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Older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF)
Note: Older posts have been archived off to this thread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)
Nov 2, 2019, 8:42 pm
#916
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,029
Hi, I'm trying to book an award ticket for my family of 4 from SFO to Australia. We're targeting Nov 2020, leaving Th 11/12 or Fri 11/13 and returning approximately 2 weeks later on Th 11/26 (Thanksgiving day) or Friday 11/27.
I'm only interested in non stop flights and want to do an open jaws. Since the only non stop flights to Australia from SFO are SYD, BNE and MEL, that narrows it to those 3 cities. of those, I'd definitely want SYD, and either BNE (preferred), or MEL (less preferred).
I want to use my AS miles for one way (for example, SFO-BNE (stopover)- SYD) because I don't have enough AS miles for the RT for 4 people.
I do have enough miles on AA to complete the other one way portion (SYD-SFO) for 4 people. So although all travel will be on Qantas, the miles used would come from both AS and AA.
<snip>
Thanks and would appreciate any advice/tips/suggestions! I also posted this on the AS thread. Apologies for the duplicate
I'm only interested in non stop flights and want to do an open jaws. Since the only non stop flights to Australia from SFO are SYD, BNE and MEL, that narrows it to those 3 cities. of those, I'd definitely want SYD, and either BNE (preferred), or MEL (less preferred).
I want to use my AS miles for one way (for example, SFO-BNE (stopover)- SYD) because I don't have enough AS miles for the RT for 4 people.
I do have enough miles on AA to complete the other one way portion (SYD-SFO) for 4 people. So although all travel will be on Qantas, the miles used would come from both AS and AA.
<snip>
Thanks and would appreciate any advice/tips/suggestions! I also posted this on the AS thread. Apologies for the duplicate
Very likely your party will have to split 2+2 or 3+1 and/or fly on different routes and/or different days and/or different flights that are not non-stop. Your party, or some of your party, may need USA and/or Australian domestic flights award or cash paid. That's the way it is.
All awards are one way so open jaw comment is irrelevant.
Note the date line changes on USA<---->Aust flights
Some routes do not have flights every day. BNE flights use only the B787. MEL & SYD have the A380, so more seats. Aircraft type can vary.
AS forum QF thread Consolidated Qantas (QF) Awards Availability/Booking/Routing Thread
Nov 2, 2019, 11:19 pm
#917
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 368
Award flights using AA miles only start to become available at 331 days before departure; it's entirely up to QF -- not AA -- to determine what award seats to make available to partners.
Note that AA permits awards to be held without charge for up to five days. This free hold will probably be useful to you if you have to coordinate an award booking with AS miles too.
Have all of the adults in your party maxed out on the credit-card bonuses for AAdvantage miles available through both Barclays and Citi?
Note that AA permits awards to be held without charge for up to five days. This free hold will probably be useful to you if you have to coordinate an award booking with AS miles too.
Have all of the adults in your party maxed out on the credit-card bonuses for AAdvantage miles available through both Barclays and Citi?
We haven't maxed out all our credit card bonuses, but not sure if that'll help if we can't find the award availability first.
Nov 2, 2019, 11:30 pm
#918
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,029
AA 331 days out is an AA software design issue (Sabre). Amadeus, as used by QF, BA and many others is 353 days out
Have seen written on FT & AFF for for QF freq flyer's availability is determined by status. QF OW Emerald & Sapphire 353 days out and QF OW Silver & Ruby 297 days out.
AA also fly LAX-SYD
Nov 2, 2019, 11:35 pm
#919
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 368
Just supply and (extremely high) demand.
QF seems to release awards randomly in batches. AA 331 days out is an AA software design issue (Sabre). Amadeus, as used by QF, BA and many others is 353 days out
Have seen written on FT & AFF for for QF freq flyer's availability is determined by status. QF OW Emerald & Sapphire 353 days out and QF OW Silver & Ruby 297 days out.
QF seems to release awards randomly in batches. AA 331 days out is an AA software design issue (Sabre). Amadeus, as used by QF, BA and many others is 353 days out
Have seen written on FT & AFF for for QF freq flyer's availability is determined by status. QF OW Emerald & Sapphire 353 days out and QF OW Silver & Ruby 297 days out.
Any ideas on how to book PE seats on QF using AA miles? doesn't show up as an option (maybe not available, but seems like it's not even an option online). Do I have to call in for that?
