Award Flight SYD-YVR

Status
Not open for further replies.

Brian

Newbie
Joined
Jun 22, 2007
Posts
3
My wife and I have been accumulating QFF points for many years now using a visa card, and have 405,000 points. In June 2008 we want to do SYD-YVR, cruise to Anchorage, then fly back to YVR, make our own way around Canada for 3 weeks, then return to SYD. We are Bronze QFF and have never done a international award flight before, and are hoping to fly at least one leg business class.
Is it best to just book the award seats via the Qantas web site or should we perhaps buy some form of economy ticket and hope for an upgrade? I don't mind buying a couple of tickets if in the long run it is more efficient. Also any ideas on routing?
Thanks, Brian.
 
Welcome Brian.

Just to explain the upgrade process - you can only request an upgrade 3 months (roughly) out from the date of travel. Upgrades are allocated based in order of date of submission. However upgrades are allocated to top tier first as follows:

Chairmans Lounge
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze

So even if you request at the 1 minute after as soon as you are able - at any point between then and the allocation of upgrades if anyone of the four levels above you puts in a request then they will be ahead of you in the allocation queue - I wouldnt therefore be hopeful :(
 
What simongr said ... basically you are better off booking it as an award outright.

OH ... & Book as soon as the 353 day limit arrives if you wish for premium cabins.
 
Brian said:
Is it best to just book the award seats via the Qantas web site or should we perhaps buy some form of economy ticket and hope for an upgrade? I don't mind buying a couple of tickets if in the long run it is more efficient. Also any ideas on routing?
Your chances of an upgrade are very very low as the guys above said. Upgrades take a lot of points :(

Routing:-
SYD-SFO-YVR on QF
SYD-HKG-VYR on Cathay using QF points. You may need to phone QF
and there are others
Start looking now for options on the QF web site and be ready at 353 days. Be flexible with dates and routing. Avoid week end travel. Rewards go quick. The return can also be only booked at 353 but you can book as 2 one ways (the only good thing about the QFF program.
 
Hi Brian,

Forget about the Q website, it is very limited and almost impossible to find what you want, when you want it and especially if you want it for 2 people.
I would recommend that you use the Q operator assisted award flight service because they have access to many more flight options than the website.
Cost is reasonable being either 2,500 QFF points each or $40 each (advice is free the charge is only if you book something)

You shouyld have more than enough points for at least one leg in U class unfortunately not enough for both of you to travel in business all the way

Good luck


Brian said:
My wife and I have been accumulating QFF points for many years now using a visa card, and have 405,000 points. In June 2008 we want to do SYD-YVR, cruise to Anchorage, then fly back to YVR, make our own way around Canada for 3 weeks, then return to SYD. We are Bronze QFF and have never done a international award flight before, and are hoping to fly at least one leg business class.
Is it best to just book the award seats via the Qantas web site or should we perhaps buy some form of economy ticket and hope for an upgrade? I don't mind buying a couple of tickets if in the long run it is more efficient. Also any ideas on routing?
Thanks, Brian.
 
Remember that QF flights QF73-QF74 operate from 1st December 2006 to 31st January 2007 and 13th June to 12th August 2007, so they will most likely be the same dates in 2008.
 
josko said:
Hi Brian,

Forget about the Q website, it is very limited and almost impossible to find what you want, when you want it and especially if you want it for 2 people.
I would recommend that you use the Q operator assisted award flight service because they have access to many more flight options than the website.
Cost is reasonable being either 2,500 QFF points each or $40 each (advice is free the charge is only if you book something)

You shouyld have more than enough points for at least one leg in U class unfortunately not enough for both of you to travel in business all the way

Good luck
Not sure that I totally agree. :shock:

From my experience (and I did ask) what you see for QF flights is the same as what the operator sees however they will often see more from other OW carriers that won't show on the QF web site. This is especially true at the moment as there appears to be a glitch with CX availibility showing correctly.

As mentioned by josko though, use them to compare as much as possible as you only get charged the 2,500 points when you actually make a booking.
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Thanks everyone for their thoughts on this subject. I have learnt a lot! I have booked two award seats SYD-SFO economy, but will have to wait for Alaska Airlines to release seats for the SFO-YVR leg of the journey. Unfortunately the direct SYD-YVR flights did not come up in time for me, so I have to do it in two separate bookings. Hopefully I will be able to grab a direct flight home in July 2008 when and if they become available.

Brian
 
Congratulations :D . QF also fly SFO-YVR.

Also worth looking at what is would cost to buy SFO-VYR. Airline Tickets Discount Vacations and Travel from Los Angeles | Flight Centre is a web site that advertises it will take Aust credit cards

Sometimes an award A-C may not be available but A-B-C may be availaible as seperate awards even though its the same aircraft that only stops at B (that is the flight is A-B-C)
 
Last edited:
Hi Bill,

Hmm very interesting!

I recently was searching the Q site for 2 x Business class flights to Rome for early in june 2008 and there was nothing available for one person yet alone two. But the Q operator had quite a few up on her screen which i can honestly say did not appear on mine!
I know this cause I was online looking as I was speaking to the Q operator. and she did admit to me that they "see" much more then we do.
She was giving me options for JAL, CX and quite a few others which were not on the web.;)

straitman said:
Not sure that I totally agree. :shock:

From my experience (and I did ask) what you see for QF flights is the same as what the operator sees however they will often see more from other OW carriers that won't show on the QF web site. This is especially true at the moment as there appears to be a glitch with CX availibility showing correctly.

As mentioned by josko though, use them to compare as much as possible as you only get charged the 2,500 points when you actually make a booking.
 
josko said:
Hi Bill,

Hmm very interesting!

I recently was searching the Q site for 2 x Business class flights to Rome for early in june 2008 and there was nothing available for one person yet alone two. But the Q operator had quite a few up on her screen which i can honestly say did not appear on mine!
I know this cause I was online looking as I was speaking to the Q operator. and she did admit to me that they "see" much more then we do.
She was giving me options for JAL, CX and quite a few others which were not on the web.;)
josko,

I'm more than happy to be contradicted here. Just shows (re-enforces) the mixed messages we get from QF on occasions. :shock:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Enhance your AFF viewing experience!!

From just $6 we'll remove all advertisements so that you can enjoy a cleaner and uninterupted viewing experience.

And you'll be supporting us so that we can continue to provide this valuable resource :)


Sample AFF with no advertisements? More..
Back
Top