500k QF points, need to get to London on J or higher, confused

[Lynnelanne]

Hi. I want to book two people to London return, 2019 around the third week in July. I want J or higher. My partner has suffered a pulmonary embolism and DVT’s so we need space and a stop over would also be not a bad thing. I have about 480000 QFF points, could be up to half a million soon. I know I’m being lazy, but there is so much on here to research! I would be interested to know if any you on here, many of whom are clearly very much into this, could provide any tips on the best way to achieve what I want. I don’t mind paying to get here and there, like if a leg is better off paid for in cash. I also know that the JASA fares are released soon for the time frame we want so am pre-planning. Finally, I’m not sure if I should look at points all the way or buy a ticket and apply for an upgrade. The complication is that we REALLY don’t want to travel in economy, if we didn’t get the upgrade we’d not want to fly due to his health. Would appreciate any advice. And TIA.

 

[RooFlyer]

Unless you have Platinum status or above on QFF, forget about buying economy and applying for an upgrade. Theoretically possible, but for two, chances are negligible and you wouldn't know until a day or so before the flights.

I'm not sure of the timetable, but you could stop over at, say, Singapore or Dubai for up to 24 hours and it still would be priced the same as straight through (I think); else it will be more expensive BUT you might have better chances of finding J flights all the way through if you stagger the 2 legs out a bit.

Your best bet is to go on line the day seats would be released for the day you want (353 days, IIRC) and also the hour and minute and pounce on two J seats, assuming they appear. I'm not kidding about the hour and minute - others will tell you when exactly they come on line. You will probably get options using Cathay via HKG and EK via Dubai as well.

Paying for the leg to SIN and then a J award onwards might have greater chance, but I'm not sure.

 

[Borisdog]

Unless you have Platinum status or above on QFF, forget about buying economy and applying for an upgrade. Theoretically possible, but for two, chances are negligible and you wouldn't know until a day or so before the flights.

I'm not sure of the timetable, but you could stop over at, say, Singapore or Dubai for up to 24 hours and it still would be priced the same as straight through (I think); else it will be more expensive BUT you might have better chances of finding J flights all the way through if you stagger the 2 legs out a bit.

Your best bet is to go on line the day seats would be released for the day you want (353 days, IIRC) and also the hour and minute and pounce on two J seats, assuming they appear. I'm not kidding about the hour and minute - others will tell you when exactly they come on line. You will probably get options using Cathay via KG and EK via Dubai as well.

Paying for the leg to SIN and then a J award onwards might have greater chance, but I'm not sure.

I completely concur with Rooflyer. Get to Singapore, or even Hong Kong - paid Y in exit rows if you need the room - then it's not that hard to get SIN-LHR or HKG-LHR J awards. Singapore or Hong Kong to Amsterdam is also pretty easy - then the train.
Straight out J awards ex Syd/Mel are pretty tough to get

SIN-AMS can be as cheap as 168K points per person J return. BA SIN-LHR is 188K return

 

[Scash]

Persistence and patience and contantly checking. Definitely look at the Asian hubs. We have a paid Y fare to HKG in September and then points with EK to CDG/FCO/DXB/BNE in a mix of J and F. I found HKG had more options for reward redemptions. Also by starting your journey from Hong Kong the fees/taxes/surcharges were way cheaper. We saved close on on $2k by starting in HKG instead of BNE. Do some dummy bookings from different starting points to compare costs. I was speaking to an English couple yesterday and they got a really good deal to BNE with Garuda in business via CGK.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi. I want to book two people to London return, 2019 around the third week in July. I want J or higher. My partner has suffered a pulmonary embolism and DVT’s so we need space and a stop over would also be not a bad thing. I have about 480000 QFF points, could be up to half a million soon. I know I’m being lazy, but there is so much on here to research! I would be interested to know if any you on here, many of whom are clearly very much into this, could provide any tips on the best way to achieve what I want. I don’t mind paying to get here and there, like if a leg is better off paid for in cash. I also know that the JASA fares are released soon for the time frame we want so am pre-planning. Finally, I’m not sure if I should look at points all the way or buy a ticket and apply for an upgrade. The complication is that we REALLY don’t want to travel in economy, if we didn’t get the upgrade we’d not want to fly due to his health. Would appreciate any advice. And TIA.

