Qantas Points Expiry - Warning!

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I have just discovered that I lost many thousands of points that expired in September. This is an extract from the Qantas website: If you have opted in to the Frequent Flyer eNewsletter, your eNewsletter will include a notice in the month that your points are due to expire and the month prior to your points expiry Unfortunately no email was received despite opting in for newsletters. I emailed Qantas querying this but their reply did not answer the question! The other important fact is that even though you have an 18 month timeframe to keep you account active you cannot view 18 months online on the activity statement, so how are you supposed to monitor that?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sorry to hear this... but a question... do you not receive your monthly 'points balance and 'exciting' points opportunities' (or words to that effect) newsletter?

The expiry is buried away in that regular email. Qantas have chosen not to send out a separate email dedicated to points expiry - unlike some other airlines that will send you something in bold warning of upcoming expiry.

 

[Dr Ralph]

This type of points loss without apparent notice is reported fairly frequently now. I'm of the view that people need to take a proactive approach to keeping a check on their points balance rather than jumping up and down after loosing them.

 

[straitman]

Sorry to hear this... but a question... do you not receive your monthly 'points balance and 'exciting' points opportunities' (or words to that effect) newsletter?

The expiry is buried away in that regular email. Qantas have chosen not to send out a separate email dedicated to points expiry - unlike some other airlines that will send you something in bold warning of upcoming expiry.

This type of points loss without apparent notice is reported fairly frequently now. I'm of the view that people need to take a proactive approach to keeping a check on their points balance rather than jumping up and down after loosing them.

I agree that Qantas could/should make it a lot more obvious that points are about to expire.

Having said that I believe that points are a form of currency so like all other currencies it is up to us a individuals to look after our 'currency' I have lost AA miles in the past and have to say (unfortunately) that was all my fault.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I agree that Qantas could/should make it a lot more obvious that points are about to expire.

Having said that I believe that points are a form of currency so like all other currencies it is up to us a individuals to look after our 'currency' I have lost AA miles in the past and have to say (unfortunately) that was all my fault.

Isn't AA is the one that sends big bold emails? At least I think I got one to that effect.

 

[JohnK]

This happens all too often now.

I don't even bother reading past the points balance in the monthly newsletter. I have 5 newsletters to check. Qantas should really consider sending out separate email re expiring points.

 

[Homer]

I have just discovered that I lost many thousands of points that expired in September. This is an extract from the Qantas website: If you have opted in to the Frequent Flyer eNewsletter, your eNewsletter will include a notice in the month that your points are due to expire and the month prior to your points expiry Unfortunately no email was received despite opting in for newsletters. I emailed Qantas querying this but their reply did not answer the question! The other important fact is that even though you have an 18 month timeframe to keep you account active you cannot view 18 months online on the activity statement, so how are you supposed to monitor that?

I had this type of thing happen recently, though in my case I was receiving the newsletter but just not reading it thoroughly enough. I took responsibility and approached Qantas to reinstate the points, which they kindly did after I completed a "challenge". The details are in this thread in case it is of any assistance to you. Good luck!

 

[Matt_01]

I get a bit be-willed how people can let their points expire, there are just so many simple ways to keep your account active without flying. Simple examples include:

• QFF points earning credit cards every major bank has at least 1 so to many of the second tier banks once they are linked the points come across monthly and some of these cards have very low annual fees, or can be combined with a mortgage with no fees.
• Use your Woolies rewards card, yes the earn rate is not that flash but with a transfer each quarter this also keeps the QFF account active.
• Ebay shopping/ purchases
• there any many other option just look at the Qantas website.

I totally agree with Dr Ralph and as Straitman stated they are a form of currency and you need to be responsible to manage them yourself.

 

[RooFlyer]

Isn't AA is the one that sends big bold emails? At least I think I got one to that effect.

Yes; that's how I realised that I had some points expiring in about 3 months and I did something about it.

<snip>
I totally agree with Dr Ralph and as Straitman stated they are a form of currency and you need to be responsible to manage them yourself.

I think the currency analogy isn't inappropriate. 'Real' currency doesn't expire (except maybe in India ) and the currency issuer doesn't know how much of it you hold at any one time.

At a rough count, I have about 12 hotel / airline points accounts; of these, 4 are trivial (no option than to accrue with them and they are worthless really).

