TravelScholar

PLEASE forgive me for posting a question that was surely asked before. I've searched and searched, but I think I'm not very good at picking the right search terms or something, because I couldn't find what I was looking for. In any case, if anyone could help me out, then I'd appreciate it.

I would like to try to book a trip for me and my fiancee for our honeymoon--travel next August 2004.

We're thinking of departing the US on Wednesday, 11 August 04 and returning on Thursday, 26 August 04. Our dates are a bit flexible, but we're shooting for a two week trip.

Right now, we think we'd like to go to Auckland, Sydney, and Cairns, so we can hit New Zealand, Sydney, and the Reef.

I'd like to book two award tickets in Business class--one award ticket using Qantas miles, and the other using US Airways miles.

Questions:

1) What's the best way to try to coordinate these flights? I don't want to book using one kind of miles only to find out that the same flights aren't available for the other one of us with the other kind of miles.

2) What are the best flights out of the US? We can use any gateway, but I was thinking of LAX. I think I saw what looked like a daytime flight on the schedule. Does anyone recommend this over the nighttime flights? I've never dealt with trans-Pacific jet lag before--only several trans-Atlantic trips to Europe.

3) What's the best way to attack these tickets? I only have 175K miles on Qantas, so that probably limits my free stopovers. But, as I understand it, both Qantas and US Airways awards on Qantas allow for one free stopover. Seeing that we want to visit more than two places, should we book our award tix into any particular cities and then try to purchase the shorter hops individually? How would you approach this??

4) I could afford two tickets in First class if I wanted to wait for 25,000 extra Qantas miles to transfer in from Starwood. Is this worth it for First class vs. Business class? And, if I wait for the Starwood transfer, do I have a prayer of QF First awards still being available? I'm already at the 330 day window.

5) Any other destination recommendations for first time visitors to this region?

Again, I know that these must have been beaten to death already, but if you could help me out by reiterating one more time, then I'd really appreciate it! Or, perhaps some of you veterans with the search might be able to post some links for me.

Thanks!

[This message has been edited by TravelScholar (edited 09-06-2003).]

YVR Cockroach

I'd say to try booking with US miles first. Probably harder to use than QF miles for QF flights. At any rate, it's said to be impossible to get any seats lately (I managed to book 2 FC seats using US miles last September for use this July).

Stopovers are indeed limited to 1 other than the destination. I'd guess that booking to SYD would be the easiest (most flights). Buy a cheap sidetrip from SYD to CNS/BNE or whereever, Stop in AKL on the way there or back.

I think all westbound flights are nighttime. I'd advise these as they leave the U.S. west late in the evening arriving into SYD (or MEL) early the next day allowing for a full night's sleep.

As for FC over BC, depends on how well the US 333 Envoy seats fit you as QF Dreamtime ones are the same. I hate them with a passion. FC seats lie flat but aren't particularly comfortable (worse than BA, CX and AA FS FC seats)

Leumas

Sorry, I can't really help with your ticket, as I need help more often than not around here. There're plenty of people that can help though.

However, I do have some points that you may want to consider:

- 2 weeks for 3 places are a bit rushed, IMHO. Why do you want to go to AKL? Is it because it's simply the entry point into NZ? I've a personal problem with AKL (being from WLG, but that's another issue). Seriously though, since your travel period will be the winter down under, there probably isn't much you can do in or around AKL. Let's say you spend roughly 4 days in each place. In AKL, I can really think of one or two things that you can do during that time. Without doing too much dis-service to the NZ tourism industry, I suggest you've a think about this first... (Perhaps drop, SYD... ) How about base yourself in SYD, and treat NZ as a sidetrip? Then, you can choose flights to CHC, WLG, etc... However, CHC can get very foggy around that time.

- I've never done the day time flight from the US to AUS/NZ. The night time flight is fine. You're effectively going back a few hours from the US west coast but move forward a day. LAX-AKL arrives early in the morning (around 5am), and I've experienced no jetlag. However, if you're flying direcly from the east coast, then it may be a different story, just make sure you can sleep well on your way to AKL. It's hard to say whether the new J seats will be available by then.

- The consensus around here seems to be that the QF F service isn't very good compared to other airlines. However, improvements are being introduced apparently this month, so you may want to check back here in a few weeks/months when people have experienced it. There's a thread recently about it. Also note that there is no F service between LAX-AKL, only LAX-SYD/OZ.

- Lastly, congratulations on your nuptial!

og

Lots of questions, but I'll add just a few points:

There IS one flight LAX-AKL-SYD that is two class but a three class aircraft. F seats are sold as J. If this stays the same when you do your trip, early seat allocations can get you a nice F seat at a J price. By then, the new J beds may well be on the Pacific routes so it won't matter so much.

I agree with others that you are cramming too much into your trip. I'm sure it won't be your last time down here, so why not spend time in only one or two places and properly explore them. I'd suggest CNS and EITHER SYD or AKL (but not both). The key is to rent a car and just drive. It is a holiday afterall (?)

