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.

 

[SYD]

QF needs to negotiate lower fuel surcharges with EK.

Aren’t they the same (outrageous) fees they charge their own FF?

Yet, AC/AP skips the fees? Although, I assume you can get F award seats with them anymore?

 

[lovestotravel]

Tried calling Qantas.

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

You won't get anywhere calling them no matter what!

 

[MELso]

Aren’t they the same (outrageous) fees they charge their own FF?

Yet, AC/AP skips the fees? Although, I assume you can get F award seats with them anymore?

AC Aeroplan charges several hundred thousand points more than Qantas for an award though. Think of it more as 'points plus pay'.

e.g. For MEL-DXB-SEA in F on 1 October, you can pay 227.5K points and ~$2.57k in carrier charges on QF, or 820.6K points and ~$A240 in carrier charges on AC. In other words, it's 593K more points to save just over $2300.

 

[robolb]

OK, probably a Dumb Question......

As mentioned, we are looking at SYD-DXB-MAD Classic Rewards economy in first week of May 26.
Nothing available. Some 2 weeks earlier, some a week later....

So I looked at just buying a Qantas fare. Which of course is on EK Metal.
There is no option for seat selection. So not overly keen.

So I go over to Emirates site.
Same flight, same price and I get seat selection.
Looks better so far.

But.

I have no status on EK. (Blue)
On QF I'm LT Gold. So get access to the lounge when booking via Qantas whatever class.
If I book direct with EK, would I get lounge access because of QF Gold even if economy ticket?

 

[MELso]

OK, probably a Dumb Question......

As mentioned, we are looking at SYD-DXB-MAD Classic Rewards economy in first week of May 26.
Nothing available. Some 2 weeks earlier, some a week later....

So I looked at just buying a Qantas fare. Which of course is on EK Metal.
There is no option for seat selection. So not overly keen.

So I go over to Emirates site.
Same flight, same price and I get seat selection.
Looks better so far.

But.

I have no status on EK. (Blue)
On QF I'm LT Gold. So get access to the lounge when booking via Qantas whatever class.
If I book direct with EK, would I get lounge access because of QF Gold even if economy ticket?

As LTG, you'll get seat selection using the EK PNR whether booked through QF (using the EK PNR) or EK, and lounge access.

Choose your Emirates seat | Booking Online | Book a flight | Emirates Australia

Choose where you want to sit on the flight, whether you’d like some extra legroom or a seat with a view. Explore the options and book your spot.

www.emirates.com

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/network-and-partner-airlines/emirates.html

 

[Cessna 180]

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.

What is the problem with going via the U S? Especially if just for a transit. I see so many people saying this lately. Genuinely curious.

Now I have no real ambition to go and I have never been.
However I can’t think of any reason not to go (apart from their bizarre tipping culture) and I am looking at using it as a transit to get to Europe next year.

 

[robolb]

What is the problem with going via the U S? Especially if just for a transit. I see so many people saying this lately. Genuinely curious.

Now I have no real ambition to go and I have never been.
However I can’t think of any reason not to go (apart from their bizarre tipping culture) and I am looking at using it as a transit to get to Europe next year.

Fair question.
Just the uncertainty of security issues and having devices checked etc.
(direct feedback not just social media)
We'd just prefer another routing.
No desire to go there, even just in-transit.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What is the problem with going via the U S? Especially if just for a transit. I see so many people saying this lately. Genuinely curious.

Now I have no real ambition to go and I have never been.
However I can’t think of any reason not to go (apart from their bizarre tipping culture) and I am looking at using it as a transit to get to Europe next year.

The main reason is that you can’t ‘transit’ the US… you have to enter, and then depart again. Who wants to potentially add an hour in a passport queue, wait for luggage, clear customs, and then spend another 30 mins in the TSA queue back out again? It’s not much fun.

And if you were in economy without a lounge, the price of food and beverage is prohibitively expensive now at places like LAX, especially if you had a family.

 

[lovestotravel]

OK, probably a Dumb Question......

As mentioned, we are looking at SYD-DXB-MAD Classic Rewards economy in first week of May 26.
Nothing available. Some 2 weeks earlier, some a week later....

So I looked at just buying a Qantas fare. Which of course is on EK Metal.
There is no option for seat selection. So not overly keen.

So I go over to Emirates site.
Same flight, same price and I get seat selection.
Looks better so far.

But.

I have no status on EK. (Blue)
On QF I'm LT Gold. So get access to the lounge when booking via Qantas whatever class.
If I book direct with EK, would I get lounge access because of QF Gold even if economy ticket?

