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.

 

[SCM]

A380's are being refurbished and to/from Australia are the refurbished ones

That's true, but again due to the lack of redemption opportunities, it's usually another port, not in AU.

 

[lovestotravel]

That's true, but again due to the lack of redemption opportunities, it's usually another port, not in AU.

Plus the 30% increase in F redemptions coming end of March

 

[am0985]

I think I'll just fly 7.5-8k AUD EK F return out of Jakarta to Europe as a treat every couple of years or so.

It's the same as a lot of J fares out of Australia to Europe and I can fly to Bali for a couple of days to sleep off the jetlag on the way home.

 

[lovestotravel]

I think I'll just fly 7.5-8k AUD EK F return out of Jakarta to Europe as a treat every couple of years or so.

It's the same as a lot of J fares out of Australia to Europe and I can fly to Bali for a couple of days to sleep off the jetlag on the way home.

What do you/others do for the Aus to Jakarta flights ? Y or J ?

 

[im.daniel]

What do you/others do for the Aus to Jakarta flights ? Y or J ?

I've often booked QF SYD-CGK return in Y. Daytime flight to CGK in Y is easy. Red-eye flight back to SYD is definitely harder. With WP, I've always (fortunately) managed to clear my upgrades.

I agree with @am0985. I will also be booking F ex CGK in the future should the occasion arise. I have previously flown a few of my EU/Eastern US trips ex CGK already due to the solid prices..

 

[lovestotravel]

I've often booked QF SYD-CGK return in Y. Daytime flight to CGK in Y is easy. Red-eye flight back to SYD is definitely harder. With WP, I've always (fortunately) managed to clear my upgrades.

I agree with @am0985. I will also be booking F ex CGK in the future should the occasion arise. I have previously flown a few of my EU/Eastern US trips ex CGK already due to the solid prices..

Thanks - For now my plan is MEL-DXB in EK F, and then DXB-EU/LHR in Y and either wait for a paid upgrade to J or just slum it in Y. We have PP lounge access in DXB anyway

 

[am0985]

What do you/others do for the Aus to Jakarta flights ? Y or J ?

Options if you want to fly to CGK in J on awards:

1. QFF awards aren't too bad on this route at all. Maybe the best international J route to get award seats on (except short haul destinations). Nowhere near as many Indonesians in Australia as Filipinos so demand isn't nearly as bad as to MNL.

2. Singapore Airlines: either via KrisFlyer, Velocity or Aeroplan points (bought when on offer). Availability can vary though even between the programmes - recently I got SQ J tickets on Aeroplan when they weren't available at Saver level on SQ.

3. Garuda: bookable via QR Avios, transferrable from Amex. 40k to DPS or 60k straight to CGK. Availability is usually pretty good.

Jakarta isn't a great city but you can get top quality 5* hotels for 300-350 AUD a night there. Book with either Amex FHR or a Virtuoso advisor and you can get 100 USD hotel credit, upgrade, 4pm check out, free breakfast etc. I've stayed at Mandarin Oriental and the Four Seasons there which were both good. Got upgraded to a huge suite at the MO!

 

[SYD]

Options if you want to fly to CGK in J on awards:

1. QFF awards aren't too bad on this route at all. Maybe the best international J route to get award seats on (except short haul destinations). Nowhere near as many Indonesians in Australia as Filipinos so demand isn't nearly as bad as to MNL.

They’re also less points than MNL, SIN, BKK and HKG (at least ex SYD).

But they all earn 48 SCs for PC/PC+ members.

Jakarta isn't a great city

Correct

but you can get top quality 5* hotels for 300-350 AUD a night there.

Decent airport hotels start around A$50.

We’ve been using the Ibis Styles. Quite functional. There’s a free airport shuttle - easy getting back but more coughbersome getting from the airport. As ALL Gold, they give me a 4pm checkout. Occasionally a private pickup from the airport - otherwise use Grab.

Note that you need an Indonesian visa to transit. So A$50 each way on top of hotel, but overall still much less than paying the Oz tax for a J or F fare!

 

[jase05]

Options if you want to fly to CGK in J on awards:

1. QFF awards aren't too bad on this route at all. Maybe the best international J route to get award seats on (except short haul destinations). Nowhere near as many Indonesians in Australia as Filipinos so demand isn't nearly as bad as to MNL.

2. Singapore Airlines: either via KrisFlyer, Velocity or Aeroplan points (bought when on offer). Availability can vary though even between the programmes - recently I got SQ J tickets on Aeroplan when they weren't available at Saver level on SQ.

3. Garuda: bookable via QR Avios, transferrable from Amex. 40k to DPS or 60k straight to CGK. Availability is usually pretty good.

Jakarta isn't a great city but you can get top quality 5* hotels for 300-350 AUD a night there. Book with either Amex FHR or a Virtuoso advisor and you can get 100 USD hotel credit, upgrade, 4pm check out, free breakfast etc. I've stayed at Mandarin Oriental and the Four Seasons there which were both good. Got upgraded to a huge suite at the MO!

I’ve also flown MEL-BKK-CGK J on TG with Aeroplan a couple of times and that actually suits us the best but their awards seem to have dried up.
We have also used VS miles to book GA too.
When we fly with Qf to CGK it’s usually out of SYD but for our next trip to Bali in May only MEL-CGK was available so that will do. We will stay a couple of nights at Raffles again, cheapest Raffles in the world and as Diamonds they treat us like absolute royalty every time. Jakarta isn’t the best city but has some decent shopping and we use it more as a relax and unwind