Can a return flight be before the departure date

[Laurence Ioannou]

Ok - I know this sounds strange - but is it possible to alter a return ticket (after buying) so the return flight is BEFORE the departure date?

The reason is Qantas has "return" Premium Economy flights from JFK to SYD for $2,892 USD total. This is very cheap due to a promo they have on.

But if I try and book the same "return" flight SYD to JFK - then the cost is $4,635AUD.

So I'm wondering if anyone has ever booked a deal like this, then rung up and changed the return date to actual be before the departure date, thus achieving the SYD to JFK at a great price?

edit: and the price difference is not due to dates - I've checked all combos - and the only reason for the price difference is due to the promo in the US.

edit: and a "one way" ticket from JFK to SYD is $3,184USD - lol

 

[maninblack]

It's only possible if you are traveling east to west but not west to east.

 

[Hvr]

Welcome to AFF, Laurence Ioannou

To access the fares you're looking at why not book the fare from Qantas' US site?
Qantas Flights | Flight deals to Australia, New Zealand and more from the USA

 

[medhead]

No you can't do that.

 

[trooper]

Just because the end points are the same it is NOT the same "return".. Different prices exist in different markets.

Any change such as you are wanting to do would end up costing you MORE than the ex-SYD fare - almost certainly!

 

[Laurence Ioannou]

To access the fares you're looking at why not book the fare from Qantas' US site?

Thanks Hvr - thats the problem, I can book it on the US site - but only as a 'return' trip from the US. So I can only do JFK -> SYD return, not SYD -> JFK return. I'm trying to work out if there is a way around it

 

[ozbeachbabe]

There are also other factors involved such as seasons eg if the departure date of the first sector is in June, tickets ex USA to Australia are likely to be low season as it's winter in Australia. The season ex Australia in June is high season as it's summer in the USA & a more popular time to travel there.

 

[Laurence Ioannou]

There are also other factors involved such as seasons eg if the departure date of the first sector is in June, tickets ex USA to Australia are likely to be low season as it's winter in Australia. The season ex Australia in June is high season as it's summer in the USA & a more popular time to travel there.

Yeah - I thought that - except its clearly just a US promo.

If I book a 'return' flight JFK -> SYD, I can return on 28th May (i.e. SYD to JFK). But I try and book SYD to JFK through the AU site for the 28th May, it is twice the price for literally the same seat on the same flight.

Same as JFK to SYD. The dates & seats of the flights are identical - but the pricing is twice the difference.

Very annoying...

 

[mannej]

Yeah - I thought that - except its clearly just a US promo.

If I book a 'return' flight JFK -> SYD, I can return on 28th May (i.e. SYD to JFK). But I try and book SYD to JFK through the AU site for the 28th May, it is twice the price for literally the same seat on the same flight.

Same as JFK to SYD. The dates & seats of the flights are identical - but the pricing is twice the difference.

Very annoying...

Airlines charge what they feel appropriate to each local market. Obviously many airlines feel that they can charge a premium for travel ex Australia, as they are likely to fill the demand.

 

[drewbles]

You can do what many of us here do. That is, book an award flight to the USA, have your holiday, then take the first leg of a JFK-LAX-AU flight back, and return on the 'return' leg for your next holiday (with fare rules permitting of course). Nesting your fares can save you a *lot* of cash, it just requires a lot of planning, and often a very flexible holiday schedule.

 

[Travel Guru]

Most definitely can't do it, if you tried to QF would require you to utilise the $$ you paid for the existing fare as a credit towards whatever the ex. AU fare is quoting at the time plus an airline reissue fee.

If you're going to be traveling there more than once (or regularly) you can always nest the return ex AU leg and fly back to AU on the ex JFK fare but only works if you have multiple trips within a 12 month period.

TG