Hi all
Going to Shanghai in late May from MEL. Have enough QF and VA points to go either CX or SQ J (2 pax). Already booked the return flights (SQ using VA points converted to SQ – very easy). With the outbound flights (MEL-PVG via either SIN or HKG), I’ve been waiting to receive a QF CC sign-on bonus to have enough points to book which I’ve finally received last night after waiting months. Naturally, the CX flights I had my eye on are now unavailable! The plan was to book SQ J and then if the CX flights become available at T-7 or T-3, cancel the SQ and book CX. I would much prefer to travel CX on the outbound because:
1. The overnight flight MEL-HKG is significantly longer than MEL-SIN allowing for a proper sleep;
2. I prefer the CX J seat to the SQ J seat (though both are excellent);
3. The connection in HKG gets us into PVG several hours earlier than the SIN connection; and
4. We’re flying SQ on the way home anyway.
What has put a spanner in the works is that I was waiting for the announced KF surcharge decrease next week to kick in before booking the SQ ‘back-up’ flights and in that time, the ideal SQ flights have now been snapped up. There are some ‘ok’ flight available meaning an overnight in SIN (certainly do-able though not ideal). We’re not really bothered if we travel separately overnight – I’d be happy to take the earlier flight, overnight in SIN and my partner to take the overnight flight then we both take the morning SIN-PVG flight together.
I know both SQ and CX release unsold seats at the last minute so my problem is how much of a gamble do I take on this. I want to avoid paying lots of change fees but I also really want CX if I can get it (for once in my life its actually better value to use QF points on CX instead of VA points on SQ). In reality there’s really only 1 MEL-HKG and 1 MEL-SIN flight (both the Friday night departure out of MEL) that are better than what’s available now. I was somewhat burnt by this last minute CX strategy over New Years (could not get a direct HKG-MEL J flight at all over 3 days so after a lot of hassle managed to go via SYD – the CX last minute availability seems to randomly change by the hour) so I’m wary of putting all my eggs in one basket given if we can’t get that particular CX flight we won’t bother with CX at all (we have to be in PVG Sat morning/afternoon). I do quite enjoy the 'game' though.
Should I book what I can now, watch last minute like a hawk and be prepared to fork out change fees or should I just book what I can, even if its not ideal, and just live with it and save myself the stress? Is it not worth the stress to try and get one particular flight?
Going to Shanghai in late May from MEL. Have enough QF and VA points to go either CX or SQ J (2 pax). Already booked the return flights (SQ using VA points converted to SQ – very easy). With the outbound flights (MEL-PVG via either SIN or HKG), I’ve been waiting to receive a QF CC sign-on bonus to have enough points to book which I’ve finally received last night after waiting months. Naturally, the CX flights I had my eye on are now unavailable! The plan was to book SQ J and then if the CX flights become available at T-7 or T-3, cancel the SQ and book CX. I would much prefer to travel CX on the outbound because:
1. The overnight flight MEL-HKG is significantly longer than MEL-SIN allowing for a proper sleep;
2. I prefer the CX J seat to the SQ J seat (though both are excellent);
3. The connection in HKG gets us into PVG several hours earlier than the SIN connection; and
4. We’re flying SQ on the way home anyway.
What has put a spanner in the works is that I was waiting for the announced KF surcharge decrease next week to kick in before booking the SQ ‘back-up’ flights and in that time, the ideal SQ flights have now been snapped up. There are some ‘ok’ flight available meaning an overnight in SIN (certainly do-able though not ideal). We’re not really bothered if we travel separately overnight – I’d be happy to take the earlier flight, overnight in SIN and my partner to take the overnight flight then we both take the morning SIN-PVG flight together.
I know both SQ and CX release unsold seats at the last minute so my problem is how much of a gamble do I take on this. I want to avoid paying lots of change fees but I also really want CX if I can get it (for once in my life its actually better value to use QF points on CX instead of VA points on SQ). In reality there’s really only 1 MEL-HKG and 1 MEL-SIN flight (both the Friday night departure out of MEL) that are better than what’s available now. I was somewhat burnt by this last minute CX strategy over New Years (could not get a direct HKG-MEL J flight at all over 3 days so after a lot of hassle managed to go via SYD – the CX last minute availability seems to randomly change by the hour) so I’m wary of putting all my eggs in one basket given if we can’t get that particular CX flight we won’t bother with CX at all (we have to be in PVG Sat morning/afternoon). I do quite enjoy the 'game' though.
Should I book what I can now, watch last minute like a hawk and be prepared to fork out change fees or should I just book what I can, even if its not ideal, and just live with it and save myself the stress? Is it not worth the stress to try and get one particular flight?
