Advice on mileage program for Australia-US travel
Jun 19, 2013 | 6:20 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 3
Advice on mileage program for Australia-US travel
Hi:
My wife and I are moving to Australia next year with 4 kids. We are currently looking into the best mileage program to enroll in and I thought I would seek some advice from those that are more familiar.
We will be living in Melbourne and will make annual returns as a family to either SLC or PHX.
I will be traveling more frequently both within Australia and internationally during the year than my family.
Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated.
My wife and I are moving to Australia next year with 4 kids. We are currently looking into the best mileage program to enroll in and I thought I would seek some advice from those that are more familiar.
We will be living in Melbourne and will make annual returns as a family to either SLC or PHX.
I will be traveling more frequently both within Australia and internationally during the year than my family.
Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated.
Jun 20, 2013 | 2:11 am
#2
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
Australia's domestic airlines are:
Qantas, which is part of Oneworld.
Virgin Australia, no alliance but partners include Delta.
Jetstar, LCC arm of Qantas
Tiger, LCC
You can get Australian credit cards that earn with either QF or Virgin.
Grocery shopping mainly is QF points earning.
I guess it depends on how long you are in Australia for, and how many domestic flights you will be taking.
But I would recommend looking first at AAdvantage, perhaps with a challenge to get status, and then QFF.
Qantas, which is part of Oneworld.
Virgin Australia, no alliance but partners include Delta.
Jetstar, LCC arm of Qantas
Tiger, LCC
You can get Australian credit cards that earn with either QF or Virgin.
Grocery shopping mainly is QF points earning.
I guess it depends on how long you are in Australia for, and how many domestic flights you will be taking.
But I would recommend looking first at AAdvantage, perhaps with a challenge to get status, and then QFF.
Jun 22, 2013 | 2:25 am
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,932
Unless Australia is for ever, look at USA based ffp's. AA or UA as starting points
Qantas, United, Delta & Virgin Australia & Hawaiian fly Australia to USA non stop
For your Australian & international flights will you have choice of airline ? Or subject to a corporate travel policy.
I note you other question http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...k-address.html
Look here
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html
Qantas, United, Delta & Virgin Australia & Hawaiian fly Australia to USA non stop
For your Australian & international flights will you have choice of airline ? Or subject to a corporate travel policy.
I note you other question http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...k-address.html
Look here
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Jun 22, 2013 at 2:30 am
Jun 23, 2013 | 7:34 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 186
UA would be the best for accumulating miles on paid flights. only issue is that they have older planes (and FA!) and stop in sydney. qantas and virgin have direct flights to LAX but the amount of miles you would need on qantas for a free ticket is outrageous and availability in premium classes is terrible.
re; a credit card, SQ is also an option and their miles are more valuable than qantas.
as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000.
btw, SQ and QF both charge approx. $500 each way in fuel surcharges. United does not.
re; a credit card, SQ is also an option and their miles are more valuable than qantas.
as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000.
btw, SQ and QF both charge approx. $500 each way in fuel surcharges. United does not.
Jun 23, 2013 | 9:32 pm
#5
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000."
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
"as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000."
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
Jun 23, 2013 | 11:01 pm
#6
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
Jun 23, 2013 | 11:04 pm
#7
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How's the QF J availability on AA redemptions?
QF availability can now be checked easily at aa.com, with no log-in required.
Originally Posted by Kacee
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But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
Jun 25, 2013 | 5:22 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2011
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000."
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
"as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000."
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
Jun 25, 2013 | 5:52 pm
#10
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
Right now the best availability to/from Australia appears to be on Virgin Australia which is accessible with Delta miles. This is for both business and economy.
You need to search specifically for MEL-LAX / LAX-MEL on their website - it tends to choke up when you don't use LAX as an origin or destination and prices the flights too high. You then need to click dates on the calendar, they won't show as 'low' price seats on the Delta calendar.
For business class...Qantas via AA is very challenging.
United is decent for economy class availability, not so much for business, but better than Qantas via AA.
You need to search specifically for MEL-LAX / LAX-MEL on their website - it tends to choke up when you don't use LAX as an origin or destination and prices the flights too high. You then need to click dates on the calendar, they won't show as 'low' price seats on the Delta calendar.
For business class...Qantas via AA is very challenging.
United is decent for economy class availability, not so much for business, but better than Qantas via AA.
Jun 25, 2013 | 8:37 pm
#11
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
True, but AA also doesn't allow a routing via Asia, so you have to find the USA-OZ flight in BOTH directions, which can be hard without being super flexible on dates.
While that's true, AA has other partners that can be used between North America and Australia.
And for those redeeming in J (which I presume the OP with his large family will not), AA's distance-based "Explorer" awards would permit routing via Asia. For travel between SYD/MEL and LAX/PHX/SLC, for example, an itinerary that routes via TYO in one direction could be had for only 130K AA miles in J, with en-route stopovers permitted, if desired.
Originally Posted by DC777Fan
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000."
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
"as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000."
But AA charges only 62,500 miles for a one-way Business Class award on QF from Australia to the U.S. And there are no fuel surcharges when redeeming AA miles for award travel on QF.
And for those redeeming in J (which I presume the OP with his large family will not), AA's distance-based "Explorer" awards would permit routing via Asia. For travel between SYD/MEL and LAX/PHX/SLC, for example, an itinerary that routes via TYO in one direction could be had for only 130K AA miles in J, with en-route stopovers permitted, if desired.
Sep 2, 2013 | 12:21 am
#12
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UA would be the best for accumulating miles on paid flights. only issue is that they have older planes (and FA!) and stop in sydney. qantas and virgin have direct flights to LAX but the amount of miles you would need on qantas for a free ticket is outrageous and availability in premium classes is terrible.
re; a credit card, SQ is also an option and their miles are more valuable than qantas.
as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000.
btw, SQ and QF both charge approx. $500 each way in fuel surcharges. United does not.
re; a credit card, SQ is also an option and their miles are more valuable than qantas.
as a reference, on a business class one way ticket to NY, UA charges 67,500, SQ charges 92,750 and QF charges 128,000.
btw, SQ and QF both charge approx. $500 each way in fuel surcharges. United does not.
Sep 2, 2013 | 6:17 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: St. Croix
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1k, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold, CC Gold
Posts: 521
Right now the best availability to/from Australia appears to be on Virgin Australia which is accessible with Delta miles. This is for both business and economy.
You need to search specifically for MEL-LAX / LAX-MEL on their website - it tends to choke up when you don't use LAX as an origin or destination and prices the flights too high. You then need to click dates on the calendar, they won't show as 'low' price seats on the Delta calendar.
For business class...Qantas via AA is very challenging.
United is decent for economy class availability, not so much for business, but better than Qantas via AA.
You need to search specifically for MEL-LAX / LAX-MEL on their website - it tends to choke up when you don't use LAX as an origin or destination and prices the flights too high. You then need to click dates on the calendar, they won't show as 'low' price seats on the Delta calendar.
For business class...Qantas via AA is very challenging.
United is decent for economy class availability, not so much for business, but better than Qantas via AA.
