Fiji Air Status Credit Accrual

[kangarooflyer88]

Quick question (hopefully) on booking flights with Fiji Air as I've got a couple of trips to North America coming up and find that Fiji offers the best fare on the dates I want to travel:

1. When booking via the Fiji website they offer a number of Fare classes (i.e. Lite, etc.) but doesn't show what fare code it correspondingly books into which is crucial for determining how QFF recognizes those flights for status credit accrual. Is there any way to know this prior to booking?
2. Some of the flights I look at involve a technical stop at a Pacific Island (i.e. APW) and the flight number does not change. In terms of calculate status credits will QFF look at each individual sector (i.e. NAN > APW, then APW > HNL) or will they look at the combined routing of the flight (i.e. NAN > HNL)?

One other question I have (albeit unrelated to the main topic) is what benefits I can avail myself to as a QFF Gold member. Would I have access to QF lounge at SYD? What about baggage allowance? Could I check in a bag for free on a lite fare?

Thanks in Advance,

RooFlyer88

 

[Ade]

Is there any way to know this prior to booking?

I did a dummy SYD-LAX on FJ website and I think I may have found out a way to know the actual fare class. Not sure if this the right way or if there is another easy way to do this.

Anyhoooo, In the Shopping-Cart page, click on the Fare Conditions, click on Detailed, expand the Penalties/Surcharges sub-section and search for "type fares". The string preceeding the "type fare" in the search result is the Fare Basis, with the first letter of the Fare Basis indicating Fare Class.



This is similar to how VA displays the Fare Class in the fare conditions link.

 

[AIRwin]

One other question I have (albeit unrelated to the main topic) is what benefits I can avail myself to as a QFF Gold member

Priority check-in and boarding:

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/earning-points/flights/fiji-airways.html

 

[jpp42]

Would I have access to QF lounge at SYD?

No, there is no lounge access based on elite status if you travel on the FJ code in Y. It only applies if you use the QF codeshare. You would get lounge access based on class of service if booked in J, however.

 

[SYD]

The Lounge access rules flying FJ are a bit of a dogs breakfast. But basically QF (and BA, CX and soon AA FF’rs) can access various lounges when flying on their airline’s respective codes (not FJ codes). But you should be able to access the NAN TabUA Lounge when transiting.

Fiji Airways - oneworld Connect Partner Airline

Fiji Airways is an oneworld Connect partner airline. It provides select alliance benefits to frequent flyers from any oneworld member airline flying Fiji.

www.oneworld.com

Departing SYD, paid FJ (booked direct) and QF classic rewards (on FJ metal) will all have FJ codes, so no lounge access (unless it’s a J ticket). Returning from YVR, SFO and LAX would be similar - but there are conflicting reports. QF reward on QF metal SYD-NAN and paid QF codeshares all the way are fine for loungevaccess.

You’ll probably find that booking the same flights on QF (multi-city) is unfortunately significantly more expensive but one hack I‘ve used is nest SYD-NAN (return) and NAN-LAX (return). Especially if there’s a “Sale” fare around.

When I did that, I knew the aircraft from SYD went onto LAX, so pretty low risk of missing your connection on seperate tix! Note: I had checked luggage all the way through (so didn’t need to “enter“ Fiji. But I did do a stopover on the way home.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Thanks everyone for the answers thus far. I'm not too concerned about lounge access in the sense that I've got AmEx Platinum so that should give me access to a number of lounges both at SYD and elsewhere. It's also great to see that one can preview what fare code they'll be booked into from the FJ website.

This leaves the remaining questions:

1. Do I get the OneWorld baggage allowance when travelling on a lite fare (e.g. 2 bags) or would it be HBO?
2. Would a technical stop at APW count as two sectors (origin to APW and APW to destination) or just one (origin to destination) in terms of calculating status credits?

-RooFlyer88

 

[http_x92]

I do know that QF codes for FJ metal are available on the Qantas website, but cant get it into one itinerary even with the multi city tool (SYD-NAN then NAN-SFO).

It is a fair bit more expensive though with the QF codes. Still get status credits on FJ-marketed flights as long as it is not the sale F or P class. But no QF lounge access...

 

[http_x92]

1. Do I get the OneWorld baggage allowance when travelling on a lite fare (e.g. 2 bags) or would it be HBO?

According to some reports on FJ flights, OW status is not applicable for extra checked baggage, so you might need the Value fare anyway.

 

[SYD]

I do know that QF codes for FJ metal are available on the Qantas website, but cant get it into one itinerary even with the multi city tool (SYD-NAN then NAN-SFO).

It is a fair bit more expensive though with the QF codes. Still get status credits on FJ-marketed flights as long as it is not the sale F or P class. But no QF lounge access...

I meant to mention earlier that precovid I booked SYD-NAN-LAX for ~$4k J return (all QF codes). Back then, SYD-NAN J was about $1k - $1.5k return.

