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Older posts have been archived to ARCHIVE: AAdvantage miles awards to / from Australia (consolidated)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)
Jul 7, 2015, 6:40 pm
#226
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Hunter Valley, Australia
Programs: Qantas, American Airlines, Hyatt, Accor
Posts: 41
If the itinerary can be booked as a single award you will only find out by a call to AAdvantage. They are generally very helpful if you explain what you are trying to achieve.
Jul 8, 2015, 8:39 am
#227
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,273
Good News/BadNews - Award Availability To Australia in Dec/Jan
Hi,
First the good news. You can now fly with Australia with both QF and HA (via HNL) and as a bonus if you play your cards right can even get a night or two lay over in HNL.
The bad news. AA has loads of availability in early December which is when I want to leave but none in late December/early Jan when I want to return.
Any suggestions on how to overcome this? Will they release more seats for early Jan or is it done?
First the good news. You can now fly with Australia with both QF and HA (via HNL) and as a bonus if you play your cards right can even get a night or two lay over in HNL.
The bad news. AA has loads of availability in early December which is when I want to leave but none in late December/early Jan when I want to return.
Any suggestions on how to overcome this? Will they release more seats for early Jan or is it done?
Jul 8, 2015, 9:15 am
#229
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
Jul 8, 2015, 11:13 am
#230
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Hi,
First the good news. You can now fly with Australia with both QF and HA (via HNL) and as a bonus if you play your cards right can even get a night or two lay over in HNL.
The bad news. AA has loads of availability in early December which is when I want to leave but none in late December/early Jan when I want to return.
Any suggestions on how to overcome this? Will they release more seats for early Jan or is it done?
First the good news. You can now fly with Australia with both QF and HA (via HNL) and as a bonus if you play your cards right can even get a night or two lay over in HNL.
The bad news. AA has loads of availability in early December which is when I want to leave but none in late December/early Jan when I want to return.
Any suggestions on how to overcome this? Will they release more seats for early Jan or is it done?
Stopovers are not permitted with AAdvantage awards.
Please read the wiki and through the thread for further information.
/Moderator
Jul 12, 2015, 10:55 am
#231
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: District of Columbia
Programs: UA: 1K, AA: Gold, Hilton: Diamond, Marriott: Plat Premier, Hertz: Pres Circle
Posts: 122
Appreciate the response. I ended up finding a flight to Hong Kong so I'll be able to keep my original reward routing on United from HKG-GUM-CNS-AKL-CHC. Not bad for 25K miles in business.
Jul 15, 2015, 10:56 am
#237
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548
Not sure where this belongs....AA, QF, JL... or "one world'?? combined, pre-consolidation, etc etc.... but it is mostly AAdvantage points. So here goes.
Trying to get from California to Sydney in First Class, AA award travel.
Options:
1. QF either LAX or SYD. Have F DFW-SYD but date is not optimal. A combined 350k miles BA and AA avios (300k Avios) and miles, need to get to DFW too (50k AA)
2. LAX-NRT on AA in F (777) connect to JL771 also in F (773 1-2-1 config) 245k AA miles.
3. LAX-LHR on AA in F (77W) connect to QF (LHR-DXB-SYD) in F (A380) ~300k AA miles.
I can of course 'wait and see' if space opens on the better dates for #1, and hold 2 or 3 as backup.
#3 seems like a grand 2.5 day adventure....Mrs ExecPlat not so thrilled though. With a 10 hours connection and a 6-7 hour day room sleep at LHR, we would be on Sydney time by the time we land.
Thoughts?
Trying to get from California to Sydney in First Class, AA award travel.
Options:
1. QF either LAX or SYD. Have F DFW-SYD but date is not optimal. A combined 350k miles BA and AA avios (300k Avios) and miles, need to get to DFW too (50k AA)
2. LAX-NRT on AA in F (777) connect to JL771 also in F (773 1-2-1 config) 245k AA miles.
3. LAX-LHR on AA in F (77W) connect to QF (LHR-DXB-SYD) in F (A380) ~300k AA miles.
I can of course 'wait and see' if space opens on the better dates for #1, and hold 2 or 3 as backup.
#3 seems like a grand 2.5 day adventure....Mrs ExecPlat not so thrilled though. With a 10 hours connection and a 6-7 hour day room sleep at LHR, we would be on Sydney time by the time we land.
Thoughts?
Jul 15, 2015, 11:11 am
#238
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Phoenix, AZ USA
Programs: AA Life Gold, Marriott Platinum Elite
Posts: 472
Not sure where this belongs....AA, QF, JL... or "one world'?? combined, pre-consolidation, etc etc.... but it is mostly AAdvantage points. So here goes.
Trying to get from California to Sydney in First Class, AA award travel.
Options:
1. QF either LAX or SYD. Have F DFW-SYD but date is not optimal. A combined 350k miles BA and AA avios (300k Avios) and miles, need to get to DFW too (50k AA)
2. LAX-NRT on AA in F (777) connect to JL771 also in F (773 1-2-1 config) 245k AA miles.
3. LAX-LHR on AA in F (77W) connect to QF (LHR-DXB-SYD) in F (A380) ~300k AA miles.
I can of course 'wait and see' if space opens on the better dates for #1, and hold 2 or 3 as backup.
#3 seems like a grand 2.5 day adventure....Mrs ExecPlat not so thrilled though. With a 10 hours connection and a 6-7 hour day room sleep at LHR, we would be on Sydney time by the time we land.
Thoughts?
Trying to get from California to Sydney in First Class, AA award travel.
Options:
1. QF either LAX or SYD. Have F DFW-SYD but date is not optimal. A combined 350k miles BA and AA avios (300k Avios) and miles, need to get to DFW too (50k AA)
2. LAX-NRT on AA in F (777) connect to JL771 also in F (773 1-2-1 config) 245k AA miles.
3. LAX-LHR on AA in F (77W) connect to QF (LHR-DXB-SYD) in F (A380) ~300k AA miles.
I can of course 'wait and see' if space opens on the better dates for #1, and hold 2 or 3 as backup.
#3 seems like a grand 2.5 day adventure....Mrs ExecPlat not so thrilled though. With a 10 hours connection and a 6-7 hour day room sleep at LHR, we would be on Sydney time by the time we land.
Thoughts?
Did you try routes on CX through HKG?
Jul 16, 2015, 3:22 pm
#240
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
Award Routing to Fiji and Australia
Hi all!
First of all thanks for the help you are about to provide
^
I have currently and award on Business Class MIA-SFO-SYD for 62.5k Miles on AA and QF.
I tried to do SYD-NAD (fiji) on Fiji airways and there was inventory available the same day I arrive at SYD. I though that I could do a layover on SYD of 4 hours and continue onto Nadi with the same price. However the AA rep told me that its 30k additional miles.
Is that info correct? I have a similar flight MIA-JFK-AUH-MLE all for 90k and all layovers... no additional prices.
Thanks again
First of all thanks for the help you are about to provide
^I have currently and award on Business Class MIA-SFO-SYD for 62.5k Miles on AA and QF.
I tried to do SYD-NAD (fiji) on Fiji airways and there was inventory available the same day I arrive at SYD. I though that I could do a layover on SYD of 4 hours and continue onto Nadi with the same price. However the AA rep told me that its 30k additional miles.
Is that info correct? I have a similar flight MIA-JFK-AUH-MLE all for 90k and all layovers... no additional prices.
Thanks again