Flying Business Class from Japan to Australia

[ProggerPete]

I'm heading over Japan late January next year for some Skiing. I've sorted out getting there using AA points and am now looking to get home using my Qantas points.

At the moment the best option seems to be to fly Business class CTS-HKG-BNE with an overnight in HKG. This comes to 184,000 points and $560 for 2 people. I'm wondering if anyone has any other suggestions.

I think I'd be able to stop over in Hong Kong if I wanted to, but I'm not sure how keen I am for that. Likely to be pretty weary after a week of skiing.

One of the flys in the ointment are that as far as I have been able to work out, direct flights from Japan to Brisbane do not exist on one world.

(When I compare this to the 120,000 points and $200 for the 1st class flights from AA that get me there I can't help but contrast the relative value of the 2 programs...)

Basically I'm just throwing this out in case anyone knows of something incredibly cunning that I should consider.

Thanks,
Pete

Edit : On a side note, does anyone know of a better way than using as a quick way of finding whether there are direct flights to/from places?

 

[dairyfloss]

On a side note, does anyone know of a better way than using as a quick way of finding whether there are direct flights to/from places?

I like ITA Matrix Airfare Search - it's quite powerful, particularly when coupled with the right routing codes.

An example of this might be in what you were trying to do - you could put in "/ alliance oneworld" into the routing codes for an unlimited stop trip from CTS-BNE, and it will give you OW options for that route in your desired class. A one-way in Jan 2015 shows up in OW stock... and lower cost suggestions are mainly via Tokyo (both NRT & HND) and SYD - so maybe not ideal... but also some via ICN & HKG on CX tickets. You can play around, and even force certain connections (like HKG)... but whether or not you will ever get that option on an award booking is another matter altogether!

Good luck!
Cheers.

 

[kempvet]

If you were looking to fly J, I would think that the CX metal would be better than QF so this could be a factor, don't know if QF is still flying the J Mk1 (which they were the last time that I flew this route) product to Japan so you would have to ask around, I certainly would stop for a night in Hong Kong to if it meant that the CX J to BNE was a quality product.

 

[ketsuzei]

At the moment the best option seems to be to fly Business class CTS-HKG-BNE with an overnight in HKG. This comes to 184,000 points and $560 for 2 people.

I reckon that's a really good option. Not that easy to get from Sapporo to Brisbane with one stop on any airline, only other options I can think of offhand would be Korean Air and Eva Air (obviously outside OW)

You could potentially get a JASA on QF NRT-SYD-BNE for 60,000 points each, but it would obviously mean an extra (and annoying) stop. If you don't begrudge the points, I'd go with what you have now.

 

[ProggerPete]

I'm shifting plans a little and will now be flying into and out of Tokyo (Going to ski Hakuba instead), so a JASA is looking a very good option.

I've found some availability and am ready to book (Cost as a JASA is slightly less than cost as a classic award, go figure...). I'm just wondering how long it takes to get through customs.

The flight lands at 7:25am and the next flight to brisbane is 9:05am. Do you think I'd make this or would it be safer to book the 10:05?

My instinct says if Qantas will let me book the 9:05 I should do so. I suspect they'll bump me to a later flight if I miss the connection, though I might end up missing the 10:05 as well if it's full. What do the regular flyers think?

 

[Himeno]

At the moment the best option seems to be to fly Business class CTS-HKG-BNE with an overnight in HKG. This comes to 184,000 points and $560 for 2 people. I'm wondering if anyone has any other suggestions.

If you get to Tokyo, you can go to BNE via either SIN or SYD.

One of the flys in the ointment are that as far as I have been able to work out, direct flights from Japan to Brisbane do not exist on one world.

JL used to have NRT-BNE flights, but dropped them with they had the financial problems ~4 years ago. The flight might return at some point, but will likely depend on JL getting new aircraft and when the 787 engine software is corrected.

(When I compare this to the 120,000 points and $200 for the 1st class flights from AA that get me there I can't help but contrast the relative value of the 2 programs...)

On a side note, does anyone know of a better way than using as a quick way of finding whether there are direct flights to/from places?

Oneworld has a downloadable timetable (updates every monday) which lists all oneworld operated flights and *most* codeshares.

