Some QF Classic Award Availability in QF/BA J/F to/from LHR

[Uncle BJ]

I've just had an exciting week having booked a return F/J Classic Award to/from LHR in September. Having been trying to snag a return seat in something above Y (but not BA Y+ given the horror stories) for months in order to get to a mate's wedding in England in early September, I was on the verge of giving up altogether and renouncing my QFF membership and the 400k+ points. I was about to buy the fares outright instead during the QF Grand Prix sale when I decided to give a Classic Award one last crack. Lo and behold, on precisely the dates I wanted in September, up came a BA F SYD-LHR, returning on QF2 in Y+. I leapt in and booked. Then, today, I realise when scanning availability that a J seat has opened up on the way home on the same day on QF metal all the way back. 3,500 change fee and I'm now a happy QFF member again.

The point of all this being that Classic Award availability seems to be very much dynamic. The J return seat wasn't there earlier this week. And two months ago there was nothing but Y on QF metal in my date range. If at first you hit a Y, try again next week. For anyone trying to get back from Europe to MEL in July I note that there is, for example, currently a J Classic Award seat on QF10 on 9 July. There are also plenty of F seats on BA16 in late August from SYD (again, by way of example only).

Oh, and I'm currently QFF Bronze.

Good luck and happy booking.

 

[markis10]

If you can see classic award availability always have a look at any seat awards, as often there will be cheap ones on offer, for instance:



Had you booked a first class flight using any seat you would have earned 420 SC on the way over and 21000 points, making you instant Silver, on the back in business you would have earned 21303 points and 280 SC, making you a Gold Frequent Flyer. Not sure what taxes you paid but the difference in an any seat award and classic can be very small when you factor in the costs of dropping the any seat award down to the classic level and the benefits of earning points/SCs on the award. If its a J return for instance, 128000 points for a classic becomes just over 112000 points net cost as a ASA each way for a Bronze member.


Earning Points Calculator
Route: London - Dubai - Melbourne
Class: Business
Status Base points Cabin bonus Status bonus Total points Status credits
Platinum 10,651 5,326 10,651 26,628 280
Gold 10,651 5,326 7,989 23,966 280
Silver 10,651 5,326 5,326 21,303 280
Bronze 10,651 5,326 - 15,977 280