A Little Known Trick With Qantas’ Los Angeles – New York Flight

By 10 commentsQantas

Qantas have multiple flights to Los Angeles with services from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Most of you may know that Sydney and Melbourne both have two services a day 1 with the A380 and the second with a 747. Brisbane also just has 1 daily service with a 747.

You may also know that Qantas don’t currently operate direct services to New York from Australia but they do operate a connecting flight from Los Angeles to New York with a 747. Sadly you can’t buy this as a single flight but what if there was a way to take this flight at a later date after arriving in Los Angeles and were going to connect to NY? Well, you can do exactly that (If you’ve booked the flights with the Alaska Airlines frequent flyer program)

a large white airplane on a runway

Qantas 747-400

This may be a little confusing but once I explain it, It’ll be much easier to understand. The only way you are able to fly on the QF11 service from Los Angeles – New York is by maximising Alaska Mileage Plan’s stopover policy.

Here are a few reasons why Alaska Mileage Plan is possibly the best airline program right now:

  • You’re allowed a stopover on an award ticket, even on a one-way flight.
  • The rates for Qantas travel are some of the best you’ll find.
  • You can buy unlimited Alaska Miles and often at a discount.

Here’s exactly what you need to know and how to do it:

  1. You’ll need to find space from either Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane to New York on Qantas (quite difficult)
  2. You’ll need to ring Alaska (0011-800-25275200) and explain you want to stopover in Los Angeles before continuing onto New York. You can’t do this stopover online.
  3. Get excited to see the U.S!

And the coolest part about the stopover on Qantas? according to Alaska, there is no limit on how long the stopover is when flying on Qantas metal!

a map with red lines and a map

Now here’s something important to remember – Qantas don’t have First Class on the 747’s that are used on the U.S routes. So if you use 70,000 for First, you’ll get First from Sydney or Melbourne to Los Angeles and Business to New York. If you book Business at 50,000, you’ll get Business all the way through to Los New York.

Obviously, this won’t work for everyone as not everyone uses Alaska points to book their Qantas awards. But for the ones that do, take advantage of it. This is fantastic if you have a trip to New York planned for a later date.

This could also work if you’re wanting to do the same on the way home and want to stopover in Los Angeles.

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About the author

Zac has been obsessed with travel since the age of 2. Now flying 200,000+ miles per year and blogging about luxury travel. Points From The Pacific is a blog that posts about the latest airline news, insights, reviews and guides to help travellers use their points to travel in first and business class.

10 comments on “A Little Known Trick With Qantas’ Los Angeles – New York Flight”

  1. Hutch

    QF only does a single daily A380 flight from Sydney.
    There is also a daily A380 flight from Melbourne with few extra services on a 747 each week (if this is still happening). The 747 services will soon be replaced by 6 weekly 787 flights from Melbourne.

    Whilst you refer to Alaskan mileage plan to book this, there is nothing stopping pax from booking the LAX-JFK segment as long as it’s part of an international itinerary. Passengers can fly Australia – LAX, have a stop-over and then continue onto JFK with QF.

    • Zac George

      I realise you can do that, but this more is more just about using Alaska’s stopover abilities and how flexible they are.

      • Hutch

        I appreciate that is the angle you going for… but the headline doesn’t reflect that and much of the article seems to indicate Alaskan is the only way to do this.

        • lorraine

          Agreed. It’s very easy to book this online via qantas on multiple city stops and get the jfk – lax segments on QF or AA metal depending on the times that suit. The idea of engaging in an elongated Alaska Airlines process to do just this seems pointless.

  2. Keith

    Yes AS award miles is a great way to fly with a long haul stopover and without the horrendous Qantas fees, the problem is finding the J/F award flights, probably have a better chance of winning lotto if not a high status flyer, reason Ive used them a few times to and from USA via HKG on CX direct to numerous US cities with seats a plenty.

    • Zac George

      I agree, it’s getting worse. It’s sad that it has to get to this level.

  3. Ben Ma

    I was able to do this when I booked a multi-segment flight with QF paying normal fare. BNE-LAX-JFK, NY for a week, then JFK-LAX for a week on 747, then LAX-BNE.

  4. Annie

    I am looking at booking Qantas mel-jfk return with a stop over in LA for a couple of days before heading off to JFK . The LAX – JFK is on QF 11, the 747 Longreach you refer to. I note this leaves from Terminal B at LAx, which is the international terminal. I assume you don’t have to clear customs and you would board it as a ‘normal’ domestic flight.?

  5. Pingback: Voyager à bord du Boeing 747 avec les miles - milesopedia

  6. Lesley Sunderland

    I am on QF11 tomorrow LAX to JFK am I a domestic passenger .

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