Buying international flights [originating] out of Australia.

[Travelqueen]

Not sure if this correct place for this question...but here it is

I have a few upcoming trips to book Melbourne/ Sydney - hong kong.
For example
Looking on the Qantas HK site, can I book a flight originating in HK to Australia, to use I between my original flight from aust - HK?

It seems like the prices are better in honk kong dollars?

Is this a) correct, and b) able to be done?

Thanks in advance

 

[Fantic125]

a) yes,
b) yes.

Having said yes to 'b' though, there are some countries (BKK I think is one) where you need to present yourself at a ticketing office within the country within 2 days. I'm not sure if the HKG site is one - someone else from the forum may be able to advise, otherwise just try a dummy booking and see what it says.

There are a number of people on this forum who commute regularly to various countries (myself included) who, for example, will purchase a SYD-LAX return ticket through the QF AU site with the SYD-LAX leg for January and the return leg for December, and purchase LAX-SYD return flights inbetween.

 

[RWJ777]

Not sure if this correct place for this question...but here it is

I have a few upcoming trips to book Melbourne/ Sydney - hong kong.
For example
Looking on the Qantas HK site, can I book a flight originating in HK to Australia, to use I between my original flight from aust - HK?

It seems like the prices are better in honk kong dollars?

Is this a) correct, and b) able to be done?

Thanks in advance

Hello, others here will know much more about this but my experience is that:

(A) yes, absolutely (see, for example the much cheaper prices for Brits to buy return airfares to Aust than us buying return fares to UK); and

(B) a heavily qualified yes: carriers' and agents' sites can determine your country of origin through your ISP so even if you log in through a merchant in another country, they can determine that you are, in fact, resident in Australia. Similarly, they can determine through your credit card details that you are not resident in their country.

To overcome this, you can get a friend from another country to buy ticket for you and send them (by international bank transfer for eg) the money for the ticket.

There may be easier ways than this but unless you are transiting through a country -- and buy from there -- I don't know of them. But, as I say, others may!

Good luck.

 

[Travelqueen]

Thank you, all information is greatfully received. What about this example, if I try for a jasa seat ( I think that's right ), can I use the minimum 60000 point, and pay the extra in cash. If so, do I still earn sc and points for that flight ( cheapest being at economy sale ) ?

 

[medhead]

We're talking about qantas here, so you can very much book flights from HKG to anywhere. I've done this from Singapore. The only problem, as mentioned, is that you might need to show up in person within 2 days as in Bangkok. So you need to check that, but for qantas there should be no need to worry about ISP tracking, etc.

Thank you, all information is greatfully received. What about this example, if I try for a jasa seat ( I think that's right ), can I use the minimum 60000 point, and pay the extra in cash. If so, do I still earn sc and points for that flight ( cheapest being at economy sale ) ?

Yes an any seat award will earn.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

It seems like the prices are better in honk kong dollars?

Not only for QF ex HK - at the risk of being accused of steering thread OT - check these 2 comparisons on MH - MEL-PVG / PVG-MEL.



And in reverse direction



Guess we all need to do a lot of research if these differences are out there and obtainable.

 

[Happy Trails]

The only problem, as mentioned, is that you might need to show up in person within 2 days as in Bangkok.

Not necessary in HKG but you do have to show it at check-in.

 

[JB expat]

There are a number of people on this forum who commute regularly to various countries (myself included) who, for example, will purchase a SYD-LAX return ticket through the QF AU site with the SYD-LAX leg for January and the return leg for December, and purchase LAX-SYD return flights inbetween.

Very interested in this. I too travel regularly between Melb-LAX (2-3 times year, I guess that's regularly). I never considered doing this. I have both US and Aussie credit cards (as well as passports) so I assume that the actual purchases would be no problem. I guess I wonder how you manage this though - do you book fully change-able tickets so that you don't have to plan out a full year's travel? Are there any risks to doing this (as in losing $ with an unused ticket leg)?

 

[Limewood]

I think one has 12 months to use the ticket.

 

[IrishPete]

I've noticed on my regular route, that Dublin-Australia on Etihad is much cheaper Business Class than v.v., but I've never actually tried to book it.

Pete

 

[LAH]

Had to return early from Mexico 2 years ago. Couldn't use my Lan ticket via Santiago as all was full.

Went online at Cancun airport and checked what was available and where. Very tight. On one world website it was cheaper to buy a first class round the world ticket, than it was to buy a return business class ex LAX to melbourne on QF website. Only problem was, it would not book for that very day from LAX to Mel, so I booked a couple of days in advance then rang QF in Australia and changed the date.

yes, a bit much buying a first class ticket, but my office was prepared to pay for business class - well, I don't know how it came in cheaper but we couldn't find the same round the world fare in Australia. I paid with Australian credit card and that was that. I think the site asked for country of Origin, and I put either Mexico or USA : not sure. But it certainly was less expensive! As less expensive as a first class fare can be!

 

[spudseamus]

I've noticed on my regular route, that Dublin-Australia on Etihad is much cheaper Business Class than v.v., but I've never actually tried to book it.

Pete

ive been saying this for some months now and basically the reason given is "because they can "!! LOL!

when is your next flight ?? maybe we could go companion fares??

 

[Sprucegoose]

I've noticed on my regular route, that Dublin-Australia on Etihad is much cheaper Business Class than v.v., but I've never actually tried to book it.

Pete

If its a regular route and if you work hard for your money you should seriously consider a one way positioning flight then start saving!


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[PLANT]

I had the opposite in a recent experience July 2012.
As per my other thread I found Lax-Australia one way was more expensive to book in Lax than someone in Australia buying ticket from website for same day .....well I think that was the case...

 

[serfty]

I had the opposite in a recent experience July 2012.
As per my other thread I found Lax-Australia one way was more expensive to book in Lax than someone in Australia buying ticket from website for same day .....well I think that was the case...

This does vary but it has been the case in recent months that ex Oz has been less than ex USA

However, In the past have been able to book LAX-xAKL-MEL r/t on AirNZ for as little as US$950 each way (and upgrade to Business ... although the upgrade days are over).

 

[MandM]

Any problems with the min/max stay requirements if doing this?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Recently priced CX MEL-HKG-PEK ret on Au web site then PEK-HKG-MEL ret on Chinese web site - under 3K dep PEK - just on 6K dep MEL - would jump at it if I did not have suifficient pts to do J Savers on SQ

 

[Fantic125]

This was the scenario I was looking at earlier this year;

Routing being ADL-SYD-SIN-FRA.

 

[sail0r]

Anyone got experience of doing this TT, with, say QF? A Recently, even after QF stopped selling their J sale fares, fares of similar (600 NZD each way) were still available ex NZ.
I may try to get on this in the coming months, but am worried about being able to buy tickets for flights that originate in NZ.

 

[Leumas]

Anyone got experience of doing this TT, with, say QF? A Recently, even after QF stopped selling their J sale fares, fares of similar (600 NZD each way) were still available ex NZ.
I may try to get on this in the coming months, but am worried about being able to buy tickets for flights that originate in NZ.

What are your concerns? I always buy 2 one-ways, and never had a problem.