Given that all these entities have my contact details and most spray me with attention-grabbing e-mails, with something attention-grabbing in the subject line, it isn't unreasonable to expect that if something of value is about to disappear, they send me a clear advice to this effect - even 2 or 3 times. That is, unless they want my points to expire, to relieve them of some obligation to provide me with redemption value.

Oh! :shock:

The way Qantas does it - hidden away in an e-mail you might otherwise pass over as not of interest - is simply disgraceful.

Put it this way - if you knew some-one was going to lose $100, or something of value, because of their inattention (say, leaving something behind on a bus seat etc), if you are able to intervene to prevent the loss (say, by prominently calling attention to it), you would, wouldn't you? You wouldn't call out softly once they had left the area, so that the warning is missed and ineffective to prevent the loss, and then pocket the value, would you?

That's what Qantas does, effectively, in my opinion.

 

[samh004]

This type of points loss without apparent notice is reported fairly frequently now. I'm of the view that people need to take a proactive approach to keeping a check on their points balance rather than jumping up and down after loosing them.

I agree, but also agree that a separate email would be useful... though I expect would still see many points lost regardless. Best to contact them and see about completing a challenge, seemed so easy!

 

[drron]

Though sometimes you do things that keep points from expiring but then the airline retrospectively changes things.
Accor have just sent mrsdrron an email which is titled-Your points expire in March.
If they can do it airlines should.

 

[bsb]

I think as a society we are very quick to blame others (in this case QF, the newsletter, too many emails etc) for our own inaction.

 

[opusman]

If someone isn't actively earning points through credit cards it's pretty unlikely they'll have big points balance. "Many thousands" could mean 10,000 after all - hardly worth worrying about in the scheme of things.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

If someone isn't actively earning points through credit cards it's pretty unlikely they'll have big points balance. "Many thousands" could mean 10,000 after all - hardly worth worrying about in the scheme of things.

Many states and countries around the world are making it illegal for airlines to expire points (called breakage). It's a growing trend, brought on by airlines themselves. Delta, for example, boasts a near 30% breakage. This means, of all miles created into existence, 30% will go unused and expire. Representing free money for the loyalty program.

I would be interested in knowing how many members have points expire, and then go on to become an active member again. Especially those with a meaningful balance before the culling. If a member account hits the breakage wall, do they disengage forever? Audience segments might also play a factor - like if an 80-year-old with 200K points has them expire, the chances of them being a usefully active member might be low.

From experience, I know that engaging with members who have points about to expire is a very successful exercise. Especially, if the member has a high degree of network connections in their cluster segment.

 

[serfty]

I have no doubt it is deliberate.

The QFF main account page used to show month of last activity.

This has not been shown for well over a year now.

 

[RooFlyer]

I think as a society we are very quick to blame others (in this case QF, the newsletter, too many emails etc) for our own inaction.

I'm sympathetic to that point of view in general, but not in the situation under discussion, particularly the OPs situation. Many hotels and airlines prominently warn about expiring points. Others, like Qantas, don't.

I don't think organisations (or government for that matter) should do 'everything' for us, but where its a detrimental event for the member, and its easily in the organisation's power to do so, they should give out relevant advice in a way where the issue is likely to be noticed.

 

[mannej]

I guess there are parallels between points expiring and gift cards that expire some 6-12 months after purchase.
I guess the lack of warning with gift card expiry annoys a fair few people as well.

 

[serfty]

...
I don't think organisations (or government for that matter) should do 'everything' for us, but where its a detrimental event for the member, and its easily in the organisation's power to do so, they should give out relevant advice in a way where the issue is likely to be noticed.

On this, it appears virtually impossible if your last activity was more than 12 months ago to determine exactly when it was using solely www.qantas.com/frequentflyer .

You need to find other means such as calling or emailing Qantas Frequent flyer to find out.

 

[drron]

The ATO send me a message for BAS,tax payment/lodgement when due.Commbank send me a SMS when CC due.Heck QF even send me an SMS when a flight delayed.So why cant an airline send an SMS or properly titled email when points are expiring.
But A good hint here.If our velocity problem gets to a consumer affairs discussion I might even put in I will ask for laws to prevent breakage.

 

[breakNegg]

Why do points have to expire in the 1st place???? You earnt them you keep them.