Nov 2, 2019, 11:41 pm
#920
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,029
what's QF's availability on AA's website for members with no OW status like myself? Seems like 275 days, but like you said, it could just be because it was released in this batch. however, looking at some other posts on this thread seems like 275 days out is (at least somewhat of) a recurring theme.
Any ideas on how to book PE seats on QF using AA miles? doesn't show up as an option (maybe not available, but seems like it's not even an option online). Do I have to call in for that?
Any ideas on how to book PE seats on QF using AA miles? doesn't show up as an option (maybe not available, but seems like it's not even an option online). Do I have to call in for that?
Q2. AA recently (~3 days ago) added PE award with partners.
Just keep looking and be flexible on routes/dates/splitting party.
QF are not the only options USA<-->Aust.
Good luck
Nov 6, 2019, 9:38 am
#921
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 368
Q1. Anyones guess. Premium award demand far exceeds supply. Looking for 4 at a time may be the issue
Q2. AA recently (~3 days ago) added PE award with partners.
Just keep looking and be flexible on routes/dates/splitting party.
QF are not the only options USA<-->Aust.
Good luck
Q2. AA recently (~3 days ago) added PE award with partners.
Just keep looking and be flexible on routes/dates/splitting party.
QF are not the only options USA<-->Aust.
Good luck
Searching on AA's website for award availability (even just 1 pax, regular economy) I see nothing beyond 275 days for any flight on QF (SFO-SYD, SFO-MEL, SFO-BNE and reverse). it all stops at 275 days. THere are flights from USA to Australia beyond 275 days, but not on QF.
Also, a technical question when searching using the calendar view on AA's website. Sometimes on the left there is a dropdown for choosing nonstop flights only, but other times it doesn't show up. How do I get that to show up consistently? That way I'm not just clicking on random dates and finding out it's a connecting flight (which is what I don't want). It only seems to show up when the calendar search includes dates that have nonstop filghts (which currently is 275 days out). anything beyond that, the option doesn't appear, which implies to me that there are no QF flights bookable (at least that I can see) beyond 275 days. not sure why when everyone keeps telling me its 331 days.
Last edited by kayexalate; Nov 6, 2019 at 9:46 am
Nov 6, 2019, 11:40 pm
#922
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: DRW
Programs: QFF
Posts: 155
I have an AA reward booking coming up, not on AA metal but QR & QF on one ticket. Last leg booked into X but overall it is an F redemption for the other legs. J has just opened up on the final leg - if I ring AA is it likely they can change the ticket for the final leg to J instead of X?
Nov 7, 2019, 1:58 am
#923
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,029
I have an AA reward booking coming up, not on AA metal but QR & QF on one ticket. Last leg booked into X but overall it is an F redemption for the other legs. J has just opened up on the final leg - if I ring AA is it likely they can change the ticket for the final leg to J instead of X?
Just because a business class seat is for cash sale does not mean it is available an award seat.
Nov 8, 2019, 11:41 am
#925
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: DRW
Programs: QFF
Posts: 155
Rang AA a little over four hours ago and they advised they would cancel the ticket and reissue a new one. Ticket cancelled immediately after.
So far no new record locator or ticket; stressing a wee bit that I’ve lost the F redemption (QR J connecting to QF F) and the flights haven’t returned as available online - not any points back.
This might be entirely normal but am now scouting for alternative options to get me home. Is there a rule of thumb on how long to leave this before ringing back?
So far no new record locator or ticket; stressing a wee bit that I’ve lost the F redemption (QR J connecting to QF F) and the flights haven’t returned as available online - not any points back.
This might be entirely normal but am now scouting for alternative options to get me home. Is there a rule of thumb on how long to leave this before ringing back?
Nov 8, 2019, 5:16 pm
#926
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
Rang AA a little over four hours ago and they advised they would cancel the ticket and reissue a new one. Ticket cancelled immediately after.
So far no new record locator or ticket; stressing a wee bit that I’ve lost the F redemption (QR J connecting to QF F) and the flights haven’t returned as available online - not any points back.
This might be entirely normal but am now scouting for alternative options to get me home. Is there a rule of thumb on how long to leave this before ringing back?
So far no new record locator or ticket; stressing a wee bit that I’ve lost the F redemption (QR J connecting to QF F) and the flights haven’t returned as available online - not any points back.
This might be entirely normal but am now scouting for alternative options to get me home. Is there a rule of thumb on how long to leave this before ringing back?
