Hi there,
My husband and i have finally racked up enough qantas points so that we can look to upgrade our selves to business class. Little did i know how tricky its going to be to actually use our points.
i believe that qantas have now stopped flying to dubai. Its operated by emirates not qantas so can t use the points to upgrade.
I dont want to have to travel via london to get to europe but this seem to be the only way as its actually a qantas flight …
When i called up qantas he tried searching all sorts of options and even tried searching to go via hong kong that didnt work either.
Apparently it has to be a qantas flight to use points to upgrade. even then you can put in your bid and then a few days before is when you will find out if you can fly depending on your status. we are both bronze … so chances are unlikely.
i think this has all been a waste of time for me and i think i should look at changing to another awards partner like krisflyer.
can anyone assist on who and where to go to if there is an option not via london thats going to book an economy flight and then upgrade using points.
We are looking to go from Melb to Athens or even Italy from mid july to mid june 2018.
Yes, using points to upgrade can be frustrating! The problem, as you’ve identified, is that you can only use Qantas points to upgrade on Qantas flights. And Qantas currently has exactly one European destination: London. There’s talk of a second destination (maybe Paris) when Qantas gets more 787s, but that’s at least a year away.
Personally, I find it best to simply assume that I won’t be able to use my points to upgrade. That means I get pleasantly surprised when I can, rather than disappointed when I can’t! It’s easier, simpler and less stressful all around to either purchase, or use points for, flights in the cabin I want. It is of course possible to use points to upgrade, but you can never count on it. Sorry for being pessimistic but that’s my experience.
Here are three possible options: either, purchase two tickets in Premium Economy to London, and be pleasantly surprised if you’re able to upgrade. But be prepared for the disappointment of not being able to upgrade.
Or, use your points for one Business Class reward flight, and pay for the other seat in Business Class (assuming that you don’t have enough points for two Business reward flights). This will give you more flexibility as you can use your points for flights on Emirates, Qatar, Cathay, Malaysian etc.
Option 3 is to wait until you have enough points to redeem two Business reward flights outright. Use all the hints, tips and resources of this website and it probably won’t take you as long as you think!
I concur. If you have no Qantas frequent flyer status, best to assume your upgrade request would not come through. It is called the upgrade lottery amongst the point community.
If you have sufficient points, a better way is to pay a bit more points and redeem award seats outright. That way you know whether you are getting business class from the get go.