A Complicated Question - Use of Frequent Flyer points

[karmg]

This is the first time I have posted in any type of forum, so hopefully this works.

Well I have been monitoring this site for a long time and taking in all of the advice offered. I have finally joined it today so I can actually post a question of my own. It’s a bit complicated and I haven’t seen any questions like this on this site so far.

I have been saving points (Qantas) for some time now and our family of four is hoping to travel to Los Angeles for a holiday, hopefully late next year. I’m hoping to have enough points by the end of this year, to try and book for December 2010 to leave from any of the eastern states destinations (BNE, SYD or MEL). We’ll probably have enough points to go over in economy, but I’m hoping to have enough points to travel back in business class for a real treat.

I know I need to book 12 months in advance to get 4 business class seats from LA to the eastern states on the one flight, and I should have just have enough to do that by the end of this year – we will need 96000 x 4 to travel back in business, ie, 384000 points.

However, as we live in Perth, if we want to go from LA to Perth in business it would be 112000 each, an extra 64000 points that we won’t have by the end of the year.

The advice I’m seeking is, do you think if we secure seats with points on the LA to SYD leg (or MEL or BNE) at then end of this year when we should have 384000 points, and save the extra 64000 points in the following months, as our LA to SYD seats would be held by us, if we ring Qantas and pay the ‘change fee’ would they add on the leg to Perth for 64000 points. If we have to book the SYD to PER leg in business class separately we have to use an additional 144000 points.

I’m not sure if all this is very clear, so feel free to ask me questions if I’ve missed important details.

 

[albatross710]

If the PER-SYD-PER flights have award availability, then Qantas can be expected to treat that as a change. You would be able to do that online after you have made the booking.

In Jan 09 my brother booked his family if 4 to LAX on award flights for next Christmas. He was quite happy about it.

You will need to be checking award availability every morning ~8am Perth time and be first when they are released.

You do have a degree of additional difficulty wanting the four seats, consider what to do if you can get only get the two flights spread over consecutive days.

Another thing I have been doing when booking multiple people a long way in the future... making them as seperate bookings. In the event you have to change one person, it doesn't cost 4 times the change fee.

 

[cove]

Long haul is way more worthwhile than say a PER-SYD return so work first on the LAX side of the booking.Recently there have been plenty of availability ex Melb.It is really only a bit over 4 hours to get to your exit point from Australia so that leg in business class should be considered as optional.
The system runs 355 days forward so do the first international leg regardless.The cancellation penalty is only 5,000 points which can be waived if you book again by phone.
You may need to go on different flights so think flexibly and include SFO as a last choice.
When you do the flights to and from PER call Qantas to tie the flights together so that if the plane is delayed the computer knows you will need a later flight chosen.
Returning out of LAX is usually in the time slot of 22.00 or later so consider a half day request at your hotel prior to departure to Australia.

 

[Flashback]

I'd consider getting the Aus->LAX as soon as you can, and then work out how to get to that port later. With lots of sales popping up for ~$200 each way to the east coast, I'd consider that. Failing that, it's only a short flight anyway and if you did need to use points I would just slum it in whY....

 

[Alanslegal]

We’ll probably have enough points to go over in economy, but I’m hoping to have enough points to travel back in business class for a real treat.

Welcome to AFF karmg

Personally, I would fly TO my destination in business class (or in style) and then take the cattle return flight home. I would rather arrive feeling as good as I can, and mentally as happy and excited as possible, and have a great start to your holiday.

Don't take that chance in economy that can sour the first few days of your trip, esp if the person in front of you reclines the entire 14hours into your knee caps!

If you have a tight flight in economy on the way home - at least you get home and can recuperate all you want.

 

[cove]

Using points for economy travel inside Australia is a real waste for those fortunate enough to be considering a journey to LAX from the east coast of Australia in business class.

 

[NM]

Note that finding 4 x business class award seats on the same flight may be tough. It can be hard enough to find individual seats, let alone 2, 3 or 4 on the same flight. If you can find 4 on the same flight, then grab them at least as far as Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne. The even consider paying for the domestic flight back to PER.

 

[Gogo65]

What about premium economy instead of business.
I know it is not the same but if you normally fly economy then premium economy will still feel like luxury and its only 72000 points.

 

[karmg]

Thank you all for the comments so far. Yes I had thought about PE and it could be an option if we are still short on points at the end of this year. The only thing is there seems to be less availability on PE, and it's also not available LAX-BNE yet, so it does limit our options a bit more. Also, if we do choose PE, there's no PE from say SYD to PER, so it wouldn't be such a good deal to 'add-on' that leg by using points, ie LAX-PER in business is 112000, but to do LAX-PER in PE would be 84000 and the domestic leg would be economy, so for an extra 28000 per person you could do both legs in business, which to me is great value.

There's a few reasons why I think we'd be better to go over in economy and back in business, mainly

• because I have so much trouble sleeping 'upright' -most of the flights to LAX from eastern states are day/early afternoon flights, the kids could keep busy watching movies, etc, where as the flights home always seem to leave at night
• the in flight times are longer when returning home, and considering we may make our way to the eastern side of USA, we're likely to have a 4-5 hour domestic flight in the USA before hopping on the flight from LAX

I did see a good hint on this site about borrowing points - I might be able to borrow some from a family member for six months or so, and we'd probably be able to pay them back even before we travel.

 

[MAX_1]

I would recommend purchasing the Frequent Flyier Friend which can be accessed from this site.
You would then place the flights you want and dates ,and when any become available it notifies you.
Worth every cent imo.

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Hi,

Whilst I'd generally like to arrive "fresh" for my holiday (i.e. take business class to my destination), I think karmg's analysis of flight options is good. The flights to LAX have less "night time" so there's less opportunity/need for a decent bed, compared to the late evening flights that depart LAX (8-9pm onwards), which give you a good 8 hours of sleeping time after the supper/dinner service.

 

[cove]

There's a few reasons why I think we'd be better to go over in economy and back in business, mainly

• because I have so much trouble sleeping 'upright' -most of the flights to LAX from eastern states are day/early afternoon flights, the kids could keep busy watching movies, etc, where as the flights home always seem to leave at night
• the in flight times are longer when returning home, and considering we may make our way to the eastern side of USA, we're likely to have a 4-5 hour domestic flight in the USA before hopping on the flight from LAX

I did see a good hint on this site about borrowing points - I might be able to borrow some from a family member for six months or so, and we'd probably be able to pay them back even before we travel.[/quote]

How old are the kids?
We split up the flights to get the business class in pairs as the availability can be the issue on one flight.
We have been doing this for the last 8 goes

 

[karmg]

Kids will be 13 and 10 - it will definitely be an option to travel in pairs if we need to (one adult/one child) - the only thing that makes me think twice about doing that though is we haven't travelled overseas at all, so all the immigration issues might be a bit daunting.

 

[JohnK]

Personally, I would fly TO my destination in business class (or in style) and then take the cattle return flight home. I would rather arrive feeling as good as I can, and mentally as happy and excited as possible, and have a great start to your holiday.

That actually sounds like a really good strategy if you could not afford business class all the way.

Don't take that chance in economy that can sour the first few days of your trip, esp if the person in front of you reclines the entire 14hours into your knee caps!

Wouldn't it be great if all WHY seats were exit rows. Yes I know that is what it is like in business class and first class.