CNS - LAX/SFO fr $1193 rtn with United

[DanziM]

United are doing it again with bargain basement fares from North Queensland. Flight direct out of Cairns on Monday and Friday mornings direct to GUM, then connections to HNL and LAX/SFO for 1193 flying from Feb until Apr 2014. This flight was at $1043 rtn last year however with the A$ losing value, this price is exactly what we'd expect it to be with the change. I do this route twice yearly and its a blessing to be able to avoid a domestic flight into BNE or SYD from CNS. Also the CNS price is exactly the same as from BNE or SYD however you accrue more air miles and sectors. Downside is the flight takes a little longer.

Flight can be got from $1173 by searching flight comparison engines, and not booking through united's website.

 

[dfcatch]

United are doing it again with bargain basement fares from North Queensland. Flight direct out of Cairns on Monday and Friday mornings direct to GUM, then connections to HNL and LAX/SFO for 1193 flying from Feb until Apr 2014. This flight was at $1043 rtn last year however with the A$ losing value, this price is exactly what we'd expect it to be with the change. I do this route twice yearly and its a blessing to be able to avoid a domestic flight into BNE or SYD from CNS. Also the CNS price is exactly the same as from BNE or SYD however you accrue more air miles and sectors. Downside is the flight takes a little longer.

Flight can be got from $1173 by searching flight comparison engines, and not booking through united's website.

You would have to pay me $1193 for me to fly T-PAC in United whY!!

(I completed my United T-PAC Economy sentence many years ago and got parole - I have no intention of going back!)

 

[DanziM]

haha well for the $ its fine, i agree united are not the best, but we dont really have a choice out of CNS without going domestically first then messing about getting from domestic to international elsewhere. Im happy to leave at 12:30am, works well for me.

 

[dfcatch]

haha well for the $ its fine, i agree united are not the best, but we dont really have a choice out of CNS without going domestically first then messing about getting from domestic to international elsewhere. Im happy to leave at 12:30am, works well for me.

I'd much rather take Virgin and connect domestically.

Either way you have to connect, the way I see it is.

1/ Convenient departure time from CNS - followed by technically shorter travel time - but this travel is in a horrible Y cabin on two long-haul segments.

or

2/ Domestic connection on perfectly ok carrier, followed by a single long-haul segment in a much more comfortable Y cabin (QF/VA/DL/NZ).

If the domestic connection time is inconvenient - overnight in BNE or SYD the night before on a stopover.

Each to their own.....

That said - I actually did seriously consider UA to the States a few years ago when the return price was $850.

But for $200 more I landed QF - it was a no brainer really.

 

[laffer]

You would have to pay me $1193 for me to fly T-PAC in United whY!!

(I completed my United T-PAC Economy sentence many years ago and got parole - I have no intention of going back!)

haha. Fellow parolee here

 

[DanziM]

I see your points, however i believe the mileage plus program and the available reward flights united give for miles is unmatched. I can bear flying United when for 40k miles plus $20 taxes i can fly LAX - Cuzco return $980 value in today's market, or 25k miles for a return to anywhere in the United states from LAX/SFO up to about $800 in value.

My QFF miles are almost worthless compared to that. Everyone has their opinion tho!

 

[turtlemichael]

I see your points, however i believe the mileage plus program and the available reward flights united give for miles is unmatched. I can bear flying United when for 40k miles plus $20 taxes i can fly LAX - Cuzco return $980 value in today's market, or 25k miles for a return to anywhere in the United states from LAX/SFO up to about $800 in value.

My QFF miles are almost worthless compared to that. Everyone has their opinion tho!

I'm with dfcatch. And of course it is not just a choice between UA's scheme and QF's scheme. You can give your miles on QF to AA and take advantage of their much more competitive program, at least in terms of redemptions. My only dilemma is that I want more international operators into Cairns (and Qantas has virtually abandoned it) but in the case of UA someone else can fly them!

 

[DanziM]

I'm with dfcatch. And of course it is not just a choice between UA's scheme and QF's scheme. You can give your miles on QF to AA and take advantage of their much more competitive program, at least in terms of redemptions. My only dilemma is that I want more international operators into Cairns (and Qantas has virtually abandoned it) but in the case of UA someone else can fly them!

I didnt believe you could 1:1 qff to AA? If you can do this ill totally agree with your sentiment there. As far as i was concerned LAX-JFK is 25k miles rtn on AA however booking through qantas has the same journey at 50k miles. Please advise if i am wrong here, i'd actually love to be!

As for flights out of Cairns i agree, and with China Eastern ditching our Shanghai route from mid August, things are looking slightly bleak.

 

[Newk]

I didnt believe you could 1:1 qff to AA? If you can do this ill totally agree with your sentiment there. As far as i was concerned LAX-JFK is 25k miles rtn on AA however booking through qantas has the same journey at 50k miles. Please advise if i am wrong here, i'd actually love to be!

As for flights out of Cairns i agree, and with China Eastern ditching our Shanghai route from mid August, things are looking slightly bleak.

I am GUESSING that the poster means earn miles on QF but credit them to AA? Not direct transfer

 

[BAM1748]

Althought many rubbish United/Continental there offerings price wise are unbeatable. I've used them in all classes over the last 25 years and never had any issue. Last flew them domestically this year in US and first flew them international in 1995.

I think some here get a little precious over no seat back IFE, but for many paying another $750 is not worth it and for those people they are the perfect airline.

M

 

[dfcatch]

Althought many rubbish United/Continental there offerings price wise are unbeatable. I've used them in all classes over the last 25 years and never had any issue. Last flew them domestically this year in US and first flew them international in 1995.

I think some here get a little precious over no seat back IFE, but for many paying another $750 is not worth it and for those people they are the perfect airline.

M

It's not just seatback IFE, but that said if you are stuck in the back, then seatback IFE ranks pretty highly for many people in terms of "bearability" for a whY long-haul flight.

I flew UA domestic this year even, it's fine.

But for long-haul cattle class, I'd rather be more comfortable.

I flew UA T-PAC for a few years regularly (back when no-one had IFE), then our fare class deals got moved to QF after UA had a bad run of unreliability into SYD/MEL. Never looked back since. A couple of poor service incidents always help to colour one's view as well.

I struggle to find anyone who regular flies them in whY long-haul that has anything good to say. Premium classes - different story.

But the price differential would have to be massive to make it attractive for me. But I've been spoilt - somehow I've managed to make the majority of my T-PACs in J/F over the last decade, so I can admit I'm a cattle-class snob

Oh and China-who?

You won't see me setting foot anywhere near any of their airlines - even if it is only $2000 for business class.

 

[turtlemichael]

I am GUESSING that the poster means earn miles on QF but credit them to AA? Not direct transfer

You guessed correctly.