Hello.

Hello. My husband and I wish to go to Vietnam in September 2016 and are looking at using our Qantas FF points to book. I am trying to be prepared so I can pounce when they come available. We are planning to fly to BKK and then fly in and out of Vietnam with a cheap carrier. We would love to fly Business over to BKK, we have enough points. As we need to fly in school holidays I would like any hints anyone has available for me to secure this. I think I will have to do two separate transactions one for the first leg and then the second booking one way from BKK. When I check now for the July 21 the direct flight is not listed and the day before all the business seats are gone. Any help or tips appreciated. Thankyou

What status are you both with QF.

The higher the status, the better the chances of getting a points upgrade, whether you pay Y or use all points.

Lower grade QF FF will find it harder.

Can you afford to P+P?  Yes, it will be very expensive to do this for 2, but this might be the only way rather than ticking the tick on classic awards.

P+P with QF is where you start with the very high $ of J from Australia to BKK, but then reduce that with the balance in your QF FF account.

I have done it before, you also earn QF FF points and QF SC on the starting fare, where as a classic reward earns you no QF FF points and no QF SC.

I do realise it might be Aud$18000 for the both of you to go J Australia to BKK.

As others on here and other forums know, I talk too much bull, but school holidays is one of the worst times, so to speak, to try for upgrades, as every parent will be watching and aiming for the J seats you are looking for too.

One way is to pay for AAX flights from Australia to KUL, and then cheap it Vietnam, you could use the points for hotels instead, (also not a good rate of return on FF usage).

Just had a look, SYD-BKK one way J is Aud$1760 in Business saver, not as much as I thought.

Seeing this, a return P+P (for 2) would start under Aud$7000 and you reduce your fare by the points balance in your QF FF account.

You are hereby buying a J fare, so you know you will have the J seats as soon as you pay for them, rather than the upgrade way, where you might not know till days before the trip.

Test dates are July 2016.

Hi Karen,

You don't mention in your post whether you need or want to stay in Bangkok for any reason on your way to Vietnam.  Assuming that Vietnam is the only place you wish to go or you are prepared to sacrifice Bangkok, my tip would be to try and book via Singapore or even Hong Kong with your points and fly a LCC from there. There is more chance of getting a seat on QF and either BA or CX respectively with your points - more capacity and more airlines. Without status (or even with) nabbing two J class seats to BKK return during school holidays is a tough ask. Unlike Andrew, I have assumed you wish to do this only with point, because if you were prepared to spend $7,000 and burn your points, I doubt you would have posted the question.

Hope it works out for you both. 

Hi Andrew and PK, we have enough points to P plus P, I just have looked before and thought it was a rip off!!! Might have to consider if that is more readily available.  I work in a school so can get a couple of days either side of hols but it is what it is.  PK, we have travelled to Thailand regularly and the direct flight is familiar to us, but not intending on staying in Thailand.  I thought it would be more economical to try for the business class FF flights on a route we know and then do the budget to Vietnam.  I have looked at a few other combo's but may have to look into your tips.  I really would like to use up points PK so any other options would be great. I am really new to all of this and the letters are a bit confusing!!!  Thanks for all of your help so far.  I will do a bit of research going to Hong Kong and Singapore.   Sorry Andrew, we are the lowest status, nothing special, we have a business account that gives us points as we spend, so the lowest of low!!!

Sorry for the acronyms Karen. In my view Points plus Pay would be a rip off in this situation. All I was suggesting is that you should try a frequent flyer booking to Singapore on Qantas or British Airways or to Hong Kong with Qantas or Cathay. In all cases you can use your Qantas points, with a relatively marginal increased amount of points for Cathay or British Airways.  You can purchase a low cost carrier fare from there. Should all cost about the same.  Also, you should try a combination of the cities for inbound and outbound. If you're not intending to stay in Thailand then I would try every available option to book a redemption. It is not more economical just because you know the route.  Singapore and Hong Kong are two of the best airports in the world and transiting to a budget airline will be easy enough for a first timer. 

Watch for the QF fav "your flight between xxx and xxx will be in economy" though.

Best of luck.

Sorry about acronyms.

SYD-Sydney if you live there, you can always google the airport code.

Yeah, re: schools, you would know about cleaning teams in them, that is one of my work contracts.  

I fly a lot of flights off to NZ, and back during long weekends and schools holidays, plus having to slot in time off with my other cleaning contracts, its a hard time to find seats sometimes, the airlines call it "capacity control".

If they can sell the seats, they will put less "non revenue" seatings available on their flights.

That is why its hard to even find cheap airline seats during school holidays even where you are happy to pay for them.

Thanks for your help, I will expand my search!  Andrew, yes I have seen the "your flight will be in economy".....I will continue searching until I know exactly what I need to book for next!  Thanks for your help Andrew and PK.