Booking Business Classic Reward (PER-LHR) as FF Silver

[sd95au]

I'm trying to get the best use of my points and book a Business Classic Reward seat for an international flight next year. So far in trying to suss out availability, I haven't had any luck seeing seats available. This morning at midnight GMT (8am local) I looked for 353 days away and there was nothing in Premium Economy, Business or First Class for rewards, just Economy.

As a FF silver, am I basically at the mercy of golds and platinums getting priority? Has anyone had luck/got any tips? Not looking to fly until > 12 months away but I want to be ready.

 

[andye]

My understanding was that Silvers can only book 323 days out with only Gold+ getting the 353 day option

 

[mviy]

I agree with andye.

Also, LDN is a domestic airport in Nepal. I think you mean LHR.

 

[sd95au]

Thanks to you both, I'll have to fiddle around with dates. Presumably the 30-day headstart tends to be enough for all the seats to be gone on a popular route, then?

(And who says I wouldn't want to go to Nepal? Have fixed.)

 

[mviy]

It would depend what time of year you want to travel, I guess. If willing to travel outside school holidays and the summer peak you might have a little better chance.

QF has a monopoly on direct non-stop PER-LHR so getting classic reward seats for that may be harder than for MEL-PER-LHR

 

[Matt_01]

I'm trying to get the best use of my points and book a Business Classic Reward seat for an international flight next year. So far in trying to suss out availability, I haven't had any luck seeing seats available. This morning at midnight GMT (8am local) I looked for 353 days away and there was nothing in Premium Economy, Business or First Class for rewards, just Economy.

As a FF silver, am I basically at the mercy of golds and platinums getting priority? Has anyone had luck/got any tips? Not looking to fly until > 12 months away but I want to be ready.

Try using the multi city tool via DOH you will have to use points at the OW/ partner rates around 159K to PER-LHR. QR is a better all round product and when booking on OW/ partner airlines QF status does not come into play and QR release seats 360 days out.

 

[HappyFlyerFamily]

Agree with the multicity option. Don't forget all the other London/UK airports as well.

Of course it depends on how many in the travelling party you are looking to book for with reward seats and being comfortable with the relevant covid-related transit/entry conditions.

At present there are some available seats even in the next few weeks from Oz via Middle East (eg Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai) to Europe. It has been a bit harder to get complete return legs (Europe to Oz) in Business Class as reward seats say over the next 28 days.

So its still feasible to find availability and line up leave etc for August/September if say you brought forward your timeline.

 

[djkelly69]

I assume you mean on the direct QF9 flight?

Looking on a QF gold account, on the furthest possible date with QF flights showing (4/3/23), there is only reward seats available in economy. Appears the same for all QF metal that I can see (eg to SIN then LHR).

Best option IMO would be to go via Asia or Middle East.

 

[sd95au]

Thanks everyone! Definitely more than happy to fly via the Middle East if it means getting to fly business class, and some useful tips about booking via oneworld in the thread. Just need to save up a little more to afford 2 x 159k points, but I'm sure it's well worth it. Good thing I just opened a new FF card!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm trying to get the best use of my points and book a Business Classic Reward seat for an international flight next year. So far in trying to suss out availability, I haven't had any luck seeing seats available. This morning at midnight GMT (8am local) I looked for 353 days away and there was nothing in Premium Economy, Business or First Class for rewards, just Economy.

As a FF silver, am I basically at the mercy of golds and platinums getting priority? Has anyone had luck/got any tips? Not looking to fly until > 12 months away but I want to be ready.

As a silver I’ve seen occasional award seats on the QF non-stop. So the 30 day head start isn’t a complete block. And for other routes like USA there’s reasonable availability if you get in early enough.

Maybe buy a couple of cases of wine with 10k bonus points? Alternatively QF is offering a bonus 50% if you buy points from them atm (for the next couple of days). It actually looked quite attractive pricing wise given the current asking price for revenu fares.