Timing of a QFF Reward booking in F advice

[maccy]

Hi Experts!

First time posting here...appreciate any advice...

I am looking to book (hopefully) a QF Classic Reward in F from SYD to BUD in May 2019 and return ATH to SYD in June 2019 in F or J.

Obviously with the return flight ATH to SYD seats being released a month after the depart seats, if I wait till both legs have been released I may run the risk of the SYD to BUD not being available. Would I be best to book the SYD to BUD in F when it becomes available and then, either book the ATH to SYD separately when it becomes available, or look to then change my existing to booking to include ATH to SYD?

Any advice from the experts on how to attack this would be appreciated....

 

[mviy]

Yes, book the outbound leg once that becomes available. I wouldn't risk the seat no longer being available by the time the return leg is available.

You can ring up and get the return leg added to the same booking once those seats become available.

 

[maccy]

Thanks for the advice mviy thats what I thought...

Follow up question, I have two options it seems with my EK flight via DXB. Either SYD to DXB direct (EK417) or with a stopover in BKK (EK419). Either flight departure times work for me, I will have an extended stay in the DXB lounge flying the direct EK417, but Im ok with that.

Are there any recommendations as someone who will be trying EK's F for the first time (maybe 1st and only time), with the direct flight or the stop over in BKK, as to which might be the more 'enjoyable experience'?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Are there any recommendations as someone who will be trying EK's F for the first time (maybe 1st and only time), with the direct flight or the stop over in BKK, as to which might be the more 'enjoyable experience'?

Dunno if there's much advantage to the stop in BKK.

SYD-DXB is a nice long flight that you can manage according to your needs. Eat, sleep, eat some more. Watch tv. Go to the bar.

While SYD-BKK is long enough to eat and then sleep for 4 or 5 hours, the BKK-DXB is very short. Not really long enough to eat and sleep. So you could be arriving tired into DXB.

Agree with booking the one way asap. I'm not sure there's much benefit to trying to put everything on to one ticket when the return becomes available? You'd have to pay a change fee to the existing ticket (5000 points). Are the taxes fees and charges that much different for a one way v return? There's no additional protection for connections or anything by having 2 x one way vs a return.

 

[maccy]

Agree with booking the one way asap. I'm not sure there's much benefit to trying to put everything on to one ticket when the return becomes available? You'd have to pay a change fee to the existing ticket (5000 points). Are the taxes fees and charges that much different for a one way v return? There's no additional protection for connections or anything by having 2 x one way vs a return.

Thanks MEL_Travelller, I have had a look and I can't seem to compare the prices with rtn booking and two separate single trips and the return trip that I am able to add to the return booking, isn't available as a single trip... so I can't compare. The return I am looking at are QR flights...maybe it can't be done via the route...

Appreciate the advice, I might try calling Qantas at some stage to ask...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks MEL_Travelller, I have had a look and I can't seem to compare the prices with rtn booking and two separate single trips and the return trip that I am able to add to the return booking, isn't available as a single trip... so I can't compare. The return I am looking at are QR flights...maybe it can't be done via the route...

Appreciate the advice, I might try calling Qantas at some stage to ask...

You can put in any date for the return where you can find availability (like next month or whatever). The taxes fees and charges aren't going to vary by much. That will give you the two one way sets of charges. Dunno about booking QR - never seen availability on QF. Only via BA's booking engine. But if it's available on BA it should be available to book via Q (call centre if you can't see it on line).

 

[Pushka]

You can put in any date for the return where you can find availability (like next month or whatever). The taxes fees and charges aren't going to vary by much. That will give you the two one way sets of charges. Dunno about booking QR - never seen availability on QF. Only via BA's booking engine. But if it's available on BA it should be available to book via Q (call centre if you can't see it on line).

I’ve had success with award flights on QR and start one next week, return trip in J which I booked as 2 separate bookings. But I haven’t seen any QR award flights recently when I’ve done other searches.