Log in to your AA account and pull up the itinerary by the old record locator. It should be there with the upgraded flight, and should indicate the ticket status. If something isn't right, call back immediately.
Nov 9, 2019, 3:57 pm
#927
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: DRW
Programs: QFF
Posts: 155
I rang AA tonight after the AA PNR continued to show as cancelled but the Amadeus PNR seemed to still work and I could generate an e-ticket from QR.
After two AA agents I was told that there was an issue resulting from my phone call to change from X to J in the final leg and miles would have to be refunded and the ticket reissued - but this would incur the redeposit/ change fee. Whatever, I just want a working ticket now!
AA PNR reinstated and currently showing as on-request for the last few hours.
Possibly didn’t help that the ticket was A—B (since flown) and then D-C-B-A.
I am now just optimistic it will ticket with QR and QF over the next 24 hours as I fly out in less than 72.
After two AA agents I was told that there was an issue resulting from my phone call to change from X to J in the final leg and miles would have to be refunded and the ticket reissued - but this would incur the redeposit/ change fee. Whatever, I just want a working ticket now!
AA PNR reinstated and currently showing as on-request for the last few hours.
Possibly didn’t help that the ticket was A—B (since flown) and then D-C-B-A.
I am now just optimistic it will ticket with QR and QF over the next 24 hours as I fly out in less than 72.
Nov 9, 2019, 5:44 pm
#928
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)
Posts: 8,937
I rang AA tonight after the AA PNR continued to show as cancelled but the Amadeus PNR seemed to still work and I could generate an e-ticket from QR.
After two AA agents I was told that there was an issue resulting from my phone call to change from X to J in the final leg and miles would have to be refunded and the ticket reissued - but this would incur the redeposit/ change fee. Whatever, I just want a working ticket now!
AA PNR reinstated and currently showing as on-request for the last few hours.
Possibly didn’t help that the ticket was A—B (since flown) and then D-C-B-A.
I am now just optimistic it will ticket with QR and QF over the next 24 hours as I fly out in less than 72.
After two AA agents I was told that there was an issue resulting from my phone call to change from X to J in the final leg and miles would have to be refunded and the ticket reissued - but this would incur the redeposit/ change fee. Whatever, I just want a working ticket now!
AA PNR reinstated and currently showing as on-request for the last few hours.
Possibly didn’t help that the ticket was A—B (since flown) and then D-C-B-A.
I am now just optimistic it will ticket with QR and QF over the next 24 hours as I fly out in less than 72.
I think you could make a case that you shouldn't have been charged the reinstate fee since the change you made only required a ticket reissue, not a reinstate/reclaim. If a reinstate/reclaim was necessary (which I disagree with) then it was only necessary because of AA's mistake. You could try calling and asking for a resolutions agent, who can refund the fee. Failing that, you can use the web form to contact Customer Relations.
Nov 10, 2019, 8:42 am
#929
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: DRW
Programs: QFF
Posts: 155
Ticket had been reissued - however somehow the two QR flights have been dropped off/ left out and only have the two QF ones remaining.
Starting to panic a wee bit now!
Update: Somehow the original AA agent stuffed things up and cancelled the QR legs but upgraded the final flight (barely 3 hours long) to J. Having spoken to AA again now, QR aren’t immediately re-releasing the space that I had originally booked in J. Now in the hands of the ticket liaison people to try and get QR to play ball, otherwise I’ll be in coach with QR instead of regional J & Q suites.
AA have admitted some fault and apologised and have tried to look at other carriers in J but nothing else can do this route. Not sure if I should press for something back given the difference (& potentially charged me the reinstatement fee to decrease the award)
Flights are due to depart in 30 hours.
Starting to panic a wee bit now!
Update: Somehow the original AA agent stuffed things up and cancelled the QR legs but upgraded the final flight (barely 3 hours long) to J. Having spoken to AA again now, QR aren’t immediately re-releasing the space that I had originally booked in J. Now in the hands of the ticket liaison people to try and get QR to play ball, otherwise I’ll be in coach with QR instead of regional J & Q suites.
AA have admitted some fault and apologised and have tried to look at other carriers in J but nothing else can do this route. Not sure if I should press for something back given the difference (& potentially charged me the reinstatement fee to decrease the award)
Flights are due to depart in 30 hours.
Last edited by ChasingDaylight; Nov 10, 2019 at 11:06 am