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.

 

[robolb]

Not a hijack at all, I am in the same situation with 2.6 Million QF points and hardly any chance to use them.

Amex Platinum is the best all rounder and you can of course transfer to EK directly at 3:2 ratio

Looks like the way to go I think...thanks. My current Amex is tied to QF. I'll just get a new card.
No point in having millions of points if they cannot be used on the routes you prefer.

 

[lovestotravel]

Looks like the way to go I think...thanks. My current Amex is tied to QF. I'll just get a new card.
No point in having millions of points if they cannot be used on the routes you prefer.

I gave up on redeeming on QF well before COVID, as my status dropped from Platinum to nothing.

Yes a a plat it's great being able to see more seats earlier and/or ring for a release, so my focus turned to building to redeem on EK.

I'm really hoping the EK seats come back to QF, and it's just a glitch....

 

[SYD]

I gave up on redeeming on QF well before COVID, as my status dropped from Platinum to nothing.

Yes a a plat it's great being able to see more seats earlier and/or ring for a release, so my focus turned to building to redeem on EK.

I'm really hoping the EK seats come back to QF, and it's just a glitch....

Out of interest, do the JAL, CX, MH and others(?) still show up for non-status QFFs beyond the standard 350 odd day QF release?

I often wonder if those who say they can NEVER use their points really aren’t trying hard enough?

(yes, availability on QF metal is a shadow of its former self…).

 

[Noah Count]

Not wishing to hijack this thread, but I think I'll give up on QF rewards. I have a Qantas Amex Card for all my business expenses. What would be a good Amex (or other) card to switch to, so I can start racking up EK rewards? There are so many cards it's confusing. Not so worried about annual card fee, just the ability to rack up EK points.

A standard AMEX gives you the ability to transfer to EK but the conversion is not the best 3:1, business cards may be different. Not sure which in any AU CC let you earn direct to EK miles and IMO Skywards is not the best program out there. When I was running my own show I just warehoused in the AMEX rewards program and transferred to other programs as required.

 

[Noah Count]

Out of interest, do the JAL, CX, MH and others(?) still show up for non-status QFFs beyond the standard 350 odd day QF release?

I often wonder if those who say they can NEVER use their points really aren’t trying hard enough?

(yes, availability on QF metal is a shadow of its former self…).

Yes they do, you just need to use multi city. Edit. There are also those who do not want to book with partners as it requires more points. Often the partners are better than QF so I have no issue with using the extra points.

 

[SYD]

Yes they do, you just need to use multi city.

Yeah, a lot of peeps probably don’t know that hack! Oh, shoot…now they do!

 

[Noah Count]

Yeah, a lot of peeps probably don’t know that hack! Oh, shoot…now they do!

It is no hack/secret, here and on other sites there are guides on how to use multi-city, most carriers have a multi city search tool, some more complicated than others and I would suggest most just give up. To your point I suspect there is a large population that thinks signing up for CC, getting the bonus points 'the bookings will just rain down' more fool them. Even as a WP and P1 it not always easy my thought process has always been 'book the first flight available that works or works within reason, if anything better comes along it is a bonus.

 

[robolb]

Yes they do, you just need to use multi city. Edit. There are also those who do not want to book with partners as it requires more points. Often the partners are better than QF so I have no issue with using the extra points.

I always try multi-city. Certainly don't expect QF metal.
But have no desire to transit via US (lots of seats that way).
So trying to get from SYD-MAD via DXB or SIN.
DXB being the preference.
If I can't book via DXB using QF, it just makes more sense for me, to start using EK directly.
They have loads of seats, so we'll likely end up just paying via EK directly.
Not really concerned if it's QF metal or not, or if it costs more points or not.
Just looking for seats via DXB. And can't get any via QF.
Also looking at going via DOH and AUH. Nothing using QF site.

