Is it worth it to change?

[blackjacknz]

Hi all....still trying to learn how to maximise our flights My wife and I used to work FIFO...so had built up a few FF points (don't worry we never work fluro at the airport )

We have a flight booked Sydney - Honolulu on Jan 19th...which I made through the website...was $443.26 (AUD) + 57,600 pts for economy seats.

We have a combined 56,000 points left.

I have been trying to see when some business class seats become available for the long flight...and was advised that the Jetstar flight business class should be 115,200 for both of us. At the moment there are no seats available as an award booking.

So im thinking should i.....

Cancel our current booking..receive the points back less 3500 each ...and just rebook using the call up marginal ASA method...so at least i earn SC and FF points? (we are both currently silver). If i do this...does this give the option of requesting an upgrade if available?

If business was available...ive worked out we are only short by about 10K points...which i would purchase to top up..... we've never flown business ...but at the moment is not

Thanks in advance for any help

Steve

 

[tuapekastar]

Hi all....still trying to learn how to maximise our flights My wife and I used to work FIFO...so had built up a few FF points (don't worry we never work fluro at the airport )

We have a flight booked Sydney - Honolulu on Jan 19th...which I made through the website...was $443.26 (AUD) + 57,600 pts for economy seats.

We have a combined 56,000 points left.

I have been trying to see when some business class seats become available for the long flight...and was advised that the Jetstar flight business class should be 115,200 for both of us. At the moment there are no seats available as an award booking.

So im thinking should i.....

Cancel our current booking..receive the points back less 3500 each ...and just rebook using the call up marginal ASA method...so at least i earn SC and FF points? (we are both currently silver). If i do this...does this give the option of requesting an upgrade if available?

If business was available...ive worked out we are only short by about 10K points...which i would purchase to top up..... we've never flown business ...but at the moment is not

Thanks in advance for any help

Steve

Not 100% clear on what you currently have booked (JQ economy?) and what your intention is (book a YASA on JQ and try and upgrade it?) so can't offer specific advice, but just a few things to note:

There appears to be no J classic award availability to HNL anywhere around that time, which would indicate to me that any JASAs (whether 'purchased' outright or possibly upgraded to from a YASA, if that is possible), would likely be very 'expensive' in terms of points/cash required. This is just speculation on my part, someone with more HNL/JQ experience may be able to correct me.

Jetstar 'business' class is really a premium economy service with cradle seats. I have used it to SIN and it is OK for what it is (and at an appropriate price) but still not a 'real' international business class.

Qantas business class to HNL is still operated by old 763s, the oldest J class QF has flying internationally, and also cradle seats. That said, they are very comfortable cradle seats (IMHO) and suitable for daytime flights but the planes themselves are quite old, and while I have not flown this route, posters here have bemoaned it in the past as being not good value J class flying.

Sorry that's a bit of a 'doom and gloom' post, maybe someone else who knows the route better than me (not hard, as I don't know it at all) can provide a bit more cheer.

 

[blackjacknz]

Not 100% clear on what you currently have booked (JQ economy?) and what your intention is (book a YASA on JQ and try and upgrade it?) so can't offer specific advice, but just a few things to note:

There appears to be no J classic award availability to HNL anywhere around that time, which would indicate to me that any JASAs (whether 'purchased' outright or possibly upgraded to from a YASA, if that is possible), would likely be very 'expensive' in terms of points/cash required. This is just speculation on my part, someone with more HNL/JQ experience may be able to correct me.

Jetstar 'business' class is really a premium economy service with cradle seats. I have used it to SIN and it is OK for what it is (and at an appropriate price) but still not a 'real' international business class.

Qantas business class to HNL is still operated by old 763s, the oldest J class QF has flying internationally, and also cradle seats. That said, they are very comfortable cradle seats (IMHO) and suitable for daytime flights but the planes themselves are quite old, and while I have not flown this route, posters here have bemoaned it in the past as being not good value J class flying.

