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Older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AAdvantage miles awards to / from Australia (consolidated)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)
May 8, 2014, 6:17 pm
#106
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,708
Please excuse the newb questions here, guys.
I live in New York. I would like to visit Australia with my wife some time in 2015, using AA miles to end up in J or F. We also have at least one BA/Chase companion ticket and don't mind paying the taxes involved with getting to LHR.
Questions:
THANKS!
I live in New York. I would like to visit Australia with my wife some time in 2015, using AA miles to end up in J or F. We also have at least one BA/Chase companion ticket and don't mind paying the taxes involved with getting to LHR.
Questions:
- Instead of going west, is it possible to go from the east coast of the USA (EWR, JFK, PHL, IAD, BOS, etc.) to somewhere in Europe (LHR on BA, maybe?) and then down to Sydney on Qantas?
- Does this violate some AAdvantage award routing rules?
- Would it require two awards?
- Is it possible in practicality to book this in J or F? (Is this kind of thing ever actually available?)
THANKS!
May 8, 2014, 6:30 pm
#107
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 58
You cannot go via Europe unless you redeem 2 awards North America-Europe plus Europe-South Pacfic which would cost 50k/62.5k for North America to Europe plus 60k/80k for Europe to South Pacific rather than the 62.5k/72.5k it would cost travelling directly from North America to South Pacific
What exactly did this guy do?: http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/...w-zealand.html
May 8, 2014, 6:37 pm
#108
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,743
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
OK, that makes sense. Thanks.
What exactly did this guy do?: http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/...w-zealand.html
He used US miles, not AA miles. US has more liberal routing rules for its awards.
Originally Posted by compson
You cannot go via Europe unless you redeem 2 awards North America-Europe plus Europe-South Pacfic which would cost 50k/62.5k for North America to Europe plus 60k/80k for Europe to South Pacific rather than the 62.5k/72.5k it would cost travelling directly from North America to South Pacific
What exactly did this guy do?: http://www.frugaltravelguy.com/2014/...w-zealand.html
May 8, 2014, 6:45 pm
#109
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 58
May 9, 2014, 8:14 am
#110
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Washington DC
Programs: AA Plt Pro (2MM)
Posts: 202
Please excuse the newb questions here, guys.
I live in New York. I would like to visit Australia with my wife some time in 2015, using AA miles to end up in J or F. We also have at least one BA/Chase companion ticket and don't mind paying the taxes involved with getting to LHR.
Questions:
THANKS!
I live in New York. I would like to visit Australia with my wife some time in 2015, using AA miles to end up in J or F. We also have at least one BA/Chase companion ticket and don't mind paying the taxes involved with getting to LHR.
Questions:
- Instead of going west, is it possible to go from the east coast of the USA (EWR, JFK, PHL, IAD, BOS, etc.) to somewhere in Europe (LHR on BA, maybe?) and then down to Sydney on Qantas?
- Does this violate some AAdvantage award routing rules?
- Would it require two awards?
- Is it possible in practicality to book this in J or F? (Is this kind of thing ever actually available?)
THANKS!
Finding F availability on QF is difficult so I've flown BA in F on most of the legs for my redemtion travels along with one CX and one QF segment mixed in. On the occasions I've flown alone, it has been obviously easier finding single seats as opposed to two of them but when I've flown with my wife we've managed to find two F award seats without significant difficulty as long as we've remained flexible on travel dates/routings.
Enjoy Australia...a beautiful country with tons to do, great food and wine. Get out of Sydney if time allows and explore other cities along with the interior of the country...you won't regret it.
May 10, 2014, 2:53 am
#111
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Hunter Valley, Australia
Programs: Qantas, American Airlines, Hyatt, Accor
Posts: 41
You sound like a true ambassador for Australia! I don't blame you for liking this country - I arrived here from the UK (for a couple of years in 1974) and I'm still here.
May 10, 2014, 8:11 am
#112
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 58
Finding F availability on QF is difficult so I've flown BA in F on most of the legs for my redemtion travels along with one CX and one QF segment mixed in. On the occasions I've flown alone, it has been obviously easier finding single seats as opposed to two of them but when I've flown with my wife we've managed to find two F award seats without significant difficulty as long as we've remained flexible on travel dates/routings.
Enjoy Australia...a beautiful country with tons to do, great food and wine. Get out of Sydney if time allows and explore other cities along with the interior of the country...you won't regret it.
Enjoy Australia...a beautiful country with tons to do, great food and wine. Get out of Sydney if time allows and explore other cities along with the interior of the country...you won't regret it.
I'm thinking that the way to go here might be to book JFK-LHR RT on BA using our Companion Ticket, and then use some other award currency to get to Australia and back to London. Using Avios to get to the South Pacific will cost something like a billion points.
Obviously, this is a high-wire act to find availability, but luckily our schedule is not constrained in any way for the next couple of years. I can work from anywhere.
May 10, 2014, 9:01 am
#113
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Miami 7-Million Miler EXP
Posts: 829
AA DFW-HKG etc
Please excuse the newb questions here, guys.
