Where are the awards?

[MrJetset]

During the pandemic, awards were almost impossible to find in premium cabins. I've had some success for LAX, mostly thanks to EF alerts.

As travel begins to return to normal with the border reopening on 21 February, I expected to see QFF awards reappear.

Looking at QF23/24 to and from BKK or QF 1/2 to and from SIN I can't find any U class on either, to P on the latter in Niv.

EK appears to also still be blocking J and F awards to QFF as well.

Where are all the premium awards and when will they return?

 

[TheInsider]

EK appears to also still be blocking J and F awards to QFF as well.

They aren't blocking anything to QFF.

 

[encryptededdy]

I personally haven't found availability to be any different. Personally due to the very flexible free cancellation policy right now until the end of 2022 for Classic Reward flights, I've been booking flights ~11 months out to secure award space, with the intention of cancelling (for free) if they don't pan out.

 

[cjd600]

I personally haven't found availability to be any different. Personally due to the very flexible free cancellation policy right now until the end of 2022 for Classic Reward flights, I've been booking flights ~11 months out to secure award space, with the intention of cancelling (for free) if they don't pan out.

I’ve actually found QF availability better ( as Bronze FF), and have also booked placeholders (in F and J) knowing I can cancel depending on the ‘state of play’ as the departure nears

 

[MrJetset]

There’s literally nothing loaded to BKK or SIN in Nov searching today.

There were a lot a month or so ago so it seems to have been significant reduced. Loads are empty when checking EF.

 

[Spacetravel]

There’s literally nothing loaded to BKK or SIN in Nov searching today.

There were a lot a month or so ago so it seems to have been significant reduced. Loads are empty when checking EF.

I think you will find its because most people have probably taken the seats already. The time to book was when the schedules were loaded, not now after the announcement. I've spent the last few months booking all my 2022 and pretty much been able to get the exact dates and class I wanted on usually very in demand routes such as to LAX and LHR. When the schedules were loaded over the last few months, there was amazing availability but I've been watching it be snapped up over the last couple months as confidence resumes.

Overall though I think its been pretty good. Just yesterday I was able to snag SYD > LAX in J on QF in May on the exact date I wanted, that was pure luck though, I was on the phone to a QF agent when the EF alert came through and I was able to book it immediately.

Check JAL, been seeing plenty of availability with them.

As new flights are loaded as demand slowly picks up I think you should see availability increase. I think you need to keep an eye on when the new flights/ routes/ airlines/ aircraft upgrades (777 to a380) are loaded and that's when a wave of availability shows up. Good luck!

 

[jase05]

MH seem to have a stack of J award availability in October when I’m looking on AA but QF website showing nothing for same dates.
I’m wondering if they are phantoms or not?

 

[Pele]

I think you will find its because most people have probably taken the seats already. The time to book was when the schedules were loaded, not now after the announcement. I've spent the last few months booking all my 2022 and pretty much been able to get the exact dates and class I wanted on usually very in demand routes such as to LAX and LHR. When the schedules were loaded over the last few months, there was amazing availability but I've been watching it be snapped up over the last couple months as confidence resumes.

Overall though I think its been pretty good. Just yesterday I was able to snag SYD > LAX in J on QF in May on the exact date I wanted, that was pure luck though, I was on the phone to a QF agent when the EF alert came through and I was able to book it immediately.

Check JAL, been seeing plenty of availability with them.

As new flights are loaded as demand slowly picks up I think you should see availability increase. I think you need to keep an eye on when the new flights/ routes/ airlines/ aircraft upgrades (777 to a380) are loaded and that's when a wave of availability shows up. Good luck!

This bloke is correct.

EK definitely havent blocked awards to QFF. If i look now i can see March 2022 is wide open from SYD-DXB. First and Business available most days. But Banana0692 was correct in that you have likely missed the boat. I booked a heap of seats in Nov, Dec, early Jan. I booked my whole family on EK First class which i wasnt planning to do but as i thought this will never happen again i did it. By Australia Day most of the seats were snapped up. I cant speak for awards on QF metal as i never see them anyway and even if i did they would be close to my last choice to book with.

And to reiterate what Banana0692 said about JAL- there is tonnes of J availability in the second half of 2022. When i checked two weeks ago there was 6 seats a day each way between SYD-HND and HND-SYD. That is unheard of. Again i booked it as it isnt normal to be so freely available.

