MEL/SYD to EU (stopover) via SIN to JFK Dec '18 using KF miles

[limbeezy]

I’ve decided to make my first luxury redemption using the Singapore products (either business or first/suites) but came to this idea after flights had been released for pre Xmas 2018 flights (initially going to book VA business class to West Coast USA but then realised how scarce availability was).

As MEL – SIN – FRA – JFK are all waitlisted for anything between Dec 20-Dec 24 (ideally would like a stopover in EU), does anyone have suggestions for flying from MEL/SYD with a stopover in EU to JFK using the Star Alliance network with KF miles?

Ideal itinerary would be leaving AU anywhere between Dec 19-Dec22, stopover in EU and arriving in JFK no later than Dec 24.

TIA

 

[get me outta here]

I can confirm that SQ Aus - SIN - FRA - JFK is notoriously hard to get. Would usually require you going online at the moment seats are released.

 

[limbeezy]

I can confirm that SQ Aus - SIN - FRA - JFK is notoriously hard to get. Would usually require you going online at the moment seats are released.

Yeah I know, rookie mistake...I was watching the VA business class route to LAX and waiting for that to open up. Might try get something on the way home instead then..

 

[Dannyism]

lol. good luck....

 

[firstclasser]

I can confirm that SQ Aus - SIN - FRA - JFK is notoriously hard to get. Would usually require you going online at the moment seats are released.

Do you know what time AEST they get released?

 

[Dannyism]

I guess I should contribute a bit instead of just making a cheeky comment.

Reward flights around Christmas are very hard to get, all flights are. To get from Europe to JFK I guess united airlines would be the way to go. I suspect Turkish or maybe Thai would be the best way to get to EU.

However, you really need to have all your ducks in a row and book as soon as the award seats are released, usually T-330days. Because you want to have a stopover in EU, you may have to book as individual sectors.

I have tried looking for MEL-SIN-FRA-JFK in off peak and found it impossible, I have also tried MEL-anywhere in XMas peak and found it impossible. Have a go though, because you miss all of the shots you don't take.

 

[get me outta here]

Not offhand. But, when I booked an F seat SYD-SIN-FRA-JFK for May, I found that looking up the availability right to to that last day and then looking back 1 - 2 days showed more availability.

Someone else may who recently tried chasing them down. There's also a fairly recent thread for 'release' times, have a look at that.

 

[limbeezy]

lol. good luck....

Well I’ve staterted to look for the flight back and there were some options to go LAX - ICN - SIN- MEL. Still about a week out for the dates I’d be looking at. But more so after suggestions for flights on the star alliance network. I’ve accepted that I missed the window on the FRA stopover SQ flight but I’m finding it incredibly difficult to fly in somewhere else in Europe and then head to NYC.. probably better to fly luxury on the way back from a month long holiday lol

 

[daft009]

Is FRA to NYC the busy leg?
As I had no issues booking SYD-SIN-FRA for June 2018 & return in J, I only booked last week. (saver in one direction, standard/advantage on the return)
I assumed during the European summer would the busiest time

 

[limbeezy]

Is FRA to NYC the busy leg?
As I had no issues booking SYD-SIN-FRA for June 2018 & return in J, I only booked last week. (saver in one direction, standard/advantage on the return)
I assumed during the European summer would the busiest time

Well there is always standard in some cases for me but I don’t have enough points so my post was aimed at saver availability. Good work on getting something during the European summer. I Too would’ve thought that would’ve been a hard leg to book. I actually ended up booking the return leg from LAX - MEL first/suites saver all the way but still have my leg to the states unbooked haha

 

[cymbolz]

In November I found a couple of J saver awards for JKF to FRA in August, so T minus 9 months. More fluke than anything, I was scanning (one day at a time on the website) through a window of ~ 2 weeks and stumbled upon a couple that worked for me, managed to secure one of them.

So aside from the popularity of the time of year, you might just get lucky if you are persistent enough....maybe.

 

[daft009]

So these graphs show J from Syd to NYC for all of Dec '18.
Looks like no saver availability and some wait list options.
plenty of standard availability if you're interested.

 

[firstclasser]

So these graphs show J from Syd to NYC for all of Dec '18.
Looks like no saver availability and some wait list options.
plenty of standard availability if you're interested.

View attachment 117709View attachment 117708

What website is that data from? Looks quite handy....certainly beats searching day by day on sq website!

 

[limbeezy]

Not enough points for standard though but thanks and also would like to know where the graph is from.

So these graphs show J from Syd to NYC for all of Dec '18.
Looks like no saver availability and some wait list options.
plenty of standard availability if you're interested.

View attachment 117709View attachment 117708

 

[carls888]

So these graphs show J from Syd to NYC for all of Dec '18.
Looks like no saver availability and some wait list options.
plenty of standard availability if you're interested.

View attachment 117709View attachment 117708

Wow, that is an awesome graph! I would also like to know how to view availability like that please.

 

[limbeezy]

While there is a bit of conversation on this thread. Is anyone able to suggest a route from east coast Australia (preferably MEL), where I can stop over in any European city then onward to NYC on the one ticket/redemption, or if two redemptions.. the most efficient way? Bit of a stretch question but someone may have been in the same boat

 

[cnosaj]

I redeemed a First/Suites Saver flight for SYD-JFK at the end of November 2017. I had numerous itineraries waitlisted from late-November to mid-December for SYD-JFK and SYD-FRA-JFK for First/Suites and Business Saver. My preferred itinerary was for SYD-FRA-JFK, departing Sydney late-November with a 23 hour and 50 minute transit in SIN and departing Frankfurt early December, which did not clear. I did get cleared for SYD-JFK with a 23 hour and 50 minute transit in SIN about 72 hours before departure in late-November.

I didn't cancel any of the waitlisted bookings for after my departure date and I got notifications for flights that did clear the waitlist, either only SYD-SIN or SYD-JFK in both First/Suites and Business but none of the bookings with a FRA stopover cleared.