YYZ-LAX-MEL Return. QF in/out of LAX
Jul 4, 2018, 6:15 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 36
YYZ-LAX-MEL Return. QF in/out of LAX
Need advice please!!
Compared to Air NZ, PE pricing is higher on QF.
Planning to buy Y tickets first and then upgrade to PE for the LAX-MEL-LAX segments only.
Thanks and looking to hear from the experts at this...
Compared to Air NZ, PE pricing is higher on QF.
Planning to buy Y tickets first and then upgrade to PE for the LAX-MEL-LAX segments only.
- Will I be better off than buying a PE ticker straight away from start?
- Any pitfalls I should be watching out for?
- Timing on how long to wait before upgrading?
Thanks and looking to hear from the experts at this...
Jul 4, 2018, 7:50 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,008
Upgrades on Air NZ & QF are far from guaranteed
Do you have QF points and QF status?
The results of the QF upgrade lotteries are finally know when you check in.
Some times you see the QF points taken from your QF ff account some hours before.
If you want to fly PE buy it with money.
Or a straight out PE award with ff miles/points if you can get one.
AA may have PE on the LAX-SYD-LAX route
Do you have QF points and QF status?
The results of the QF upgrade lotteries are finally know when you check in.
Some times you see the QF points taken from your QF ff account some hours before.
If you want to fly PE buy it with money.
Or a straight out PE award with ff miles/points if you can get one.
AA may have PE on the LAX-SYD-LAX route
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Jul 4, 2018 at 7:57 am
Jul 4, 2018, 8:35 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 36
Upgrades on Air NZ & QF are far from guaranteed
Do you have QF points and QF status?
The results of the QF upgrade lotteries are finally know when you check in.
Some times you see the QF points taken from your QF ff account some hours before.
If you want to fly PE buy it with money.
Or a straight out PE award with ff miles/points if you can get one.
AA may have PE on the LAX-SYD-LAX route
Do you have QF points and QF status?
The results of the QF upgrade lotteries are finally know when you check in.
Some times you see the QF points taken from your QF ff account some hours before.
If you want to fly PE buy it with money.
Or a straight out PE award with ff miles/points if you can get one.
AA may have PE on the LAX-SYD-LAX route
On a similar YYZ-FRA-MAA-FRA-YYZ with LH, they offered by $$ upgrades as soon as I booked on Y. I went PE on FRA-MAA-FRA. only - worked cheaper. Took the Y first row for a nominal ($100+) for YYZ-FRA and then PE for the longer leg FRA-MAA.
Looking to do a similar thing - Fly Y on YYZ-LAX and go PE on LAX-MEL-LAX segments.
Jul 4, 2018, 8:44 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,008
On FT an upgrade is usually taken to mean with ff miles or a ffp instrument (SWU, etc) or free (due to status) or an upgrade auction system (like http://www.plusgrade.com/ or equal).
With QF I would expect that to be a full fare difference, plus possibly an extra change fee.
If it was less than the full PE fare no-one would buy a PE fare for money.
Some cheap economy fares may not be able to be changed/upfared.
Last edited by Mwenenzi; Jul 4, 2018 at 11:39 pm Reason: added upgrade auction
Jul 4, 2018, 8:59 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: Hilton Honors
Posts: 36
In normal FT jargon/usage that is not an upgrade, but a fare change.
On FT an upgrade is usually taken to mean with ff miles or a ffp instrument (SWU, etc) or free (due to status)
With QF I would expect that to be a full fare difference, plus possibly an extra change fee.
If it was less than the full PE fare no-one would buy a PE fare for money.
Some cheap economy fares may not be able to be changed/upfared.
On FT an upgrade is usually taken to mean with ff miles or a ffp instrument (SWU, etc) or free (due to status)
With QF I would expect that to be a full fare difference, plus possibly an extra change fee.
If it was less than the full PE fare no-one would buy a PE fare for money.
Some cheap economy fares may not be able to be changed/upfared.
I am checking with the TA and will post how it goes.
Jul 4, 2018, 4:11 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: mostly MEL
Programs: QF WP LTG, HHonors Diamond, NZ Gold
Posts: 1,750
The point Mwenenzi is making though holds: on an International Upgrade, you are unlikely to know whether the request has been successful until sometime within the week - or up to when - you fly, hence "lottery".
If you really want PE with QF then the only way to ensure is to purchase outright. Other airlines may offer the possibility of an upgrade at a cost cheaper than outright purchase (and I include a ticket reissue in that) but those offers, too, tend to be lotteries eg BA's POUG.
Regards,
BD
Jul 4, 2018, 11:22 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 103
Thanks, I am hoping QF provides me an option to upgrade once the Y ticket is done, on the QF App. Provide me with a $$ value for the upgrade which I would do on a heartbeat.
On a similar YYZ-FRA-MAA-FRA-YYZ with LH, they offered by $$ upgrades as soon as I booked on Y. I went PE on FRA-MAA-FRA. only - worked cheaper. Took the Y first row for a nominal ($100+) for YYZ-FRA and then PE for the longer leg FRA-MAA.
Looking to do a similar thing - Fly Y on YYZ-LAX and go PE on LAX-MEL-LAX segments.
On a similar YYZ-FRA-MAA-FRA-YYZ with LH, they offered by $$ upgrades as soon as I booked on Y. I went PE on FRA-MAA-FRA. only - worked cheaper. Took the Y first row for a nominal ($100+) for YYZ-FRA and then PE for the longer leg FRA-MAA.
Looking to do a similar thing - Fly Y on YYZ-LAX and go PE on LAX-MEL-LAX segments.
Qantas do not generally offer an opportunity to purchase a cash upgrade from Y to PE on international routes (they sometimes do offer the ability to bid for an upgrade on domestic routes -- it is extremely rare on international routes).
If you are hoping for one, you are going to be sorely disappointed.
Jul 4, 2018, 11:33 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,008
QF do have a bid upgrade system (another form of the QF lottery) FT thread :---> Bid Now Upgrade Success Stories
QF link ----> Qantas Upgrades | Qantas
Bid Now Upgrade offers will be considered after requests for Classic Upgrade Rewards have been processed and confirmed.
Jul 5, 2018, 12:54 am
#9
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 103
As I said, and as that thread will confirm, they are extremely rare for international flights. If you are relying on the bid upgrade system to get an upgrade, expect to be disappointed 95 times out of 100.