504K points will get you 2 x return business class tickets to Europe on Qantas or Emirates. I've noticed in the last couple of weeks that Emirates opens up flights pretty much bang on two weeks before departure. So if you miss out on getting business class seats when they are initially released, there should be a good chance of securing something closer to departure time (if you have flexibility).

There are some other options with good availability... out of SIN and Denpasar emirates is usually wide open. Getting to Singapore/Denpasar can be ok too, look out of BNE for example or via PER (use the multi city tool). For Denpasar Qantas flies out of MEL and SYD. Might be able to secure two seats on that, followed by Emirates from there.

 

[Lynnelanne]

Thank you so much to all who have replied so far. Such great tips, I really appreciate it. For instance I had not considered DPS or flying to and from Amsterdam, which would also remove the British departure tax. I’ll go and have a look now! Thanks sincerely. L

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thank you so much to all who have replied so far. Such great tips, I really appreciate it. For instance I had not considered DPS or flying to and from Amsterdam, which would also remove the British departure tax. I’ll go and have a look now! Thanks sincerely. L

The only thing with denpasar is that it’s operated by a 737. From Sydney that’s a gruelling 6.5 hour flight, from Melbourne 5.5 hours.

 

[Borisdog]

The only thing with denpasar is that it’s operated by a 737. From Sydney that’s a gruelling 6.5 hour flight, from Melbourne 5.5 hours.

Yep - And I have to do 5 Hrs once a month now ex BNE to Perth on a 737, now that QF in their wisdom have killed off the A330 from the early flight. It's not fun but if you have to and it's a good saver then - go for it.

 

[RichardMEL]

My mother had a DVT that cause a PE and then, sadly, death.

My big strategy on flights, no matter the cabin, is to ensure aisle access to get up and stretch.. be it a walk around the cabin, or hiding away in say 2R area out of the way and doing some stretching exercises on a regular basis. I have a dilemma when sleeping in the comfort of F though knowing I *should* get up and do the exercises, but I think of my mum and that's an easy choice.

Best wishes

 

[mviy]

My mother had a DVT that cause a PE and then, sadly, death.

Sad to hear that.

My big strategy on flights, no matter the cabin, is to ensure aisle access to get up and stretch.. be it a walk around the cabin, or hiding away in say 2R area out of the way and doing some stretching exercises on a regular basis. I have a dilemma when sleeping in the comfort of F though knowing I *should* get up and do the exercises, but I think of my mum and that's an easy choice.

I try to get up and stretch during flights and agree that it's easier to do it with aisle access. In economy sitting in the aisle will mean that others getting up to stretch or go to the lavs will lead to you needing to get up as well (unless in an exit or extra leg room row in which case it might not be necessary for you to get up).

It's advisable if you're watching movies to get up at least after each movie if not more.

When at cruising altitude and I'm lying down trying to sleep I try to not have the seatbelt quite as tight as for takeoff and landing unless I'm awake and there's turbulence. Also keep the seatbelt visible. If the seatbelt isn't visible then FAs may disturb you if there's turbulence to make sure that your seatbelt is on properly.

With about 500k points I'd be looking to go J if at all possible in at least one direction though at this late stage you'd be hoping that there's some flights with plenty of free seats so that e.g. Emirates decide to release them.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

When at cruising altitude and I'm lying down trying to sleep I try to not have the seatbelt quite as tight as for takeoff and landing unless I'm awake and there's turbulence.

For takeoff and landing your seat belt should be secured low and tight (quite tight in fact) to be of maximum effectiveness.

During cruise that isn't necessary - the seat belt, even loosely fastened, is to stop you hitting the ceiling if major turbulence was to hit.

 

[Lynnelanne]

Yep - And I have to do 5 Hrs once a month now ex BNE to Perth on a 737, now that QF in their wisdom have killed off the A330 from the early flight. It's not fun but if you have to and it's a good saver then - go for it.

Oh, so 737 from Aus to DPS? I think we could deal with that in J, no problem. Very used to long flights unfortunately.

 

[Lynnelanne]

My mother had a DVT that cause a PE and then, sadly, death.

