If I call Qantas for a rewards flight will they have better availability than what is showing on the website.

If I call Qantas for a rewards flight will they have better availability than what is showing on the website. I ask as I have just booked a rewards flight with Velocity on Etihad metal from LHR to SYD in Jan and they had no availability showing on the web but had a number of options when I called. I am just wondering if it will be the same with Qantas.

Interesting to hear that the velocity call centre had access to more EY availability. EY space should show online. You can in future always check the EY website for saver award space, as this is what it's available to partners. Qantas will be able to request space when you are a Platinum ff, other than that in my experience the online availability reflects the actual award availability and the call centre has no additional access to award space.

I have tried a while ago and found that availability is the same from website and from call centre. Difference is - call centre may offer you "silly" connection that invisible on website. However you can do the same if you plan your trip sector by sector. For example you may not be able to see MEL-LHR via Japan, but you can buy two separate award tickets Melbourne-Japan and Japan-London. This is my impression anyway.

If you're Qantas Platinum they will pedal harder to get you seats. 

Mont80, subscribe to Expert flyer. You can select any number of permutations to design your award redemption without relying on the goodwill of the call centre staff or feel like you're bugging them by requesting other options.

If you a Platinum or Platinum One and there are no seats showing online, you can call Qantas and they can do a request to convert a paid seat to a Frequent Flyer seat for you. I have had some success with this but not always. I don't believe they can see any additional seats than what you see online.

Interesting. I wonder what the criteria for conversion are. Can the staff member independently convert inventory or does it require sign off by a superior to ensure appropriateness? 

No... they have to request it and it is not always approved. I have probably had about a 50% success rate and a couple of times I have had to redeem for a First Class ticket as Business Class often gets denied.

Hey all....Thanks for the feedback.  I managed to get an outbound with Velocity, interstingly this was through the velocity contact centre with no availability showing on the website again......