I have Gold Status with Qantas and about 275k points (about 400k soon).
I am completely new to Qantas and Airmiles.
I am looking to book a return flight to the UK in March and I literally have no idea whether it's better to book Business and upgrade to First or just book business with points.
Can I upgrade my partner also as she has no points?
There is so much terminology and confusing plans/matrixes.
I was wondering if I am over thinking this and there is a much simpler way to work it all out?
It is always better to book a rewards business class ticket as it is a confirmed ticket rather than upgrading. It is a better use of your points. The only problem is finding one on the site! March is quite soon and there may not have any rewards tickets left. I guess if you are looking to book a rewards ticket, be open minded with travel dates. As you are Gold member, you would be able to access more rewards tickets, so good luck!
The thing with upgrading with Qantas is that you need to make sure you are flying on Qantas metal and Qantas marked. Upgrades are also not confirmed until much closer to departure so you may be 'stuck in business' if you are purchasing a business ticket outright with cash.
Good Luck mate! Hope it pays off!
Last editedby Jorge_fly at Jan 11, 2017, 02:11 PM.
So if I wanted to treat myself to first class but guarantee business class I assume I buy a business class seat in cash and then request an upgrade to first using points?
Is this easy to do online or better to phone the ticket office?
It's definitely easy to apply for an upgrade online, in fact if you do this over the phone Qantas will charge you a fee.
So if I wanted to treat myself to first class but guarantee business
class I assume I buy a business class seat in cash and then request an
upgrade to first using points?
Yes, that's exactly the way to do it, but first compare the cost of a business class ticket vs any 'first saver' deals as there might not be that much between them. Also if it's just you flying there is a better chance of being upgraded than if your partner is also on the same booking, because airlines usually prefer not to 'split' couples.
Also look to fly on a quieter day of the week, such as Tuesday through Thursday, when there is more likely to be empty first class suites which can be made available for an upgrade.
Depends what you wish to achieve? You may find business class tickets for 5-6k with carriers whose business product is not far off Qantas First ( ie the new Air France product via Singapore with Australia to Singapore on Singapore Airlines) depending on your dates. I do NOT rate the QF business class product to Europe, their first class product is however good if not great. If you want to use Qantas points for a business ticket, try to secure a ticket on Cathay Pacific, Emirates or Qatar, all of whom have a vastly superior product to Qantas. I wouldn't book business class with the hope of a first class upgrade as $8.5k for that product is overpriced.
If you are set on booking business class with Qantas and trying for a first class upgrade, sign up to ExpertFlyer and search the first class loads on the flights you wish to upgrade. No point booking business class if first class has 1 or 2 seats remaining as there will be several Platinum or Platinum One flyers competing with you for those upgrades.
There is no guide as such, just that most here will use abbreviations etc. Obanpointer is referring to the product on Air France (AF) to Singapore which then becomes Singapore Airlines to Australia (SQ).
Just to add to what others have said, you have heaps of options when going to the UK and its always a lottery with upgrades. You may be better looking at another carrier with a superior business class product and saving your points. If you travelled with another OneWorld carrier, you could even manage to top up your points further.
Qatar and Emirates are two that spring to mind as great options which will get you Qantas Points (Emirates as long as its booked under a QF flight number will get you status credits and points. If on Emirates flight number only points).
Is there a guide to what all the codes mean e.g. AF SIn etc?
Thanks
Hi Carl,
No need for a guide: we've edited the post above so that it's readable in 'plain English'. :)
Obanpointer: We always appreciate when readers offer their help, although unlike some websites which rely on an array of abbreviations and codes (which is very confusing to first-timers), we tend to just speak 'plain English' here (with the odd abbreviation like LAX which most people tend to recognise), particularly so that newcomers can understand the tips being given and the information being discussed, and feel welcome to join in with their own. :)
If money not an issue (though my accountant told me that they always are) I would buy business and request upgrade to first. If you decides to buy business by points then look at two separate booking by CX - MEL-HKG and HKG-LHR. For some freaking reason you well so often can buy separate booking and cannot buy "whole" ticket. Yet alternative solution would be buy one sector by points and other by money. Whatever you do just keep in mind that spending points on Classic Reward is time consuming exercise that required a lot of patience. If you do not have either the best solution would be buy business and request upgrade.
I tend to agree with Russell, but what would like to get out of your flight. A good business experience or a crack at a first experience. You have gold status so I assume you are not a complete novice traveler.
If it a good business still want maximum points and status credits I would start with QF marketed flights with Emirates. If you do not mind earning less status credits and points I would look at Qatar or Cathay or other one world carriers. If that does not matter look further afield.
