Red-eye PER-MEL - worth the upgrade?

[theoracle30]

Hey everyone,

In January, three of us are traveling PER-LAX via MEL and return via BNE. Our domestic PER-MEL is the overnight flight and goes for about 3:30 hrs (QF648).

I have the opportunity to upgrade all of us for 60,000 points to J (business suite), and while it would be nice to lie down, I'm not sure if it's a good-value proposition because of the flight time.

So, if anyone's done it before:
1) What is the meal service/typical menu like for the overnight flight? Qantas don't provide sample menus.
2) Did you realistically have a decent rest on a flight as short as this?
3) Would luggage be tagged through to LAX as priority?
4) Any other potential benefits that would make it more worthwhile?

On a slightly unrelated question (and I know there's been a lot of discussion about this recently), but coming back home:
5) Has anyone had success at getting into the oneworld TBIT lounge with an AA 30 day membership?

Also I've already upgraded us to J on the second leg home BNE-PER but I don't suppose that will give us anything for the LAX-BNE leg (wishful thinking, I know ).
6) Would our baggage be priority tagged to PER from LAX, since BNE-PER is in J?

I'm just a lowly young student with no status, but trying to treat my family the best I can within my means ($99 AA pass and a chunk of points!)

Thanks

 

[NZflygirl]

Hey everyone,

In January, three of us are traveling PER-LAX via MEL and return via BNE. Our domestic PER-MEL is the overnight flight and goes for about 3:30 hrs (QF648).

I have the opportunity to upgrade all of us for 60,000 points to J (business suite), and while it would be nice to lie down, I'm not sure if it's a good-value proposition because of the flight time.

So, if anyone's done it before:
1) What is the meal service/typical menu like for the overnight flight? Qantas don't provide sample menus.
2) Did you realistically have a decent rest on a flight as short as this?
3) Would luggage be tagged through to LAX as priority?
4) Any other potential benefits that would make it more worthwhile?

On a slightly unrelated question (and I know there's been a lot of discussion about this recently), but coming back home:
5) Has anyone had success at getting into the oneworld TBIT lounge with an AA 30 day membership?

Also I've already upgraded us to J on the second leg home BNE-PER but I don't suppose that will give us anything for the LAX-BNE leg (wishful thinking, I know ).
6) Would our baggage be priority tagged to PER from LAX, since BNE-PER is in J?

I'm just a lowly young student with no status, but trying to treat my family the best I can within my means ($99 AA pass and a chunk of points!)

Thanks

Hi,

1) I've flown Per-Mel before on that flight. It is a short flight for business. Awake for takeoff and landing cuts into sleep time. To be honest, every time I've flown a red eye I've eaten in the lounge, got on the plane and then hit the hay. Haven't eaten the menu so can't tell you about that. It does mean staying awake and I suspect you'd be left with an hour to sleep after the service or something.

2) I was pretty shagged so yes, good sleep, but as I said I didn't eat. Got to Mel, bit tired but more awake than I would otherwise have been then went to next lounge, ate there and caught next flight and went back to sleep - so not eating on flight didn't matter. Getting rest mattered to me. Got to destination and was fresh as a daisy! Well... mostly fresh, I could function the next day.

3) Tricky tricky that question. Would be tagged priority if going to Mel but if onward flight in economy ..... don't know definitive answer to that. If they do check it right the way through then SWEET! Can't see it's going to hurt the airline any to do that.

4) You guys will have access to the Per domestic business lounge - yay!!! Free shower - they have everything you need, even combs for your hair, toothbrush and a few other things, food, drinks, nice seats. The pizza is my favourite.

5) You'll need to check in at the desk rather than kiosk because you have an international leg on your itinerary. Don't know the answer to the oneworld TBIT question either.

Whether its worth upgrading?? Hmmm... I think that depends on what else you see yourself spending points on in the future and how quickly you build them. But if you don't have anything better to spend them on then spending them on the family is good!!

 

[QFflyermelbourne]

I would say probably not worth it. Winds are often strong in that direction and can make the flight quite short. I've had recent PER-MEL flights that took as little as 2.35 and 2.50. Really not enough time to sleep unless you skip dinner and go down immediately.

No I don't think upgrading will have any benefits to the LA flight. Also big whoop if they tag your bags priority. The customs line at LA is often so slow, the entire plane's bags are out by the time I get through. (Even in the pointy end.)

Sadly I don't think your BNE-PER upgrade on return will help you with anything at LA.

Enjoy the trip!

 

[Mattg]

You're likely to get a small refreshment on board (not full meal service) but you can go for your lives with the pizza etc. in the lounge before the flight.

It's a short flight, so you're probably not going to get much rest time anyway.

If the flight is only one of the newer A330s you'll get to experience a very nice product - could lead to a certain amount of disappointment when you get on the next flight in economy!

If you have the points then go for it, but if you think you'll be able to better spend them in the future then it's probably better to save them.

