My girlfriend and I are trying to get back from Barcelona to Sydney leaving between 29th-31st July 2018. We are trying to get 2 business class seats but we can't find availability on the qantas rewards search at all back to Sydney on those dates. We don't mind flying out of Paris, London, Madrid or even Helsinki and we don't mind even flying into Melb or Brisbane.
I am a Gold ff and she's Bronze.
Is it likely that rewards seats will become more available closer to the time or would you recommend purchasing economy fares and requesting upgrades with points, and if so, realistically how likely are we to be given upgrades during those dates given our status?
Also if anyone has any other ideas of routing or anything please feel free to share as at the moment we are stuck!!
It's peak season and the hardest sector to get is anything back into Australia. Unfortunately, especially in peak season, you pretty much need to book seats a year in advance to secure Business. Having said that, I have managed to get seats in Business on Emirates a few weeks out from my departure date so it is possible, but that wasn't in peak season.
Have you tried Perth? Sometimes you will find seats into Perth as it isn't quite as popular as into the Eastern states.
Pay your own way to Singapore and go from there. You can get good award availability ex Singapore to BCN with both Qatar and Emirates even for those dates. Its an easy day flight to Singapore. On top of that the points you save making your own way to Singapore means you can go in First with Emirates at least one way. We did that exact route last year at a similar time.
Have a look at booking via Hong Kong. A little bit more expensive than via Dubai but there is usually more availability. You may have to book 2 tickets though (one to HKG then another to SYD), which seems to total to 148k points via Emirates to HKG. July would be a peak period though, so good luck.
It's peak season and the hardest sector to get is anything back into Australia. Unfortunately, especially in peak season, you pretty much need to book seats a year in advance to secure Business. Having said that, I have managed to get seats in Business on Emirates a few weeks out from my departure date so it is possible, but that wasn't in peak season.
Have you tried Perth? Sometimes you will find seats into Perth as it isn't quite as popular as into the Eastern states.
Yeah that makes sense. I've tried Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne but no luck. Thanks
Pay your own way to Singapore and go from there. You can get good award availability ex Singapore to BCN with both Qatar and Emirates even for those dates. Its an easy day flight to Singapore. On top of that the points you save making your own way to Singapore means you can go in First with Emirates at least one way. We did that exact route last year at a similar time.
Thanks for replying.
We already have outbound ex SYD to BCN flights it's the return journey that I'm stumped with. There's no award seats BCN to SIN, LHR to SIN or CDG to SIN.
There is BCN to HKG (via DXB) but again no flights into Australia from those ports.
Have a look at booking via Hong Kong. A little bit more expensive than via Dubai but there is usually more availability. You may have to book 2 tickets though (one to HKG then another to SYD), which seems to total to 148k points via Emirates to HKG. July would be a peak period though, so good luck.
Yeah I saw the BCN to HKG flights but then nada from HKG to anywhere in Aus. I'm considering maybe doing a points-plus-pay option on the final leg back to aus from hkg.
EKs reward seats aren't usually available this far out, but if you set up an EF alert there's a very good chance of picking some up over the next 2-3 months. Has worked for me every time in recent years (generally flying into CDG and out of LHR or LGW)
I managed to get business class to Paris and from Amsterdam for next May and August on Emirates by booking the as multi sector but spending less than 24 hours at the stopover so it doesn't increase the miles needed. Try a multi city such as BCN-DXB, then DXB to an Asian city then that city to your Australian city. If it shows available and you try to book and the booking process fails just call QANTAS and they will usually book it for you without a fee.
It's peak season and the hardest sector to get is anything back into Australia. Unfortunately, especially in peak season, you pretty much need to book seats a year in advance to secure Business. Having said that, I have managed to get seats in Business on Emirates a few weeks out from my departure date so it is possible, but that wasn't in peak season.
Have you tried Perth? Sometimes you will find seats into Perth as it isn't quite as popular as into the Eastern states.
Best of luck trying Perth. I've just joined UA to improve my chances of getting both in and out of Perth on award flights. Immediately picked up J class for my wife PER-BRU which I couldnt get on QF, or if I could, much more in points and fees.
