Welltended3

Word on the web has it this is not worth pursuing...husband paying full fare business to SYD from IAD, me going along wither using miles and dollars or, preferably, all miles.
True? Any suggestions? Can't go if I don;t get a lie flat seat for various reasons. Can't pay $8K. Am I SOL?

clacko

if no award, buy coach & swap seats w/him...

JDiver

A very advance purchase is about half of that, iirc. But here's the deal: possible, yes, probable, it depends.

Though this thread will soon be merged into the active Qantas award thread so you can get some other ideas of how it can be done, be aware:

QF releases awards seats about thirty days earlier than they are available to AAdvantage members - we get the dregs, so to speak. So September is pretty close but not close enough to see the releases that might come a week or two prior to flight.

What will help - religiously looking for availability, being flexible on dates and routing. As your husband is paying "full fare" business, he has the flexibility of waiting to book until you find space. Persistence, patience and flexibility may get you what you want - but it also realistically might not be sufficient.

Alternatives might include an award using Air Pacific (Tabua Class is not lie flat, but as a side sleeper I have slept LAX-NAN), or TN to AKL via PPT and on to SYD on QF (more like AA's Business Class seat in terms of not horizontally flat). Hawaiian is more like the old AA "cradle" Business seat. And there's a possibility of using AA to HNL and going on if QF operates that still (not sure if JetStar would qualify for an award seat - others certainly would know better than I).

brie

Depending on the constraints on your husband's ticket, what about the buy-one-get-one-free deal on Amex platinum etc.? This requires having the card (about $350 last I checked) and may not be the best deal on his ticket, but if he's paying full fare it might also be about the same.

pssteve

OP may also watch CX availability to Asia (SIN) then QF from there.Would be more miles(2 awards) but if only need 1 award seat might be doable.

fbnewyork

Other Alternatives are:
-Not on AA/Qantas, but Amex Platinum Buy one get one Business fare
- AA to Tokyo(or Beijing or Shanghai), Qantas to Oz - More miles, but more availability.
- Ditto for Cathay to Hong Kong

JDiver

AMEX Platinum is a good idea - it's usually a full J fare for two people to fly, but it can be a decent alternative. I'd suggest, in that case, flying to LAX and catching the A380 to SYD. Very, very nice Business Class, especially in the forward minicabin. 12 E and F, for overnight flights, specifically. Pyjamas even.

Dave Noble

If you will not go if you cannot get business or higher, then in likelihood you will not go unless prepared to pay

If there is availability, then grab it, but it is a popular route. I have seen avaialbility become available close to departure, but then you will be gambling on availability being released for the journey back

Delta has a fare of around $6500, so should be doable for a fair bit less than $8k

Granlor

There are J awards on Sept 10 via LAX on AA/QF (via NRT) and CX (via HKG) and on Sept 12 (via NRT). I have not seen anything sensible for your return, if in September. You could have a look on Awardnexus to pick up JL availability.

Welltended3

Thanks all! I did see some things US-SYD on UA but also no returns. I guess I'll have to stick with looking for a way to dunp my 200K+ AA miles on planes that have the AA logo on them,,,maybe some day he'll go to China or Japan again! Realistically, if I had to pay $6K I could also just fly to Hawaii and we'd both have a week there on his way home for the equivalent of just the price of the business ticket to Sydney. I'd really rather be snorkeling the GBR, though!
I wanted to get to SYD for miles so we could spend our $ on the "after work" trip to the reef.
d reallt

JDiver

If snorkelling on the GBR is the primary purpose, I must say that IMO there are many places far better for snorkelling than the 'Reef. (I have spent a couple of weeks diving and snorkelling the GBR from a dive boat - but 56 years of doing these activities in many places like Fiji or out near Sulawesi in Indonesia where both were far better). The reef is some distance from Sydney, as well - up to Townsville, Cairns or even Gladstone, and then the best reef bits are on outlying islands - figure 40 miles out or more for good clarity and reef life. (Sydney has interesting marine life but it is temperate water and not in the coral band at all).

If being with your husband whilst he is on a business trip and you wish to do some sightseeing, Australia, AKA Godzone, is a wonderful place with lots of opportunities. It can be done, I have done it for ourselves and friends - meaning two seats in Business transpacific n QF - more than once. Like winning in sports, it probably won't be easy; you are faced with some serious work to secure an award seat both ways.

Welltended3

True. there are other great places. We've been to some of them and to the GBR three times, none recently. (We would be going up to Pt. Douglas or maybe Lizard--would rather give money to Lizard than AA/QF, hah hah!).
I've pretty much abandoned the notion of using the AA miles for this purpose.
We'll try UA...we have more history there. Just managed to get to Australia and back in Feb/Mar on lie flats, me upgrading with miles...
Thanks for the help and suggestions.

JDiver

Well, goodonya then. That's flexibility - and you will be probably be able to find the time and place to use those AAdvantage miles.