Confusing International Business Class Pricing

[chrisb]

Is it just me or is it _REALLY_ difficult to get pricing estimates for J class online?

I'd like to do LAX, LAS and possible SFO or JFK in the middle of the year, departing from PER. Getting QF quotes online for this usually ends up being $16k+ which i know is just silly.

I gather the best option is a DCIRC22 (or 26 if I include JFK) via NRT or HKG at $7599+Tax (which i gather is going to be $500-$600 through QF?)

Is there any easy way to price Discount (D class?) J flights online or should I just give up and use a T/A? Do they have better options than I'm finding online? I'm willing to use airlines other than oneWorld if it's reasonable and provides a good price advantage without compromising quality.

I have KVS Premium access if anyone has any tips.. So far i've only really used that for finding class availability...

Thanks,

Chrisb.

 

[simongr]

Have you tried using expertflyer and/or the ITA Trip planner tools?

 

[NM]

D fares are not generally available via the QF web booking engine for point-to-point flights. They are generally used for circle fares like OneWorld Explorer, OneWorld Circle Pacific etc, and sometimes for corporate and special promotions. However, many corporate fares actually book into J and not D.

You could try sites like bestflights.com.au whoch often have business class promotion fares available, but its rare to find anything there for trans-Pacific with QF.

 

[chrisb]

Have you tried using expertflyer and/or the ITA Trip planner tools?

Expertflyer - No.

I just tried the ITA trip planner, having never seen it before and it has offered me several options at $17k+.

Maybe the issue is that that all seem to span a weird selection of airlines - The QF option uses QF, United, and Air Canada.

Thanks.

 

[simongr]

The other option instead of a DCIRC26 might be a DCIRC22 with a separate flight to JFK in whY to keep costs down.

 

[NM]

The other option instead of a DCIRC26 might be a DCIRC22 with a separate flight to JFK in whY to keep costs down.

you can fitr something like this into a DCIR22:

SYD-SFO-LAX-LAS-ORD-JFK-NRT-SYD (21,835 miles according to CGM)

Might need to purchase additional stopovers in NA as only two included in the base fare.

 

[chrisb]

The other option instead of a DCIRC26 might be a DCIRC22 with a separate flight to JFK in whY to keep costs down.

Yeah, we considered that but the concept of whY trans-continental on an otherwise J class holiday upset me. JFK is becoming less likely now anyway - We might do SFO or a cruise out of LA/SFO(?) instead.

 

[chrisb]

SYD-SFO-LAX-LAS-ORD-JFK-NRT-SYD (21,835 miles according to CGM)

Hmm... We're in PER, but I guess if we do want to include JFK I guess we could purchase a Y PER-SYD-PER and look for U class, since they can be confirmed in advance and the 743's usually have reasonable availability for U or ODU's.

Thanks NM.

 

[NM]

PER and JFK are a little difficult to include in a 22,000 Circle Pacific route.

 

[simongr]

Point noted re whY transcon - perhaps:

per-SYD-SFO-LAX-LAS-dfw-lax-syd-per with dfw-NYC-DFW in whY (or a KUPP/YUPP)?

 

[chrisb]

Thanks Simon - I'm not sure at what point of flight silliness my SO will object but it's worth a try


Does anyone have any idea if my estimate of a DCIRC22 is accurate? (AUD$7599+ about $500-$600 in tax via QF?) I've never done one of these or looked at taxes in depth before. I don't suppose there's a tax calculator online?

 

[NM]

Does anyone have any idea if my estimate of a DCIRC22 is accurate? (AUD$7599+ about $500-$600 in tax via QF?) I've never done one of these or looked at taxes in depth before. I don't suppose there's a tax calculator online?

That looks about right to me. The majority will be fuel fines if issued by Qantas. You could purchase a DCIR22 from AA and save some of the +++ component. USA domestic taxes are low. The AU departure tax is $38.

 

[simongr]

As a benchmark my last DONE4 had about US$48 in total taxes... something weird like that - that was booked through AA.

