QANTAS flights too expensive

[McTavish]

Dear all,
I just received an email from CR asking me to post to forum, so here goes. I need to travel from MEL to Chicago out 20 Oct in 27 Oct. Qantas want about $12K for a business seat. I am currently QF gold sitting on 970 SCs. $12K just seems a bit too much and I had a underwhelming flight back from Hong Kong last week in QF business. I'm thinking of going with Qatar, obviously with 970 SCs I would be crazy not to use One World. Can do AA on same flights as the QF fare for about $10K. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Mattg]

If you don't mind positioning to New Zealand, Qantas & AA have return fares from AKL to ORD (Chicago) in business for under $9,000 on those dates. Can travel on AA's direct AKL-LAX service, or via SYD/BNE on QF metal (for a few more status credits ). AKL-LAX is around $7,600.

Cathay Pacific is another oneworld possibility. They're charging ~$9.2K for flights via HKG.

If you don't mind positioning to Fiji, you can pick up Fiji Airways business class flights from NAN to LAX (with a QF flight number if you book at Qantas.com - so you'll earn status credits) for ~$2,700 return. If you book NAN-ORD, the price is around $4,900 return with LAX-ORD connections on AA. The NAN-LAX flight isn't daily though, so you may need to come back a day earlier or later etc. Then just add on a MEL-NAN booking.

 

[RooFlyer]

Great advice, MattG

 

[samh004]

The reality is the flight from Melbourne to Doha would earn very little, but because the flight from Doha to Chicago doesn't compete with anything QF offers, that would earn quite a bit more, resulting in only marginally less SC than if you were to take a QF/AA option from Australia in the other direction.

That said, have you considered taking a DONE4 OneWorld Explorer fare (RTW) so you don't need to heavily backtrack? In March this year the base fare was AUD $10,499 and if you were looking to maximise SC to hit Platinum or beyond, a RTW fare could pull in quite a few more SC and let you experience a few different business cabins

 

[McTavish]

Thanks Samh004, I'll check the RTW option

Thanks Mattg,
I can't get those prices on QF site, will have a crack on AA/CX later

 

[Mattg]

Thanks Mattg,
I can't get those prices on QF site, will have a crack on AA/CX later

You would need to go to the Fijian version of the QF website to get those prices. On the Qantas home page, you should see an Australian flag in the top right hand corner. Click on this and change the country to Fiji. Then search for flights departing Nadi.

 

[SYD]

You would need to go to the Fijian version of the QF website to get those prices. On the Qantas home page, you should see an Australian flag in the top right hand corner. Click on this and change the country to Fiji. Then search for flights departing Nadi.

Did that last year. Nested SYD-NAN (ret) and NAN-LAX (ret). All up about $4k J all the way. You should be able to book entire trip through FJ website but will only get 50% SCs on FJ flight#s. Also, noonish arrival into LAX limits onward connection options heading further east.

JL could be another option if you're flexible. $6500 / 600 SCs via SIN over and probably SYD back. Watch out for (be aware) some combos are into HND out of NRT and v.v.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Does your company give you an allowance or budget for airfares for this trip or is it a self funded personal trip?

Just looking at MEL/LAX/MEL 20-27 Oct in J via the QF website showed the following options for the Business Sale fare of AUD8,824.11

20 Oct QF412 MEL/SYD 0730/0855 & QF11 SYD/LAX 1050/0630

27 Oct QF310* LAX/SYD 2255/0810+2 & QF423 SYD/MEL 1000/1135

*QF310 is AA metal operated by an AA 77W

To keep costs down you could purchase a cheap fare in whY LAX/ORD/LAX

 

[McTavish]

The reality is the flight from Melbourne to Doha would earn very little, but because the flight from Doha to Chicago doesn't compete with anything QF offers, that would earn quite a bit more, resulting in only marginally less SC than if you were to take a QF/AA option from Australia in the other direction.

I've had another look at all of the options Qatar comes in at $8.4K with only one stopover, not having to deal with transit issues at Sydney, a bit over 30 hours each way and great airline reviews.



I need 430 QF SCs for platinum so Qatar would fit the bill. Is this a mistake?

 

[RooFlyer]

Flying QR certainly wouldn't be a mistake, and the SC calc is correct. I just replicated the fare as well. Pity it seems to be B777 all the way - their A350 s fantastic in J.

A three hour transit in DOH which is very good timing - time for a shower and a stretch in their lounge. There have been several reviews of QR J and the lounges recently, including here (there is more towards the end of that report).