Sorry should have been more clear...

Yes we have currently booked JQ economy via classic award. Thinking i should at least cancel the booking and rebook using marginal ASA economy to get SC and points? Then if its available i have the option to upgrade i available...as under the classic booking i wouldnt be given an opportunity to upgrade.

At the end of the day....should i cancel my classic economy booking...and rebook to get the Sc and points....im presuming it will be the same $$ top up?

 

[JohnK]

At the end of the day....should i cancel my classic economy booking...and rebook to get the Sc and points....im presuming it will be the same $$ top up?

Before cancelling check if there is firstly availability and secondly check what it will cost in both QFF points and $$ cost.

 

[scheps]

Yea, make sure you dont lose our current booking without knowing you can definitely get the YASA. And IIRC, you need a decent top up to get a YASA. Then upgrade from there as silver may be difficult, esp as you mention there are no availabilities. Check Flightstats to see if there are ANY J seats, if not then zero chance of upgrade.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

does a JQ ASA earn points and SCs?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Hi all....still trying to learn how to maximise our flights My wife and I used to work FIFO...so had built up a few FF points (don't worry we never work fluro at the airport )

We have a flight booked Sydney - Honolulu on Jan 19th...which I made through the website...was $443.26 (AUD) + 57,600 pts for economy seats.

We have a combined 56,000 points left.

I have been trying to see when some business class seats become available for the long flight...and was advised that the Jetstar flight business class should be 115,200 for both of us. At the moment there are no seats available as an award booking.

So im thinking should i.....

Cancel our current booking..receive the points back less 3500 each ...and just rebook using the call up marginal ASA method...so at least i earn SC and FF points? (we are both currently silver). If i do this...does this give the option of requesting an upgrade if available?

If business was available...ive worked out we are only short by about 10K points...which i would purchase to top up..... we've never flown business ...but at the moment is not

Thanks in advance for any help

Steve

Just looking at Classic award availability on 19 Jan SYD/HNL on QF3 & a Classic Award on QF which is 36,000 points plus taxes/fees/charges of AUD304.23 each. Alternatively on JQ3 it's 28,800 points plus AUD220.63.

You could always consider doing a Partner/Classic Award of FJ NAN/HNL which would be 25,000 in whY or 50,000 for J in points each plus FJD194.00 each taxes (AUD110.00).

HNL/NAN on FJ is the same points but taxes are only USD2.50 each for J or Y.

Air NZ have one way fares in January AKL/HNL starting from AUD472.00 or AUD706.00 ex SYD to HNL via AKL.

It could be more economical to purchase a one way fare Aust to HNL then do an award HNL/NAN then purchase a NAN/Aust fare which would be approx the same as the taxes (& less points) than if you did an award flight HNL/Aust.

 

[blackjacknz]

Just looking at Classic award availability on 19 Jan SYD/HNL on QF3 & a Classic Award on QF which is 36,000 points plus taxes/fees/charges of AUD304.23 each. Alternatively on JQ3 it's 28,800 points plus AUD220.63.

You could always consider doing a Partner/Classic Award of FJ NAN/HNL which would be 25,000 in whY or 50,000 for J in points each plus FJD194.00 each taxes (AUD110.00).

HNL/NAN on FJ is the same points but taxes are only USD2.50 each for J or Y.

Air NZ have one way fares in January AKL/HNL starting from AUD472.00 or AUD706.00 ex SYD to HNL via AKL.

It could be more economical to purchase a one way fare Aust to HNL then do an award HNL/NAN then purchase a NAN/Aust fare which would be approx the same as the taxes (& less points) than if you did an award flight HNL/Aust.

Thanks Oz ...we only need the 1 way flight...as were heading over to LA from Honolulu....and then cruising back from LA to Fremantle (31 days). I've already booked the JQ3 flight......but thinking i should cancel and rebook to at least get the SC and FF points....and have the option to upgrade if available.