Seeking experienced lounge advice, Syd-YVR via LAX

[roslynm]

Hi,
I am looking for some experienced advice on when & which lounges I should use with the following itinerary. Travelling is myself (QFF silver + Mr + 16yo godson). I am not familiar with transit times or what lounges we can access with QF/codeshare WesJet.

(Slightly convoluted itinerary due to availability of Economy redemption seats at the time of booking for Mr & 16YO). I am flying Economy (X) Syd-YVR.

24/2/23 Melb>SYD QF414 Dep7:30 arr 8:55am (separate booking but linked)
24/2/23 SYD>LAX>YVR
SYD>LAX QF11 Dep 11:20 Arr6.05
LAX>YVR QF3359/WS1697 T Dep 11:40 arr 14:31

5/3/23 YVR>LAX>SYD
YVR>LAX QF3356/WS1698 T Dep16:15 arr 18:59
LAX-SYD QF12 Dep 22:30 arr 8:35 (7/2/23)
7/3/23 SYD>MEL QF437 Dep 11:00 arr 12:35. (Separate booking but linked)

Mr has these passes available

I have these passes available


Appreciate any knowledge, advice, recommendations.

 

[Quickstatus]

The complimentary lounge invitation pass holder can access any of the the Qantas Club lounges.

A) MEL Qantas Club for MEL-SYD

B) SYD International Business Lounge for SYD-LAX

C) LAX Qantas International Business Lounge for LAX-YVR

D) LAX Qantas International Business Lounge for the LAX-SYD

E) SYD Qantas Club for the SYD-MEL

You only have 9 passes with expiry dates beyond the travel dates for 3 passengers.
Therefore 3 lounges per person on that trip
Therfore need to drop 2 lounge
Complimentary lounge access do not include guests of the comp pass holder

I would drop AC and do BDE

Notes:

You only have 2:25min to transfer from DOM-INT at SYD for the second leg. There is not a lot of time. However you will have access to Qantas seamless transfer service at SYD. Basically you will not have a lot of time in the lounge. However, I would still drop A and do B

The above comments also applies for E. Again you only have 2:25hrs to transfer INT-DOM. Not a lot of time in the lounge. However if you miss the SYD-MEL flight, QF will put you on the next available. If then the next available is several hours, E will come in handy especially after a long flight from LAX.

While theoretically you can use C, you may not have enough time because you will need to enter security to get to the lounge on Terminal 4 , then exit and walk over to the other side to Terminal 2 for WestJet and redo security again. I would drop C


You can transfer passes to Godson via the Complimentary Lounge Invite Portal

Remember to link the passes prior to presentation at the gate - again via the portal. QF says need to do it at least 24hrs ahead, but within 24hrs is still possible. However it may not appear when you present at the lounge.
Also remember that once you link it but don't use it you will lose it, although QF should reinstate the pass if the reason you cant use it is because the flight was delayed or changed.

There is no such thing as a "linked" booking. In reality they may insert some notes in the booking to refer to the fact you are coming in on a QF flight. You should, however be able at MEL to check through to LAX and LAX back to MEL

 

[Daver6]

General passes can't be used at LAX

 

[Quickstatus]

Thanks @Daver6- forgot about that little exclusion

In that case do ABE

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

The transit time in SYD is quite short, as you have to jump from T3 to T1.
I (sort of flew) flew VA ADL - SYD and used the train instead of the Tbus.
See below why.
8.45am to 9am is a busy time for SYD as a lot of QF dom flights come in then to connect to QFi.
Don't be too set on lounge time as main point is to get across first from T3 to T1.
I had to get manually processed by immi.
Probably I had to take glasses off, passport also had them off.
Do couldn't see immi processing camera on its pod, not first time either.
Singapore Certis has taken over sec screening at T1, took long time to get through.
If you can get a BP for SYD - LAX and get QF to swipe passport in MEL, it's faster to bypass QF in SYD, and just do outgoing immi there.
Get to MEL T1 early and try for the 6am MEL - SYD flight for 3 if at all possible.
Tell them you can't do any changes as you have on going flights.
(OffT My unlinked VAd direct ADL - SYD got cancelled overnight this past Wed night/Thu morning.
They put me in J ADL - MEL - SYD!
Lucky I still had time to make my AirNZ flight.
This is the danger in unlinked flight bookings).
OnT.
***
Indulge me,
One more thing, I know Godson is older, but see if you can get a letter from a parent giving permission to take him out of country.
Grin even if he is not on a no fly list.
Just in case.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Indulge me,
One more thing, I know Godson is older, but see if you can get a letter from a parent giving permission to take him out of country.
Grin even if he is not on a no fly list.
Just in case.