 

[ftm]

You can build something like the below which still uses the AA flight numbers on the Pacific flights, but compensates a little because it uses First fare classes domestically in the US and QF flight numbers domestically in Australia. This would be just under $A8600. I assumed you needed to land back into Melbourne on the 27th, but if that was leave Chicago on the 27th, then it is even easier.

1 QF 400 I 20OCT 4 MELSYD 0600 0725 20OCT E 0 332
2 AA7363 I 20OCT 4 SYDLAX 1050 0630 20OCT E 0 380
3 AA 110 A 20OCT 4 LAXORD 0945 1553 20OCT E 0 788
4 AA2225 A 25OCT 2 ORDLAX 1820 2035 25OCT E 0 788
5 AA7409 I 25OCT 2 LAXBNE 2320 0610 27OCT E 0 744
6 QF 613 I 27OCT 4 BNEMEL 0900 1225 27OCT E 0 73H

 

[McTavish]

Flying QR certainly wouldn't be a mistake, and the SC calc is correct. I just replicated the fare as well. Pity it seems to be B777 all the way - their A350 s fantastic in J.

Shame about the a350, it runs from Adelaide to Doha, adding a couple more hours to a long trip, meaning a departure from Melbourne earlier in the evening, so a bit tight if working that day.

 

[RooFlyer]

And its being subbed with another plane some of the time, going forward.

 

[bam71]

Did that last year. Nested SYD-NAN (ret) and NAN-LAX (ret). All up about $4k J all the way.

How were they to travel on?

 

[SYD]

Did that last year. Nested SYD-NAN (ret) and NAN-LAX (ret). All up about $4k J all the way.

How were they to travel on?

Fine. Plenty of reviews around. All flights were on new A330 J (similar to previous VA). Main issue with FJ is that it only takes one plane to go tech and whole network can suffer. They had a major defect last year that took days to resolve. Worked out ok for me. Already back in NAN from US staying in HI Danarau. Instead of morning flight back to SYD, we had a leisurely afternoon departure.

Price wise, with recent QF sale fares to SFO (did that this year $4500) and to LAX - the FJ option is less attractive - other than extra SCs.

For QF WPs - it's important to book QF flight numbers out of SYD - otherwise no F Lounge. In fact no lounge at all in whY and FJ #.

 

[samh004]

You can build something like the below which still uses the AA flight numbers on the Pacific flights, but compensates a little because it uses First fare classes domestically in the US and QF flight numbers domestically in Australia. This would be just under $A8600. I assumed you needed to land back into Melbourne on the 27th, but if that was leave Chicago on the 27th, then it is even easier.

1 QF 400 I 20OCT 4 MELSYD 0600 0725 20OCT E 0 332
2 AA7363 I 20OCT 4 SYDLAX 1050 0630 20OCT E 0 380
3 AA 110 A 20OCT 4 LAXORD 0945 1553 20OCT E 0 788
4 AA2225 A 25OCT 2 ORDLAX 1820 2035 25OCT E 0 788
5 AA7409 I 25OCT 2 LAXBNE 2320 0610 27OCT E 0 744
6 QF 613 I 27OCT 4 BNEMEL 0900 1225 27OCT E 0 73H

I just plugged that into the calculator, earns 700SC!

Pretty good deal.

 

[McTavish]

You can build something like the below which still uses the AA flight numbers on the Pacific flights, but compensates a little because it uses First fare classes domestically in the US and QF flight numbers domestically in Australia. This would be just under $A8600. I assumed you needed to land back into Melbourne on the 27th, but if that was leave Chicago on the 27th, then it is even easier.

1 QF 400 I 20OCT 4 MELSYD 0600 0725 20OCT E 0 332
2 AA7363 I 20OCT 4 SYDLAX 1050 0630 20OCT E 0 380
3 AA 110 A 20OCT 4 LAXORD 0945 1553 20OCT E 0 788
4 AA2225 A 25OCT 2 ORDLAX 1820 2035 25OCT E 0 788
5 AA7409 I 25OCT 2 LAXBNE 2320 0610 27OCT E 0 744
6 QF 613 I 27OCT 4 BNEMEL 0900 1225 27OCT E 0 73H

Thanks heaps ftm. I'm leaving Chicago on 27 Oct. How did you get that sequence, is it off a single booking site?

 

[ftm]

Thanks heaps ftm. I'm leaving Chicago on 27 Oct. How did you get that sequence, is it off a single booking site?

I don't think there is an online site where you can combine these. I'm a TA, so just built it in the GDS. There are some things only a human can do

On the 27th, you can use the A380 from LA to Sydney, rather than have to go to Brisbane on the 747. Happy to help if you PM me your detials.