I see availablity for 2 people AY BCN-HEL, connecting to AY HEL-KIX, connecting to QF KIX-SYD, all in Business, and available leaving BCN on 29th or 31st July. Connections also available through TYO instead of KIX on 29th and 30th but requires change of airports NRT to HND. Unfortunately the connection time on both TYO and KIX options are poor through Japan (arrive morning, leave evening), but a good chance to explore Tokyo or Osaka on the way home.
lopislaurence
lopislaurence
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Nov 2017
Total posts 6
Hi All
AusFlyer
AusFlyer
Member since 10 Mar 2011
Total posts 137
It's peak season and the hardest sector to get is anything back into Australia. Unfortunately, especially in peak season, you pretty much need to book seats a year in advance to secure Business. Having said that, I have managed to get seats in Business on Emirates a few weeks out from my departure date so it is possible, but that wasn't in peak season.
mcglynp
mcglynp
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 20 Jan 2016
Total posts 48
Pay your own way to Singapore and go from there. You can get good award availability ex Singapore to BCN with both Qatar and Emirates even for those dates. Its an easy day flight to Singapore. On top of that the points you save making your own way to Singapore means you can go in First with Emirates at least one way. We did that exact route last year at a similar time.
PCHammond
PCHammond
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 24 Aug 2017
Total posts 22
Have a look at booking via Hong Kong. A little bit more expensive than via Dubai but there is usually more availability. You may have to book 2 tickets though (one to HKG then another to SYD), which seems to total to 148k points via Emirates to HKG. July would be a peak period though, so good luck.
lopislaurence
lopislaurence
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Nov 2017
Total posts 6
Yeah that makes sense. I've tried Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane and Melbourne but no luck. Thanks
lopislaurence
lopislaurence
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Nov 2017
Total posts 6
Thanks for replying.
lopislaurence
lopislaurence
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Nov 2017
Total posts 6
Yeah I saw the BCN to HKG flights but then nada from HKG to anywhere in Aus. I'm considering maybe doing a points-plus-pay option on the final leg back to aus from hkg.
evilbrian
evilbrian
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
Member since 07 Sep 2012
Total posts 8
EKs reward seats aren't usually available this far out, but if you set up an EF alert there's a very good chance of picking some up over the next 2-3 months. Has worked for me every time in recent years (generally flying into CDG and out of LHR or LGW)
jgb59
jgb59
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 16 Mar 2016
Total posts 12
I managed to get business class to Paris and from Amsterdam for next May and August on Emirates by booking the as multi sector but spending less than 24 hours at the stopover so it doesn't increase the miles needed. Try a multi city such as BCN-DXB, then DXB to an Asian city then that city to your Australian city. If it shows available and you try to book and the booking process fails just call QANTAS and they will usually book it for you without a fee.
Frank
Frank
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 09 Sep 2013
Total posts 107
Best of luck trying Perth. I've just joined UA to improve my chances of getting both in and out of Perth on award flights. Immediately picked up J class for my wife PER-BRU which I couldnt get on QF, or if I could, much more in points and fees.
flychrisfly
flychrisfly
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 09 Jun 2011
Total posts 40
There are a million options: BKK, NRT, HND, JNB, CMB, KUL or even via North or South America.
h15t0r1an
h15t0r1an
Member since 29 Jan 2015
Total posts 12
How about via KUL or CMB
JohnP
JohnP
QF
Member since 01 Jul 2016
Total posts 1
BA, JAL, MAS and Finnair are other options, along with QF via China?
Yarki
Yarki
Member since 07 Jan 2014
Total posts 21
I see availablity for 2 people AY BCN-HEL, connecting to AY HEL-KIX, connecting to QF KIX-SYD, all in Business, and available leaving BCN on 29th or 31st July. Connections also available through TYO instead of KIX on 29th and 30th but requires change of airports NRT to HND. Unfortunately the connection time on both TYO and KIX options are poor through Japan (arrive morning, leave evening), but a good chance to explore Tokyo or Osaka on the way home.
lopislaurence
lopislaurence
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 21 Nov 2017
Total posts 6
Guys thanks so much for all the help. Found LHR - PEK and then PEK - SYD with BA and then with QF.