 

[Noah Count]

I have found that at times, it seems to be daily and then just stops for a week or two and then comes back to "normal"

This is for DXB-EU and EU-DXB routes that I watch far too often

In your experience have you ever noticed if EK goes back and fills in the blanks for when the flights just stop. I can see DXB-HKG F to around 11 Jun 26 and then seems to kick back off around 16 Jun 26 with a gap between these dates. F to other Asian airports still remains skint.

 

[lovestotravel]

In your experience have you ever noticed if EK goes back and fills in the blanks for when the flights just stop. I can see DXB-HKG F to around 11 Jun 26 and then seems to kick back off around 16 Jun 26 with a gap between these dates. F to other Asian airports still remains skint.

No, blanks don't get filled, if the later dates are now visible that's it

 

[k1s3k1]

maybe because June is high season (school holidays) in most Asian countries?

 

[Noah Count]

@lovestotravel thanks, well it will now just be the waiting game to see if anything opens up over the next 11 months.

 

[lovestotravel]

I'm just hoping that tomorrow morning the lack of AU to/from DXB rewards seats is fixed.... Not sure it will be though.

May raise a complaint if they don't as the last one with QF seemed to get past the AI and had a human response for another issue...

 

[Seat0B]

Well I'm almost glad others are now seeing my problem for MEL/SYD to DXB flights..

MEL nothing after 7 March
SYD nothing after 18 March (except 12 May which popped up today)

We should be seeing up to about 8 June at the moment but still nothing for March/April and May

Again, I just hope it suddenly starts working after 5 August when the new QF rates kick in....

I’ve been seeing it for years. We want to use points to visit Seat Son but always end up paying as we can never find J rewards flights from SYD or MEL To DXB.

 

[Noah Count]

If I can't book via DXB using QF, it just makes more sense for me, to start using EK directly.
They have loads of seats, so we'll likely end up just paying via EK directly.
Not really concerned if it's QF metal or not, or if it costs more points or not.
Just looking for seats via DXB. And can't get any via QF.
Also looking at going via DOH and AUH. Nothing using QF site.

IMO, the most important thing is to find a program that works for you. As for your comment around travelling via DOH or AUH, QR and QF seem to dislike each other to the point QR as a OW member jumped into bed with VA. QR and EY are AMEX transfer partners, I have not tried to transfer to EY and book directly but have with QR (I have no status) and it is all very simple.

 

[SYD]

QR and QF seem to dislike each other to the point QR as a OW member jumped into bed with VA.

Because QF has a long standing agreement with EK - long before QR was even flying to Oz (other than a MEL run).

QF did have have a thing with EY before VA eloped with them and then EY ditched them…(it’s not me, it’s you - nasty).

Yes, with 20:20 hindsight it would be nice if QF and QR were closer.

 

[serfty]

I’ve been seeing it for years. We want to use points to visit Seat Son but always end up paying as we can never find J rewards flights from SYD or MEL To DXB.

Think outside the box ...

Premium awards to DOH using many airline frequent flyer programs Velocity.

From there it is a short hop to Dubai.

 

[robolb]

I'm just hoping that tomorrow morning the lack of AU to/from DXB rewards seats is fixed.... Not sure it will be though.

May raise a complaint if they don't as the last one with QF seemed to get past the AI and had a human response for another issue...

Doesn't look like it. The cost in points has increased a bit, but no more seats seem to have opened up.
i.e. via US was about 55 k points now 63 k ish for Econ.

Afternote added. I suspect they can't fill the seats going to Europe via the US, hence the lack of seats via DXB.

 

[lovestotravel]

Deleted my earlier post as the search wasn't loading properly for me and I thought more seats had disappeared.

But yes, no changes sadly today and the blackhole of availability continues with all classes unable to be booked for March/April/May/June with the exception of a few random dates, instead of the daily availability that used to show

Sigh

 

[lovestotravel]

Oh and checking DXB-MLE which I also watch quite a bit as we have a trip booked and another one to book, there is no literally no seats available at all to QF in any class at all flying EK non-stop.

Normally you can get 2 x F and 4 x J on most flights.

Strange times.....