Using AVIOS on Qantas
May 17, 2016, 4:19 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: LAX / SNA
Programs: AA Life PLT 3MM/ NZ Gold
Posts: 158
Using AVIOS on Qantas
A year ago was able to find seats without to much difficulty using avios on Qantas. This year no seats at all. Flights are SYD to JNB. Have things changed between BA and Qantas. Even trying to use money and not avios all the flights are only BA flights and that means SYD to LHR then JNB. not good.
Any thoughts information would be appreciated. Flight dates are not for a few weeks but thought I would start to check. Which is what I did a year ago.
Any thoughts information would be appreciated. Flight dates are not for a few weeks but thought I would start to check. Which is what I did a year ago.
May 17, 2016, 4:58 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Silver, HH Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 1,219
Are you looking for a near date or a year's time? I can see plenty of availability in 2017 but it disappears eventually as you draw closer, as with any Avios inventory.
Booking Qantas flights online is another matter though - you may have to call up to get anywhere!
Booking Qantas flights online is another matter though - you may have to call up to get anywhere!
May 17, 2016, 5:05 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: LAX / SNA
Programs: AA Life PLT 3MM/ NZ Gold
Posts: 158
My actual flights are in Mid June. Began to look at mid May flights to determine what was open. I did this about a year ago. Nothing from early May to mid may 2017. Seems odd as a year ago there was quite a bit of open seats at the 350 or so dates out. Wonder if Qantas sends there FF seats to BA on a different time table then a year or so ago.
May 17, 2016, 5:12 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,028
QF bookings are open to 353 days out (common with many airlines)
Today plus 353 days is 6 May 2017
May 17, 2016, 5:48 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2014
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 635
I can see reward economy availability on BA.com where Qantas has economy availability (e.g. 14 June SYD-JNB o/w doing a dummy reward booking). I cannot see any business class reward availability on Qantas.com for June (through a dummy booking from the front page, if award seats are available you should see a 'Reward' column in the results with a seat logo, i.e. you don't need to log in to see the availability).
May 17, 2016, 8:00 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: LAX / SNA
Programs: AA Life PLT 3MM/ NZ Gold
Posts: 158
Appreciate the help and comments. Yes, I know about the date the seats and schedules are loaded. I should have said that I walked the dates back into April looking for seats to be there and was looking for business class and not economy. Will keep looking and try to stay on top of it. Was just thinking there may have been a major change in what Q was doing about FF seats and loading them.
It is interesting that a year or so ago the FF were there and now they seem to not be at least on BA.
It is interesting that a year or so ago the FF were there and now they seem to not be at least on BA.
May 17, 2016, 8:16 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,028
Logging into QF with my ff account they will sell for cash business SYD-JNB (QF63) up to 06 May 2017
But for the random dates in April May 2017 that I clicked on, for business awards QF ffp are only offering EK, CX or QR. (not QF)
But for the random dates in April May 2017 that I clicked on, for business awards QF ffp are only offering EK, CX or QR. (not QF)
Last edited by Mwenenzi; May 17, 2016 at 8:21 pm
Sep 30, 2019, 4:12 am
#8
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 95
Sorry to revive a Zombie thread but I had exactly the same question about SYD to JNB. I can’t seem to see availability on any date without going back via London. I did call BA and somebody said this flight couldn’t ever be booked with Avios. I wasn’t totally convinced by their general explanation of one world Avios bookings so thought I would ask here just in case. I am looking for February the 14th or 15th.
The rest of a longer connecting itinerary was booked direct with BA but they suggested booking this separately as their cash rates for this segment seemed very high.
The rest of a longer connecting itinerary was booked direct with BA but they suggested booking this separately as their cash rates for this segment seemed very high.
Sep 30, 2019, 4:31 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: QF, TK, VA, SQ
Posts: 695
Which dates are you looking at (at least approximately), and in which cabin? I can take a look at the QFF portal and see if there's availability to me as a Platinum frequent flyer.
Worth noting that QF have made some recent changes to availability, fees and charges- I'm wondering if these could have had an impact to the availability for partners?
Edit: see you listed the dates you're after!
Worth noting that QF have made some recent changes to availability, fees and charges- I'm wondering if these could have had an impact to the availability for partners?
Edit: see you listed the dates you're after!
Sep 30, 2019, 4:42 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: QF, TK, VA, SQ
Posts: 695
For QFF members at the moment, neither 14th or 15th Feb has any award availability on QF63 (SYD-JNB).
On the 14th there are options w/ CX via HKG in Y or W, or in Y / F via DXB with EK.
On the 15th the only available options are in Y (via LHR) w/ QF / BA; in Y / J or F via DXB w/ EK or in Y via DOH w/ QR.
Hope this helps. QF is pretty stingy about premium award seat availability IMO.
On the 14th there are options w/ CX via HKG in Y or W, or in Y / F via DXB with EK.
On the 15th the only available options are in Y (via LHR) w/ QF / BA; in Y / J or F via DXB w/ EK or in Y via DOH w/ QR.
Hope this helps. QF is pretty stingy about premium award seat availability IMO.
Sep 30, 2019, 6:31 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 95
That is incredibly helpful. Thanks so much for looking for me. I couldn’t see any of that. I might go with a premium economy cash ticket in that case if you think award availability is nonexistent/unlikely to turn up. I am trying to get a family member from meetings in Australia back onto our family holiday in SA - I am not sure they will have the appetite for the indirect route even if I can get availability.