 

[wandering_fred]

Given that a DONE3 exSIN is SG$11550+ (SG$=0.78AU$ = 9009) and that basing your tickets to PER ex SIN is FAR more price beneficial to the consumer and Tiger is flying oneway very inexpensively you might consider

SIN(AA/JL)NRT(AA)->USA 6 AA segments (AA)->FRA(QF)SIN

with an AA issued ticket

Suppose it depends on what the extra $AU1500 would otherwise purchase
SIN-PER-SIN is about AU$600 or so in Y for a 12-month ticket

Bangkok would work out about AU$330 less expensive on the OWE - but you have to get there.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[littl_flier]

As a benchmark my last DONE4 had about US$48 in total taxes... something weird like that - that was booked through AA.

Simongr, I take it you avoided the UK? Also, if you have two stopovers in London on a DONE4, do you pay the APD twice?

 

[chrisb]

This is my first DCIRC22, so excuse the silly questions. Is Backtracking legal? (Ie: LAX-LAS-LAX)

So far i'll probably end up with a rather boring:

PER-SYD-LAX-LAS-LAX-NRT-SIN-PER. (SIN is included purely to avoid the Qantas 763 on an overnight direct from NRT-PER)

If anyone has a view on AA 777 vs JL 744 it would be appreciated too.

Chrisb.

 

[NM]

Simongr, I take it you avoided the UK? Also, if you have two stopovers in London on a DONE4, do you pay the APD twice?

yes, you pay it for each time you depart the UK after a stopover. The rate varies depending on the destination of the next stopover, so could vary between 5 and 40 quid each time depending on the location of the next stopover and the cabin flown.

 

[NM]

This is my first DCIRC22, so excuse the silly questions. Is Backtracking legal? (Ie: LAX-LAS-LAX)

Yes, that is within the rules. The only routing restrictions for a xCIR22 is are:

• Can only cross the Pacific twice, once must be over the North Pacific (such as HKG-LAX or JFK-NRT) and one must be over the south Pacific (such as LAX-BNE or SYD-SFO).
• Cannot include countries west of Thailand
• Only one intercontinental departure and arrival for each continent
• Must be less than 22,000 miles including any surface segments
• No trans-Pacific surface segments permitted
• A maximum of two free stopovers in each continent - more can be purchased for a fee except in the continent of origin
• There are some restrictions on CX flights between HKG and Vietnam.

So far i'll probably end up with a rather boring:

PER-SYD-LAX-LAS-LAX-NRT-SIN-PER. (SIN is included purely to avoid the Qantas 763 on an overnight direct from NRT-PER)

That is a valid DCIR22 fare

If anyone has a view on AA 777 vs JL 744 it would be appreciated too.

It depends on the JL 744 config. Depending on when you are taking the trip, you have a chance of NBC seats on AA 777. If crediting to QF, then use an AA flight number so you get the status bonus.

 

[simongr]

Simongr, I take it you avoided the UK? Also, if you have two stopovers in London on a DONE4, do you pay the APD twice?

Nope I went through the UK but I went ...jfk-lhr-lca-lhr-hkg... no stopovers in the UK which avoided the APD.

 

[chrisb]

Depending on when you are taking the trip, you have a chance of NBC seats on AA 777. If crediting to QF, then use an AA flight number so you get the status bonus.

Thanks for that. I've realized that due to various issues the entire trip will sit across the end of my QF status year but BEFORE the magic June 16th cutoff for a real candy theft on the AA Plat Challenge. <grumble>

I'm also not sure if they'll let me do a second Plat Challenge. (I'll be back to 'cardboard' with AA by the time I start)

My SO (who is also QP Life) will get QFSG and I'll just end up with a renewed QFPS from the same trip. <grrrr>

It looks like we'll end up using AA for booking - The ability to save fuel fines seems to have overridden the benefits of booking and packaging everything through a TA.

Chrisb.