Aeroplan newbie

[Golf nut]

Looking at buying Aeroplan points for a trip to Middle East( Jordan and Egypt tour) . Melb to Doha return in J class on Qatar/Virgin looks reasonable as Emirates and Etihad have dymanic pricing .Looks like availability 110K each way per person in October when I need them . If points take 72 hours to arrive , then am I likely to miss out on the flights ? Never bought points before so bit nervous about this and anything else I should know about Qatar?

 

[goldenhorn]

I just bought Aeroplan points to get BNE-HKG in J and the points were delivered instantly. You should be able to book right away.

 

[RooFlyer]

If points take 72 hours to arrive , then am I likely to miss out on the flights ? Never bought points before so bit nervous about this and anything else I should know about Qatar?

As much as I can recall, all my points purchases arrived almost straight away. But if it’s your first it may take longer but I don’t know that for sure.

I think you’d be unlucky for the seats to disappear in even a day or so, but hopefully even if they do there’s some a day or so either side.

What type of other thing did you want to know about QR?

 

[LoisWelch]

You’re right to be cautious — buying points does take time, usually 72 hours, and award seats can vanish quickly. If those J-class seats are showing 110K each way right now, there’s always a risk someone else snaps them up before your points hit your account.
A few tips:
Check if Qatar/Virgin allow hold or reserve: Sometimes you can put the award on hold for 24–48h while you get your points. That’s a safer way if you haven’t bought points before.
Make sure you have the full points needed + taxes/fees ready before transferring.
Qatar J is amazing, but their flights can disappear fast, especially in Oct. If you’re flexible with dates, you might have more options.
If you miss out, consider Emirates or Etihad as a backup — even with dynamic pricing, sometimes there’s availability if you book early.
Basically: if you’re set on those exact flights, don’t wait too long after buying points, and check if a hold is possible. Otherwise, have a backup plan ready.