 

[roslynm]

Thank you Quickstatus, Daver6 & AustraliaPoochie. Some good info there, very helpful.

Godson & Mr have travelled to Japan for many years skiing, and always take a permission letter, notarised, allowing godson to travel with Mr & without parent.

An observation however (and probably the wrong thread) but we could always get insurance for godson traveling with Mr from a couple of companies and went with RACV as they had good Snow Sport /Scuba Diving cover. Since Covid, a lot has changed. Companies previously ok, now only allow blood relative on the policy including RACV. After research, Qantas Insurance allow for godson, underwritten by NIB, however the NIB policy directly doesn't allow for it.

JPN wasn't open for individual tourists when the Ski Crew (desperate to get back on the slopes) made the decision to book, hence Canada & I will tag along this time. Longer trip so Lounge access will be welcome where we can do it. Thanks again for your knowledge.

 

[roslynm]

Just checking, as godson is 16yo, does he need a pass to get into the lounges or is he considered a minor? What are the rules here?

 

[Matt_01]

Just checking, as godson is 16yo, does he need a pass to get into the lounges or is he considered a minor? What are the rules here?

If you are not members of the QP or QF G and are relying on passes only, yes the godson will need a pass.

 

[roslynm]

QP or QF G?

 

[Matt_01]

@roslynm apologies for the abbreviations QP = Qantas Club (pub) paid membership, QF G = Qantas Gold status access to the Qantas Club is provided. The family access rules for membership and status are different for minors and if you have either of these your godson will not require a pass.

 

[roslynm]

Great. I have QP so will look up the relevant family rules. Thank you for clarification @Matt_01.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I think the biggest issue here is the connection in Sydney on separate tickets.

Linking bookings will not help much in the event a connecting flight is delayed.

 

[Matt_01]

As you have QF club membership your +1 and godson will be allowed in without the need for any passes to any QF lounge. Not sure what the policy is for QP membership at TBIT but it is more than likely you will get access there as well for the return sector. I suspect you will not need to use any of your lounge access passes.

 

[roslynm]

I think the biggest issue here is the connection in Sydney on separate tickets.

Linking bookings will not help much in the event a connecting flight is delayed.

Reading some of the other threads, I will advise when we check in at MEL that we have connections & can't delay, & just hope if there are delays we aren't impacted. I know Syd connection is a bit tight. Fortunately all Q flights. I am hoping to book luggage all the way thru also.
There were no reward flights from Mel to YVR when I booked,

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I think the first QF bird MEL - SYD is QF400, edit (QF402)
Aim/go for that.
Might be hard to get 3 in that flight, but best to have extra buffer.
SYD airport is not like MEL, you have to contend with the transfer bus with everyone else.
They do pack it up like sardines in a can, so min HLO, the QF T3 to T1 transfer bus I mean.
Non school holiday helps, ... of course.

 

[roslynm]

Even though separate bookings, will they check luggage thru from MEL to YVR? Or will we have to collect in SYD & recheck in at SYD International?

 

[Quickstatus]

family rules.

ordinarily Qantas club and lounges consider anyone under 18 as children so they do not count as a guest.

However lounge passes do not allow guests or children. 1 pass per head only

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Ideally they should.
If it's linked, they would
But it's very hard to say, I haven't done it, but the stories of nightmares can easily arise when things are unlinked in QF.
Best of luck anyways.
But it's up to the MEL check in staff.
You should have done it all in one.
On a separate booking, if MEL says no, you will have to collect your bags from the domestic carousel at T3, meaning no transfer bus, and you will be very short of time.
If you all can get onto the 6am dep, you have some bumper time, if they will put luggage through, and swipe your passports in MEL, it helps too, just have to go through DIY passport processing and int security screening.
If QFd is MEL won't help, it's all rush.
I will let others have their say tho.

 

[Quickstatus]

separate bookings

Hmm that’s a tricky one. You will have to pick up your luggage at LAX in any case due to immigration and customs check. Having an onward tag at LAX will make it easier at the drop off station after LAX immigration. Otherwise you will have to lug the bags to T2.

QF will/should tag at a minimum MEL-SYD-LAX. However tagging past LAX is less certain.

I’ve had a separate SYD-MEL, MEL-LAX, LAX-somewhere in US with AA. QF tagged to LAX but no further

Coming home, you will have to pick up your luggage at SYD for customs/quarantine inspection regardless of whether it’s tagged to MEL. There is a dedicated area to recheck bags and security then a QF bus to T3 QF DOM. You can be either lucky with a breeze through but more often than not it’s a palava. (See from about page 8)