Booking Award Seats on EK Metal with QFF Points

[immature]

Hi, hope that this hasn't been asked already - tried to do a search but couldn't find anything

I'm looking to book some award seats through QFF on EK metal, but still waiting for some points to come through - just wanted to double check that what I'm wanting to do is doable.

• I'm looking at ExpertFlyer to determine future award availability, which EK ticket class does QFF search for J award seats? Is it O (Flex Award) or D (Saver Award & Upgrade), or perhaps another one?

• Does EK use married segment logic on their award availability? I've been in trouble in the past on QR where I saw availability for A-B, B-C using the multi-city search, but searching A-C directly didn't show J availability on the A-B leg.

• If booking a trip A-B-C, B-A (ie not a true return trip), are there any advantages to having this on the same booking vs booking as separate PNRs?

Would appreciate any advice or tips on this, thanks in advance

 

[MarcB]

I booked an EK award using QF points a few weeks back and it booked into "D".

Not sure about the married segments - but I found that I got options if I searched via an intermediate point rather than direct (eg. BNE-BCN yielded no results, but BNE-SIN, SIN-BCN gave me bookable options). The best I can suggest is that you search using whatever routes gives you a result and then try and book!

The main advantage I can think of in booking separately is if you want to make changes once you have commenced travel. With an international classic award you can't make changes other than date changes for any remaning sectors once travel has commenced. I had a return classic award to the USA in May and before my return, I ended up having to go to the UK for a funeral. I had to come back to the USA to fly home rather than being able to just rebook the return out of the UK. Not a huge deal, but cost me some extra points because I had to get back to the USA.

 

[immature]

Thanks for sharing your experiences Marc, very helpful

 

[Mattg]

I believe that EK does use married segment logic.

Regarding your last question, there may be a difference in the taxes payable if booking as a single multi-city ticket compared to 2x one-ways. I'd price both and book whichever has the lowest overall taxes, personally.