Qantas Award Charges Outrageous

[Limewood]

Was looking to book 2 x Y BNE/HNL/BNE using 140,000 QF points, but once again those additional charges I find are simply outrageous at $877 for 2 pax when I can buy 1 ticket return for that, considering most airlines do not whack their loyal frequent flyers like this why cant QF do the right thing?.

 

[blackcat20]

Which is why Y redemptions arent good value usually.

 

[UP4014]

Also interesting, with oil at an all time low there is still a QF fuel charge.

 

[marki]

Awful really and a shock too. Red Roo might be able to give feedback on these charges.
Many on this list have said that the best value is seen in using points for upgrades.

 

[straitman]

Awful really and a shock too. Red Roo might be able to give feedback on these charges.
Many on this list have said that the best value is seen in using points for upgrades.

Don't say it too loudly or too often or that will change too.

 

[marki]

Oops sorry

 

[Limewood]

Which is why Y redemptions arent good value usually.

Agree, but they should not charge so much its ridiculous, they release so few J/F seats its not funny, get M$ from CC use, fuel prices have dropped like a house brick and they just want more, pure greed. No doubt QF will be along shortly to explain why they can charge like a wounded bull when most other airlines don't.

 

[Anna]

The outrageous charges and the limited availability of award seats and upgrades are why I no longer care about collecting QFF points. Simply not worth the effort (and most ways to earn points cost a bit more than if you did the same thing but without earning points - it all adds up to 'may as well just pay cash for my airfares and forget about earning/using points').

 

[tania73]

Oz-Europe regularly comes in around 1K one way if you are flying in J/F. AA charges $153 dollars when redeeming the same flight through AAdvanatge. Its nothing short of price gauging.

 

[Shinkz]

It is a bit silly although cathay pacific and some other airlines offer reasonable fees for QF redemptions

 

[JohnK]

SQ can be awful for fuel surcharges as well.

Also interesting, with oil at an all time low there is still a QF fuel charge.

Wait until oil prices start increasing again. Qantas and others will have to increase fuel surcharges to compensate for the oil price increase.

Seriously this fuel surcharge is out of control. It is a cost of business and should be included in the base airfare and therefore excluded from award tickets. Only genuine taxes should be included on award tickets.

 

[Buzzard]

You need to shop wisely to maximise the value of points.

 

[Limewood]

The outrageous charges and the limited availability of award seats and upgrades are why I no longer care about collecting QFF points. Simply not worth the effort.

Yes I've stopped hunting QFF points due to these ridiculous charges, plus the banks etc. in many cases have reduced the max point earns so its more for less points. I buy US miles when the big deals are on and use them on a bunch of OW airlines, even with our current shocking AUD/USD exchange rate and the 7.5% tax a good deal. Still same amount of homework searching and finding sectors but only paying 1/3 to half for J seats.

 

[Gaspode]

Don't Qantas buy their fuel on the futures market? Ie. the fuel price Qantas pay has nothing to do with day-to-day oil price fluctuations, and depends entirely on the rate the negotiated back when the current fuel supply contract was signed. I'm not saying the Qantas charges are justified (when compared to other airlines), just that the oil price may not come into it as directly as might be thought

 

[andye]

I find it much easier to just ignore YQ as being anything to do with fuel.

It is a carrier charge to make money from Reward flights (and to some extent limit corporate and other fare discounts)

The actual rates are just as much a business decision as the prices of tickets and are determined by market forces.

The annoying thing is that they devalue the points 'currency' that you hold. Most on AFF have their eyes open to them but must be incredibly daunting to the once-in-a-lifetime international Y flyer (+/- their family)

 

[avaction]

Yes the 'extra' charges by Qantas (& BA) are outrageous. For instance a one way flight to Dubai from Sydney incurs additional charges of $400 pp on top of 96,000 points, whereas the exact same flight booked with AA Advantage Miles costs US$60 (just under $100) and 45,000 points.

What's the go?

 

[Limewood]

Wish there was a OZ CC that could credit FF points to AA.

 

[andye]

Amex MR and Diners do transfer to SPG then onto AA. Conversion rates less good than MR to SQ CX VA etc direct though

 

[michaele]

I was shocked last week viewing a LAX-HND flight on AA was 72k QF points and $US5.

$5.

Crazy!

 

[UP4014]

I think QF is guilty as charged by people here.

We're still waiting on the defence to turn up here and make its case.

No comment from QF is a comment from QF.

Matt