J-class RTW on OW awards

[t-bug]

Hi, I’m looking to burn QFF points for J-class RTW using OW. So far I’ve managed to find J-class flights for the first part of the trip from Oz to Europe then to the US east coast (JFK) using the Qantas awards booking system. It was all looking rosy until I started checking J availability in US/Canada during May/June 2014 – practically non-existent!

While in N America (early May 2014) we had planned on doing trips to Philly, SFO, LAX, Las Vegas. Also plan on visiting Canada (Toronto, Quebec, Vancover). The thinking at this stage was to do the east coast bits first (New York, Philly, Toronto, Quebec) taking us to the end of May then over to the west coast (Vancouver, SFO, LA, Vegas) for 4 weeks. I’ve had a play on the Qantas awards booking system, looking for J availability from JFK (or Toronto) to the west coast e.g. JFK-SFO, JFK-LAX, JFK-YVR (and the equivalent starting from Toronto) and not having much luck for May/June. All the available seats are either economy or F. We were hoping to be able to fly J class all the way but it’s looking like we may have to settle for Y while in US/Canada. It’s the first time I’ve tried to book award seats in the US/Canada and I have a few questions:

1. Is this lack of J-class availability on OW at this time of the year in this region normal? Or have I just left it too late?
2. Are there limitations on the Qantas awards booking system? Or maybe I’m not using it correctly? (in each search I’ve checked Award availability and Flexible dates)
3. Is there another OW search facility I could be using?
4. Would the Qantas booking assistance service yield the J-class award seats I’m looking for? Or are they essentially looking at the same system?

Looking for ideas/suggestions. TIA.

 

[Futureaussie]

Most American flights have Coach and First seats only.No business class as such on domestic.When flew recently on RTW booked first in lieu of business.

 

[tuapekastar]

As futuraussie said, most (but not all) US domestic services have F/Y only. I don't know about points redemptions but revenue RTW J fares (D fare bucket) will book into the A fare bucket on those flights, which is first class. It's a good way to boost status credits.
I'm sure someone here will have the answers you need.

 

[t-bug]

Most American flights have Coach and First seats only.No business class as such on domestic.When flew recently on RTW booked first in lieu of business.

Thanks. A bit tricky for me to book F-seats on a leg of my RTW on awards as the rules as I understand it, mean that my whole RTW itinerary would be based on F-class and I don't have enough points for that!

 

[t-bug]

As futuraussie said, most (but not all) US domestic services have F/Y only. I don't know about points redemptions but revenue RTW J fares (D fare bucket) will book into the A fare bucket on those flights, which is first class. It's a good way to boost status credits.
I'm sure someone here will have the answers you need.

Interesting. Would be great if F in the US translates to J on OW awards! Could someone throw some light on that?

 

[footy99]

On oneworld explorers, DONEx itineraries book into A within the US when J isn't available. However, on the Qantas oneworld awards, they book into Y.

 

[serfty]

... However, on the Qantas oneworld awards, they book into Y.

this is indeed the case.

General advice is to either/or try to book J on the few three class transcontinental routes or book to your arrival/departure port and book revenue from there on separate tickets (preferably yupps).

 

[t-bug]

this is indeed the case.

General advice is to either/or try to book J on the few three class transcontinental routes or book to your arrival/departure port and book revenue from there on separate tickets (preferably yupps).

Thanks footy99 & serfty.
serfty, "book revenue from there on separate tickets (preferably yupps)": I take it that means buy a ticket. yupps?

 

[serfty]

...I take it that means buy a ticket. yupps?

Yesireee ...

see here for some tips on booking a "yupp": http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ogram/how-research-book-aa-instant-42433.html

 

[t-bug]

Yesireee ...

see here for some tips on booking a "yupp":

Thanks for the link, lots of useful info.

 

[sergeyvzn]

Hi, I’m looking to burn QFF points for J-class RTW using OW. So far I’ve managed to find J-class flights for the first part of the trip from Oz to Europe then to the US east coast (JFK) using the Qantas awards booking system. It was all looking rosy until I started checking J availability in US/Canada during May/June 2014 – practically non-existent!

