and title in the first name field to pull up the booking. For example, Mr John Robert Citizen would enter the first name Johnrobertmr

Thanks. I’d call Qantas about the above JAL message but I’m scared the idiots will inadvertently cancel my flights!

 

[sudoer]

Thanks. I’d call Qantas about the above JAL message but I’m scared the idiots will inadvertently cancel my flights!

If you cannot do so in Qantas MMB, you need to call Qantas to accept schedule changes on the booking.

Edit: you can call JAL to confirm what the changes are, but be ready for a 30-60 min wait and some communication struggles with the China based reps.

 

[clifford]

China based reps.

What would the Japanese think about that?

 

[sudoer]

What would the Japanese think about that?

I don't think they'd be too surprised that the Chinese & English speaking call centre is based offshore.