J Classic awards / partner awards scant

[Kaiser]

Anyone else noticed less J awards available next year?
I began looking at June 2020, 330 days out , for Australia > Europe one way J and the only option that occasionally pops up is EK or flights with the longer leg in economy...but very little on QR, CX, QF. Finding it difficult to use up my QF points , seems a lot harder compared to the availability when booking an AA award.

Funnily enough when I search for the same segments in first class they come up unavailable, but they let you book it at first class points price and put you in business.

 

[goldenhorn]

I guess you’re checking different departure points from AU and not just Syd/mel?

Have a chat to Matt Graham at Frequent Flyer Solutions for finding a way with your points. I think their service is brilliant and I’ve used it a couple of times myself when I could find nothing

 

[Kaiser]

Yep, my home port is BNE but I normally have the best luck with ADL (QR/CX)

 

[goldenhorn]

Yep, my home port is BNE but I normally have the best luck with ADL (QR/CX)

What about repositioning to Asia. Is that a possibility?

 

[Kaiser]

Yes that is possible. Paid economy to SIN/HKG/BKK and onwards in award J to Europe for 92,000 on QR which I can see on certain dates

 

[goldenhorn]

Yes that is possible. Paid economy to SIN/HKG/BKK and onwards in award J to Europe for 92,000 on QR which I can see on certain dates

When I do that I like to make it a little stopover to make it more enjoyable.

92K for QR J? Excellent!

 

[cjd600]

Need to grab QR as they are released 361.
But can get 4 J out of Syd/ADL - DOH at least Mon-Weds, and 2J most other days. Then need to add on DOH-EUR next day or so when they arereleased.
They don't last, obviously, but they are there.
Wouldnt expect to see any QR ex-AUS at 330

 

[Kaiser]

I wish I had more AA points...85k for QR J Aus<>Europe

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Anyone else noticed less J awards available next year?

Wouldn't surprise me if they are restricting availability so they can open it up later in the year as part of the FF 'changes' announced recently.

 

[Lynda2475]

Im trying to find classic reward J flights to/from Helsinki in June/July next year and no luck. Seems to be no issue to get positioning J seats using points on QF to HKG/SIN/NRT but no joy finding any AY J seats into Helsinki (or copenhagen) and anything coming back seems to be on JAL via tokyo. In searching a bunch of date sIve only ever seen one AY flight show up and it was in Y.

Anyone know if AY typically release seats to partners later?

 

[exceladdict]

I have seen AY released as the Qantas calendar unlocks ex Sin.

QR I am finding much more difficult than my last big trip 5 years ago. Seems to be limited availability on qsuite aircraft.

 

[goldenhorn]

Wouldn't surprise me if they are restricting availability so they can open it up later in the year as part of the FF 'changes' announced recently.

Oh has the additional availability not been released yet?

I (wrongly) assumed it had because I was looking for award flights SIN-SYD in Jan 2020 and couldn’t find anything for months but a few days after the QF changes announcement a bunch appeared and I booked.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Anyone else noticed less J awards available next year?

I'm seeing similar availability to this time last year.

 

[Lynda2475]

So i have found SYD-HKG (QF J) ; HKG-CPH (EK J); HEL-NRT (JL Y+) and HND-SYD (QF J) on dates I need. Am wondering if I should book; and if later something better opens up for HEL-SIN/HKG pay to change (as next June/July).

Anyone know what Premium Economy is like of JL? And is it easy to transfer from NRT to HND?

 

[cjd600]

Im trying to find classic reward J flights to/from Helsinki in June/July next year and no luck. Seems to be no issue to get positioning J seats using points on QF to HKG/SIN/NRT but no joy finding any AY J seats into Helsinki (or copenhagen) and anything coming back seems to be on JAL via tokyo. In searching a bunch of date sIve only ever seen one AY flight show up and it was in Y.

Anyone know if AY typically release seats to partners later?

I saw 4J QR ADL-DOH-HEL today, 25/26 July

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So i have found SYD-HKG (QF J) ; HKG-CPH (EK J); HEL-NRT (JL Y+) and HND-SYD (QF J) on dates I need. Am wondering if I should book; and if later something better opens up for HEL-SIN/HKG pay to change (as next June/July).

Anyone know what Premium Economy is like of JL? And is it easy to transfer from NRT to HND?

Absolutely book it in!! It's a 5000 point change fee.

Premium economy on JAL gets ok reviews. The meals are the same as economy though, not business class 'lite'. It does come with lounge access though.

The transfer between NRT and HND is very simple. One of the big orange 'limousine' buses will take you non-stop between the two in about an 90 mins or so. I did the connection with a three hour transit last year... all very easy... land, collect bags, short walk to the exit door, buy ticket, wait for bus, get dropped off at the front door at the other airport. Y3200. Airport Limousine Bus-Airport Transport Service Co., Ltd

 

[cjd600]

I saw 4J QR ADL-DOH-HEL today, 25/26 July

Another 4 J today ADL-DOH-HEL. 26 JUL 20 (QSuites/ A330)
and 27 JUL 20:
4 J SYD-DOH A380
4 J SYD-DOH Q Suites
4 J ADL-DOH Q suites
4 J PER-DOH A380

They're everywhere. For a little while.If you look.

 

[offshore171]

So i have found SYD-HKG (QF J) ; HKG-CPH (EK J); HEL-NRT (JL Y+) and HND-SYD (QF J) on dates I need. Am wondering if I should book;

And is it easy to transfer from NRT to HND?

Train or bus. It’s a fair way, at least an hour.

How long is the layover between NRT and HND?

If you’ve found premium seats even close to what you’re looking for, book. Delaying can mean the seats disappear.

 

[Dr Ralph]

Train or bus. It’s a fair way, at least an hour.

Delaying can mean the seats disappear.

aye, there's the rub!

 

[Lynda2475]

I've now also found SYD-HKG (QF J) + HKG-DXB (EK J) + DXB-CPH (EK J). Teh return on JAL via NRT is gone now.

Nothing out in June via QR via AD/MEL/SYD/PER, time to check returns in July though.

Nothing on EK for July return dates (actually very little even in economy) how far out do EK release J seats for Gold?