Reward booking advice

I see that there have been a few threads of late about UC reward seats to the USA. Here is another with perhaps a different question at the end.

I am looking to fly LGW-LAS and SFO-LHR next June. I reckon my chances of getting 2 UC rewards are pretty slim going out and not much better coming back.

So my plan is to sit tight and keep checking and then bag the first pair that come up (either way). Assuming this actually happens before about March next year, when I would have to start making concrete plans....

If I book a reward one way, and then book say PE the other way, do I have to book an upgradeable fare code at that point?

So if I have a K PE fare and a G becomes available - can I pay to get to S, then the taxes and miles to get UC, or is there a penalty for changing a K?

[Neil]

Yes you can change a K in to an S without having to pay a change fee like you would if you changed dates/flights etc.

Have you thought of booking PE reward flights, which you could change to UC if a G became available for the extra miles and taxes. There may also be a small fee for changing if you are not a AU Flying Club member.

If I book a reward one way, and then book say PE the other way, do I have to book an upgradeable fare code at that point?

So if I have a K PE fare and a G becomes available - can I pay to get to S, then the taxes and miles to get UC, or is there a penalty for changing a K?

If you book a one way PE cash fare then you will automatically be in the W fare bucket (so upgradable) as one ways are priced that way (and so expensive).

There won't be any extra tax (i.e. APD ) to pay as the UC rate is the same at the PE rate but there will probably be some extra fuel surcharge.

Thanks for the replies. Should have said that I will be doing a reward upgrade, so I think I can buy the 'other' leg as a K fare in PE (or even one down in EC).

I only have a few miles at the moment (enough to go PE-UC one way for 2 pax), but after November will have enough to do the other leg EC-UC.

To be honest happy enough PE both ways for cash and save the miles for a rainy day if availability is not there, but would be nice UC at least one way.