Jan 14, 2015, 5:58 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF)
The basics:
QF releases their awards from 353 days out to QF FF's and some ffp's (Amadeus CRS). So at the 331 days (~Sabre CRS) AA for award release there are scant seats left. They tend to add more much closer to the day of flight, if there are seats available.
2017.07.08 edit by FlyerTalkUserName: For US flights it has been my recent, but limited experience that QF releases award availability around 10-11 months from departure. Consider searching for one seat in F and one in J as well.
Consider alternate cities. E.g. Flights to BNE might be easier to book with AA miles than SYD or MEL, so adding a segment from BNE might give you a trip denied by connecting in SYD. You might have to remind AA reservationists, because they might not consider BNE.
Consider alternate airlines, such as HA from HNL, TN via PPT, FJ via NAN, etc.
N.B. Travel via Honolulu, or Asia (e.g. HKG or NRT), will require two awards.
aa.com occasionally may report "phantom availability" of premium awards on Qantas.
2017.07.08 edit by FlyerTalkUserName: Conversely, aa.com occasionally may not show available Qantas awards. Use BA's search tool, QF's search tool, or service like ExpertFlyer to see availability. Call in to ticket.
The aa.com oneworld and Other Airline Award Chart may be seen here, for required miles and restrictions on connections.
Note: Reservation speculating, or tying up award space to "flip" in (or out of) Coupon Connection will not be tolerated. If you have an "extra" reservation, simply cancel or refund it. This will not be allowed in this forum either.
Qantas Routes
To be updated
SYD to LAX, DFW, HNL and YVR. SYD SFO restart delayed
BNE to LAX
MEL to LAX and DFW
SYD AKL JFK from 14 June 2023
Notes
Routes can change, so please check the schedule.
During low seasons some routes may not have flights every day.
Not all flights/routes have first class. Only the QF A380 aircraft have has first class.
QF have retired all B747's and sent them to the Mojave desert (July 2020)
+++++++++++++++++
/Moderator
Older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF)
Note: Older posts have been archived off to this thread
Updates & edits
20 May 2016 - JDiver
23 Sept 2019 - Mwenenzi QF routes added
11 Mar 2020 - Mwenenzi QF route changes
31 Jul 2020 - Mwenenzi QF B747 retired. More Covid-19 announcements from QF
07 Aug 2020 - Mwenenzi QF B787 to storage
12 Nov 2021 - Mwenenzi QF announcements 3 off
05 Mar 2022 - Mwenenzi QF announcements
12 Jun 2022 - Mwenenzi QF announcements removed (except 2) as AU fully open & QF flying AU<--->USA
24 Dec 2022 - Mwenenzi QF post CV19 announcements removed. MELDFW route added
THIS WIKI IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD VALUE.
The basics:
QF releases their awards from 353 days out to QF FF's and some ffp's (Amadeus CRS). So at the 331 days (~Sabre CRS) AA for award release there are scant seats left. They tend to add more much closer to the day of flight, if there are seats available.
2017.07.08 edit by FlyerTalkUserName: For US flights it has been my recent, but limited experience that QF releases award availability around 10-11 months from departure. Consider searching for one seat in F and one in J as well.
Consider alternate cities. E.g. Flights to BNE might be easier to book with AA miles than SYD or MEL, so adding a segment from BNE might give you a trip denied by connecting in SYD. You might have to remind AA reservationists, because they might not consider BNE.
Consider alternate airlines, such as HA from HNL, TN via PPT, FJ via NAN, etc.
N.B. Travel via Honolulu, or Asia (e.g. HKG or NRT), will require two awards.
aa.com occasionally may report "phantom availability" of premium awards on Qantas.
2017.07.08 edit by FlyerTalkUserName: Conversely, aa.com occasionally may not show available Qantas awards. Use BA's search tool, QF's search tool, or service like ExpertFlyer to see availability. Call in to ticket.
BA only shows 3 cabins in output. When searching for award seats, make sure to select 1st class as cabin and it will show premium economy, business and 1st rather than economy, premium economy and business
It only displays flights where there is a seat in at least one cabin. If there is no availability on the flight in any cabin, then the flight will not be displayed.
It only displays flights where there is a seat in at least one cabin. If there is no availability on the flight in any cabin, then the flight will not be displayed.
Note: Reservation speculating, or tying up award space to "flip" in (or out of) Coupon Connection will not be tolerated. If you have an "extra" reservation, simply cancel or refund it. This will not be allowed in this forum either.
Qantas Routes
To be updated
SYD to LAX, DFW, HNL and YVR. SYD SFO restart delayed
BNE to LAX
MEL to LAX and DFW
SYD AKL JFK from 14 June 2023
Notes
Routes can change, so please check the schedule.
During low seasons some routes may not have flights every day.
Not all flights/routes have first class. Only the QF A380 aircraft have has first class.
