Best J Product for Australia Award to SYD/MEL
Mar 30, 2015, 6:57 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,163
No idea if this is the same to the US, or even to SYD given the lack of ability to search...
Personally I'd be doing this in UA F. IMHO, the only reason to go via Asia is if there's no UA F available, or if you plan to make use of the stopover to spend some time in Asia. UA F is normally fairly easy to get on miles (easier than C).
Mar 30, 2015, 8:24 pm
#18
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
Programs: UA 1K / *G / Marriott PE / Expedia Gold+ / Hertz PC
Posts: 7,058
I see some stuff through Asia available for saver.
It's still around Australian summer time so not peak Christmas/Holiday time but pretty close.
Mar 30, 2015, 8:26 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K 1MM
Posts: 455
Mar 30, 2015, 8:46 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: UA-GS, Hyatt-Defiantly Diamond, Marriott-Platinum, SPG-Platinum
Posts: 499
(7) UA. As other posters said, for the same miles as other carriers' J you can get UA F which is actually pretty good. I never flew UA F until two years ago, and have flown it four times now on the SYD routes. Every time it's been very good and pleasantly surprising. Good lounge, nice food, big seat (if not the most private), and friendly crew (often a bit quirky, but certainly with personality). But even in J, I have yet to have a terrible crew in 12 crossings, most have been very good, and a couple have been among the best crews I've had on any airline, anywhere (and I'm an SQ PPS member so I have a high benchmark). I also generally find UA to have decent award availability. It's very dynamic, so I typically book something and change it a few times until I get the exact dates that I want.
Keep it simple, save the miles, and enjoy Australia.
Mar 30, 2015, 10:59 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Hertz Pres
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Mar 30, 2015, 11:03 pm
#22
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MRY - CNX - TXL
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Posts: 7,058
Apr 1, 2015, 4:37 pm
#23
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For my own SYD award planning this instantly changes the calculus. Given the uncertainty around TG and the future of F especially to SYD (given that I'm planning 11 months ahead) OZ may now be the top J choice to SYD since you can go A380 J/F from LAX or JFK with pretty good availability in both and then connect to / from OZ lie flat to / from SYD
Apr 1, 2015, 5:23 pm
#25
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
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Must be aircraft freed up by the new 380s on ICN-JFK. Good question whether they'll just swap in the three-class or rotate from another route.
Apr 1, 2015, 5:40 pm
#26
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: EWR - Jersey Shore
Programs: UA Gold, *A Gold, HH Dia, Hertz #1 5*
Posts: 630
In March 14, I did a J award, EWR-NRT on UA, connecting to AKL on NZ (unfortunately at the time in a 763 with barcoloungers, may be 788 or 772 with VS-style J seats now), with a stopover in AKL. Then after a week, J on NZ to MEL in a 773, connecting to SYD on UA (which I think has been overcome by the nonstop 788 to MEL) in a pmUA 772. Then returned SYD-LAX-EWR on UA, with SYD-LAX in a pmUA 772. Long way around, but all flat bed, except for NRT-AKL, which may be flat bed now, and LAX-EWR.
As previously stated, NZ just does not offer TPAC J seats. But they do offer Asia to NZ J seats.
As previously stated, NZ just does not offer TPAC J seats. But they do offer Asia to NZ J seats.
Apr 2, 2015, 12:08 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Oakland CA
Programs: DL Gold, AS MVPG, Globalist
Posts: 1,008
In March 14, I did a J award, EWR-NRT on UA, connecting to AKL on NZ (unfortunately at the time in a 763 with barcoloungers, may be 788 or 772 with VS-style J seats now), with a stopover in AKL. Then after a week, J on NZ to MEL in a 773, connecting to SYD on UA (which I think has been overcome by the nonstop 788 to MEL) in a pmUA 772. Then returned SYD-LAX-EWR on UA, with SYD-LAX in a pmUA 772. Long way around, but all flat bed, except for NRT-AKL, which may be flat bed now, and LAX-EWR.
As previously stated, NZ just does not offer TPAC J seats. But they do offer Asia to NZ J seats.
As previously stated, NZ just does not offer TPAC J seats. But they do offer Asia to NZ J seats.
OP, I would consider NH as well. They fly out of SEA on the 788, or you could go via YVR/SFO/LAX. You go to NRT, and then NZ or another *A carrier down to Australia/New Zealand. The product is great in J; fully lie-flat seats in their staggered 'pod' configuration.
Apr 2, 2015, 1:15 pm
#28
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SYD+TYO+GFK
Programs: UA 1K, QF Plat, VA Gold, IHG Spire Ambassador, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, Coles FlyBuys
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In the end, AC came up with several options... first I booked YVR-PVG-(CA)-SYD. Then YVR-SYD opened up on 31 Dec which I booked, then on 2 Jan which I eventually went with.
Having (a) Platinum or 1K status for free changes, and (b) lots of flexibility makes all the difference.
I will say that, had I been willing to fly US>AU towards the end of January, the options opened up quite a bit, but I needed to be back in early January.
Now that UA no longer displays on ExpertFlyer, I would just suggest you check a couple of times a week. If you're looking for just one, or maybe two, seats, you should find something in UA J, UA F, or AC J.
Apr 2, 2015, 2:14 pm
#30
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Hi --
Looking to book an award to either Sydney or Melbourne using UA miles. I was thinking of flying through Asia, due to low availability on more direct routings.
Which airline offers the best J product to Australia?
From what I can see:
From what I've gathered, OZ doesn't have lie-flat, and TG may or may not have lie-flat. Out of all of these, how would you rank the options for Asia - Australia and why?
If I missed any other routing options, let me know!
Will be originating at SEA, if that matters.
Looking to book an award to either Sydney or Melbourne using UA miles. I was thinking of flying through Asia, due to low availability on more direct routings.
Which airline offers the best J product to Australia?
From what I can see:
- OZ via ICN
- NZ via AKL
- TG via BKK
- SQ via SIN
- CA via PEK or PVG
From what I've gathered, OZ doesn't have lie-flat, and TG may or may not have lie-flat. Out of all of these, how would you rank the options for Asia - Australia and why?
If I missed any other routing options, let me know!
Will be originating at SEA, if that matters.
I find CA to be a pretty bad Asian airline overall... filthy planes full of hair, dirty lavatories, bad food, and passive-aggressive cabin crews.