Originally Posted by
mmthomps
My husband and I want to fly LAX to Perth, departing mid-September and returning early October. I need to fly on United; we want to fly business; he'll fly on miles, and i"ll upgrade with miles & $$.
Right now, I can get this booking, with available upgrade for me on the LAX-Australia routing and business class saver (80K) flying into Sydney, and back from Melbourne for my husband. I can't get a guaranteed upgrade on the return if we go through Sydney; and I can't book him through on miles to Perth, at least not on United.
This means that in order to fly from Sydney to Perth, and then from Perth to Melbourne, I'd have to buy separate tickets (Qantas, or Virgin Australia). My question is: what would it take to change planes from an inbound United flight at Sydney to one of those other airlines; and then from one of those carriers to United at Melbourne. I don't know those airports. If we checked any luggage, would we have to claim it and recheck? Is that possible and, if so, how long a layover would we need? We could try to do all carry on, but we'll be there hiking, etc., for 3 weeks.
How confident you will find business class award availability and be able to be ungraded on the same UA flight both ways? USA Australia premium awards and upgrades are far from easy.
As you have found there are no Au domestic Star Alliance airlines (RIP Anestt)
Have you looked at the cost of SYD-PER & PER-MEL? In business class? Is a ~4hr flight.
Or do you have ff miles with another ffp?
Au airlines will not interline to UA on separate tickets.
You may be better looking as USA-SIN and then flights SIN-PER
SQ fly SIN-PER
Route map--->
Great Circle Mapper
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perth_Airport
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