Qantas Promises Massive Release Of Award Seats

I wouldn't expect to see a flood of open availability in first between Australia and LAX every day because the 388s typically depart with an F cabin full of paying passengers every day, in both directions. The only reason they operate F to LAX is because it sells. Like hotcakes.

Amex MR is also a transfer partner.

Fine . . . but for how many points?

And, you're correct to question partner access to award inventory. But, that seems to be an industry-wide issue.

It sure does. Think of all the movie production companies that have set up shop in Australia... totally makes sense that there'd be plenty of F demand for all that traffic.

Highly unlikely to see a lot of premium award availability on top routes, there's a crazy amount of demand for travel to / from Australia right now and the cash fares are high. The point of this is just to show QFF members that there are award seats available to keep them earning to drive the frequent flier business, they don't need to hand out discounted tickets on hot routes to fill planes

I agree with Lucky and the other commentators that the likelihood of seeing premium seats out of Australia is minuscule.
Despite the pandemic, many Frequent Flyer members continued to accumulate points through credit cards and other means. For many, the balance they have is higher than they have ever seen in their account. However, as you try to redeem these, it becomes apparent that
1. Availability is very low.
2. Points required are probably 30% higher than pre pandemic
3. Charges are through the roof

I tend to think many will veer toward other loyalty programs, considering the Qantas miles are turning into "junk miles"

Then again - Qantas is supposedly releasing all those seats today. I could be wrong.

Ben is correct in pointing out the parsimonious nature of award seat availability on Qantas in the past. Have been a QFF member since late 90s, and availability for the (international) places I wish to travel to has been, in one word, ABYSMAL. The one and only time in 25 years I managed to get an award seat was on a very niche and obscure international route CNS - POM in 2012. Apart from that, nothing. Nothing! I still use QFF points, but mostly for other airlines and on domestic once or twice a year, at most. Qantas has always been super greedy with reward seats. Good luck with medium hauls, to say nothing of long-haul availability! I would be shocked if this hoopla was anything more than....hoopla.

I dont see anything on AA

Same, seeing nothing right now

Nothing I see on 5 past 4 pm PST that was unavailable at quarter to. Not comprehensive but focused on early Feb 2024

reports QF website is down

Nothing new is available via AA or AS. For example, YVR-SYD-YVR not a single seat in any class on any date.

Grabbed mine... you gotta call American. They release 2 seats on F LAX-SYD 🙂 on some flights. I grabbed thanksgiving

You can either use Expert Flyer to find availability or use British Airways. It matches the same availability. American will be able to book it. Just have to coach them. Call. wait time is 20 mins but do not request a call back

I just grabbed two first class seats LAX to MEL in December!

I did the same as Serge - found P availability on Expert Flyer and called American.

Can you explain how to coach them to do the search? I am seeing availability but not sure how to coach AA to find it. Thanks!

All you have to do is give them the route. That you are looking for Qantas space P. That’s all.

Anyone able to get Alaska to ticket these?

tons of availity with AA and AS you just have to phone in to get it. Booked my annual southern summer pilgrimage.

I called Alaska and tried to book with them. Once I confirmed availability via expert flyer and Qantas website and the agent said they see the space as well, but Qantas is not offering it to them, so they are unable to book it. Is there something unique that allows this to be booked with American but not Alaska? Especially since Alaska is now a full one world partner?

Cheers, Ben. Booked a few (tentatively) thanks to your tip.

Just snagged 2 First class seats from LAX to SYD end of October on the A380, I'm almost in tears!

When I call AA, they said they aren’t able to see the First awards that I can see on BA. They are able to see business class though.

The frequent flyer section of the Qantas site keeps going down today- you can make a request for a booking and then it is unable process. Not surprised - was inevitable the site would be slammed. As an Australian Qantas FF I have accumulated a massive pile of points and cheesed off I can't use them. For a long while QF also seem to have no allocation with partner airlines out of Oz - eg JAL or Cathay.

Anyone have luck booking with Alaska? I tried just now but they couldnt see the flights in their system

This happened to me as well. I checked a few other dates for F and ran into the same problem. I'm curious if the folks reporting successes here had AAgents who needed to do anything special to get to it.

Looks like Qantas is flying LAX-MEL on the A380 starting in November. I see F availability on that route as well

I tried also, they're not seeing the award space. I caved and booked with AA for 80k miles. Would have been nice to get it via AS for 55k though. hehe

@Adam L

G’day USA. I met bindi Irwin back in the day when she was just a baibeh and Olivia Wayne Newton. I’m sure they paid for first class to Hollywood.

how much was it? 80k round trip, one way in f?

