Award seat release dates

[dvt]

Hi

I'm planning a oneworld 280k award booking next year. I'm currently checking daily to see if the flights that I'm looking for open up. My first flight will leave on Cathay - Melbourne to Hong Kong on 12th February 2015. I have read in various places that seats are released around 330 days in advance. However, when I look online there are seats already available on Cathay. However, the particular flight time that I require has no availability. So if it is 330 days in advance, why are there seats already showing on particular flights on the 13th? Does Cathay release seats that usually have high availability before releasing J seats on the other flights? Should I continue to check daily to see if the evening flight opens up or will the full true availability open up 330 days out?

I'm not asking for a definitive answer as I'm sure that most airlines don't release the exact details on when and how they release flights, but I would appreciate any general advice from your previous experiences.

thanks in advance

 

[smit0847]

CX release 353 days out I believe.

 

[dvt]

thanks, probably means that I will keep looking daily. Does anyone have any ideas on which service to use for flight availability alerts for Cathay? Also, would such a service allow me to drill down to the actual flight?

 

[Mwenenzi]

CX release 353 days out I believe.

As does Qantas from 353. But awards can be released any time. AA is from 330 days

Expert flyer will give you info on seats

You need to be very flexible with route and dates

 

[ozbeachbabe]

What cities do you want to stay in? A 280K award booking often attracts airline fees & charges to the tune of approx. AUD1,300.00 per person so there are other ways of doing what you want. Rather than trying to put all your eggs in one basket, consider buying several one way tickets which can be a combination of paid commercial fares & different award tickets via different airline programs. For example:

Ticket one
You could always do an Expedia BR fare in whY Aust/Asia/Aust to get to Asia booking the return date for your next trip eg special occasion like anniversary, SWMBO's birthday etc so you'd just need to get a ticket up to Asia down the track in order to use the return. Alternatively a Classic Award in J eg on QF127 SYD/HKG would be 60,000 points plus AUD220.98& fees & charges per person or on CX110 65,000 points plus AUD219.98 pp.

Ticket two
A QF Classic/Partner Award Asia to Europe one way in J eg on CX261 HKG/CDG 92,000 points plus HKD1089.00 (AUD155.89) in fees & charges.

Ticket three
Purchase AA Miles for a one way J award Europe/NYC/HNL 60K miles plus USD90.00 taxes - AA had a recent special where you bought 45K miles & received 15K bonus miles which cost approx. USD1,400.00 pp to buy which is a good deal considering that gets you from Europe to USA in J then NYC/HNL in F.

Ticket four
If you're VA Gold & have 65K points to burn you could do an award in whY on HA booked in "T" class fare bucket (I don't think you can do J partner award with HA) ie 32.5K plus USD37.74 taxes pp HNL/BNE or 45K points plus taxes HNL/SYD. Probably cheaper to go to BNE then buy a sale fare BNE to your home city. It's a day flight ex HNL so you're not trying to sleep on an overnight flight in whY so it's do-able. Alternatively you could purchase JQ award ticket in Star Class for 57,600 points plus USD134.21 fees & charges.

 

[dvt]

What cities do you want to stay in? A 280K award booking often attracts airline fees & charges to the tune of approx. AUD1,300.00 per person so there are other ways of doing what you want. Rather than trying to put all your eggs in one basket, consider buying several one way tickets which can be a combination of paid commercial fares & different award tickets via different airline programs. For example:

Ticket one
You could always do an Expedia BR fare in whY Aust/Asia/Aust to get to Asia booking the return date for your next trip eg special occasion like anniversary, SWMBO's birthday etc so you'd just need to get a ticket up to Asia down the track in order to use the return. Alternatively a Classic Award in J eg on QF127 SYD/HKG would be 60,000 points plus AUD220.98& fees & charges per person or on CX110 65,000 points plus AUD219.98 pp.

Ticket two
A QF Classic/Partner Award Asia to Europe one way in J eg on CX261 HKG/CDG 92,000 points plus HKD1089.00 (AUD155.89) in fees & charges.

Ticket three
Purchase AA Miles for a one way J award Europe/NYC/HNL 60K miles plus USD90.00 taxes - AA had a recent special where you bought 45K miles & received 15K bonus miles which cost approx. USD1,400.00 pp to buy which is a good deal considering that gets you from Europe to USA in J then NYC/HNL in F.

Ticket four
If you're VA Gold & have 65K points to burn you could do an award in whY on HA booked in "T" class fare bucket (I don't think you can do J partner award with HA) ie 32.5K plus USD37.74 taxes pp HNL/BNE or 45K points plus taxes HNL/SYD. Probably cheaper to go to BNE then buy a sale fare BNE to your home city. It's a day flight ex HNL so you're not trying to sleep on an overnight flight in whY so it's do-able. Alternatively you could purchase JQ award ticket in Star Class for 57,600 points plus USD134.21 fees & charges.

Oz

thanks for the great reply and suggestions. I'm looking at Melbourne to Orlando via Hong Kong (one night stopover). Then Orlando to London. London to Istanbul and then Istanbul to Melbourne.

Pretty much used all of my velocity points and as I'm looking at doing all of the trip in J (minus domestic USA), the 280k award is looking like the best option so far. But I will have a look at the expdia Br site as I've heard there are some great flights to be had

 

[Mwenenzi]

So mel-hkg-lax-mco-lhr-ist-dxb-mel
Why HKG first (and not last) ?
Departing LHR has a high UK ADP tax. Can be avoided by leaving from Eu and transiting LHR (so no APD tax). AMS is popular
Air Passenger Duty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edit
http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/expert-flyer-discussion/

 

[dvt]

So mel-hkg-lax-mco-lhr-ist-dxb-mel
Why HKG first (and not last) ?
Departing LHR has a high UK ADP tax. Can be avoided by leaving from Eu and transiting LHR (so no APD tax). AMS is popular
Air Passenger Duty - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edit
Expert Flyer Discussion

Well I basically need to get to Orlando for a family event. Availability on CX seems to be much better than QF so going via HK. I'd also like to try the CX product as I've done QF J previously. I also then need to see family in the UK so I'm going to be stuck with the high taxes unfortunately

 

[Mwenenzi]

Well I basically need to get to Orlando for a family event. Availability on CX seems to be much better than QF so going via HK. I'd also like to try the CX product as I've done QF J previously.

OK Good point. Others have done this before

. I also then need to see family in the UK so I'm going to be stuck with the high taxes unfortunately

Buy a ticket with cash or an award from LHR or where ever to AMS. Will cost a lot less than the APD donation. Many freq flyers do this