Upgrading - Sydney - Fiji-HNL-LAX Qantas Tips Please

[bridetobesydney]

Hi Everyone

This is my first post on here.

Ok so... for my honeymoon my fiance and I booked all our flights through our agent who booked through Qantas. :-|

We have booked:

Sydney - Nai (Air Pacific operated by Qantas (not sure what that means)

Nadi - Honolulu (Air Pacific operated by Qantas)

Honolulu - LAX - (American Airlines operated by Qantas)

LAX - SYDNEY (Qantas)

Ok, so I joined Qantas Club today and my question is...how can we get upgraded on these flights??

Ideally, our Fiji-Honolulu and LAZ - Sydney.

Apparently Air Pacific have some kind of pay at the airport deal??


Do you think because we joined Qantas Club that will give us more of a chance of an upgrade or not?

Our LAX-SYDNEY ticket is apparently a non-upgradable fare?? (I had no idea about this until this morning - it was loads cheaper).

Can anyone help us with upgrade advice? Especially seeing as I have now joined the Qantas Club (through a corporate rate) we are hoping and praying this will give us a free upgrade on at least one of our flights??

Thanks everyon!!

Bed from Sydney
Bride to Be

 

[Mwenenzi]

bridetobesydney Welcome to FT

Can anyone help us with upgrade advice? Especially seeing as I have now joined the Qantas Club (through a corporate rate) we are hoping and praying this will give us a free upgrade on at least one of our flights??

Sorry to bring bad new, but the chances of a free upgrade are close to zero or less.
You can only upgrade a QF flight number when on a QF aircraft and only with QF freq flyer points (nothing to with Q club)

You request an upgrade on the QF web site (manage my booking). Upgrades are allocated according to Freq Flyer status using your FF points

Some flights (red-e and others) are not upgradeable

Unsure if Air Pacific has pay at the airport deal.

 

[NM]

Welcome to AFF and congratulations on your pending marriage.

Unfortunately the news is not good regarding upgrades. I think you will find the SYD-NAN, and NAD-HNL are actually operated by Air Pacific, though they may have Qantas Codeshare flight numbers. If this is the case, then no way to upgrade through the Qantas FF scheme - only by paying for a business class fare. The same goes for HNL-LAX which will be operated by American Airlines and may have a Qantas flight number (again a codeshare).

For example, the flight QF391 is operated by Air Pacific. Generally any QF flight number in the 200-399 range is a codeshare and not operated by Qantas. I cannot find any QF flight numbers (codeshare or otherwise) for NAN-HNL.

I am not aware of Air Pacific (FJ) offering upgrades at the airport, but it can't hurt to ask politely.

There is no way to upgrade an AA operated HNL-LAX flight if it has a QF flight number on the ticket. If its an AA flight number then you can use AAdvantage miles (and probably a co-payment) to upgrade. But you need an AAdvantage account with sufficient miles for the upgrade.

For the QF flight LAX-SYD you need to be in a paid fare booking class other than N, O or Q. If you have already been told the fare is not upgradable, then its safe to assume its is N, O or Q booking class. The only option there is to pay to upgrade that to a V or higher fare. Then you have the ability to waitlist for an upgrade using QF FF points. However, do note that the cost for a one-way upgrade LAX-SYD is 72,000 points for each person. And the upgrade is waitlisted and provided in order of FF status priority. So as Bronze members, you are at the end of the priority list for the upgrade and unlikely to be successful.

So I suggest you just plan to travel in the cabin for which you have paid, and save the anticipation and spending money for the honeymoon itself.

 

[Tawita]

Your SYD-NAN and NAN-HNL flights will be on FJ (Air Pacific) planes (747-400 for SYD-NAN and 737-700 or -800 for NAN-HNL). The NAN-HNL sector is definitely codeshared by QF (QF3841). You should be aware that two of the three weekly NAN-HNL flights are non-stop, while the Wednesday flight stops over at CXI (Kiritimati (aka Christmas Island) in Kiribati).

FJ often have on-departure upgrades to J available for purchase, which they advertise at check-in. If you don't see the advertisement there's no harm in asking. I've never bought an upgrade, but I understand that it is cheaper than buying J outright. Having said that, I wouldn't bother for either of your FJ sectors - SYD-NAN is only 4[FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode, sans-serif]½[/FONT] hours, and the difference between Y and J on the 737 between NAN and HNL is negligible (you might get some free soap, though).

You will be able to use the Tabua Club lounge in Nadi before your flight to HNL (after security, don't go up the escalator but continue straight on and you'll see it up ahead and to your left).

Congratulations on your wedding.

 

[Evan]

And when you check in, would not hurt to casually mention your just married and on your honeymoon.
If a check in agent has to make a choice of who to upgrade for operational reasons then then could work in your favor.

E

 

[Mal]

You will be able to use the Tabua Club lounge in Nadi before your flight to HNL (after security, don't go up the escalator but continue straight on and you'll see it up ahead and to your left).

In Nadi, The Tabua Club only admits Qantas Gold and Platinum FF'ers, and their own Tabua Club members. Qantas Club doesn't get access.

 

[Travel Guru]

In Nadi, The Tabua Club only admits Qantas Gold and Platinum FF'ers, and their own Tabua Club members. Qantas Club doesn't get access.

That's correct, they used too, but recently changed the ruling, so unfortunately the only place you're going to be able to access a lounge is LA and possible (not 100% sure) Sydney, other than that, you're out of luck I believe.

Congratulations on your marriage.

TG

 

[drron]

And lounge access in honolulu as well being QP.

 

[bambbbam2]

but the chances of a free upgrade are close to zero or less.

You know I once thought this a mathematical impossibility until I knew Qantas!

 

[Travel Guru]

And lounge access in honolulu as well being QP.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression QP members get no access when flying AA, or does the codeshare QF flt # allow for access?

TG

 

[NM]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression QP members get no access when flying AA, or does the codeshare QF flt # allow for access?

TG

Qantas Club members may access Qantas Clubs, AAdmirals Club and BA Lounges when departing on a flight operated and marketed by those airlines.

The HNL lounge is an interesting case since it morphs from a Qantas Club into an AAdmirals Club each day.

A Qantas Club member will have access to the QF/AA lounge at HNL if departing on a Qantas or AA flight that day.