How do you get discount J ?

[FL360]

I have done lots of places for personal travel already.
Given the recent cramping of Y seats for most airlines, and the PE seats are quite similar to the old days Y.
J is the answer.

How do you guys score discount J fares ? I guess I don't have to stick with any particular airlines so it could be easier.

and also which airline partner with option town (OT)? I guess I hate to pay for their J product of they are also frocking their J seats off the OT.

thanks a lot.

 

[mannej]

Where are you looking to fly to? That may help the members provide a better response

 

[FL360]

J matters for 6+ hrs, so mostly Europe, and US, and Asia
thanks

 

[OATEK]

I have signed up for some of the airlines such as Finnair to get advice when early bird discounts are released.

 

[Mattg]

Regarding your second question, the following airlines offer upgrades via Optiontown: Air Asia, Air India, SAS, Vietnam Airlines.

In terms of getting discounted business class tickets, I find it helps to buy tickets outside of Australia. This could either mean buying return tickets from your destination, or purchasing positioning flights to/from a third country.

You can often get return J tickets to Europe on full service airlines for around $2,000 from somewhere like Bangkok or Colombo. For North America, J tickets from Fiji to Los Angeles are just a fraction of the price you'd pay if you bought a J ticket from Australia.

 

[Limewood]

I buy AA and AS miles go J about 1/3 of retail.

 

[bsb]

This is a 'how longs a piece of string' question.

There are always deals around but it depends on where you're wanting to go. Royal Brunei to Asia is always cheap if you don't mind not drinking and there are a plethora of options from there. VN also has deals often.

Flyertalk has a premium fares forum and some if the deals ex Asia and Europe are mind boggling, we don't get them ex Aus. MATTGs idea if buying from Outside Aus is meritorious

To the US, NZ often has great deals - sign up for the specials. Qantas 2/3 times a year has deals usually post XMAS and if a travel voucher deal is added, it's somewhat attractive.

Careful though, hunting for bargain fares is addictive and time consuming.

 

[Limewood]

I've never had a problem getting 2 x J fares or award seats out of HKG to numerous USA or European cities, have used points/miles to get to HKG then paid or award seats out. We did Europe on QF/CX/QR cost in J using purchased AA miles was around $2800 each return, done BNE and CNS to HKG on CX in J return 3 times now for $1800 per person. Just about book CX HKG to BOS direct ample J award seats return available this time using QF points.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Joining in as always interested in best routing and deals

 

[bismarck]

Competitive AA fares to the US ex AKL. Can be had for <$4k at times.

 

[Snoopydoo]

Air NZ is currently offering flights to US for 4200-4400 ex SYD.

 

[windycityf]

Lately I've been getting lucky going directly on the airlines websites. I just booked ANZ in J for close to what QF wanted for economy, for travel over Christmas. It took hours of searching but It was worth it in the end

 

[Limewood]

For 1 can be found we always travel together so 2 x J not so easy.

 

[FL360]

We did Europe on QF/CX/QR cost in J using purchased AA miles was around $2800 each return, done BNE and CNS to HKG on CX in J return 3 times now for $1800 per person.

can you elaborate on the miles calculation ? how much do I need to pay for miles ? and how many miles / points for one way J say SYD to LHR ?
AA you mean American airlines miles ?

thanks a lot !

 

[trooper]

Using AA miles its 85k each way to Europe in Business class 115k in First (80k/110k to the USA)

The usual time to buy miles is during a promotion where you get a bonus %....

At the moment the offer is up to 42500 bonus miles.... (In the past many of us have got 100% bonus miles on various programs..I suspect FL360 bought during one of those to achieve the AUD$2800 price..... so this is not all that good IMO) SO....To get the 170k miles required for a J Europe return right now starting from zero would cost USD$3776....

For a one way....USD$1858....

 

[FL360]

Using AA miles its 85k each way to Europe in Business class 115k in First (80k/110k to the USA)
J Europe return right now starting from zero would cost USD$3776....
For a one way....USD$1858....

thanks even USD 3776 = AUD about 5000, this is still cheaper than the cash price from say Finnair, about 58XX now.
even Royal Brunei cash price is right at AUD 5,000

so how do you buy these miles ? from AA.com ? and of course to redeem your AA miles for J Europe flights will be via OW airlines such as CX / QF / BA ?

thanks again.

 

[trooper]

Maybe so... but if you can put up with Economy up to Asia you can get J return to LHR etc for under AUD$3000....

Yes... you need an AA account and you buy them online... very simple process....and yes... Oneworld airlines....

THE ONE BIG CAVEAT..... it all comes down to availability. There is ZERO guarantee award seats will be available when you actually want them.... 1 seat is sometimes difficult....2 is naturally harder to find. Not trying to put you off.... but you need to go into this with your eyes open. Read the advice here... and on Flyertalk.

 

[SYD]

I have signed up for some of the airlines such as Finnair to get advice when early bird discounts are released.

This advice should not be ignored. Sign up to ANY airline you would want/consider flying with. Have some destinations in mind and work out in advance what is the usual price and what is excellent value. Be flexible and book during the offers for a time that suits.

Just on QF emails alone for me +1 - this month HKG in Y+ for $1300, Christmas is Sth Africa in J for $4200 Ret (including internal flight), Easter in Noumea for $650 J Ret....

AY has some great deals year round.

Subscribe to the Status Run threads and there are some pretty amazing deals out there if you are quick and flexible.

But it comes down to knowing in advance what is good value when you see it.

 

[FL360]

thanks everyone, it seems that if you need to lock in the exact dates, finnair's current Europe J is about 58XX all inclusive is quite a good value, flying CX J to HKG in the cirrus seats, and their A350 cirrus seats to HEL, than a short J EU flights to whatever, say LHR, then back via MAD is also 58XX !

If you buy miles and you redeem you cannot 100% confirm the dates and also you need to pay taxes...

if you are super stingy you want to save 800, than Royal Brunei $5,000, if you depart MEL and only go to say LHR.

 

[OATEK]

thanks everyone, it seems that if you need to lock in the exact dates, finnair's current Europe J is about 58XX all inclusive is quite a good value, flying CX J to HKG in the cirrus seats, and their A350 cirrus seats to HEL, than a short J EU flights to whatever, say LHR, then back via MAD is also 58XX !

This does seem to be a regular price point for AY. I picked up two J tickets SYD-HKG-HEL-VIE//CDG-HEL HKG-SYD for $5748.44 for April 2017. Note that the we have built in a 6 day layover in HEL that we will use for a side trip by rail to St Petersburg. This is the extra feature of AY fare - being able to tag on extra legs to elsewhere in EU/UK from HEL for the same base return fare price.