Booking a trip leg by leg

[Mardi]

Husband and I are now planning a trip to NYC for this time next year. We use a TA who watches out for deep discount J tickets for us but for next year I'm contemplating trying to pick up a JASA or FASA for the SYD (or MEL) - LAX leg. We'll only have enough FF points for one leg though.

My question is, will booking a single leg cause a problem? Husband thinks you have to book flights as returns so they are cheaper and that one way flights cost a lot more than half a return. Also, if the TA will books the LAX - JFK can she link it to the SYD - LAX leg I (hopefully) book as a xASA?

Are there any other things I should think about?

I'm silver (will be gold very, very soon) and husband is gold (should be plat by Feb).

 

[madrooster]

Husband and I are now planning a trip to NYC for this time next year. We use a TA who watches out for deep discount J tickets for us but for next year I'm contemplating trying to pick up a JASA or FASA for the SYD (or MEL) - LAX leg. We'll only have enough FF points for one leg though.

My question is, will booking a single leg cause a problem? Husband thinks you have to book flights as returns so they are cheaper and that one way flights cost a lot more than half a return. Also, if the TA will books the LAX - JFK can she link it to the SYD - LAX leg I (hopefully) book as a xASA?

Are there any other things I should think about?

J and F one way fares usually cost a tonne more than a return fare so your partner is indeed correct. You'd be better off booking one return itinerary with points and the other with cash. There is a catch with doing this though, to get xASA seats at near classic award points redemptions, there needs to be U (business) or P (first) class availability. Anything else will probably want a crazy amount of points. You then need to buy a return J/F ticket on sale to be on the same flights. I have not seen a F sale on QF Australia at all for the past 12 months but there have been J sales at $5000 return to LAX.

If you want F to LAX - be aware that only QF11/QF12 have F, and QF11 arrives too late into LAX to connect to the QF107 service to JFK regardless. The alternative is QF93 from MEL which does connect to QF107. However, you cannot book the LAX-JFK QF107/JFK-LAX QF108 segments as a separate itinerary - QF has no traffic rights to carry domestic traffic on this service. You'd need to book on AA for the LAX-JFK leg instead.

 

[JohnK]

A one-way airfare can be very expensive.

Generally though Any seat awards and classic awards should cost the same if booked as 2 one-ways as long as the availability is there.

 

[serfty]

Two JASA's when booked into U class one-way are little different to the cost of a JASA return fare.

e.g.

MEL-xSYD-LAX in U on Oct 1st costs 96K QFF + AUD650.

 

[Mardi]

Thanks for all your helpful replies. I can't think about this right now, my sister just died this morning and I'm about to fly to Brisbane then drive to Toowoomba. My brain just can't concentrate on anything so I'm dreading that drive.

I'll come back to this in a week or so.

Thanks again

 

[mella2007]

Very sorry to hear... Condolences to you and your family

 

[tuapekastar]

Ever so sorry to hear Mardi. Deepest sympathies to you and family.

 

[Sprucegoose]

My condolences as well Mardi.

 

[coyote25]

I'm so sorry Mardi. Take care and don't make any long term decision right now. I know how hard the next week and even months will be.


Sent from my iPad using AustFreqFly app

 

[Mardi]

Thanks again for the trip advice, and thank you all for your condolences. Good advice coyote25 and I will definitely heed it. Clare has battled cancer for ten years and would have been 29 next month. So it is horrible and tragic and yet this day has been coming for a very long time and isn't a surprise although it is a shock. No doubt I will be back with more questions regarding our next NYC trip when things have settled down.