 

[im.daniel]

I wouldn't upgrade. It'll be a miserable flight, but you land in MEL dead tired, which will be perfect for the onward flight to LAX!

 

[theoracle30]

Thank you all for your help! While it would be nice, I agree that it's probably best to just suck it up for the flight

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Did the red eye in Y on QF PER - SYD in their 747 few years ago now.
Ouch.
No fun 3 across!
Hope it's a 330 for you and not swapped for a 737.
I would upgrade. Short trip PER - MEL but you have a bigger longer trip to go after the red eye.

 

[eminere]

I'd save the points for a longer flight.

 

[RichardMEL]

QF648 is always scheduled a 330 and for sometime all the red eyes are *intended* to be business suite a/c.

I doubt you'll ever see it swapped for a 737 as there's usually a high load demand in Y since it is the red eye, and only one to MEL at that time to connect to flights to other places such as NZ, USA etc. I'd state chances virtually nil of a swap short of a major disruption of some sort.

That said, if points are no issue upgrade for the hell of it given the very long flight on QF93 to follow (which I am guessing is in Y or Y+?). If points are at all tight or plans to use them in future, then I wouldn't bother. either way you'll still feel pretty rubbishy headed into the 93 (sadly) and hope you can get an upgrade through on that one. Agree it's a shortish flight when I've flown it (I think when I flew it last year it was 3:05 flying time).. 60k is steep for that sort of flight (even for 3) so I'd probably not unless points were no issue.

good luck!

 

[Moopere]

20,000QFF points to upgrade to J from discount Y or Flexi Y? I'm thinking its discount Y, in which case I'd go for it definitely.

3 hours difference between PER and MEL will stuff up your body clock right away. Leaving PER at close to 12 its already 3am in MEL, by the time you get to MEL you will 'feel' like its 3-4am, I'd be grumpy, so a bit of sleep on the way over, even if its only 2 or so hours would help me. Zombie through the process then back to sleep on the next leg.

 

[theoracle30]

20,000QFF points to upgrade to J from discount Y or Flexi Y?

Yes, it's discount economy.

upgrade for the hell of it given the very long flight on QF93 to follow (which I am guessing is in Y or Y+?)

Also in economy.. Y+ would be a dream comparatively, but out of the realms of the family budget when it's three people going to the US and back. We got our sales fares for about $1100 each

 

[RichardMEL]

Do you have enough points to put in for the upgrade on QF93? (to either J or Y+)?

You don't list any status in your profile, so I'll assume none so it's a long shot, but not totally impossible (though 3 is difficult)

 

[theoracle30]

Do you have enough points to put in for the upgrade on QF93? (to either J or Y+)?

You don't list any status in your profile, so I'll assume none so it's a long shot, but not totally impossible (though 3 is difficult)

It's my understanding that sale fares can't be upgraded on international legs?

I do have the capacity to apply for an upgrade to Y+ or J on QF93 (if I pool my account with the family account), but the issue is availability - as you correctly infer, I have no status, and I think I have a greater chance at winning this Thursday's $70 Million Powerball than getting three upgrade spaces to Y+/J as a NB!

It's okay. It'll be tiring, but we'll survive

 

[eminere]

It's my understanding that sale fares can't be upgraded on international legs?

It all depends on the fare bucket your flight has been booked into and whether it is an upgradeable fare. If it is eligible for an upgrade request MMB will tell you so.

 

[theoracle30]

It all depends on the fare bucket your flight has been booked into and whether it is an upgradeable fare. If it is eligible for an upgrade request MMB will tell you so.

All the economy flights are in 'O' class, and a quick check of the fare conditions shows it's not upgradable.
Sale/Saver/Flexible



Here are the options available to me.

 

[Mattg]

It all depends on the fare bucket your flight has been booked into and whether it is an upgradeable fare. If it is eligible for an upgrade request MMB will tell you so.

The OP has stated discount economy, so the international sectors are not upgradeable.

 

[RichardMEL]

Well that's a bugger, but as you say super cheap sale fares.

 

[theoracle30]

Oh well! At the very least, we can visit the international business lounge before QF93 for a wake-up shower (with the AA 30 day membership), and the final leg will still be a treat.

Thanks everyone for your help

 

[exceladdict]

As someone who has flown that combo of PER>MEL>LAX on QF648/93, I would personally drop the 20k if it was the new J suite and I was doing it again. I'm a non-sleeper in Y and we were held up by 60 minutes on both ends of the flight (auxiliary power unit issues) so by the time I got to customs in the US, I was delirious to say the least. That said, when we got to the accom, we slept till 5pm, then went out to a karaoke party, bed at 1am, up at 9 the next day and I was firmly on US time. My friends who slept on QF93 were jet lagged for days.

As others have mentioned if you are OK sleeping in Y, you may wish to pull the all nighter, swap your clock to West Coast USA when you jump on QF93, and abstain from or treat yourself to caffeine or champagne accordingly.

 

[opusman]

I can't think of anything worse than getting off a J flight and getting on another one in Y. The other way, not so bad