Any strategies for upgrading an AA ticket operated by Qantas?
Dec 14, 2013, 9:46 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: ORD
Programs: AA, SPG, Hertz
Posts: 21
Any strategies for upgrading an AA ticket operated by Qantas?
I'm an AA ExPlat with a business trip to SYD next year, likely purchased through AA but that's not required (i.e., I suppose I could buy the ticket on Qantas if it's helpful). Client will only pay for coach travel and I'm looking for the best options to either upgrade an LAX-SYD route on Qantas (ideal) or fly another routing (e.g., through NRT/HND... which obviously puts me in the same boat trying to upgrade coach from there to SYD) and using an eVIP on the trans-Pac portion.
I have enough transferrable points (e.g., AMEX, Chase, SPG) where I can probably get quite a few Qantas miles if needed.
Any insight would be appreciated... I'm not sure if this is the right forum for the question.
I have enough transferrable points (e.g., AMEX, Chase, SPG) where I can probably get quite a few Qantas miles if needed.
Any insight would be appreciated... I'm not sure if this is the right forum for the question.
Last edited by ohwino; Dec 14, 2013 at 10:09 am Reason: spelling, etc.
Dec 14, 2013, 10:03 am
#2
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Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
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There are no mechanisms to use AAdvantage miles to upgrade a QANTAS ticket to Australia, AA codeshare or not. The good people in the QF forum may be able to help figure out the best way to upgrade using QF miles or some other currency.
Dec 14, 2013, 10:05 am
#3
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Even if you have QF points(miles) the chances of an upgrade of QF a flight number are very low. Upgrades are given out a few hours before the flight. On the QF board referred to as a "lottery". The AA codeshare cannot be upgraded
Basically if you want to fly business you will need to use your credit card
Another thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...confusion.html
As always Qantas does not have a u
Basically if you want to fly business you will need to use your credit card
Another thread http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qanta...confusion.html
As always Qantas does not have a u
Dec 14, 2013, 10:06 am
#4
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You can't upgrade a paid Qantas (no "U") ticket using AA miles, SWU, etc.. so your option is coach direct. The AA option would be the transpac - but you are still 4K - 5K miles away from SYD so it might not be worth it.
Dec 14, 2013, 10:19 am
#7
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Qantas is notorious for letting their top tier elites, who have paid for upgrade eligible and fares and requested the upgrade well in advance, sit in coach when there are empty premium cabin seats. This is supposedly to incentivize they to purchase business class, based on the upgrade being random and somewhat unlikely.
Dec 14, 2013, 10:23 am
#8
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I had to go from the states down to MEL last year for work. Our company option was of course paid coach, on UA no less. No thanks. I lucked out and found an F award seat on QF LAX-MEL and had my company reimburse me for the equivalent coach airfare. One option you might explore...
On the flipside, I've done several longhauls on QF since in Y. If you are stuck in the back, the QF A380 coach experience is about as good as it gets IMO. Great IFE, service, comfortable seat, etc. etc.
On the flipside, I've done several longhauls on QF since in Y. If you are stuck in the back, the QF A380 coach experience is about as good as it gets IMO. Great IFE, service, comfortable seat, etc. etc.
Dec 14, 2013, 11:11 am
#9
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
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While buying this ticket as an AA codeshare may be an option, it's unlikely to help and may even hurt you. In any case, as you're looking to upgrade a Qantas flight, and we've rightly established that there's no way to use AA miles or instruments to do that, I'll go ahead and move this thread over to the Qantas forum where the experts there may be able to advise you on how to use Qantas miles or other mechanisms to upgrade this flight.
~Microwave
AAdvantage Forum Co-moderator
~Microwave
AAdvantage Forum Co-moderator
May 16, 2014, 12:31 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2014
Programs: aa, qantas
Posts: 3
upgrade on qantas
It can be done and I have done it. If you purchase the ticket at an upgradable fare from qantas add your EP AA as FF#, create a separate frequent flyer account with Qantas, transfer points from your Amex to that account. THEN call qantas and request an upgrade for yourself as a relative (uncle, cousin, brother, whatever). Your status as One World Emerald will help though you will not likely get confirmed until the day before you fly. Also check to make sure the route you are on has enough unsold business seats to make it possible.