Availability for EK flights from MEL/SYD to DXB on booked on QF is not available at the moment, availability dries up early/mid March while seats should be available until June.

I guess this will fix itself after Aug 5 when the new higher QF points rates kicks in...

Yes - You get seat selection and lounge access still, but I'm not sure if that just means for you or others you are travelling with

 

[MELso]

...

Yes - You get seat selection and lounge access still, but I'm not sure if that just means for you or others you are travelling with

As LTG, @robolb can get complimentary standard and preferred seats for his whole party, while loungewise, a +1 is permitted if they're on the same flight.

 

[SYD]

Fair question.
Just the uncertainty of security issues and having devices checked etc.
(direct feedback not just social media)
We'd just prefer another routing.
No desire to go there, even just in-transit.

I noticed that QF was offering SYD-DFW-MAD, which by recent accounts is less problematic than LAX. But you’d still need an ESTA.

Not sure what’s going on with EK flights ex Oz (personally don’t think it’s the upcoming changes because there’s plenty of other EK and partner CR flights out there).

If you’re resorting to paying, CX has whY fares for ~$1.9k (or $4.2k in PE). I also just saw China Eastern PE for $2.5k return!

 

[k1s3k1]

Trying to book Ams-Dxb-Per but there seems to be availabilities until Feb 26 only?
There are a lot of availabilities for Ams-Dxb and even Dxb to Asian countries like Singapore up until early June.
But Dxb-Per only available up to Feb 26..

If I book Dxb-Per for Feb 26 now, can I change that later to June 26 once it becomes available on the pre-points increase price?

 

[robolb]

I noticed that QF was offering SYD-DFW-MAD, which by recent accounts is less problematic than LAX. But you’d still need an ESTA.

Not sure what’s going on with EK flights ex Oz (personally don’t think it’s the upcoming changes because there’s plenty of other EK and partner CR flights out there).

If you’re resorting to paying, CX has whY fares for ~$1.9k (or $4.2k in PE). I also just saw China Eastern PE for $2.5k return!

View attachment 459452

What platform are you using to see those?

 

[MELso]

What platform are you using to see those?

ITA Matrix. https://matrix.itasoftware.com/search

(Note they don't sell tickets though.)

 

[robolb]

ITA Matrix. https://matrix.itasoftware.com/search

(Note they don't sell tickets though.)

Interesting site. Many thanks.

 

[k1s3k1]

Trying to book Ams-Dxb-Per but there seems to be availabilities until Feb 26 only?
There are a lot of availabilities for Ams-Dxb and even Dxb to Asian countries like Singapore up until early June.
But Dxb-Per only available up to Feb 26..

If I book Dxb-Per for Feb 26 now, can I change that later to June 26 once it becomes available on the pre-points increase price?

anyone can help me answer my questions?

 

[MELso]

anyone can help me answer my questions?

Unfortunately, only EK knows why DXB-PER is so scarce after February (check DXB-ADL though as there's patchy J availability).

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/frequent-flyer/program-changes.html#qf-flights-upgrades

"Existing Classic Flight Reward bookings will retain the conditions in place at the time the booking was made. Any changes to Classic Flights Rewards booked before 5 August 2025, will not be charged the new points levels."

Having said that, the move of EK awards to the Qantas chart means that point increases are not too bad anyway (7-8%, rather than up to ~20% for Qantas and partner awards).

 

[offshore171]

anyone can help me answer my questions?

Are you open to snapping up the award flights through to Singapore now, and then trying for SIN-PER later (either paid or award)?

 

[k1s3k1]

Are you open to snapping up the award flights through to Singapore now, and then trying for SIN-PER later (either paid or award)?

The reason I'm opting PER is because both Ams-Dxb and Dxb-Per routes have availabilities for 2 seats in F until Feb 26.
Dxb-Sin only has 1 seat availabilities in F, although has availabilities until June 2026.

I'm considering to just book Ams-Dxb and Dxb-Per for 2 in F first for Feb 26, and change later once June 2026 becomes available. This technically should work right?

 

[MELso]

The reason I'm opting PER is because both Ams-Dxb and Dxb-Per routes have availabilities for 2 seats in F until Feb 26.
Dxb-Sin only has 1 seat availabilities in F, although has availabilities until June 2026.

I'm considering to just book Ams-Dxb and Dxb-Per for 2 in F first for Feb 26, and change later once June 2026 becomes available. This technically should work right?

What about DXB-CGK or DXB-DPS?