QF have retired all B747's and sent them to the Mojave desert (July 2020)
+++++++++++++++++
/Moderator
Older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF)
Note: Older posts have been archived off to this thread
Updates & edits
20 May 2016 - JDiver
23 Sept 2019 - Mwenenzi QF routes added
11 Mar 2020 - Mwenenzi QF route changes
31 Jul 2020 - Mwenenzi QF B747 retired. More Covid-19 announcements from QF
07 Aug 2020 - Mwenenzi QF B787 to storage
12 Nov 2021 - Mwenenzi QF announcements 3 off
05 Mar 2022 - Mwenenzi QF announcements
12 Jun 2022 - Mwenenzi QF announcements removed (except 2) as AU fully open & QF flying AU<--->USA
24 Dec 2022 - Mwenenzi QF post CV19 announcements removed. MELDFW route added
THIS WIKI IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD VALUE.
AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF) & related (consolidated)
Oct 8, 2016, 6:21 pm
#646
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,017
..I'm trying to book a domestic Qantas flight with AA miles from MEL-CNS. BA.com shows an itinerary connecting in BNE that is perfect for me, but it's not showing on aa.com (NOTHING shows on aa.com in economy BNE-CNS even though ba shows plentiful space on that route)..
Oct 8, 2016, 6:38 pm
#647
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
Thanks for that advice. The BNE-CNS segment does not show up on ba.com when I search for it in isolation, so maybe it's just phantom availability. The cash fare on this route isn't very expensive, so maybe I'll just do that. However, ba.com does show other BNE-CNS segments that are not on aa.com, which does not show any economy availability on this route for months at a time. For my information, can anybody comment on whether a QF seat that is genuinely available to BA is also available to AA?
Oct 8, 2016, 7:02 pm
#648
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: All of them, Katie
Posts: 224
Thank you. I'm also trying to get a different intra-australia ticket booked for my sister and I'm running into similar problems (direct flight appears on ba.com, but not aa.com). I'll try some more agents for that one.
Oct 8, 2016, 7:10 pm
#649
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,586
Oct 9, 2016, 1:25 pm
#650
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: All of them, Katie
Posts: 224
As an update, this still seems like a situation where AA is not willing or able to access the same space as other oneworld airlines. Some examples:
11/27 MEL-BNE-CNS on QF 616 and QF 784:
Qantas.com: 3 seats available
BA.com: 3 seats available
JAL.com: 3 seats available
AA.com: NOT available
AA agents: NOT available
11/26 BNE-CNS on QF 784:
Qantas.com: 9 seats available
BA.com: 9 seats available
JAL.com: 9 seats available
AA.com: NOT available
AA agents: NOT available
Any ideas on why this is happening or if there's some way to convince an AA agent to check in some other way?
11/27 MEL-BNE-CNS on QF 616 and QF 784:
Qantas.com: 3 seats available
BA.com: 3 seats available
JAL.com: 3 seats available
AA.com: NOT available
AA agents: NOT available
11/26 BNE-CNS on QF 784:
Qantas.com: 9 seats available
BA.com: 9 seats available
JAL.com: 9 seats available
AA.com: NOT available
AA agents: NOT available
Any ideas on why this is happening or if there's some way to convince an AA agent to check in some other way?
Oct 9, 2016, 1:37 pm
#651
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
As an update, this still seems like a situation where AA is not willing or able to access the same space as other oneworld airlines. Some examples:
11/27 MEL-BNE-CNS on QF 616 and QF 784:
Qantas.com: 3 seats available
BA.com: 3 seats available
JAL.com: 3 seats available
AA.com: NOT available
AA agents: NOT available
11/26 BNE-CNS on QF 784:
Qantas.com: 9 seats available
BA.com: 9 seats available
JAL.com: 9 seats available
AA.com: NOT available
AA agents: NOT available
Any ideas on why this is happening or if there's some way to convince an AA agent to check in some other way?
11/27 MEL-BNE-CNS on QF 616 and QF 784:
Qantas.com: 3 seats available
BA.com: 3 seats available
JAL.com: 3 seats available
AA.com: NOT available
AA agents: NOT available
11/26 BNE-CNS on QF 784:
Qantas.com: 9 seats available
BA.com: 9 seats available
JAL.com: 9 seats available
AA.com: NOT available
AA agents: NOT available
Any ideas on why this is happening or if there's some way to convince an AA agent to check in some other way?
Oct 9, 2016, 1:51 pm
#652
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,586
It seems odd - business class availability seems to be better, but economy only at 6am via Sydney and not in line with other sites
Did you phone AA US or AA AU - I have found agents at the different countries sometimes see different availability , but given the dearth of availability on aa.com, something seems odd
I would suggest that it would be better value to just buy a ticket on Jetstar. At $169 , can get a non stop service rather than paying 10k plus $42 to go via BNE . It does seem like a poor value redemption - though that doesn't take away that there seems to be something strangs going on
Did you phone AA US or AA AU - I have found agents at the different countries sometimes see different availability , but given the dearth of availability on aa.com, something seems odd
I would suggest that it would be better value to just buy a ticket on Jetstar. At $169 , can get a non stop service rather than paying 10k plus $42 to go via BNE . It does seem like a poor value redemption - though that doesn't take away that there seems to be something strangs going on
Last edited by Dave Noble; Oct 9, 2016 at 1:58 pm
Oct 9, 2016, 1:53 pm
#653
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Oct 9, 2016, 2:10 pm
#655
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: All of them, Katie
Posts: 224
ExpertFlyer also shows plenty of economy award availability on that as well. I'm passing this along to someone at AA who occasionally takes an interest in these situations to see what they think the issue is. BA and AA should have identical access the the QF award inventory, but this appears to be a pretty glaring example otherwise.
