Qantas - Emirates Award flight Discussion

[MonteCristo]

Dumb question alert for the brains trust: Is it possible to make a standalone Qantas classic rewards booking with Emirates from Malta to Larnaca (Cyprus)? Either by calling Qantas, or somehow online.

I can't get Malta to appear as a destination unless I start with a multi-city first leg in Rome FCO, but the routing is bad (from Rome, to London, then on to Malta), and charges don't make it worth it.

 

[Andy72]

Yeah - business awards on EK are not really worth it due to the carrier charges (they're mostly not taxes!). Fortunately, with EK tightening up availability to their own members, Qantas now has fairly good availability for F awards.

Flying Hong Kong to Milan next year, lots of options in F

 

[DCFF1961]

Have you tried booking Mel Denpasar Dubai..if you fly JQ to Denpasar then J with Emirates onwards…you will find the taxes drop to $140..

 

[lovestotravel]

Seems AU to DXB has dried up after 7 March 26 in J or F

Nothing and some seats should be loaded until the 1st week of June at the moment.

Normally 1 x F and 2 or 3 x J on most days but after 7 March, nothing

Hope it fixes itself soon

 

[MELso]

Seems AU to DXB has dried up after 7 March 26 in J or F

Nothing and some seats should be loaded until the 1st week of June at the moment.

Normally 1 x F and 2 or 3 x J on most days but after 7 March, nothing

Hope it fixes itself soon

There is some availability, especially out of ADL, but it's patchy. Not like before March where there is plentiful availability from all AU cities.

 

[MelbFlyer]

Search as Multi-City (flexible dates) AND make sure to sort by duration.

Pretty sure that there isn't an option within the Multi-City tool to sort by duration, unless you're using the "regular" flight search page (not within the classic rewards multi-city portal).

 

[lovestotravel]

There is some availability, especially out of ADL, but it's patchy. Not like before March where there is plentiful availability from all AU cities.

Yeah something has changed... Other routes that I am looking at are fine with normal availability up to end of May but literally nothing MEL/SYD to DXB from 7 March onwards.

 

[RedSMS]

The point that I am trying to make is that with the sheer amount of EK flights ex Sydney and Melbourne, you should be able to book direct flights from either destination for 119,200 points +$$$. The way they force you to fly indirect when you KNOW there are direct reward flights available if you haven't yet selected the previous leg seems insane to me....

 

[MELso]

The point that I am trying to make is that with the sheer amount of EK flights ex Sydney and Melbourne, you should be able to book direct flights from either destination for 119,200 points +$$$. The way they force you to fly indirect when you KNOW there are direct reward flights available if you haven't yet selected the previous leg seems insane to me....

But this is just it - there are often no direct reward flights, so Qantas offers the next best thing: a business or (sometimes incorrectly priced) economy connection to the nearest city with premium cabin availability. It prices for more points as there are different airlines involved.

There's no non-stop DXB-MEL classic reward availability in J or F in 2026 as it stands based on my quick look. This is down to Emirates not releasing those seats to Qantas because, well, they don't want to give something away for free that people are happy paying for. Simply put, you're not entitled to get the award seat you want on the flight you want.

 

[lovestotravel]

There's no non-stop DXB-MEL classic reward availability in J or F in 2026 as it stands based on my quick look. This is down to Emirates not releasing those seats to Qantas because, well, they don't want to give something away for free that people are happy paying for. Simply put, you're not entitled to get the award seat you want on the flight you want.

DXB-MEL is hard to get, but I suspect availability will open up once the new QF increased QF points change on 5 August

Still unable to book MEL/SYD-DXB in J/F after 7 March which is strange....

 

[SYD]

DXB-MEL is hard to get,

There around. But strangely, the multi-city search isn’t picking them up - well not for me using Safari. But the regular search sees them.

but I suspect availability will open up once the new QF increased QF points change on 5 August

Why? Either EK release seats to QF (and other partners) or they don’t. If QF hold back inventory, they’ll be sniffled by others using other points currencies.

