Are there any low cost options from Melbourne to Los Angeles in business class?

Flights & Airfares
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Hi all,

I’m looking for a low cost MEL-LAX J class fare on fairly specific dates, departing in April, returning in May 2018. I don’t want to dip into my QF, VA or AMEX membership reward accounts.

I can do a commercial NZ fare for AU$4780 via AUK. This will credit points but not status credits to my Velocity account.

Or

I can purchase 117500 Alaska Mileage Plan points in two transactions using the current 40% bonus for US$2611 (~AU$3613 @ 0.7227) which will get me a QF F class seat outbound and a QF W class inbound seat using the Alaska Mileage Plan award booking site. Only F and W class are available on my required weeks of travel. Obviously no points or status credit earn.

From what I have been able to see, NZ provides the lowest commercial fare option and the current Alaska Mileage Plan promotion provides the lowest cost points purchase option for me. I’ve looked at AA, UA, Avianca.

Be interested to know if anyone is aware of anything better worth checking out.

Cheers

Baz

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Also consider flying CX on Alaska Miles, it’s 60K each way in J. Should have better availability than QF, but you have to book via phone.

Added benefit of being able to fly anywhere in the US for same rate of LA isn’t your final destination.

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Thanks for the info.

Will check it out.

 

4

Actually found a more favorable alternative using Alaska Mileage Plan.

QF J MEL-SYD, connecting with QF F SYD-DFW rtn.

140k Mileage Plan points +US$161.06 in charges.

At 40% promotion bonus incl. the charges = US$3,117 which equates to AU$4,092 at current fx rates.

Through research, the only negative I can see in the whole trip is the less than superior F lounge at DFW.

1st would problem!!

In comparison, commercial QF fares for the same flights departing April, returning in May in AU$ are:

Y $2,069

W $4,614

J $7,904

F $17,574

With ready availability of fares like this (booking J/F fares in December for travel in April/May) it makes me wonder why I continue to maintain VA GFF status to have the option to upgrade from Y to J using points, that is if VA even make them available 1 year out!!

 

 

 

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