Jul 4, 2014, 8:35 pm
Last edit by: Mwenenzi
oneworld nonstop flights between USA and Australia are operated by American Airlines / AA and Qantas / QF. US gateways include DFW, JFK, LAX, SFO. Australia gateways include BNE, MEL, SYD.
Alternatives include using Hawaiian / HA from HNL, Fiji Airways / FJ from Los Angeles / LAX or SFO via NAN or Air Tahiti Nui / TN via PPT. (QF codeshares on Jetstar are no longer bookable as AA awards). You must route direct or South Pacific; awards via Asia, or transatlantic require two awards. Premium Economy services may not be booked with AAdvantage miles yet.
Awards using HA / Hawaiian Airlines require two awards, and one may not use HA between the mainland and Hawaii.
Only MileSAAver Awards are available on AA partners.
The usual award rules regarding Maximum Permitted Miles (MPM) and unconstructed origin-destination routings sold by the prevailing carrier apply.
Qantas releases awards ~355 days out; AA can not book anything beyond 331 days out. Qantas awards are challenging to secure. AA MileSAAver flights seem to be scarce on the LAX-SYD routing, even when aircraft go out with empty seats. AAnytime awards can be used on AA, but dynamic pricing may see those for as much as 225,000 miles one way in First.
Note: there are fees involved in award changes from oneworld airlines to non-oneworld partners or vice versa.
See here for current AA redemption charts.
Threads that can help include:
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Assistance & Discussion (consolidated) (you must use MileSAAver awards on partners; AAnytime wards may only be used on AA.)
AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF) (consolidated)
AAdvantage Miles Awards: TN / Air Tahiti Nui award redemptions
FJ / Fiji Airways (ex-Air Pacific) and AA, awards, etc. (consolidated)
Older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AAdvantage miles awards to / from Australia (consolidated)
Edit (post pandemic list at 06 Aug 2022 by Mwenenzi)
Member Mwenenzi posted
Alternatives include using Hawaiian / HA from HNL, Fiji Airways / FJ from Los Angeles / LAX or SFO via NAN or Air Tahiti Nui / TN via PPT. (QF codeshares on Jetstar are no longer bookable as AA awards). You must route direct or South Pacific; awards via Asia, or transatlantic require two awards. Premium Economy services may not be booked with AAdvantage miles yet.
Awards using HA / Hawaiian Airlines require two awards, and one may not use HA between the mainland and Hawaii.
Only MileSAAver Awards are available on AA partners.
The usual award rules regarding Maximum Permitted Miles (MPM) and unconstructed origin-destination routings sold by the prevailing carrier apply.
Qantas releases awards ~355 days out; AA can not book anything beyond 331 days out. Qantas awards are challenging to secure. AA MileSAAver flights seem to be scarce on the LAX-SYD routing, even when aircraft go out with empty seats. AAnytime awards can be used on AA, but dynamic pricing may see those for as much as 225,000 miles one way in First.
Note: there are fees involved in award changes from oneworld airlines to non-oneworld partners or vice versa.
See here for current AA redemption charts.
Threads that can help include:
oneworld and Other Airline (Partner) Awards info, rules 2014 on
MileSAAver / SAAver Award Availability - Assistance & Discussion (consolidated) (you must use MileSAAver awards on partners; AAnytime wards may only be used on AA.)
AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF) (consolidated)
AAdvantage Miles Awards: TN / Air Tahiti Nui award redemptions
FJ / Fiji Airways (ex-Air Pacific) and AA, awards, etc. (consolidated)
Older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AAdvantage miles awards to / from Australia (consolidated)
Edit (post pandemic list at 06 Aug 2022 by Mwenenzi)
Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from Australia. Following the pandemic, routes are being restabilised and some new routes. Schedules can change. Route restart dates subject to change.
Following the pandemic routes are being restabilised and with some new routes. Schedules can change. Route restart dates subject to change
- Air Canada AC YVR – SYD BNE. [Star Alliance] .
- Air New Zealand NZ LAX SFO IAH YVR via AKL. [Star Alliance]
- Air Tahiti Nui TN LAX – via Tahiti & AKL. Last segments on QF codeshares. (AA & DL partner)
- American Airlines AA LAX-SYD due to restart 29 Oct 2022 [OneWorld Alliance]
- Delta DL LAX – SYD. [Skyteam Alliance]
- Fiji Airways FJ LAX SFO HNL – BNE SYD MEL via NAN Fiji. (OneWorld Alliance connect. QF AA & AS partner)
- Hawaiian HA HNL – SYD. Pre CV19 also used to fly to BNE (AA & VA partner)
- Jetstar JQ HNL – SYD. Pre CV19 also used to fly to/from BNE & MEL.