While in N America (early May 2014) we had planned on doing trips to Philly, SFO, LAX, Las Vegas. Also plan on visiting Canada (Toronto, Quebec, Vancover). The thinking at this stage was to do the east coast bits first (New York, Philly, Toronto, Quebec) taking us to the end of May then over to the west coast (Vancouver, SFO, LA, Vegas) for 4 weeks. I’ve had a play on the Qantas awards booking system, looking for J availability from JFK (or Toronto) to the west coast e.g. JFK-SFO, JFK-LAX, JFK-YVR (and the equivalent starting from Toronto) and not having much luck for May/June. All the available seats are either economy or F. We were hoping to be able to fly J class all the way but it’s looking like we may have to settle for Y while in US/Canada. It’s the first time I’ve tried to book award seats in the US/Canada and I have a few questions:

1. Is this lack of J-class availability on OW at this time of the year in this region normal? Or have I just left it too late?
2. Are there limitations on the Qantas awards booking system? Or maybe I’m not using it correctly? (in each search I’ve checked Award availability and Flexible dates)
3. Is there another OW search facility I could be using?
4. Would the Qantas booking assistance service yield the J-class award seats I’m looking for? Or are they essentially looking at the same system?

Looking for ideas/suggestions. TIA.

Being in a very similar situation to you last week I did some research on the issue and can provide a bit of feedback on it
1. It's not normal, it used to be very different but the situation has recently radically changed. There used to be quite a bit J class availability on AA 3 class domestic transcontinental services on B767-200. Now it's all gone and, even worse, you can't even see much Y or F class on these direct flights on any dates past 01 Jan 2014 (I can see 4 days in Dec 2013 now with J class seats available on direct transcon 3 class flights). There's an occasional direct flight with seats available but they are very rare and mostly in Y. All you can see is Y/F seats on combinations of flights via Chicago or Dallas. American Airlines Y saver award seats are simply not available any more for Qantas oneworld 280K points redemptions. If you go to AA Advantage award booking engine, you can see all these Y seats on direct transcon flights but at a full redemption rate (50K AA points vs 25 AA points for Y class Saver award). So, my conclusion is that American Airlines, generally, does not any more make these Saver award seats available for oneworld redemptions.
2. QF booking system sees exactly the same thing you see on your screen. The seats are just not there
3. You could use several - like American Airlines, Finnair or Iberia ones but this won't help as the seats are not there
4. The answer is no. I spent a bit of time on the phone with QF agents and all they see on their screens is what you see on yours. The seats are not there, end of story.
What you can do is either:
1) book yourself into Y and wait, keep checking if there is a stray Saver AA J class award seat released (either via the QF booking engine, or on the AA Advantage one or via ExpertFlyer and the like) and if this miracle happens you can call Qantas and change your intra-US Y sectors to J paying the 3.5K change fee or
2) use your QF points to book a separate award ticket as a partners award (redemption rates are reasonable as they are consistent with American Airlines redemption rates which are fairly generous) in F for all your intra-US flights. This will rid you of lots of extra points but will give you certainty
3) buy the flights with cash
Hope this helps.
PS What I did was I ended up booking flights in Y between SFO and LGA (via ORD) for Sep 2014. I'm going to be very patient and check if there;s a suddenly released couple of J seats every day and if I'm lucky, I'll have to call QF and get my booking changed (3.5 points isn;t that much)...and if I'm not, I will probably cancel these two sectors and buy a cash F fare on Virgin America between SFO and JFK

 

[t-bug]

Being in a very similar situation to you last week I did some research on the issue and can provide a bit of feedback on it ...............

Thanks for your detailed response. I like your strategy of booking on Y, with a possible upside on changing to J and if that doesn't eventuate, to cancel and buy a ticket. I might just do that. Here's hoping for more release of J seats. Cheers.