Using FF points For Premium and Business seats - no availability?

[waynens]

Hi everyone. I'm new to this forum. I have saved over the past 3 - 4 years, 1 million FF miles via Ccard and flights. I have only flown Qantas and often forgone cheaper airlines so to build our status to gold and build our miles such that I one day could afford to fly my family of 5 to the US in either Prem economy or business. Due to business commitments, I can only take a vacation in December. I unsuccessfully tried a approx 9 months ago to book for this past Dec and was told by Qantas staff to try 355 days in advance which I promptly did but only to discover that there were zero availability for 1 seat let alone 5!!! The only availabiliy is economy! I then searched august, sept, Oct and Nov just for interest, only to discover that there is no way I could ever wish to fly my family from Brisbane to los angeles return in prem or business. any suggestions??

 

[cwphoto]

Any Seat Awards - but 1M points won't be enough.

Unless you can get the discounted JASAs, you're way better off paying with real $ anyway.

 

[anchew]

you'll find difficulty in getting 5 award J on the same flight, especially for a popular destination like lax.

 

[RooFlyer]

Were you trying SYD and MEL to LAX, as well as the BNE direct flight?

Do you have any QF status? Better if you do, but you could try calling the FF line and ask/beg/wheedle. I've done it and got a pair of seats on a flight 2 months out that wasn't showing any availability on the web site (but am, ahem WP which helped).

But as anchew says, getting 5 seats in J will be extremely difficult, with almost any sector (although it has been reported). You may need to work on another strategy, such as splitting family between 2 flights (not good, I know).

There are tools such as ExpertFlyer where you can check the actual availability of seats in different classes / categories (including Award), but others would be better placed to advise you on that. There is an ExpertFlyer forum here, or just ask for it in QFF for QF availability.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Welcome to the forum
As above getting 5 PE/bus awards in Dec to LAX on 1 flight us near impossible. Qantas can sell seats for real $$ that time. You will need to split into smaller groups.
Leaving from BNE is a further complication, More seats out of MEL & SYD

So look at BNE/SYD/MEL to LAX or even DFW/HNL on different days. You may end up on 3 or more flights. Some of you may have to pay for a normal revenue seat.

There is a web site called expert flyer that may help. Has a limited free subscription and paid subscription. It sends you (and others) an email when the class of seat you want is available

Stay around on AFF. A lot of experience and help here

Edit: rooflyer was typing his response at the same time as me

 

[cove]

Split up into 2 twos and a one?
Try out of SYD and MEL.
How old are the children?
I mostly use SQ as availability from cc points is the best. QF is pretty difficult for 5.
Welcome to AFF!

 

[Major]

Welcome to AFF

You might have a look at Award Nexus as well.

https://awardnexus.com/user/login?url=/

 

[waynens]

Thanks so much to everyone! I have tried splitting up family ie. 2 business and 3 prem economy on a single flight but no availability. I will try splitting up family on two flights provided it's within a day or so.
I have also tried Sydney but not Melbourne. I'm Gold status but it doesn't seem to count much!
Given what I have heard about SQ FF program, I think I may have to move away from qantas as it's all too hard! I honestly feel so let down by qantas. I wrote to them and no one bothered to reply! My take on it is that Qantas unlike Singapore airlines makes it extremely difficult to redeem your points when we have shown the loyalty to them! This is the first time that I have tried to redeem my points for a full seat and a year out from travel date and qantas says " No!". Surely ACC must have something to say about this? I will defintely try expert flyer. Thanks again to all

 

[RooFlyer]

In general yes, I would agree that QF makes redemption more difficult than many other FF programs in the region - but it does make higher status qualification easier I think.

if you are Gold, then do try the phone route. Nothing much to lose.

Another suggestion. Maybe try QF award to Hawaii. I should know, but I don't - maybe you can then get an Award flight on AA from Hawaii to LAX using QFF points (OneWorld alliance). Or pay for that shorter hop.

Good luck

 

[cove]

If Malaysian join One World on 1st of February be one of the first to try them before 8 million others think of it.

 

[Limewood]

Could also try OZ to HKG then to LAX or SFO on CX, Ok its longer but doable.

 

[serfty]

It's 353 days, midnight UTC, 10am Brisbane time.

 

[waynens]

Thanks for your help
Sorry what is Jasa mean??

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thanks for your help
Sorry what is Jasa mean??

J refers to the class of ticket in this case Business

ASA - means any seat award. refer to the QF site and type that in and go from there.

 

[drron]

There is a solution but not all using QFF points.there are still a few days in December where you can get 4 J awards to HKG on QFF,virtually any day there is then QFF award availability on CX flights to NRT for 4 in J.There are several CX flights to NRT every day so all could go in J on that sector just a couple of hours apart.From NRT AA have 5 J awards on most days to LAX for 50000 AA miles.You could all join up for free on line then buy 40000 miles this month and get 15000 bonus miles.Will cost $US1100 each.

But if you really want to experience premium flying on several days early december there are 5 F awards to LAX.That costs 62500 aa miles so 48000 miles + 15000 bonus will cost you $US1320.So for an extra $220 you can fly first class.

Problems-will probably have to overnight in HKG and possibly NRT as well.
Second this only gets you there,not back.However the second half of January is not yet loaded so if you go on as the day is loaded at least you should get 5 Y awards on the direct flight to BNE.

 

[Mwenenzi]

..Sorry what is JASA mean??

Have a look here: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....uent-flyer-program/how-do-i-book-j-29610.html
But my limited understanding of this is that if classic awards are not available *ASA will/can be expensive in points and $