If you want a crack at first you need to go QF. It is just my opinion but I think being gold and only a couple of months out your chances may be slim. The upgrades are allocated on a first in first served basis by status. You can use your points to upgrade your partner.
Carl
Carl
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 11 Jan 2017
Total posts 10
Hi,
Jorge_fly
Jorge_fly
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 08 Feb 2016
Total posts 83
Hi Carl,
It is always better to book a rewards business class ticket as it is a confirmed ticket rather than upgrading. It is a better use of your points. The only problem is finding one on the site! March is quite soon and there may not have any rewards tickets left. I guess if you are looking to book a rewards ticket, be open minded with travel dates. As you are Gold member, you would be able to access more rewards tickets, so good luck!
The thing with upgrading with Qantas is that you need to make sure you are flying on Qantas metal and Qantas marked. Upgrades are also not confirmed until much closer to departure so you may be 'stuck in business' if you are purchasing a business ticket outright with cash.
Good Luck mate! Hope it pays off!
Carl
Carl
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 11 Jan 2017
Total posts 10
Thanks, Jorge.
Tim Saunders
Tim Saunders
Member since 13 Sep 2016
Total posts 30
Hi Carl, for starters try reading this AusBT article which looks at when it's better value to book an award seat with Qantas points vs booking a normal seat and requesting an upgrade: https://www.ausbt.com.au/are-business-class-upgrades-still-a-great-use-of-qantas-points and this one on upgrading to Qantas first class: https://www.ausbt.com.au/how-to-use-qantas-frequent-flyer-points-to-upgrade-to-first-class
It's definitely easy to apply for an upgrade online, in fact if you do this over the phone Qantas will charge you a fee.
So if I wanted to treat myself to first class but guarantee business class I assume I buy a business class seat in cash and then request an upgrade to first using points?
Yes, that's exactly the way to do it, but first compare the cost of a business class ticket vs any 'first saver' deals as there might not be that much between them. Also if it's just you flying there is a better chance of being upgraded than if your partner is also on the same booking, because airlines usually prefer not to 'split' couples.
Also look to fly on a quieter day of the week, such as Tuesday through Thursday, when there is more likely to be empty first class suites which can be made available for an upgrade.
Good luck!
obanpointer
obanpointer
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 08 Jun 2014
Total posts 318
Hi Carl
Depends what you wish to achieve? You may find business class tickets for 5-6k with carriers whose business product is not far off Qantas First ( ie the new Air France product via Singapore with Australia to Singapore on Singapore Airlines) depending on your dates. I do NOT rate the QF business class product to Europe, their first class product is however good if not great. If you want to use Qantas points for a business ticket, try to secure a ticket on Cathay Pacific, Emirates or Qatar, all of whom have a vastly superior product to Qantas. I wouldn't book business class with the hope of a first class upgrade as $8.5k for that product is overpriced.
If you are set on booking business class with Qantas and trying for a first class upgrade, sign up to ExpertFlyer and search the first class loads on the flights you wish to upgrade. No point booking business class if first class has 1 or 2 seats remaining as there will be several Platinum or Platinum One flyers competing with you for those upgrades.
Carl
Carl
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 11 Jan 2017
Total posts 10
Hi Obanpointer,
russell
russell
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 04 Nov 2011
Total posts 232
There is no guide as such, just that most here will use abbreviations etc. Obanpointer is referring to the product on Air France (AF) to Singapore which then becomes Singapore Airlines to Australia (SQ).
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
Hi Carl,
No need for a guide: we've edited the post above so that it's readable in 'plain English'. :)
Obanpointer: We always appreciate when readers offer their help, although unlike some websites which rely on an array of abbreviations and codes (which is very confusing to first-timers), we tend to just speak 'plain English' here (with the odd abbreviation like LAX which most people tend to recognise), particularly so that newcomers can understand the tips being given and the information being discussed, and feel welcome to join in with their own. :)
Carl
Carl
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 11 Jan 2017
Total posts 10
Thanks everyone. The most helpful forum I have ever joined.
Serg
Serg
QFF
Member since 12 Apr 2013
Total posts 923
If money not an issue (though my accountant told me that they always are) I would buy business and request upgrade to first.
If you decides to buy business by points then look at two separate booking by CX - MEL-HKG and HKG-LHR. For some freaking reason you well so often can buy separate booking and cannot buy "whole" ticket.
Yet alternative solution would be buy one sector by points and other by money.
Whatever you do just keep in mind that spending points on Classic Reward is time consuming exercise that required a lot of patience. If you do not have either the best solution would be buy business and request upgrade.
Good Luck
Matt_01
Matt_01
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 23 Feb 2016
Total posts 63
I tend to agree with Russell, but what would like to get out of your flight. A good business experience or a crack at a first experience. You have gold status so I assume you are not a complete novice traveler.