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.

 

[RealtimeY]

@AFF Editor Any chance you are able to get some clarity on whether or not a fix on the way for the disappearance of EK F seats since the move of EK to the QF redemption table?

 

[SYD]

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.

If you can see an EK flight via the MC tool then you ought to be able to call and book it (subject to married segment restrictions). I’m guessing, but if there’s >24 hrs between the first sector and the EK flight, it should be bookable as a standalone flight? eg

 

[iamsuperandrew]

But “all” flights didn’t disappear. There’s still lots of seats this side of Christmas. The stuff post March 2026 seems to be the big issue.

Those flight were basically already there from memory

 

[SYD]

Those flight were basically already there from memory

Yes, that’s what I said. They weren’t pulled (by EK) or blocked (by QF) but as reported several times by @lovestotravel, new seats stopped getting loaded from whatever date late March 2026 seats should have appeared and that was before the August devaluation/EK table switcharoo. So all still a bit of a mystery.

As an aside, I meant to mention that that Maltese flight posted above had low EK fuel fines attached. From memory about £50 all up.

 

[dajop]

new seats stopped getting loading from whatever date late March 2026 seats should have appeared l

When I hear or read anything airline booking related that mentions late March it seems to be something to do with change from Northern Winter to Northern Summer timetable which happens then. Or could be a coincidence.

 

[SYD]

When I hear or read anything airline booking related that mentions late March it seems to be something to do with change from Northern Winter to Northern Summer timetable which happens then. Or could be a coincidence.

Except there should be seats ex Oz out thru July 2026 now. But zip. Only SYD-CHC (oh, and some very random dates - which makes it even weirder).

Elsewhere there are EK flights in whY and J eg my example a couple posts up is May 2026 but not ex / to Oz.

 

[Noah Count]

How are they “saving” money?

They consciously just moved EK to the more favourable QF partner redemption table - they could have just left it where it was.

@SYD EK was previously on the QF tables, at some point during Covid (2020?) EK was moved to the partner tables. The shift back is just going back to how things were in the past.

 

[aaaa]

To add to this, when I am actually lucky enough to still find an EK flight in F, I'm actually unable to book it. The Qantas website basically throws the error from the screenshot below for any itinerary that I've tried that contains an Emirates flight in First class. It appears after the screen where you click to confirm your name and contact details, but before the payment page.

I had this happen on four different occasions now within the last 24 hours on different itinerariesonly if it contains an Emirates First class flight. Interestingly enough availability also then temporarily dissapears from the multi city search after that. Calling didn't help, it even took some explaining to the agent that Business and First are different classes of travel and she kept saying that you can't book codeshare flights when I tried to explain which flights I was trying to book (which these weren't anyway cause they're EK operated with EK flight number), so I just gave up.

Note that I don't have the same issue when selecting the Business class option for the same EK flights, it allows me to continue to payment page as long as there are no EK First flights involved.

I had it appear with 15012 - 421 code as well.

Just a techincal issue, or something more ominous?

 

[elanshin]

Doing a bit of searching, I don't think this is a really just a Qantas issue but rather likely a Emirates issue. There's no availability on Air Canada either, only Emirates themselves which basically suggests Emirates didn't load it to partners.

 

[k1s3k1]

Doing a bit of searching, I don't think this is a really just a Qantas issue but rather likely a Emirates issue. There's no availability on Air Canada either, only Emirates themselves which basically suggests Emirates didn't load it to partners.

What route did you search?

 

[elanshin]

What route did you search?

Aus > DXB / Europe

 

[jimmy hutspah]

Doing a bit of searching, I don't think this is a really just a Qantas issue but rather likely a Emirates issue. There's no availability on Air Canada either, only Emirates themselves which basically suggests Emirates didn't load it to partners.

everything is pointing to the unfortunate likelihood that EK is pulling F Reward availability from partner programs, IMO.

 

[SYD]

everything is pointing to the unfortunate likelihood that EK is pulling F Reward availability from partner programs, IMO.

Possibly, but it’s not just F on Oz<->DXB. No J, no whY visible in the outer months.

Multiple issues at play.

 

[elanshin]

Possibly, but it’s not just F on Oz<->DXB. No J, no whY visible in the outer months.

Multiple issues at play.

I could guess EK felt they were getting a raw deal with such easy access from QF and AC (and yes it was both easier to access and cheaper than EK skyward for the most part) so they're tightening the noose.

Maybe we'll see leftover inventory closer to flight like many other airlines are doing now.

If that is the case then QF would be very hard done given they gave up QR to be in bed with EK.

 

[flyguy77]

I could guess EK felt they were getting a raw deal with such easy access from QF and AC (and yes it was both easier to access and cheaper than EK skyward for the most part) so they're tightening the noose.

Maybe we'll see leftover inventory closer to flight like many other airlines are doing now.

If that is the case then QF would be very hard done given they gave up QR to be in bed with EK.

This was always going to be the outcome when every American blogger/website/influencer started promoting the loophole of sending points to Qantas to book Emirates.

We suffer the consequences.

 

[k1s3k1]

Aus > DXB / Europe

For flights after March/April 2026?

For example there are availabilities from Perth to Europe from now until end of March 2026.
If you search the next 1 or 2 weeks from Perth to Bru or Perth to Ams, there are F seats availabilities mostly the Dubai to Europe leg hidden behind the economy or business seat being displayed on the screen

 

[iamsuperandrew]

For flights after March/April 2026?

For example there are availabilities from Perth to Europe from now until end of March 2026.
If you search the next 1 or 2 weeks from Perth to Bru or Perth to Ams, there are F seats availabilities mostly the Dubai to Europe leg hidden behind the economy or business seat being displayed on the screen

That's how I booked my 2pax F seats (HK - DXB in J & DXB - EU in F) was hidden as J in MS

 

[elanshin]

For flights after March/April 2026?

For example there are availabilities from Perth to Europe from now until end of March 2026.
If you search the next 1 or 2 weeks from Perth to Bru or Perth to Ams, there are F seats availabilities mostly the Dubai to Europe leg hidden behind the economy or business seat being displayed on the screen

I think you're misreading the context of my post, I'm agreeing that theres no awards past the first week of April and that it's not just a QFF issue. It's also non existent on Aeroplan. Only Emirates Skyward.

I didn't feel the need to confirm that there was availabiliby in Mar and earlier (which indeed there is- also on aeroplan although less than QFF).