Timing of booking QFF award flights ?

[Eagles06]

Hi
I have accumulated enough points for a mostly business class trip to the US in the Dec 2019/Jan 2020 . Being a busy time for a popular destination , should I book each award leg of the trip as soon as the window for available award seats opens ? Rather than wait to book as a whole ?

I'm guessing the answer will be yes of course ! but is there any downside or risk of doing leg by leg ?

 

[Matt_01]

Book as soon as you can the US route is in high demand at any time of the year. Christmas/ New year is worse, it is holiday season. If you are with OW don't just look at QF, consider CX, AA, JAL as well. Also depending on which side of the US you are going to QR or EK may be an option yes x2 long flights but EK award books are normally in good supply.

I do not see much risk with leg by leg however there is a chance you cannot get your first preference. The plus for booking leg by leg is that you could go out on 1 carrier and back with another. WP and above can request seats via QF.

Be flexible

 

[BriarFlyer]

For that combination of busy route and busy time, if you can find yr J seat BOOK IT.

ETA: simu-posted with Matt who was much more erudite.

 

[Eagles06]

Thanks .
I'm trying to book for my family ( 4) . I understand this is pretty hard to get 4 award seats . I have done dummy searches in QF website and have had seen availability for 4 in Business across different carriers for most legs .

 

[Mattg]

You might need to like at China Eastern if you're after 4 J seats!

Beware that QF carrier charges are higher on one-way bookings ex-USA. If you book the outbound and return flights one at a time, you may save several hundred dollars on fees by adding the return flights to the initial ex-Australia booking rather than booking as a separate one-way ticket. You would have to pay the change fee though to add on the return flights later (5,000 points per pax).

 

[amaroo]

IN/ Out of Australia, Brisbane will most likely be your best bet. CX will almost always deliver what you want.

I've secured 4 J seats heaps times, but I have QF status which helps.

 

[cjd600]

I’ve got 4 J multiple times to USA, on QF and AA,and I’m only NB, (using QF points)