AA website or AS website is not going to show availability. You need to use expert flyer to find availability, and then call in to AA to book. AS is not seeing the award space because Qantas hasn't released it to them.

110K One Way in F. I can still see some left.

Availability left on F LAX-SYD from July
9/6 1 seat
9/18 1 Seat
8/7 1 Seat
7/26 1 Seat

Availability Left from SYD-LAX in F
7/12 1 Seat
7/19 1 Seat
7/25 2 seats
7/26 1 Seat
8/14 1 seat
8/28 1 Seat
8/30 1 Seat
9/04 1 Seat
12/11 1 Seat

That's it for Sydney!

Booked BNE-LAX in J for two in November. Going to be in Fiji earlier and figured why not spend some time in Brisbane Costal Australia before coming home.

Its crashed, for may hours so far, just like it did the last time Qantas released some seats. Its totally incompetent. But glad our overseas friends can help themselves 🙂

In the last hour booked SYD - SFO and LAX to SYD for two in J. Shame no AA connecting space. I used Expert Flyer as British Airways kept kicking me out. I find it an easier tool anyway although would love a calendar like UA and AA.... I used the chat feature on the AA app. Both times got right through to someone. Recommend having the flight details ready. Incidentally saw quite a bit of space from Aus to USA in Aug on diffreent routes although some disappeared in front of my eyes.

Saw nothing SYD to HKG on any of the dates I searched for. Would be a great AA award at 50k to fly that in F.

I had Qantas Miles to use so I kept at it in the Qantas site. Took an hour but had Seat 4K LAX SYD instead of Polaris now.

I got 10/17 🙂

thank you so much on this. got in late. The tip of call AA did the trick as my MR was stuck w Amex. Managed to get 2 C for me and my 5yo!

I feel your pain. I’m a yank but had Qantas miles from A Qantas cancelled flight last Nov. I kept at it. A few pages forward then a setback or start over. Twice as far as payment and stymied by the error. But was persistent. Best Wishes

I feel your pain. I’m a yank but had Qantas miles from A Qantas cancelled flight last Nov. I kept at it. A few pages forward then a setback or start over. Twice as far as payment and stymied by the error. But was persistent. Best Wishes

Don't forget, the holy grail of premium cabin, it ain't got no doors!!!!!

Shouldn't y'all think QF First is underwhelming?
Add that to making a trip to Sydney?

Maybe if you're craving a coldie with Bloomin' Onion and Vegemite.
Or reckon to ride a roo around the wicket to escape the Tasmanian devil.

G'day from your rad mate the cool Esky.

I’ve seen quite a lot of CX space to Asia recently from Sydney. Almost daily with multiple flights. Also mel and bne. Mostly a few days to a week out. Last week also saw a ton of BA F space from syd to sin and onwards. Again, mostly 1-2 weeks out which is usual for this game. This all showed up on aa (40k biz and 50k first to asia). Ba slightly higher fees ($200 v $40).

Did you try calling? Assuming massive wait times. Maybe the game next time is to call at 1045 and tie up an agent while you wait for the release to go live (and then check on expertflyer). Maybe even call an overseas Qantas office.

Either way, being a qf frequent flier isn’t a great game.

Is this supposed to be 'ozzie'? Or eskimoo huffing the fumes emanating from her long-expired Commodore 64 computer, deep in the bowels of her parent's basement bedroom?

Right try 465,000 points one way business Sydney / Denpasar ( Bali) gee so generous - nah !!!!!!!

Hopefully something for American as well. They are garbage when it comes to award redemptions. Nothing available for the month of June to Bali. Tried, San Fran, LA, Philly, and NY

As of 11am ET, still lots of availability in J around the dates I checked. Had 4 options each way +/- 1 day from my preferred dates. Booking with AA on the phone took 5 mins, my rep was outstanding.

Still a lot of J availability and I expect quite a few cancellations in the next few days as cooler heads prevail and actual plans firm up. Typical “unicorn space” booking frenzy.

Thanks for the tip! I missed it but it's ok. I was looking at the JFK-AKL flight route but couldn't see any avail.

Exactly. I did see some business availability but it was 250k on Qantas. Alaska was showing nothing. I don't carry AA points.

My first frenzy. It was fun. I got my First LAX-SYD confirmation email exactly an hour after it started. Lots of forward , 500, backward but eventually got it down. Great Hobby today

@Mike - Why is AA, who doesn’t even fly to Bali, to be blamed?! If their partners who fly there don’t have space available then there’s nothing AA can do.

You clearly are an amateur and know nothing about points redemptions or you would have known this.

Keep up your ignorance so others like myself who know how to find tickets to Bali using AA points can keep scoring them.