South America rewards travel

[Ozgirl]

Hi All,

I am really keen to go skiing in Portillo, Chile for my honeymoon next September.

Any tips for booking award fares?

It seems to be hit and miss for availability - sometimes I look and there is nothing and then (like this morning) magically there is seats!

Does anyone know the release dates of Lan Chile award seats via Qantas?

TIA

 

[JohnM]

I was very recently looking to get to SCL in March next year. There were no award seats in any class on QF. It surprised me that not even the odd Economy seat was available, although I only wanted Business.

I think you'll find award seats on that run are very rare. I don't know about availability on LA, but I suspect that's very limited as well.

But it was readily solved by going EK via DXB. There is much more QF award availability on EK than on QF!

If you try that option, and are looking for Business (or F), be aware that you may find one leg may be in Economy. Kill that by choosing the Multi-city option. But you may then find the process crashes at the payment step.

If so, call and book. Apparently the system doesn't like 'through bookings' but the agent (with some effort) can override that.

 

[JohnM]

Addendum: award availability is 353 days for QF, 330 for LA and around 333 for EK (but EK slightly staggers release of Y, J, F and seems to do it in weekly tranches).

 

[Ozgirl]

hmmm I would really prefer to avoid going EK, there will be a wee babe at home. Really would prefer as direct as possible!

 

[Ozgirl]

I was very recently looking to get to SCL in March next year. There were no award seats in any class on QF. It surprised me that not even the odd Economy seat was available, although I only wanted Business.

I think you'll find award seats on that run are very rare. I don't know about availability on LA, but I suspect that's very limited as well.

But it was readily solved by going EK via DXB. There is much more QF award availability on EK than on QF!

If you try that option, and are looking for Business (or F), be aware that you may find one leg may be in Economy. Kill that by choosing the Multi-city option. But you may then find the process crashes at the payment step.

If so, call and book. Apparently the system doesn't like 'through bookings' but the agent (with some effort) can override that.

This post confirms the hit and miss of it.

I just looked can get a flight in business on 8 Mar and Econ only home on Sunday 17th Mar.

 

[JohnM]

DXB-xGRU-SCL is a new EK route starting in July: Emirates Launching Flights To Santiago As Of July 2018 - One Mile at a Time