Still unable to book MEL/SYD-DXB in J/F after 7 March which is strange....

I can see EK DXB-MEL out to 02 Jun 2026. But the direct flights weren’t leaping out at me. Mostly via SYD.

 

[lovestotravel]

Why? Either EK release seats to QF (and other partners) or they don’t. If QF hold back inventory, they’ll be sniffled by others using other points currencies.

I can see EK DXB-MEL out to 02 Jun 2026. But the direct flights weren’t leaping out at me. Mostly via SYD.

MEL or SYD to DXB is the strange one. I've been watching it daily for a few months, and suddenly from 7 March onwards no seats..

I suspect some sort of blocking by QF/EK (until the points change) as other routes I watch like DXB-LHR/CDG/MLE and back to DXB have a pattern and I've got 2 x F's and 4 x J's booked

But looking ahead for mid/late next year I need MEL-DXB and nothing has been released for 2 months now

 

[offshore171]

Why? Either EK release seats to QF (and other partners) or they don’t. If QF hold back inventory, they’ll be sniffled by others using other points currencies.

Which frequent flyer scheme points have access to EK reward seats? Is it just Skywards miles, Air Canada points and QF points? Avios for example dont work I believe.

Anyone got a list? Google isn't super clear.

 

[SYD]

MEL or SYD to DXB is the strange one. I've been watching it daily for a few months, and suddenly from 7 March onwards no seats..

There are some U seats in May ex SYD.

I suspect some sort of blocking by QF/EK (until the points change) as other routes I watch like DXB-LHR/CDG/MLE and back to DXB have a pattern and I've got 2 x F's and 4 x J's booked

I doubt it because there’s a truck load of F/J CR seats available leading up to Dec.

But looking ahead for mid/late next year I need MEL-DXB and nothing has been released for 2 months now

Yes, it is strange. Other partners eg FJ had been coming out like clockwork. Although mid June to mid July is looking grim with Worldcup and fewer seats being released.

 

[MELso]

Which frequent flyer scheme points have access to EK reward seats? Is it just Skywards miles, Air Canada points and QF points? Avios for example dont work I believe.

Anyone got a list? Google isn't super clear.

Just those three for F awards now. I imagine most other partners (e.g. JL, UA) offer Y and J awards though.

 

[robolb]

Are they (QF) trying to push the Europe flights via US?
Loads of those!
Maybe too many empty seats?

 

[lovestotravel]

Yes, it is strange. Other partners eg FJ had been coming out like clockwork. Although mid June to mid July is looking grim with Worldcup and fewer seats being released.

Yep everything else is normal, other EK routes all normal and no change

I can understand late March into April no seats due to Easter, but we should be seeing early June seats available now

Fingers crossed it fixes itself soon

 

[robolb]

Yep everything else is normal, other EK routes all normal and no change

I can understand late March into April no seats due to Easter, but we should be seeing early June seats available now

Fingers crossed it fixes itself soon

I'm looking for Classic Award 1st week of May, SYD-DBX-MAD. Nothing.........

There are other routes of course. Via US. No thanks.
Or via HK.

But I like the DBX route and may stop a day to visit people.

May just seems like a black hole for some reason.

 

[lovestotravel]

Yep that's my issue.

Should be able to book up to around 4 June at the moment. As other routes are being released normally.

But 7 March onwards is simply not there for MEL to DXB and SYD to DXB from around the same time.

I could understand April not being there due to Easter but March and May.

I can only hope it magically fixes itself when the newer award seat pricing klicks in with QF from 5 August...

 

[robolb]

Yep that's my issue.

Should be able to book up to around 4 June at the moment. As other routes are being released normally.

But 7 March onwards is simply not there for MEL to DXB and SYD to DXB from around the same time.

I could understand April not being there due to Easter but March and May.

I can only hope it magically fixes itself when the newer award seat pricing klicks in with QF from 5 August...

Tried calling Qantas.

"If you are not flying in the next 24 hours call back" Helpful.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

QF needs to negotiate lower fuel surcharges with EK.