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Older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF)
Note: Older posts have been archived off to this thread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)
Jul 27, 2018, 1:34 am
#856
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,026
Jul 27, 2018, 9:08 am
#857
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 269
Found on QF's site. Looks like BA can't even pull up the flight to verify...
Aug 1, 2018, 3:04 pm
#858
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 509
Seeing decent US-AUS F availability next year - even 2 seats on the same flight. Booked two different routes on the A380 for two pax. You wont find anything on the AA site. Have to check QF, BA or expert flyer.
Aug 5, 2018, 8:37 pm
#859
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 101
How to book on quantas using a miles
First, I can’t see any qantas flights on aa.com when I search using pay with miles or pay with credit card. I want to fly from Cid to Sydney and back in feb. I saw a great flight on Qantas that went from DFW to Sydney using the qantas web site, but I don’t have any qantas miles. Just aa. That flight Didn’t have to go through Los Angeles like all the aa flights do. But, have no clue how to book this using aa miles. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Aug 5, 2018, 8:44 pm
#860
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
First, I can’t see any qantas flights on aa.com when I search using pay with miles or pay with credit card. I want to fly from Cid to Sydney and back in feb. I saw a great flight on Qantas that went from DFW to Sydney using the qantas web site, but I don’t have any qantas miles. Just aa. That flight Didn’t have to go through Los Angeles like all the aa flights do. But, have no clue how to book this using aa miles. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
However, you should also be aware that QF releases more award space to its own members than to partner airlines, so there's no guarantee that the agent will be able to book those flights.
Aug 5, 2018, 8:59 pm
#862
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2009
Location: FRA / YEG
Programs: AC Super Elite, Radisson Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 11,874
https://www.aa.com/i18n/aadvantage-p...ward-chart.jsp
Aug 22, 2018, 5:05 am
#863
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 786
Very frustrating, QF,BA I can see the flight I want MEL-SYD in J, on AA absolutely no J award on my date.
When calling they can see other flights to SYD on QF but not mine, would prefer to fly the 8am service on the A330 than the 8:45am on the 737 :-(
When calling they can see other flights to SYD on QF but not mine, would prefer to fly the 8am service on the A330 than the 8:45am on the 737 :-(
Aug 22, 2018, 2:51 pm
#864
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
If you have access to expert flyer - check on there and see whether it shows the flight as availablke
Aug 24, 2018, 12:11 am
#865
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,417
This might not be specific to QF, but a technical question regarding award changes. I understand you can fix up your routing for free as long as O&D stays the same.
To use my actual example, say CNS-BNE-MEL-HBA has U2, and MEL-HBA is also just U2. Meanwhile there is a nonstop CNS-MEL which is U1 (and CNS-MEL-HBA shows U1). If I book the two-stop itinerary and then later CNS-MEL gets more U space, is it possible to change while "holding" the seats on the same MEL-HBA flight, or will it revalidate downline inventory including the seats I'm holding on the flight.
To use my actual example, say CNS-BNE-MEL-HBA has U2, and MEL-HBA is also just U2. Meanwhile there is a nonstop CNS-MEL which is U1 (and CNS-MEL-HBA shows U1). If I book the two-stop itinerary and then later CNS-MEL gets more U space, is it possible to change while "holding" the seats on the same MEL-HBA flight, or will it revalidate downline inventory including the seats I'm holding on the flight.
Aug 24, 2018, 12:27 am
#866
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
This might not be specific to QF, but a technical question regarding award changes. I understand you can fix up your routing for free as long as O&D stays the same.
To use my actual example, say CNS-BNE-MEL-HBA has U2, and MEL-HBA is also just U2. Meanwhile there is a nonstop CNS-MEL which is U1 (and CNS-MEL-HBA shows U1). If I book the two-stop itinerary and then later CNS-MEL gets more U space, is it possible to change while "holding" the seats on the same MEL-HBA flight, or will it revalidate downline inventory including the seats I'm holding on the flight.
To use my actual example, say CNS-BNE-MEL-HBA has U2, and MEL-HBA is also just U2. Meanwhile there is a nonstop CNS-MEL which is U1 (and CNS-MEL-HBA shows U1). If I book the two-stop itinerary and then later CNS-MEL gets more U space, is it possible to change while "holding" the seats on the same MEL-HBA flight, or will it revalidate downline inventory including the seats I'm holding on the flight.
If the MEL-HBA sector is married to the BNE-MEL sector, then you may not be able to do it
Aug 25, 2018, 12:53 am
#867
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,417
If the availability for the 2 stop itinerary is not based on married sector availability , then if you are holding CNS-BNE-MEL-HBA for 2 people and then CNS-MEL changes to U2 , then you can indeed make the change to CNS-MEL-HBA without losing the MEL-HBA sector
If the MEL-HBA sector is married to the BNE-MEL sector, then you may not be able to do it
If the MEL-HBA sector is married to the BNE-MEL sector, then you may not be able to do it
I also have the option of booking CNS-BNE-SYD-HBA, but this has a 717 segment and I'm not sure if it's a plus or a minus that I'm not locking in the MEL-HBA space. I assume when I change I will have to call?
Aug 25, 2018, 1:40 am
#868
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,600
No major reason not to take the 717 over a 737 - I would just take whichever has the best timings now and go with that - you can get connections in Brisbane with a very short connection that do not make it that much longer than a non stop
Aug 25, 2018, 6:12 am
#869
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 623
I ran into this exact same issue on the same routing and finally gave up. Not sure if it’s married segment or what. I never experienced award availability conflicts between EF and AA’s call center when booking long-haul QF awards. I did when trying to book MEL-SYD.
Aug 25, 2018, 1:05 pm
#870
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,417
All the possible routings are the same CNS-BNE connecting to either SYD-HBA or MEL-HBA, with almost identical arrival times. It seems like the flights at the extremes (CNS and HBA) are strongly banked, so if you miss the 13:00 bank to HBA you have to wait until evening. If stuck on a 2-stop itinerary, I would be down to discriminating by things like 717s (narrower than 737s) and rumors that the lounge situation in MEL is rather lousy right now.