My big strategy on flights, no matter the cabin, is to ensure aisle access to get up and stretch.. be it a walk around the cabin, or hiding away in say 2R area out of the way and doing some stretching exercises on a regular basis. I have a dilemma when sleeping in the comfort of F though knowing I *should* get up and do the exercises, but I think of my mum and that's an easy choice.

Best wishes

Sorry to hear about your mum. I’m so grateful that my DH didn’t suffer the same fate. My partner had the DVT some years bac, and we have always since then been very careful to have aisle seats even if it means we can’t sit together, and get up and do exercise. Agree, I have only been in F once, and leaving that comforting cocoon with extremely nice food (Cathay Japan to HKG) was very difficult!

 

[Lynnelanne]

Thanks everyone, there have been more responses recently and for some reason I was not advised by email. I’ still waiting before booking in time for July next year. Someone said ‘at this late stage’ (sorry I can’t scroll up to find out who right now, something wrong with iPad). Why ‘late stage’.... I am talking about July 2019.... I would have thought that was long enough, am I wrong?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Oh, so 737 from Aus to DPS? I think we could deal with that in J, no problem. Very used to long flights unfortunately.

it's around 5.5 hours flying from Australia - but there was a thread here on AFF recently that withouth curtains separating economy and business, there can sometimes be queues to use the forward toilet. So your nice business class seat becomes 'sitting watching a movie with someone's bum in your face'.

Thanks everyone, there have been more responses recently and for some reason I was not advised by email. I’ still waiting before booking in time for July next year. Someone said ‘at this late stage’ (sorry I can’t scroll up to find out who right now, something wrong with iPad). Why ‘late stage’.... I am talking about July 2019.... I would have thought that was long enough, am I wrong?

Award seats are released around a year in advance (give or take a month or so depending on the airline). Many people jump on that availability as soon as it is released. So July 2019 may well have missed the window.

But some airlines are more generous with space. Emirtaes for example, by sheer numbers of flights and seats is usually more accommodating for space. I booked my recent ticket about three months before travel - but that was for a single seat. Soon after i booked the award inventory really started to disappear.

 

[Lynnelanne]

it's around 5.5 hours flying from Australia - but there was a thread here on AFF recently that withouth curtains separating economy and business, there can sometimes be queues to use the forward toilet. So your nice business class seat becomes 'sitting watching a movie with someone's bum in your face'.



Award seats are released around a year in advance (give or take a month or so depending on the airline). Many people jump on that availability as soon as it is released. So July 2019 may well have missed the window.

But some airlines are more generous with space. Emirtaes for example, by sheer numbers of flights and seats is usually more accommodating for space. I booked my recent ticket about three months before travel - but that was for a single seat. Soon after i booked the award inventory really started to disappear.

I have been following Qantas on the Qantas website and awards are not available for July yet, unless you can advise me of anywhere else I should be looking? Certainly thinking it would be Emirates at this stage, and I’d actually prefer that to Qantas itself.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have been following Qantas on the Qantas website and awards are not available for July yet, unless you can advise me of anywhere else I should be looking? Certainly thinking it would be Emirates at this stage, and I’d actually prefer that to Qantas itself.

It probably doesn't help that I got the month wrong. I thought we were in August already!

Qantas releases awards 353 days prior, and 308 days prior for premium cabins for bronze and silver: The definitive guide to when frequent flyer program award calendars open

 

[JohnM]

You may find that availability on EK out of ADL or PER is better than out of MEL or SYD.

 

[Limewood]

For years got fed up trying find QF award seats and then being whacked big dollars if found Internationally, so get to HKG anyway you can in upgrade economy, its daylight flight stop then choose as many seats as you want and bugger all fees if CX.

We are going HKG/JFK/HKG 2 x JrCX return under 400K points and a mere $192 in fees. If we found SYD/LAXJFK 2xJ QF fees for 2 pax about $2000.

 

[Lynnelanne]

It probably doesn't help that I got the month wrong. I thought we were in August already!

Qantas releases awards 353 days prior, and 308 days prior for premium cabins for bronze and silver: The definitive guide to when frequent flyer program award calendars open

Oh good, I’m glad you got the month wrong, I do that sort of thing too, quite often! Thanks for the link, that’s gold.