Tips on booking internal USA flights business or first class

[SGG88]

I’m travelling to USA in September 2026 and hoping to book NYC to LA business or first class using points. Not having any luck with Qantas or Velocity, I have platinum Amex so wondering if anyone has had any luck booking through another partner airline?

Thanks in advance

 

[justinbrett]

I’m travelling to USA in September 2026 and hoping to book NYC to LA business or first class using points. Not having any luck with Qantas or Velocity, I have platinum Amex so wondering if anyone has had any luck booking through another partner airline?

Thanks in advance

This is a very premium route. You might need to make an indirect booking.

That said I can see availability flying AA on 19th Sep both in J and F.

 

[RooFlyer]

@SGG88 welcome to AFF. Can't help with any specific suggestions, sorry, but don't ignore going via Asia. Either by separate tickets with a positioning flight out of Australia or one ticket, say SQ or CX.

Are you returning? Look at a 'Circle Pacific' fare which loops via Asia on either leg and used to, at least, be cheaper than straight over and back.

If you are in Perth, one of the ME carriers via the ME to New York might be a starter.

 

[SGG88]

This is a very premium route. You might need to make an indirect booking.

That said I can see availability flying AA on 19th Sep both in J and F.

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I’m not flexible at all on dates which makes it tricky, so might need to suck it up and pay cash for this one!

Interestingly, last year I was able to book this route for my family of four (two in first, two in business) so I didn’t expect to have trouble travelling solo!

 

[elanshin]

I’m travelling to USA in September 2026 and hoping to book NYC to LA business or first class using points. Not having any luck with Qantas or Velocity, I have platinum Amex so wondering if anyone has had any luck booking through another partner airline?

Thanks in advance

You can try looking for things like LGA - ORD - LAX (searching separately as multi city). Replace ORD with a whole host of stopovers. QFF looking at AA main hubs (or AS) so places like DFW, ORD, CLT, DCA, SEA mainly.

For VFF UA hubs in similar fashion. The new LGA is quite a nice airport so my preference is there now over JFK.

 

[justinbrett]

@SGG88 welcome to AFF. Can't help with any specific suggestions, sorry, but don't ignore going via Asia. Either by separate tickets with a positioning flight out of Australia or one ticket, say SQ or CX.

Are you returning? Look at a 'Circle Pacific' fare which loops via Asia on either leg and used to, at least, be cheaper than straight over and back.

If you are in Perth, one of the ME carriers via the ME to New York might be a starter.

That’s a huge detour flying NYC to LAX!