May 16, 2014, 3:57 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2008
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It can be done and I have done it. If you purchase the ticket at an upgradable fare from qantas add your EP AA as FF#, create a separate frequent flyer account with Qantas, transfer points from your Amex to that account. THEN call qantas and request an upgrade for yourself as a relative (uncle, cousin, brother, whatever). Your status as One World Emerald will help though you will not likely get confirmed until the day before you fly. Also check to make sure the route you are on has enough unsold business seats to make it possible.
The key is it has to be a QF ticket (the OP specified buying an AA ticket though they could possibly buy a QF ticket) hence the replies saying that you can't do it.
Last edited by JClasstraveller; May 16, 2014 at 4:07 pm
May 16, 2014, 5:50 pm
#12
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It can be done and I have done it. If you purchase the ticket at an upgradable fare from qantas add your EP AA as FF#, create a separate frequent flyer account with Qantas, transfer points from your Amex to that account. THEN call qantas and request an upgrade for yourself as a relative (uncle, cousin, brother, whatever). Your status as One World Emerald will help though you will not likely get confirmed until the day before you fly. Also check to make sure the route you are on has enough unsold business seats to make it possible.
It's actually easier than that - all you need is your Qantas PNR.
Get the Qantas Frequent Flyer member who's points are being use to request the upgrade to log on to their QFF acoount and go to Your Bookings.
Down the bottom of the page is the option to "Upgrade a Family Member".
May 17, 2014, 5:29 am
#13
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Obviously the time has passed as this thread is 5 months old, but assuming the OP was based in US, is Qantas even a partner of Amex in the US? I thought the only Amex MR you could transfer from was from a specific Australian (and maybe NZ) Amex card. Even the general Amex MR card in Australia is no good as QF prefer people to "direct sweep" credit card points directly into QF FF program so they can devalue it when they like. Can't even do transfers via SPG. So unless a QF member has the specific Amex MR card in Australia, this option is no good.
May 17, 2014, 10:52 pm
#14
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It can be done and I have done it. If you purchase the ticket at an upgradable fare from qantas add your EP AA as FF#, create a separate frequent flyer account with Qantas, transfer points from your Amex to that account. THEN call qantas and request an upgrade for yourself as a relative (uncle, cousin, brother, whatever). Your status as One World Emerald will help though you will not likely get confirmed until the day before you fly. Also check to make sure the route you are on has enough unsold business seats to make it possible.
Obviously the time has passed as this thread is 5 months old, but assuming the OP was based in US, is Qantas even a partner of Amex in the US? I thought the only Amex MR you could transfer from was from a specific Australian (and maybe NZ) Amex card. Even the general Amex MR card in Australia is no good as QF prefer people to "direct sweep" credit card points directly into QF FF program so they can devalue it when they like. Can't even do transfers via SPG. So unless a QF member has the specific Amex MR card in Australia, this option is no good.
Even is Amex to QF or Amex to AA was the same QF points are poor value. From another thread (post 330)
LAX-SYD one way QF points - AA miles
Economy QF 48,000 - AA 37,500
Prem Econ QF 72,000 - AA n.a
Business QF 96,000 - AA 62,500
First QF 144,000 - AA 72,500
Plus a lot of $$$ in fees / surcharges to QF
QF upgrades with points LAX-SYD
45,000 Discount economy to Prem Eco
18,000 Economy to PE
72,000 Discount economy to business (more than an AA bus award)
45,000 Economy to business
45,000 Prem Economy to business
45,000 Business to First
AA miles for first is about the same as QF points for PE
Even if you earn less AA miles than QF points, you get more for them
One difference is AA only have seats for sale / awards from 330 days compared QF 355 days (due to the different IT systems)
And you cannot upgrade QF eligible flights with AA miles (only QF points)
Economy QF 48,000 - AA 37,500
Prem Econ QF 72,000 - AA n.a
Business QF 96,000 - AA 62,500
First QF 144,000 - AA 72,500
Plus a lot of $$$ in fees / surcharges to QF
QF upgrades with points LAX-SYD
45,000 Discount economy to Prem Eco
18,000 Economy to PE
72,000 Discount economy to business (more than an AA bus award)
45,000 Economy to business
45,000 Prem Economy to business
45,000 Business to First
AA miles for first is about the same as QF points for PE
Even if you earn less AA miles than QF points, you get more for them
One difference is AA only have seats for sale / awards from 330 days compared QF 355 days (due to the different IT systems)
And you cannot upgrade QF eligible flights with AA miles (only QF points)