Booking flights SYD-LAX return business class using points or cash plus points

[olympicwiz]

Gurus.

Have a dilemma and hope I could find some answers. I am a gold member with QANTAS and have about 500,000 points.
My aim is to secure to business class return tickets to LAX flying late Oct or early Nov this year.

Logged to Qantas and can't see any direct flights business class when I tried to book it. But they have economy.
My question is if I book economy now, can I use my points to upgrade it later should the business class becomes available later?
Or can I pay cash at the airport if they happen to have some availability in the business class?

I also looked at buying them outright. They have a sale on economy about $1500 return. But I understand they are not upgradable? And even if I try to buy a fare up e-red hot sale - they are still not upgradeable.

Hence my dilemma, if I just buy sale economy, do they offer an upgrade at the airport if the business class has some seats?

I remember flying with United and they were selling upgrades for about $1000USD at the time which would have been a lot cheaper than buying business class off the bat.

Cheers

 

[simongr]

This is very late to try and get a flight to the US in Oct in Biz. For example I want to travel in Biz next year and I'll be booking in oct 2012 for Oct 2013.

You can not upgrade a classic award but can upgrade a any seat award but they can be much more expensive.

QF don't generally do paid upgrades.

One alternative might be routing via somewhere like NRT or HKG on CX or JL?

 

[olympicwiz]

I realise I am late for good deals, unfortunately it was a spur of the moment decisions. Last year, I managed to find $5000 return business flight to London with JAL, so was hoping for some magic this year.

QF don't generally do paid upgrades.

What if I buy a ticket from Delta or American airlines (QANTAS operates their flights), would my chances of the paid last minute upgrade be better or still hopeless like with Qantas?

 

[vitagen]

Since AA flights use QF metal you wont be able to do cash upgrade at the airport.

As previously suggested try a classic award HKG-LAX on CX and buy your SYD-HKG ticket

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[olympicwiz]

Thank you for that, probably rather fly economy direct rather than business with a stopover in HK, just to get it over and done with.

Another idea I had is just to book classic award economy while it is available and wait for any spectacular specials with QANTAS or other airlines.
And if something pops up, I could just cancel my classic award flights and forefeit 5000 points or so?

 

[vitagen]

For the points you use, 96k points plus taxes, your redemption rate will be <1c, not worth it. Just buy a revenue ticket. You get ff points and sc. Also cost is 1400 rtn currently.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AustFreqFly

 

[olympicwiz]

That is a good point. But the cheapest price I found was over $1500 on the QANTAS website? Where did you see $1400? I think QANTAS promise a price match...

 

[Mwenenzi]

..... They have a sale on economy about $1500 return. But I understand they are not upgradable? And even if I try to buy a fare up e-red hot sale - they are still not upgradeable..

True. Cheaper fares are not upgradable. Anyway the chance of getting an upgrade with points from economy is very low

As above for economy better paying cash

Have you looked at economy plus on Qantas or Virgin ?.
Also United & Delta on SYD-LAX route.
Worth looking at MEL-LAX or BNE-LAX

 

[serfty]

You could book 2 economy one-ways for 48K+++ each and if a business award becomes available in either or both direction you can rebook for the change/cancellation fee of 5K/8K points each time.

 

[olympicwiz]

That sounds like a plan. I looked at the sale tickets with qantas and they are not even upgradable for the exit row seats. To get the QF tickets that are upgradable, the price goes from $1500 to $2800 and even then there is no guarantee that the upgrade will be successful.

Premium economy is about $4000 according to the travel agent. The cheapest business class fare is with delta at around $5,800

 

[serfty]

In economy or Sale, if an Exit seat in economy is still available for selection it will cost you as a Gold $160 or 20,000 QFF points.

 

[olympicwiz]

Yes, I considered that also and rang up the QANTAS to enquire if I could secure the exit raw seats. I was told that if I buy a sales fare for $1500 return, I won't be eligible to purchase the exit raw seats.
I was told I need to buy a fare that cost around $2700 and then pay $160 on top each way. The exit raw seats were available by the way on that flight I am considering.

 

[serfty]

That is incorrect.

You cannot upgrade to premium economy or business class from the cheapest fares, but if an exit row seat has not been already allocated you can select it - for transpacific at the cost I indicated.

... even on the cheapest fares.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

 

[olympicwiz]

That is incorrect.

You cannot upgrade to premium economy or business class from the cheapest fares, but if an exit row seat has not been already allocated you can select it - for transpacific at the cost I indicated.

... even on the cheapest fares.

Posted on a wing and a prayer ...

Yes, she did say it cost $160 but said I could not do it with the cheapest fare. Could it be they changed the rules?
I am rapidly running out of viable options so most likely will go with the sale fare tickets and hope to at least purchase the exit raw seats.

 

[serfty]

... Could it be they changed the rules? ...

No - the agent was wrong.

FWIW, I have an O class fare to Cincinatti in November and was able to select an exit row seat - it did tell me it would be $160 ... later in the process it was also indicated I could spend 20K points on the same - I backed out as I had a good seat already.

 

[olympicwiz]

Interestingly enough, it was a QANTAS agent I spoke to when I called 131313 who told me that I need to buy higher priced tickets. She was very helpful and tried various options.

 

[serfty]

Interestingly enough, it was a QANTAS agent I spoke to when I called 131313 who told me that I need to buy higher priced tickets. She was very helpful and tried various options.

The agent was still wrong. They may have become confused with your other questions you may have posed.

For further reference, see here: Qantas Seat Selection | Exit Row Seats

If you want to re-check, call again. (This time don't mention the word upgrade or even refer to such even obliquely, just refer to exit row seat purchase.)