Mwenenzi

Are the USA-->AU & AU---> USA on the same PNR/ticket? Or separate?
So if you fly on the 65K J AA, as booked, you shorten the days in Australia? Is that the reason for wanting another award back to USA.

For OW - AA J award options also look at FJ Fiji Airways. And flights from BNE SYD & MEL on QF & others. And not just to LAX.

cmtlatitudes

Not exactly sure of your dates, but you might want to take a look at SYD-DFW or SYD-LAS. There's a few AA 78K J and 90K F flights around the time I think you're talking about returning. They connect through LAX and you'd go through customs and pickup bags there. I asked on the AA forum QF thread a few months ago about stopping in LA and taking a different flight back (to the east coast). If that would set off any red flags to AA or cause me any problems later not using the last award segment. The feedback was it wouldn't be a problem with an award ticket.

happiest_at_40000

I am not seeing any QF awards out of BNE or MEL, not in J. Seems like the only deal is from SYD on AA and not on every day. I'd be happy flying FJ but it seems lately so hard to find. I actually see there is one open but on the 28th which would mean I couldnt go to Melbourne at all.

Yes leaving 2 days later does mean 2 days less if I stay with my same AA web special in J which is on a separate ticket to answer your question above.

happiest_at_40000

Ya my return 65K J is to PHX lol. Its ridiculous, 266K to LAX but add PHX and its 65K. I am not seeing anything not even the 78/90 combos 2 days later or 3 days later. I cant stay til May 2nd down under. I see an April 28 FJ in J but thats too soon. I would be down for QF to HKG or HND and home on JL (prefer CX but there is absolutely nothing right now with them). I'm going to the jacuzzi to relax from all this and the rest of my night will be spent playing around and figuring all this out. I could just lose the 2 days and come home the 29th.

og

What’s the problem with another visit to Australia in the future? That’d then clear cities and attractions off your list and make sorting the current trip easier.

blandfordryan

It may sound silly but I too would go through all the hassle you have today to make sure I flew in F. It's not that I feel I can't travel in another class for this length of flight (I've flown that route 12x times in economy with no issue) but flying in Qantas F was a bucket list item for me and one of the most insane experiences of my life (even though many say it's comparable to business class). I will never be able to afford a business class flight with cash, let alone a first class flight with any carrier so flying this way is an experience by itself. (flew June 2022 and it was truly exceptional)

Glad it looks like you've got everything worked out. All in all, it seems like both airlines were helpful and even your worst case scenario wasn't bad.

Keep us updated on your flight and do be sure to post photos!

happiest_at_40000

Not a problem, I am sure I will love it and want to go again but not sure I can afford it, I cant afford J or F in cash and my miles are running out. But sure only do SYD, fly home on the original ticket home and problem solved, except I wouldnt get to see MEL. If I keep the original ticket home I will just go to MEL but have very little time I guess.

happiest_at_40000

Thanks, appreciate that. Its how I feel about Qantas too and the F experience. Thats awesome you had such a great flight. I may hit you up on PM with a couple questions actually, just curious about your experience as I decide what to do here. Cancelling altogether is an option. There are deals on AA both ways next month but would lose QF.

happiest_at_40000

I have 2 possible reworks I can do.

A) Found a BA F flight MEL-SYD-SIN and then I have exactly enough UA miles to go NH J SIN to HND. I'd be able to do a day/night in SIN too. Found an F award on JL to SFO the same day I would land from SIN. Total cost- 240K AA miles plus the UA miles I dont care about and are happy to get rid of.

B) Found a LAX-HND JL F flight Saturday then UA miles to HKG... Found a QF J on A380 HKG to SYD......And then home on AA web special for 84K in J. Total cost- 204K AA miles plus United.

Its funny that the difference here is 36K miles, the exact difference I wrote about to open this thread, when I was considering the 2 diff options to get to SYD. Obviously I would lose QF F in option A but still get to fly with QF and on the A380 in option B.

Might be better for me to not mess around with the above and just Go as is and not involve Asian detours. Just was messing around with other options since today really did throw a curve ball at me and I am re thinking it all.

I also could just postpone. There are AA web specials both ways later on in May. Just no QF.

Appreciate all the help today with support/suggestions.



I guess option C would just be dont touch anything and go as is, with a 2 day shorter trip.

BA F is probably a wash with QF J and JL F is a wash with itself so really the difference is QF Vs. AA again.

I could also just fly Obviously in addition to these 2 there is just cancel and go a different time or go as is 2 days later with the same return.

Anyways

happiest_at_40000

Legit about to give up on Qantas. I found another F flight for tomorrow night. 3 seats actually amazingly popped up on AA.. I just now got a notification from QF that the flight is moved to the next morning. I know thats not a huge deal but it does mean I lose an entire day in Sydney and I am trying to do this on super tight schedule.

I dont get why this happened. I mean QF 11 is leaving as usual just now its in the air. I do see there was a 789 that came in operating as QF 11 I think 1 day ago maybe. I am not good as reading/understanding all the Flight Aware stuff but I am guessing it has something to do with this. Also there were only 2 Pax in F for the last 24 hours since I got the ticket and now I see 4 more ppl so clearly 2 flights were put together.

I wanted to fly at night, and not lose a day in Sydney too. I know one of you said above I believe how QF has some serious operational issues. I am def. experiencing that.

m0hamed

One simply cannot rely on QF's A388s, though I believe the situation is better than it was a few months ago.

happiest_at_40000

But why? Never had an issue with AA 77W's long haul ever like this with QF. 3 changes in a month, 2 w/ in 9 days. I dont get how to track all this stuff but QF 11 left and is in flight plus there is an extra A380 there already at LA I thought. I dont get it.

Its infuriating though with hotels, plans, adjustments to work schedule I made.

Also, called QF and this time they say they cant do a darn thing as its an AA booked ticket and they have no way to do anything to it ever but thats a LIE... 9 days ago they took control of my ticket and moved me to DL then they and only they (AA couldnt) switched me to 2 days later QF flight. In the end the 2 days out cut my time and I cancelled.

I am going to call AA when I wake up b/c I know at this hour AA wont have someone around to call QF and figure this out.

m0hamed

Because they only have a fraction of the birds working atm.

Dave Noble

In the previous situation there was a cancellation and so QF was required to fix the issue; this time you only have a delayed flight

Qantas may be having issues, but it tried to minimise the issue with the cancellation by rebooking onto a flight at almos the same time as the cancelled flight

ianassum

The "fraction" of A380s working ATM is 7/10 as 2 have beens crapped for parts