How to Best do this

[habby]

So over the next few months I have multiple trips to japan coming up. Unfortunately they will all be in economy. When I lived in Canberra it was easy I just flew Sydney to Tokyo. But now I live in Perth and the choices are different. I have gold on both Virgin and Qantas. I just need some advice on the best way to maximize my status credits without spending a ton of time flying. It looks like trips to Tokyo will be more frequent in the future also, doesn't matter what airport I go to in Tokyo since I have to get a train to the factory/workplace once I get there anyway.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[eastwest101]

Seeing as you are living in Perth but flying to Japan I would think that the two obvious choices would be flying Cathay Pacific (CX) via Hong Kong or Singapore Airlines via Singapore. Less obvious choices and a bit more painful from transit stops/visa points of view but not out of the question might be Malaysian Airlines or Air Asia X via Kuala Lumpur or even Garuda via Jakarta, Thai via Bankok or China Southern Airlines via Guangzhou?

If you live in Perth and don't fly to the east coast of Australia often then may as well chuck your Qantas Gold card in the bin (its no use to you now living in Perth except to possibly gain some benefits from flying CX), your Virgin Gold card may still be useful for crediting SQ flights (but watch out that not all SQ fares earn velocity points and status).

Other more knowledgble people here may also suggest a different frequent flyer scheme to earn points and status in or suggest status matches that may help you get status faster.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

QF gold on CX gets free exit rows!

 

[smit0847]

If you want SCs, go SQ. Japan is a unique location in that it is very generous for the two separate (fairly equal length) legs. If you can stretch to full-flex Y you'll get 200 SCs per trip - if you're already Gold you'll be WP in no-time.

For frequency though, you can't really go past CX.

 

[habby]

I do still fly to the east coast on a regular basis. Am in Sydney this week actually. Just trying to figure best alternative for Japan . new position within company involves support for global applications group so I dont really know where Ill be going, before it was just Australia.

 

[dajop]

For frequency though, you can't really go past CX.

How did you reach that conclusion? They only have a single daily to PER, whereas SQ have 4 dailies - and with 3 daily Tokyo connections in each direction.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

I gather the company will be paying so what's their corporate travel policy for trips of that duration? When you say it will be economy, I guess that doesn't extend to Premium economy?

Will you be flying to Narita or Haneda?

I'd get hold of a copy of that to see if the company has a specific dollar amount or budget for Japan or is it BFOD (best fare of the day). Would they pay for an airfare that allows you to use your own points to upgrade to PE or J?

Once you know this info then you can work within the company policy to get the most value ff points wise for the travel you undertake.

 

[habby]

Doesnt matter which airport I goto. But i am limited in bookings. I have to use the company travel website to book.

 

[medhead]

MH will also earn with Qantas, depending on fare class. Given the simpler and fairer earning with higher earning intra-Asia than you get for Australia to Asia, it's possible the MH to KUL then Tokyo will earn more due to the longer intra-Asia leg. Provided you have an earning fare class.

An out there option would be QF to CNS then JQ to nrt, assuming you can pay for a bundle on JQ. Better earning on JQ international than on QF.

 

[Timba-Jet]

If your favouring going via HKG with CX, and crediting to QFF. Looks like JL codeshares on the CX PER-HKG leg then onto JL metal HKG-TYO.

If JL prices similar to CX, then check to see if the JL booking codes gets better earn rates than CX.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If your favouring going via HKG with CX, and crediting to QFF. Looks like JL codeshares on the CX PER-HKG leg then onto JL metal HKG-TYO.

If JL prices similar to CX, then check to see if the JL booking codes gets better earn rates than CX.

Except i have a feeling you'd lose the free exit row seats on JL codeshare.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Doesnt matter which airport I go to. But i am limited in bookings. I have to use the company travel website to book.

Are you able to say what the TA website is?

I'm sure a few of us (self included) would be happy to have a look & see what we can come up with assuming it's a travel website available to the public.

 

[dajop]

Thinking about this some more, SQ option is quite good if you are travelling on flexi-saver or flexi fares. If you get your VA sectors up somehow through other travel or doing 2 trips on VA code, then 5 return trips a year gets platinum. The added advantage if flying in Y of the option of day flights in both directions if you want (although from a time point of view overnights might be more efficient).

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Relatively cheap options I can see in discount economy on randomly selected dates within the relevant period on OW airlines:
QF to SYD then JL to NRT - return JL NRT-HGK and a JL codeshare on CX HKG-PER - around $1050 for 70 SCs
QF to SYD then JL to NRT - return JL NRT-KUL and a JL codeshare on MH KUL-PER - around $1070 for 85 SCs
JL codeshare on MH to KUL then MH to NRT - same return - around $1073 for 100 SCs
The MH options seem to have the best SC earn, at least intra-asia.
Lots of other options Including SQ for Velocity earn) but they're more expensive.
Prices also seem to vary wildly for the same flights ticketed by different carriers.
I'm sure one of the TAs can find better once you give them exact dates.

Oh also I'm not entirely sure which SC earn rate applies on a flight marketed by one OW airline but operated by another.

 

[habby]

Unfortunately the travel website is not available to the public. Have to have a company login. Not crazy about using it and definitely not always cheaper than I can find.....but its policy. I can book hotels elsewhere but have to use it for airfares.

 

[wandering_fred]

PER-HKG on CX is 10x/weekly. PER-HKG earns more reasonable QF SC than the east coast routes. Can't speak about HKG-TYO on QF earn.

Since the CX routing is about 5500 miles each way, 6 trips a year would earn CX Gold after completing the Silver step. CX Gold on PER-TYO on a regular basis would prove enjoyable I think... But if you are close to QF life time status, ymmv.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[Bushflyer]

Can earn QF SC's by flying to SIN and then flying JAL with QF no. See attachment with random dates.

 

[dajop]

Can earn QF SC's by flying to SIN and then flying JAL with QF no. See attachment with random dates.

Remembering that QF from PER to SIN is a 737! Might be better off, with the long layover outbound to do an A330 to SYD and connect to QF25 instead. Inbound looks reasonable.