soulighter

I can use some opinion and advise on getting a reward J tickets from MEL/SYD to LHR in May/June 2016, as it is my first time trying to redeem points for international flights.

I've had a look on Qantas website to see what's available but it's really slim picking, even though it's about 11 months away. There's really next to no flights available in J with 1 stop only.

A peculiar thing I noticed is, it quite often requires me to fly Mel to Syd (and vice versa) for flights to become available.

I'm Qantas Platinum status, do I get more options if I ring Qantas than what's available on the website?

Appreciate any thoughts and suggestions.

Dave Noble

I would try the BA site and look for availability on other airlines sector by sector. I have found it to be better for showing availability across the various permitted carriers than the Qantas site

Hvr

If you have a specific period in mind and are flexible with the exact date then by all means ring Qantas and ask for a seat to be released.

It is a WP privilege for seats to be released if the appropriate people agree.

og

Don't count on seats to be released. It doesn't always happen.

Mwenenzi

You may be getting offered MEL-SYD or SYD-MEL in business and the long haul in economy. Many have been caught by this. Check the screen carefully

As well as LHR, look for LGW or another of the EK UK destination airports (EDI?)

number_6

EK flies to over 30 cities in Europe (1 stop via DXB) and QFF can redeem on these; much easier availability than to LHR. If needing UK, then try MAN or as suggested LGW. CX also flies via HKG (and their MAN service is not too busy in J). Actually pretty easy to get J awards to Europe 11 months out these days, just not on the QF A380s. You can also try via NRT/ICN/HKG/KUL/BKK/SIN if desperate. Good luck.

BD1959

Hi soulighter,

QFF Award seats become available 353 days out, if you've been looking for May 2016 since the middle of June 2015, you could have missed out - they do get snapped-up quickly, especially for J.

Look for individual sectors, too, and then ask for the remaining leg to be opened (earlier this year I was looking for the same, but could only see LHR-DXB on the return). A call to the Plat Line and she was able to open both QF2 and QF10 from DXB. It sometimes pays to know what you want.

Also: non-QF. Looking at the QF Awards, there are various options with BA J via SIN next June. You might also look options via KUL. It would mean getting EK or MH (MH doesn't appear on the QF website - you need to ask) and then there appears to be lots of BA availability - since they've just returned to KUL - and also QR.

Also try QF/CX via HKG. In desperate times previously, I've flown back from LHR via DFW ... now that is a long way home - especially when the flight was via BNE!

Good Luck!!

Regards,

BD