Having said all that- if the holidays actually go ahead remains to be seen, i will either be a very happy fella or another in the long line of wingers posting that they cant get their taxes refunded from QFF!

All the best and dont give up.

Pele.

 

[Mattg]

I do agree that something is up with QF (not) releasing premium seats on its own flights at release time. Even 353 days out, they don't seem to be releasing PE/J/F seats (to those with the appropriate status) on quite a few international routes.

MEL-DEL in J and SYD-DFW in PE is reasonably available though.

 

[MrJetset]

I think you might be misunderstanding my point.

I monitored these specific QF flights since they went on schedule. No awards were released then, at the exact time and date of release, and not since. QF also haven't released P class for QF 1 to and from SIN on the A388.

The exception being when QF1/2 was loaded into the system about a month ago, P was released for up to 6 seats and some managed to snag those fares before they were pulled the next day. Again, these seats haven't been released since.

I am aware that for QF1/2 you generally have to request via the droid for EU Summer.

I also have a heap of EK F flights to DXB and further into Europe I booked around 6 months ago. EK proudly announced the return of double daily flights to SYD. They haven't loaded any F awards for the new flight number. Usually they would load it at that time.

I'll call on Mon and put in some award release requests and report back.

 

[TheInsider]

I also have a heap of EK F flights to DXB and further into Europe I booked around 6 months ago. EK proudly announced the return of double daily flights to SYD. They haven't loaded any F awards for the new flight number. Usually they would load it at that time.

I'll call on Mon and put in some award release requests and report back.

There is a lot of EK F awards on their new flight number ex SYD.

 

[MrJetset]

Please do tell me where you can find any day in July or August with 2 seats in EK F ex SYD on the new flight number (or any flights ex MEL or BNE)....

 

[bjm76]

Absolutely agree with you Jock28 - I have also been looking for J award seats on QF23/QF24 when they should have become available - and nothing. Perhaps it is specific to the SYD-BKK flights only given they will probably be quite busy when Thailand relaxes their Covid testing regime. I was ready to book J award seats for Dec 26 2022 at the 11 month mark and I didnt see any at all.

Perhaps also related, I have noticed that some Saturday QF23/24 flights in June seem to have disappeared from the QF booking website - so might be reducing capacity and therefore not releasing award seats until alot closer to departure date.
Would be interested to hear what loads have been like on QF23/QF24 since they resumed at the start of January.

 

[RichardMEL]

I am a little confused.

Why on earth would one expect there to be MORE award available with borders reopening from Feb 21?

if anything awards not already snapped up would be rarer. Revenue fares, in theory, would be prime for QF (or EK or whoever) flying into oz since they can get more paying pax (not just oz citizens) on. Yes, caps still apply, but it is still way more pax available, and with demand, to take seats.

And QF to/from BKK has traditionally been a really tough one to get award space (much like HNL) due to paid demand and QF knowing this and being stingy.

What am I missing?

 

[MrJetset]

Awards for routes that are restarting and now loaded into the schedule.

 

[ketsuzei]

What am I missing?

Among other things, the ability to state your point succinctly and without extraneous rubbish.

 

[RichardMEL]

Among other things, the ability to state your point succinctly and without extraneous bullshit.

lol. fair call. For me though, that WAS a succinct post

 

[djkelly69]

It is obviously anecdotal, but I posted something similar in the OWA thread a few days ago about there seeming to be zero award availability on QF from South East Asia to Aus for early Jan 2023. Likewise I have been keeping an eye on it from the (supposed) release date.

It didn't garner much of a reaction in the OWA thread though so I thought maybe I was doing something wrong or had just completely missed the boat on availability somehow.

 

[mitti]

I have noticed a similar pattern @Jock28, after checking EK F availability through Qantas every day for the past few months, and when comparing availability on similar routes pre-pandemic a similar time out from day of departure. Routes I am looking at include destinations betweeen DXB & Europe (FRA, ZRH, MXP, FCO, VCE, etc.)

This pile on against the OP seems a little unfair TBH!

 

[jbman]

Agreed, I haven’t been able to find anything past 30th Nov coming into Australia from DXB. I have found EU going to DXB then nothing onward. I can easily bring up paid fairs for the same route bringing me back to AU.

I have looked in the Calendar with Y/P/J/F and all blank.

Flying from DXB to SIN or another larger Asian hub I can also find flights with EK or QR.