- Qantas QF SYD - LAX DFW HNL YVR*; BNE - LAX ; MEL- LAX. {* seasonal}. MEL-DFW due to start 02 Dec 2022 (new route). SYD – SFO due to restart 30 Oct 2022. Pre CV19 also had SYD-SFO & SYD-JFK(via LAX). [OneWorld Alliance]
- United UA MEL-SFO, SYD-LAX SFO. BNE-SFO from 31 Oct 2022 (new route). MEL-LAX and SYD-IAH due to restart 30 Oct 2022. [Star Alliance]. (VA partner)
- and others via Asia & Middle East
Following the pandemic routes are being restabilised and with some new routes. Schedules can change. Route restart dates subject to change
- American Airlines AA . DFW-AKL due to start 29 Oct 2022 to 25 Mar 2023(new route) LAX-AKL due to restart unknow. AA was to fly LAX-CHC 3 days a week from Oct 2020. [Oneworld Alliance]
- Air Canada AC YVR – AKL Due to restart 12 Nov 2022 [Star Alliance]
- Air New Zealand NZ LAX SFO IAH YVR – AKL. Pre CV19 also had ORD. [Star Alliance]
- Air Tahiti Nui TN LAX - AKL via Tahiti (AA & DL partner)
- Fiji Airways FJ LAX SFO HNL - AKL via NAN Fiji Pre CV19 used to fly to WLG CHC. (QF AA & AS partner).
- Hawaiian HA HNL – AKL (AA & VA partner)
- Qantas QF LAX SFO DFW JFK HNL YVR* via SYD BNE & MEL. {* seasonal} [Oneworld Alliance])
- United UA SFO – AKL [Star Alliance]
- And others via Australia, Asia & Middle East
Member Mwenenzi posted
Mxflyer Welcome to FT
Many threads on this topic.
USA <---->Australia business class awards are one of the hardest to get. An award in ~6 to 8 weeks time (short notice) even harder. 2 people on the same flight harder again.
Hard but may not be impossible. At times availability can increase close in.
What ffp's are you currently a signed up member of?
If you look only at LAX SYD you are restricting your options a lot, and then some. Look at SFO, IAH & DFW and BNE MEL. BNE can have better availability than other airports. Domestic USA & Australia flights as needed
Via Asia is the other option, but would be 2 awards. BKK, HKG, TPE, SIN, NRT, HND and others. Due to political unrest some HKG flights have low loads
They do not need to fly the same airline/ffp/routes/airports out & back. Look for one ways.
AA ff miles cannot be used to upgrade QF flights. Anyway upgrades, with any airline on the USA Aust routes are hard.
Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from Australia
Edit
List deleted due to out of date post Covid-19 pandemic (see above)
AA & UA also fly LAX-AKL. Then a 3:30hr flight across to Aust.
Via Fiji or on TN can work
AA forum
Consider these Award booking services - a list and some reviews
Credit card transfer links
Many threads on this topic.
USA <---->Australia business class awards are one of the hardest to get. An award in ~6 to 8 weeks time (short notice) even harder. 2 people on the same flight harder again.
Hard but may not be impossible. At times availability can increase close in.
What ffp's are you currently a signed up member of?
If you look only at LAX SYD you are restricting your options a lot, and then some. Look at SFO, IAH & DFW and BNE MEL. BNE can have better availability than other airports. Domestic USA & Australia flights as needed
Via Asia is the other option, but would be 2 awards. BKK, HKG, TPE, SIN, NRT, HND and others. Due to political unrest some HKG flights have low loads
They do not need to fly the same airline/ffp/routes/airports out & back. Look for one ways.
AA ff miles cannot be used to upgrade QF flights. Anyway upgrades, with any airline on the USA Aust routes are hard.
Airlines that fly USA/Canada to/from Australia
Edit
List deleted due to out of date post Covid-19 pandemic (see above)
AA & UA also fly LAX-AKL. Then a 3:30hr flight across to Aust.
Via Fiji or on TN can work
AA forum
- Australia New Zealand---->AAdvantage award to / from Australia, New Zealand (master thread)
- FJ---->FJ / Fiji Airways (ex-Air Pacific) and AA, miles, awards, etc. (consolidated)
- HA---> Earning and Redeeming AA Miles on HA / Hawaiian Airlines (master thread)
- JL---> AAdvantage Award using JL / JAL / Japan Airlines (master thd)
- QF---> AA miles awards: using / redeeming AA miles on Qantas (QF) & related (consolidated)
- TN ----> AA Miles Award: TN / Air Tahiti Nui award redemptions (master thread)
Consider these Award booking services - a list and some reviews
Credit card transfer links
- Credit, Debit and Prepaid Card Programs forum
- Amex MR Transfer Membership Rewards points to which airline or hotel program?
