Help! I have over 2 million Qantas Points I can never seem to use!

[bPeteb]

While this thread is running could I ask what you can ask to be released as WP?

It looks like I'll reach that giddy rung on the ladder this flying year, May to be exact. We're looking to go away for a couple of weeks in Sep/Oct and we're thinking a trip to Southern Africa. Plenty of J award availability over but only Y or nothing (literally nothing) on dates we're looking at back. We'll book a revenue seat for me using a voucher I bought last Sep during a double SC promo (no idea if that will still apply) and award for my partner.

Is it worth the risk to book J over and Y back (award) then hope I can get a J award for the trip back released when I hit WP?
Thanks in advance

 

[cjd600]

Taxes and surcharges are awful. I'm too scared to look.

Looking at something like SYD-SFO-JFK-GLA-ATH-BKK-SYD. There will obviously be transit points and preference of QF/EK where possible on longer legs. Not sure what a revenue airfare would cost. To me that's worth ~$3,000 per person so if taxes are ~$1,500 per person I'm getting a return of ~1c/point. Not great but certainly better than nothing.

What else is there to do?

Can’t use EK on a Oneworld award

 

[Mattg]

While this thread is running could I ask what you can ask to be released as WP?

It looks like I'll reach that giddy rung on the ladder this flying year, May to be exact. We're looking to go away for a couple of weeks in Sep/Oct and we're thinking a trip to Southern Africa. Plenty of J award availability over but only Y or nothing (literally nothing) on dates we're looking at back. We'll book a revenue seat for me using a voucher I bought last Sep during a double SC promo (no idea if that will still apply) and award for my partner.

Is it worth the risk to book J over and Y back (award) then hope I can get a J award for the trip back released when I hit WP?
Thanks in advance

Basically, as a WP you can request international J awards to be released if there is "I" (revenue discount business) class availability on the same flight. If there is, the request will be passed on to revenue management who will accept or deny the request. If you're flexible with dates, this might help your cause.

You'd need to call QF to make the request.

 

[bPeteb]

Thanks Matt. We'll hold off doing anything until that card arrives in the mail

 

[mviy]

Note you can only ask QF seats to be released as a WP (or above).

Only if there's availability that isn't showing online on the QF website for some reason could you get seats on other OneWorld airlines.

 

[JohnK]

Can’t use EK on a Oneworld award

Good point. So preference would be for QF on longer legs.

 

[bPeteb]

Note you can only ask QF seats to be released as a WP (or above).

Only if there's availability that isn't showing online on the QF website for some reason could you get seats on other OneWorld airlines.

In our case I'd be asking for QF seats to Jo'burg

 

[JohnK]

In our case I'd be asking for QF seats to Jo'burg

I was under the impression getting seats released on SYD-JNB was as difficult as SYD-BKK. Good luck.

 

[bPeteb]

I was under the impression getting seats released on SYD-JNB was as difficult as SYD-BKK. Good luck.

sigh.