QF awards let you have extra stopovers at 10,000 points each stopover. You might consider LAX-AKL-BNE-LAX. Then get an internet cheapie BNE-SYD or BNE-CNS. 11 months out won't be a problem for getting the flights you want (the N class red e-deals).

I can't comment about juggling USAir and QF awards, but best of luck! Note that QF will (or at least have for me) changed bookings within hours of the initial booking (without points penalty) for award flights so long as the ticket has not been issued. You could try asking the phone agent NOT to issue the ticket for, say, a few weeks, and see what happens.

NM

For obtaining two award tickets on the same flights through two programs, make sure you ask the first agent to look for availability of two award seats on the flight (U class for business and Z for first). Then ask if they can hold one while you contact the other airline.

Not much point in going for F seats since by the time you want to fly QF will have the skybeds on the trans-pac flights (upgraded from the current Dreamtime seats), and anything to/from AKL is likely to remain 2-class anyway, so you will be spending lots more points for a single F sector.

Globaliser

In fact, if you have the time to spend to make sure it works, you might want to call both airlines first and tell each of them what you are doing. Check which booking class each of them is using for the award tickets and ask how much availability they can see in that class for the flights you want. The information that you get may help to ease your anxiety as you then book the award tickets in sequential phone calls as soon as possible one after the other (unless, of course, you can get seats held on option with one of the airlines).

Vulcan

About 2 weeks ago I booked a QF FC ticket JFK-LAX-MEL-SYD-LAX-JFK. I used 135,000 CO One Pass miles. This was for a departure next July.
The drill is as follows. Join the QF mileage program on line. This allows you to search for available reward seats 330(?) days out. Find flights that have availability in you class and dates and when you request a reward from US, request these flights. By having all my ducks in a row, when I called CO, I received each flight exactly as I requested, as I knew they were available from my searching. As a side note, I never did find a F seat from AKL back to LAX so I decided to leave that for next time. If you are looking at next August, you need to start looking VERY SOON. Especially if you want FC pods. There are not very many of them available even 11 months out. But they are there. Good luck.

TravelScholar

Thanks everyone for the very useful advice.

I've decided to cut Auckland from my itinerary. Instead, I think LAX to CNS via SYD is the new plan. Fly LAX-SYD on or around the 9th of August, stay in SYD about a week, fly SYD-CNS on or around the 17th of August, stay in CNS about a week, and fly CNS-SYD-LAX on or around the 24th of August. And, if we get bored in SYD, then maybe try to take a little hop over to someplace else on a purchased ticket.

As far as organising the award booking--I phoned Qantas, and they were able to tell me how many Business class seats were available on each flight on each day I wanted to travel, and it looks pretty decent.

US Airways, however, won't be able to even see their allotted inventory until 14 September for the outbound and 29 September for my return. :-( Qantas can't "hold" seats for me until US Airways is able to see their inventory on QF. So, I'm basically stuck sweating it out until the 29th to know if this works.

US Airways will hold my QF outbound until the return inventory is put into the system on the 29th, though. I just hope US does get some seats and that the inventory for QF miles is still there by the time I can book using my US miles.

If only I had enough QF miles to do both tickets I could book them right now. Oh well. Wish me luck! And, thanks again for the advice, everyone.

NM

QF only operate Business and Economy class on flight AKL-LAX these days, so you won;t find any F seats (sold or award) being available. For the time being, some flights still operate with 3-class aircraft so you might score an F seat on a J fare (see other threads on this topic).

Globaliser

You won't. Trust me on this. Sydney's got enough to keep you entertained for a month, let alone a week.

NM

And you can always head up into the Blue Mountains where I am sure a certain regular around here can recommend a taxi service.

mikalee

With QFF awards the only 'free' stopover is at your destination. All others cost 10,000. For international the <24hour rule applies, for domestic<>domestic transfers the 'same calender day' departure rul applies.

TravelScholar

Are you sure about this? I thought you got one free stopover en-route that was not limited by the 24-hour timeframe. How many Qantas miles do I need for my trip that involves a week in SYD and a week in CNS from LAX?

Also, does anyone know if US Airways' QF partner awards allow for a free stopover? Or am I going to have to buy a SYD-CNS-SYD ticket on top of my award?

DCAview

YMMV, but I just booked and ticketed a US award on Qantas in business for June going DCA-CLT-LAX on US, LAX-AKL-(5 day stopover in AKL)-SYD on QF, returning CNS-LAX (via SYD) on QF, LAX-CLT-DCA on US.

I didn't have a problem getting the SYD/CNS open jaw or the AKL stopover on the partner award.

thesilb

I joined the programme however I can't seem to view any award availability. when I get to the bookings, award travel link it takes me to the page called "Your Details." There is a link which says "Make an award booking with your points." When I click this it just takes me straight back to the "Your Details" page. I've tried opening in new broser window, I also tried just making a cash paid reservation to see if award investory would show.

Obviously I am doing something wrong here. Can someone help me out & guide me with how to properly display award inventory? Thanks!