- Chase UR Ultimate Rewards - Airline and Hotel Transfer Partners, Rules, Timeline, etc (2017)
- Chase UR Ultimate Rewards - Which airline/hotel should I transfer points to?
- Citi TYP Citi ThankYou Points (TYPs): airline transfer partners
AA MileSAAver award to / from Australia, New Zealand (master thread)
Dec 28, 2013, 3:45 pm
#76
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: San Jose, CA USA
Programs: AA EXPLT DL PLT
Posts: 10
Thanks for that and the links in your signature are awesome! ^
Dec 28, 2013, 3:56 pm
#77
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
So using AA Award engine to book trips to AUS/NZ, Book the outbound and return as separate trips? Looks like it's easy enough to do on 330, but since the wife and I are planning 3+ weeks there, getting J on the return isn't a problem, getting J (or better HA!) on the outbound is a PITA.
Here's the most likely itinerary
SJC/SFO-LAX-CHC(via MEL/BNE) then 2.5 weeks in NZ
AKL-SYD (3 day stop)
SYD (or MEL/BNE)-LAX-SJC/SFO
Maybe an explorer is the way to go?
I have both an Expert Flyer account & a Qantas FF account, the latter being a big tease because you can see 353 days out vs. 330 and the ExPlat desk is of almost no help. Grrr.
Here's the most likely itinerary
SJC/SFO-LAX-CHC(via MEL/BNE) then 2.5 weeks in NZ
AKL-SYD (3 day stop)
SYD (or MEL/BNE)-LAX-SJC/SFO
Maybe an explorer is the way to go?
I have both an Expert Flyer account & a Qantas FF account, the latter being a big tease because you can see 353 days out vs. 330 and the ExPlat desk is of almost no help. Grrr.
Getting to CHC can be a bit tricky due to there not being many flights there, but if happy to pay the small cost for a domestic NZ flight, options increase with the greater number of flights to AKL ( e.g. SFO-HKG-AKL on CX ) plus options to include stopovers should the need or desire arise
Dec 30, 2013, 10:23 am
#78
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,935
Problem:
Award desk is pricing LAX-HKG-PER as two awards, US to Asia / Asia to Oceania, even though CX publishes a through fare LAX-HKG-PER (eg 'JD' biz revenue fare). Petitioning the agent (and the supervisor) noting that there's a published fare has been unsuccessful.
Suggested strategy?
Award desk is pricing LAX-HKG-PER as two awards, US to Asia / Asia to Oceania, even though CX publishes a through fare LAX-HKG-PER (eg 'JD' biz revenue fare). Petitioning the agent (and the supervisor) noting that there's a published fare has been unsuccessful.
Suggested strategy?
Dec 30, 2013, 10:55 am
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,494
Problem:
Award desk is pricing LAX-HKG-PER as two awards, US to Asia / Asia to Oceania, even though CX publishes a through fare LAX-HKG-PER (eg 'JD' biz revenue fare). Petitioning the agent (and the supervisor) noting that there's a published fare has been unsuccessful.
Suggested strategy?
Award desk is pricing LAX-HKG-PER as two awards, US to Asia / Asia to Oceania, even though CX publishes a through fare LAX-HKG-PER (eg 'JD' biz revenue fare). Petitioning the agent (and the supervisor) noting that there's a published fare has been unsuccessful.
Suggested strategy?
Nothing you can do here...
Dec 30, 2013, 12:40 pm
#81
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,624
If there is no availability directly to Australia and you are doing a r/t journey and want to take the CX service, I would suggest getting an Explorer award. Instead of being 2 * ( 35k + 55k ) = 180k , it will cost 150k . You would need to include a sector with another OW airline ( other than AA ), so perhaps a short sidetrip within Australa
Dec 30, 2013, 2:07 pm
#82
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,935
Appreciate the tip, DN.
We're going o/w (returning *A via NRT, looking forward to ANA 787 service) and so the Explorer chart isn't attractive for that distance. I was considering fitting in some QF domestic segments along with an Explorer award but in the end the economics of two one way awards won out.
We're going o/w (returning *A via NRT, looking forward to ANA 787 service) and so the Explorer chart isn't attractive for that distance. I was considering fitting in some QF domestic segments along with an Explorer award but in the end the economics of two one way awards won out.