Oct 9, 2016, 2:13 pm
#656
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: All of them, Katie
Posts: 224
It seems odd - business class availability seems to be better, but economy only at 6am via Sydney and not in line with other sites
Did you phone AA US or AA AU - I have found agents at the different countries sometimes see different availability , but given the dearth of availability on aa.com, something seems odd
I would suggest that it would be better value to just buy a ticket on Jetstar. At $169 , can get a non stop service rather than paying 10k plus $42 to go via BNE . It does seem like a poor value redemption - though that doesn't take away that there seems to be something strangs going on
Did you phone AA US or AA AU - I have found agents at the different countries sometimes see different availability , but given the dearth of availability on aa.com, something seems odd
I would suggest that it would be better value to just buy a ticket on Jetstar. At $169 , can get a non stop service rather than paying 10k plus $42 to go via BNE . It does seem like a poor value redemption - though that doesn't take away that there seems to be something strangs going on
Oct 9, 2016, 2:19 pm
#657
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Oct 9, 2016, 2:55 pm
#658
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: All of them, Katie
Posts: 224
I get that they're not trained on issues like these and I tried to not be rude or anything. I mostly was hoping that it was just a website issue and the right agent would still be able to see it in their system. Plus, I wanted to be thorough with my information for the post above with what the agents could see, so I called back a few times. Thanks again for your help.
Oct 9, 2016, 4:20 pm
#659
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,017
If the leg on hold is international into BNE (from another country), as that would be your entry into Australia you would need to clear immigration, customs & quarantine with all your carry-on & checked baggage. Then check in for the Au domestic flight
Oct 17, 2016, 6:53 am
#660
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 6
Hi all,
Hope this is the right place to ask this question... If not, I apologise (mods feel free to move if this is the wrong place!)
Looking for some advice regarding an upcoming award booking that I have. I've been snagged at the airport once before having just a reservation and no valid e-ticket - I've vowed never to let that happen again, so would appreciate the advice of those who redeem much more frequently than me!
I snagged a late availability First seat on QF9 from MEL-LHR by speaking with AA over the phone.
So I wanted to ask the brains trust on here - does this reservation appear 'normal', or is there an underlying error which may not have been picked up?
Many thanks!
EDIT: I should add that although the Qantas PDF doesn't contain the e-ticket #, the email is entitled 'Confirmation and e-ticket flight itinerary...'. In the past when I've had QF awards (redeemed with QF points) which haven't ticketed, such emails have only contained the word 'itinerary'. Not sure if this information is useful or not....
Hope this is the right place to ask this question... If not, I apologise (mods feel free to move if this is the wrong place!)
Looking for some advice regarding an upcoming award booking that I have. I've been snagged at the airport once before having just a reservation and no valid e-ticket - I've vowed never to let that happen again, so would appreciate the advice of those who redeem much more frequently than me!
I snagged a late availability First seat on QF9 from MEL-LHR by speaking with AA over the phone.
- AA confirmed availability, took payment and ticketed the reservation with me over the phone
- Shortly thereafter, an email arrived with an AA reloc & e-ticket number
- Qantas FF account shows the booking and a Qantas reloc for this booking
- Checkmytrip.com shows the 'e-ticket number', but does not show the usual fields of 'Issuing Airline' and 'E-ticket processed on XX Oct 2016'
- If I check classic.checkmytrip.com, there is no e-ticket number and the 'e-ticket receipt' button is missing
- There is no 'print receipt' button in the manage my booking screen on AA.com
- Requesting a resent itinerary from qf.com gives me a reservation email using the QF reloc, but there is no e-ticket number on there
- Prefunds.aa.com 'get receipt' returns the following status for this sector:
Origin City | Destination City | Airline | Flight # | Booking Class | Flight Date | Flight Time | Status | Fare Base
MEL | LHR | QF | 0009 | P | [Removed] | 11:55 | OK | Z115POQ/AVD89
Passenger | Ticket # | Fare | Taxes and Carrier | Ticket Total
[Removed] | 00123xxxxxxxx | 0.01 USD | 64.28 USD | 49.40 GBP
So I wanted to ask the brains trust on here - does this reservation appear 'normal', or is there an underlying error which may not have been picked up?
Many thanks!
EDIT: I should add that although the Qantas PDF doesn't contain the e-ticket #, the email is entitled 'Confirmation and e-ticket flight itinerary...'. In the past when I've had QF awards (redeemed with QF points) which haven't ticketed, such emails have only contained the word 'itinerary'. Not sure if this information is useful or not....