I live in New York. I would like to visit Australia with my wife some time in 2015, using AA miles to end up in J or F. We also have at least one BA/Chase companion ticket and don't mind paying the taxes involved with getting to LHR.
THANKS!
I live in New York. I would like to visit Australia with my wife some time in 2015, using AA miles to end up in J or F. We also have at least one BA/Chase companion ticket and don't mind paying the taxes involved with getting to LHR.
THANKS!
May 10, 2014, 9:10 am
#114
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 58
Jun 12, 2014, 12:58 pm
#115
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: NYC
Posts: 73
Hey everyone, I am attempting to plan a trip to SYD with my girlfriend with a departure date of either late December (after the 25th) or the first few days in January 2015. From what I have searched (and I imagined this would be the case) business class is a long shot. I have about 300k AA miles.
I searched Qantas, Hawaiian and even Cathay via HK but none had anything (as one would expect for the last week in December). It seems like qantas DFW-SYD in economy is my only option. Am I missing something? And, if I go ahead and book the economy and set alerts just in case, realistically what are my chances that 2 seats will open up at some point in the next six months?
Thanks!
I searched Qantas, Hawaiian and even Cathay via HK but none had anything (as one would expect for the last week in December). It seems like qantas DFW-SYD in economy is my only option. Am I missing something? And, if I go ahead and book the economy and set alerts just in case, realistically what are my chances that 2 seats will open up at some point in the next six months?
Thanks!
Jun 12, 2014, 1:47 pm
#116
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,708
If you book the economy seats , then expect to fly economy. You may get lucky but the odds arn't that amazing
It isn't impossible that seats in 1st or Business will open ( with 300k you do have enough miles for either ) .
It isn't impossible that seats in 1st or Business will open ( with 300k you do have enough miles for either ) .
Jul 3, 2014, 10:56 pm
#117
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Award availability to Australia
Hi
I can see that AA will get me to australia for just 75K miles in E. That sounds too good to be true!
So what's the catch? I know you have to fly QF so perhaps no economy plus or whatever AA calls it.
Any other catches? Is availability difficult to get for more than 1 seat?
I can see that AA will get me to australia for just 75K miles in E. That sounds too good to be true!
So what's the catch? I know you have to fly QF so perhaps no economy plus or whatever AA calls it.
Any other catches? Is availability difficult to get for more than 1 seat?
Jul 3, 2014, 11:09 pm
#118
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,743
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Starting from where? Qantas is not necessarily your only option.
Starting from where? Qantas is not necessarily your only option.
Jul 3, 2014, 11:11 pm
#119
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
Qantas has a premium economy product but it involves less seats per row and a seat with more of a recline, as well as a footrest. It's sold as a separate class of service in between economy and business.
You can't buy an award ticket into that cabin. The one trip I was there was with an operational upgrade from economy.
You are not limited to Qantas to Australia. Hawaiian also offers AA award travel via Honolulu. I've been looking at some dates next year where Hawaiian can take me to Brisbane and then Qantas back to Auckland. These flights will appear on the AA website. There are some other smaller carriers that don't provide inventory on the AA website.
I've always seen a lot of economy availability though tend to be looking for single seats.
If you've never been to Australia I have lots of photos linked below.
You can't buy an award ticket into that cabin. The one trip I was there was with an operational upgrade from economy.
You are not limited to Qantas to Australia. Hawaiian also offers AA award travel via Honolulu. I've been looking at some dates next year where Hawaiian can take me to Brisbane and then Qantas back to Auckland. These flights will appear on the AA website. There are some other smaller carriers that don't provide inventory on the AA website.
I've always seen a lot of economy availability though tend to be looking for single seats.
If you've never been to Australia I have lots of photos linked below.
Jul 3, 2014, 11:16 pm
#120
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Everywhere you wanna be
Programs: AA EP | UA 1K
Posts: 1,657
Hi
I can see that AA will get me to australia for just 75K miles in E. That sounds too good to be true!
So what's the catch? I know you have to fly QF so perhaps no economy plus or whatever AA calls it.
Any other catches? Is availability difficult to get for more than 1 seat?
I can see that AA will get me to australia for just 75K miles in E. That sounds too good to be true!
So what's the catch? I know you have to fly QF so perhaps no economy plus or whatever AA calls it.
Any other catches? Is availability difficult to get for more than 1 seat?
Personally i dont like QF economy. Its standard seat pitch 31 inches, they dont have main cabin extra (extra leg room) or any sort of similar product unless you manage to get an exit row seat. However DFW-SYD service is going A380 come september and that will be a very good flying experience if you get a good seat. LAX has A380 service to SYD and MEL, and another 744 service to SYD and to BNE. Personally i'd stick with the A380.
HA is not a good option because of the stopover and their economy product does not compare to QF. If you're going to sit in a cramped seat might as well be on QF with superior service.
People think im crazy but i prefer UA over any other carrier (im not flying DL screw that) to australia simply because of economy plus and star alliance lounge access. (SQ lounge in SYD is extremely good). Actually 99% of my flights on UA are exclusively to australia now. AA gets most of my business for everything else
when they start flying to SYD, UA is screwd! haha.