Feb 13, 2014, 2:45 pm
#83
Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 135
Advice on Award Travel to Australia
We are trying to plan a trip to Australia for October. I have looked at all the AA partners for award travel and there is no availability for two seats in J.
I even found a low airfare with good connections from LAX through NAN to Brisbane and back from Sydney on Fiji Air with a special business fare of $3300, but the reviews on Fiji Airways are terrible. Anyone have any recent experience with this airline?
I would appreciate any creative ideas on how to use my AA miles to get to Australia....seems as though one would have to pay the big bucks and fly Qantas.
I even found a low airfare with good connections from LAX through NAN to Brisbane and back from Sydney on Fiji Air with a special business fare of $3300, but the reviews on Fiji Airways are terrible. Anyone have any recent experience with this airline?
I would appreciate any creative ideas on how to use my AA miles to get to Australia....seems as though one would have to pay the big bucks and fly Qantas.
Feb 13, 2014, 4:38 pm
#84
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: USA & UK -- AA EXP 3.5MM, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Avis President's Club
Posts: 6,411
LAX or SFO to HKG on CX; HKG to Australia on QF or CX. It takes two awards but at least there's a chance of finding it available.
We are trying to plan a trip to Australia for October. I have looked at all the AA partners for award travel and there is no availability for two seats in J.
I even found a low airfare with good connections from LAX through NAN to Brisbane and back from Sydney on Fiji Air with a special business fare of $3300, but the reviews on Fiji Airways are terrible. Anyone have any recent experience with this airline?
I would appreciate any creative ideas on how to use my AA miles to get to Australia....seems as though one would have to pay the big bucks and fly Qantas.
I even found a low airfare with good connections from LAX through NAN to Brisbane and back from Sydney on Fiji Air with a special business fare of $3300, but the reviews on Fiji Airways are terrible. Anyone have any recent experience with this airline?
I would appreciate any creative ideas on how to use my AA miles to get to Australia....seems as though one would have to pay the big bucks and fly Qantas.
Feb 13, 2014, 4:48 pm
#85
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,604
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
As long as at least two of AA's oneworld partners are used on the itinerary, using a distance-based Explorer award will cost fewer miles than using a series of one-way awards when routing via HKG (or via TYO).
Originally Posted by SquareDanceGuy
LAX or SFO to HKG on CX; HKG to Australia on QF or CX. It takes two awards but at least there's a chance of finding it available.
We are trying to plan a trip to Australia for October. I have looked at all the AA partners for award travel and there is no availability for two seats in J.
I even found a low airfare with good connections from LAX through NAN to Brisbane and back from Sydney on Fiji Air with a special business fare of $3300, but the reviews on Fiji Airways are terrible. Anyone have any recent experience with this airline?
I would appreciate any creative ideas on how to use my AA miles to get to Australia....seems as though one would have to pay the big bucks and fly Qantas.
I even found a low airfare with good connections from LAX through NAN to Brisbane and back from Sydney on Fiji Air with a special business fare of $3300, but the reviews on Fiji Airways are terrible. Anyone have any recent experience with this airline?
I would appreciate any creative ideas on how to use my AA miles to get to Australia....seems as though one would have to pay the big bucks and fly Qantas.
Feb 13, 2014, 10:45 pm
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,030
Other large threads here (a common topic)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post22051805
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post22261154
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post22327812
Edit
Post 421 to 417 merged into this thread from its own thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post22051805
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post22261154
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...l#post22327812
Edit
Post 421 to 417 merged into this thread from its own thread
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Feb 16, 2014 at 2:20 am
Feb 15, 2014, 11:35 pm
#90
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Hunter Valley, Australia
Programs: Qantas, American Airlines, Hyatt, Accor
Posts: 41
We are trying to plan a trip to Australia for October. I have looked at all the AA partners for award travel and there is no availability for two seats in J.
I even found a low airfare with good connections from LAX through NAN to Brisbane and back from Sydney on Fiji Air with a special business fare of $3300, but the reviews on Fiji Airways are terrible. Anyone have any recent experience with this airline?
I would appreciate any creative ideas on how to use my AA miles to get to Australia....seems as though one would have to pay the big bucks and fly Qantas.
I even found a low airfare with good connections from LAX through NAN to Brisbane and back from Sydney on Fiji Air with a special business fare of $3300, but the reviews on Fiji Airways are terrible. Anyone have any recent experience with this airline?
I would appreciate any creative ideas on how to use my AA miles to get to Australia....seems as though one would have to pay the big bucks and fly Qantas.