Is there a block out period over the Christmas holidays for award flight redemptions using Qantas points?

We are looking at booking a family holiday to the the US during the Christmas holidays in a couple of years time using our Qantas points. Out of interest I have been checking the qantas site to check if there are available flights for next year during this period. It only shows reward flights up until the 13th of December.

Is there a block out period over the Christmas holidays for using reward points?

Funny you ask this… I have been researching award flights to the US in the last week or so as well, for December 2017. I am also seeing blocks on award space - the pattern I have is that Qantas are making seats available for Gold members and above but not to lower tier members or to partner frequent flyer programs like Asia Miles.

I haven’t looked outside of December yet, but that is on my list to do. If it is a wider trend than just the peak period, it’s a worrying development.

I’m having the same issue. We want to travel to the USA in the week before Xmas. Until recently there were AA flights available until around 12/12/17. Yesterday flights came up for 17/12/17 which I jumped on as the timing was perfect. The website accepted the booking right up to processing stage then said flights weren’t available. After 3 hours on chat and phone to Qantas I was told that there was a lag between the AA site and Qantas and that the seats weren’t in fact available. Frustrating. I have been trying all combinations, Sydney or Melbourne, LAX, San Fran, Denver or DFW, nothing. There are Fiji Air flights via Nadi up to around 5/12/17, perhaps more of this will be released soon?

There is nothing from Australia to Japan either. I would take either options, I just want snow for Xmas.