Worth booking a backup flight or changing entirely?

[douglasac10]

Hi all

I am going to the US at the end of September, having booked on QF11. My eventual destination is Missoula, Montana. When I booked the original flight, there were no decent connecting flights to Missoula (all arrived around midnight which wasn't ideal), so I figured I'd buy a cash fare for a mid-afternoon\early evening arrival so as not to have to spend a good part of the day milling about LAX.

A couple of weeks after booking, AA started\extended a non-stop route to Missoula with an 11am departure, and I lucked out with domestic first reward availability as far as the eye can see, so I booked this as a separate award ticket.

I figured that with 11am departure, there was enough time to get through CBP etc., check in for the AA flight and get through TSA as about four hours seemed to be a good buffer between the two flights.

Over the weekend they've now changed the departure to 10:30am, which I think might be a bit tight? I mean, I imagine it could be done (last time I went through LAX to get to Missoula was in 2018, I was through CBP, checked in to a UA flight and through TSA in T7 in around 90 minutes) but I'm thinking at this point it's a case where everything must go right.

So, I'm left wondering what I should do:

• Book a refundable cash flight that leaves in the afternoon as a backup, and if not needed just cancel it? (I don't want to be stuck in a position where I must pay a ridiculous fare to get there same day if I do miss the direct AA flight.)
• See if Qantas can add one of the Y seats on the AA flight to my QF11 ticket so I have a protected connection? (Not the end of the world if I don't sit up front. Also, can they even do this?)
• Cancel the J reward seat and see if they can put that on the QF11 ticket before someone else takes it? (I imagine this, if it can be done, would rely on things going right as well, with the same caveat as above of assuming that this can be done!)
• Do nothing, see if the schedule changes again in a more favourable manner as this is four months out.

Apologies if this comes off as a bunch of word salad or ignorant nonsense - any advice (or snarky commentary ) would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Is QF11 a cash ticket? I believe QF will through-check if Cash + Award. I'm not sure if that would make you protected though.

If there is still an award to MSO, you could add it to your QF11 ticket if it's an award.

 

[douglasac10]

Is QF11 a cash ticket? I believe QF will through-check if Cash + Award. I'm not sure if that would make you protected though.

QF11 is booked as an award flight.

If there is still an award to MSO, you could add it to your QF11 ticket if it's an award.

I am starting to think this might be the best option, although my next concern would be that, outside of the direct flight, the only other AA routings to Missoula from LAX are not great (next best AA option after the direct flight is a red eye to Dallas, five hour layover and arriving at 12pm the next day).

If I did misconnect in this instance, would it have to be an AA flight, or could they reroute me on Alaska, as they have somewhat better alternatives (the original near midnight arrival options)?