 

[Himeno]

don't know if QF is still flying the J Mk1 (which they were the last time that I flew this route) product to Japan so you would have to ask around

QF currently uses 747 for QF21/22. The config is whatever 747 they have in SYD. It is sometimes the old seats and sometimes the A380 seats and the aircraft set to operate the flight can change often.
I had a flight booked on QF21 last Sep and the config changed 3 times before the flight date.
My QF22 flight a few days later had booked for Y+. The config was due to use old J seats as Y+, then the day before (when that aircraft was prepped for QF21), the config changed from old seating to new and I got moved from a MK1 skybed to a Y+ recliner .
Another flight on 21 last Oct had me in an old F seat.

Though with the now faster retirement of the older 747s, I see this route going back to A330 as soon as they get enough of them back from JQ.

 

[amaroo]

(When I compare this to the 120,000 points and $200 for the 1st class flights from AA that get me there I can't help but contrast the relative value of the 2 programs...)

Thanks,
Pete

Edit : On a side note, does anyone know of a better way than using as a quick way of finding whether there are direct flights to/from places?

1st class flight Assuming you are departing from BNE - what flight are you taking to get F? BNE-SYD-HKG-NRT ?

CX via HKG would be my pick for the return journey. FWIW it's exactly what we do...

 

[drron]

I miss the JAL BNE-NRT service.
For OW flights I use their online timetable-
oneworld Online Timetable.

A bit clunky but gets it done.

 

[ProggerPete]

1st class flight Assuming you are departing from BNE - what flight are you taking to get F? BNE-SYD-HKG-NRT ?

Yep

CX via HKG would be my pick for the return journey. FWIW it's exactly what we do...

Is this because you think CX Business class is superior? You can spend less points or less money by flying on Qantas. I'm getting 92k points + $241.00 for CX and either 90k points and $135 or 60k points + $420 for Qantas)

For OW flights I use their online timetable-
oneworld Online Timetable.

A bit clunky but gets it done.

That's exactly the sort of thing I had in mind. Very handy.

 

[amaroo]

Is this because you think CX Business class is superior? You can spend less points or less money by flying on Qantas. I'm getting 92k points + $241.00 for CX and either 90k points and $135 or 60k points + $420 for Qantas)

Superior doesn't begin to describe the difference between CX and QF.....HKG is an awesome stopover.

 

[ProggerPete]

@Amaroo That's quite the endorsement. =)

 

[amaroo]

@Amaroo That's quite the endorsement. =)

Lay down misere - IMHO!

 

[Shan Man]

If I recall correctly, QF dont sell First class tickets on the syd-nrt route due to the refurb 747's not having it...

If you wanted to book first, you'd have to go BNE-SYD-HKG-NRT on QF/CX or BNE-SYD-SIN-NRT on QF/JL.

Someone correct me if I am wrong though!

 

[Ausbt]

QF currently uses 747 for QF21/22. The config is whatever 747 they have in SYD. It is sometimes the old seats and sometimes the A380 seats and the aircraft set to operate the flight can change often.

Though with the now faster retirement of the older 747s, I see this route going back to A330 as soon as they get enough of them back from JQ.

I'm booked SYD-NRT in J for late Jan 15 myself (planning on Nozawa Onsen and Hakuba). I'm expecting the Skybed Mk 1 but of course hoping for better. If it goes to A330 will it definitely be a Mk 1 seat? Also any recommendations on row choice appreciated as I took care to choose row 16 on the 747.

 

[drron]

Late December the 747 from NRT had the old F cabin.So always check the seat map.

 

[Ausbt]

Late December the 747 from NRT had the old F cabin.So always check the seat map.

Checking the map it appeared to be rows 1 though 4 lower deck which I presume is the old F. On that basis do you believe say row 3 would be superior to row 16 upper-deck (which is also an exit)?

 

[drron]

We like downstairs anyway.but if row 4 appears it is the old F cabin so preferable.

 

[michaele]

My instinct says if Qantas will let me book the 9:05 I should do so. I suspect they'll bump me to a later flight if I miss the connection, though I might end up missing the 10:05 as well if it's full. What do the regular flyers think?

I flew QF22 home in Jan and the 9:05 to BNE - with plenty of time. A few years ago I did actually miss the BNE flight from SYD - The plane was delayed leaving NRT - Qantas just put us on the next flight home.

I'd just book the 9:05.

 

[ProggerPete]

I ended up booking this as a JASA. While I have no doubt that Cathay Pacific is a better business seat the timing just isn't as convenient. The Qantas flight leaves in the evening and gets me home the next morning. Going via HKG means a minimum of 20h travel time with a flight leaving from Tokyo in the morning. With Qantas I can leave Hakuba and get on a plane home on the same day.

Thanks to everyone for your input.