NAN-LAX via the QF Fiji website priced in FJD. It was a bit fiddly finding the cheapest days but something like ITA Matrix helps.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Also important to note, because QF wants you to fly the QF coded flight, QFF points earn and QFF SC on the FJ flight number, earns less QFF points and QFF SC.
QFF members flying FJ in Y earns just 900 QFF points and 10 QFF SC, not much, one way, probably the bit more, onto the US from NAN.
But if with a QF code, its 1650 QFF points and 25 QFF SC.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

According to some reports on FJ flights, OW status is not applicable for extra checked baggage, so you might need the Value fare anyway.

Okay so it looks like it'll have to be an HBO trip.

I meant to mention earlier that precovid I booked SYD-NAN-LAX for ~$4k J return (all QF codes). Back then, SYD-NAN J was about $1k - $1.5k return.

Yes FJ still has sometimes decent J fares to the Americas ex-SYD and have seen the occasional $4K-$5K J fare which would net someone 180 status credits each way (i.e. 360 status credits return) not a bad haul for a set of regional flights!

Also important to note, because QF wants you to fly the QF coded flight, QFF points earn and QFF SC on the FJ flight number, earns less QFF points and QFF SC.
QFF members flying FJ in Y earns just 900 QFF points and 10 QFF SC, not much, one way, probably the bit more, onto the US from NAN.
But if with a QF code, its 1650 QFF points and 25 QFF SC.

That may be true but the haul on a discount economy ticket can be quite good. Even if we assume for a sec that the tech stop at APW doesn't count as a separate sector one could earn 35 status credits each way flying SYD > HNL on FJ metal which on an $800 fare ain't bad (especially considering a good chunk of that are fees). It's really a pity the Australian government does not impose an air passenger duty on international flights the way the UK government does. That's the only way to keep international fares low!

-RooFlyer88

 

[RichardMEL]

OW status. baggage rights based on status is only generally available when booking as a OW codeahare (BA/CX/AA/QF) on FJ metal. OW connect (ie FJ) is rather complex but boils down to basically if it's sold as a OW flight via a OW carrier (eg QF flight numbers then OW rules apply, if it's sold and booked as a FJ flight, then FJ rules apply and OW is irrelevant.

 

[SYD]

OW status. baggage rights based on status is only generally available when booking as a OW codeahare (BA/CX/AA/QF) on FJ metal. OW connect (ie FJ) is rather complex but boils down to basically if it's sold as a OW flight via a OW carrier (eg QF flight numbers then OW rules apply, if it's sold and booked as a FJ flight, then FJ rules apply and OW is irrelevant.

Not totally irrelevant but close to it. Some priority checkin and boarding for all OW status PAX from memory.

There’s a whole thread on the disappointing OW Connect thingy.

 

[http_x92]

From Nadi to the US the J status credits doesnt drop off a lot booking on a FJ code it looks like. But coming out of Australia to Nadi is where it drops off hard from 85 to 40 on a FJ code, probably the simpler and fairer policy for OW partners.

 

[SYD]

From Nadi to the US the J status credits is doesnt drop off a lot booking on an FJ code it looks like. But coming out of Australia to Nadi is where it drops off hard from 85 to 40 on a FJ code, probably the simpler and fairer policy for OW partners.

Yep. We (QFF’s) always for SCs on FJ (one non OW special cases) but it got hit by S&F (TM) 10+ yrs ago.

But still good value flying J.

 

[Stevo.1702]

Although not relevant to the OP’s scenario, as a data point I was able to access the QF First lounge in LAX flying LAX - NAN on an AA ticket on FJ metal with my QF platinum status.

 

[RichardMEL]

From Nadi to the US the J status credits doesnt drop off a lot booking on a FJ code it looks like. But coming out of Australia to Nadi is where it drops off hard from 85 to 40 on a FJ code, probably the simpler and fairer policy for OW partners.

It's more because QF serves NAN from Oz on their own metal, but do not fly NAN-LAX so there's no QF option (except codeshare) so I'm pretty sure that's the reason why.

Post automatically merged: Jun 18, 2023

Although not relevant to the OP’s scenario, as a data point I was able to access the QF First lounge in LAX flying LAX - NAN on an AA ticket on FJ metal with my QF platinum status.

If it was an AA codeshare on the FJ flight that would be why as that is permitted under OW Connect rules. If it as the FJ flight number, that probably would not have allowed access.

 

[Jenya]

Just to compare:
Fiji air 7 day trip BNE - NAN 680 AUD - no checked in bags
1 bag purchase for return flights - 135AUD

QF code on the same flights - 780 AUD - bag included

 

[SYD]

Just to compare:
Fiji air 7 day trip BNE - NAN 680 AUD - no checked in bags
1 bag purchase for return flights - 135AUD

QF code on the same flights - 780 AUD - bag included

QF code also provides lounge access in BNE for QP and above.

 

[Jenya]

there is no lounge access based on elite status if you travel on the FJ code in Y. It only applies if you use the QF codeshare.

Not sure if that is the case on departure from Australia. Could not proof it as QF lounge in BNE was closed on my midnight departure on FJ metal in Y.
But accessing FJ lounge in NAN was no problem, did not even had to show QF platinum status in app as boarding pass has One World status printed on it.

Status credits accrual for one leg
BNE-NAN 10
NAN - CXI (Christmas island) 20