What are my Bronze J options for biz from CDG/LHR to MEL?

[dsotm]

As a bronze holder, I'm having heaps of trouble finding a flight back from CDG/LHR to MEL next September. I got 2 x outbound MEL/LHR J-savers on Singapore Airlines no problem for August, but the option of returning on Classic Rewards with Qantas is a PITA. I eventually secured 2 x J on BA as far as Singapore but there is no direct availability to MEL on any of the codeshares. The BA11 flight has those awful forward/reverse narrow J seats on the 787 but it's all I can find.

Searching today, the only option was to fly the scenic route of SIN-CMB-MEL! I'm now looking at buying PE from SIN to MEL to do the final leg, but that will be three grand.

Are there other routes I should be looking at that I may have missed? Or am I trying to book too far out?

 

[encryptededdy]

The BA11 flight has those awful forward/reverse narrow J seats on the 787 but it's all I can find.

They're running the 777 w/Club Suites over the summer. I wonder if maybe that will make a return next year?

 

[dsotm]

They're running the 777 w/Club Suites over the summer. I wonder if maybe that will make a return next year?

I just tried a dummy booking for September '23 and the seat map is still showing the old design on the 787. They are supposedly migrating the 777 seats to the 787's but who knows when.

 

[clifford]

Searching today, the only option was to fly the scenic route of SIN-CMB-MEL! I'm now looking at buying PE from SIN to MEL to do the final leg, but that will be three grand.

Are there other routes I should be looking at that I may have missed? Or am I trying to book too far out?

You could have a look at SIN-CGK (3K) - SYD (QF) as a J award. (Assuming you fly BA LHR-SIN).

I have sometimes found J award availability ex CGK when there was none ex SIN.

 

[dsotm]

You could have a look at SIN-CGK (3K) - SYD (QF) as a J award. (Assuming you fly BA LHR-SIN).

I have sometimes found J award availability ex CGK when there was none ex SIN.

Thanks, I did look at that earlier but the layovers were enormous. I'm flying BA in J CDG/LHR/SIN for 104K points which is pretty good, but if I find a better solution before the no-fee cancellations expire at the end of the year, I'll zap the original booking. All the BA LHR/SIN availability seems to have evaporated for September too since I booked.

 

[encryptededdy]

I just tried a dummy booking for September '23 and the seat map is still showing the old design on the 787. They are supposedly migrating the 777 seats to the 787's but who knows when.

To be clear I mean this summer (i.e. right now). I was speculating whether they'd bring back the 777 for next summer too.

Although it seems like I might've gotten BA11 and BA15 confused.

 

[dsotm]

To be clear I mean this summer (i.e. right now). I was speculating whether they'd bring back the 777 for next summer too.

Although it seems like I might've gotten BA11 and BA15 confused.

Yep, I think BA15 will have the revamped 777's, not the 787's on BA11, unless the retrofit is ahead of schedule.

 

[jase05]

Normally good award availability from Europe back to Asian ports and then tag on a cheap PR J flight for as little as $900 KUL-MEL

 

[mviy]

Capacity is still a lot lower than pre-pandemic. This is compounded by many travellers only wanting to use their points on flights, who continued to earn points whilst stuck on the ground during COVID, and a number willing to pay much more than pre-COVID to purchase premium seats using cash/credit card. On QF, Bronze travellers are the last to get to book classic reward seats and by then higher status travellers may have already booked them all.

QF did do a big release of classic reward seats a while back for any QFF member to book, but the J/F seats went very fast.

 

[levelnine]

Qantas have just released a ton of reward availability from HKG to SYD/MEL if you want to risk a transit in HKG.

 

[bam71]

What about stay overnight in SIN, then see if you can snag a day departure on JQ SIN MEL?

 

[dsotm]

What about stay overnight in SIN, then see if you can snag a day departure on JQ SIN MEL?Yep, overnight

Yep, that's probably what I'll do. Overnight, then daytrip on SA to get some points. JQ's off my list after the last couple of trips.

 

[dsotm]

Qantas have just released a ton of reward availability from HKG to SYD/MEL if you want to risk a transit in HKG.

The special is only for Japan flights. The Hong Kong deal (announced at the same time) is only for a points plane on January 30. Plus it's zero J availability in September for LHR/HKG.

 

[levelnine]

The special is only for Japan flights. The Hong Kong deal (announced at the same time) is only for a points plane on January 30. Plus it's zero J availability in September for LHR/HKG.

You misread my post. I'm not referring to either of those deals.

Most of the seats have already been scooped up, but there is still a bit left.

You are correct about lack of availability to Europe. You could book it and gamble on CX opening more award availability from CDG/LHR as HKG opens up.

 

[dsotm]

You misread my post. I'm not referring to either of those deals.

Most of the seats have already been scooped up, but there is still a bit left.

You are correct about lack of availability to Europe. You could book it and gamble on CX opening more award availability from CDG/LHR as HKG opens up.

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I think I missed the boat on that one. Zero availability for HKG-MEL Classic Awards in September. I think I'll just monitor it and see what comes up later. There may be some cancellations at the end of the year when the "no-fees" deal finishes up.