A Christmas conundrum

[Captain Halliday]

I have the opportunity to spend Christmas with the family this year. Winner! But how to do it?

I'm sitting on a 50% bonus SC offer. On the dates I'd need to travel I'd be up for ~$1,100 rtn and 100SC, plus the 50SC bonus. This would push me to within 20SC of my next status bonus (a further 50SC these days). I' already requalled SG and WP appears out of reach this year.

Amazingly there's also J award availability for the same dates. 75,000pts rtn plus ~$130 in fines. But the catch is I'm trying to accumulate points for a Oneworld 280k award for three late next year.

Do I burn the cash or burn the points?

What would you do?

 

[Steady]

Sign up for another CC with bonus points to keep building them up, then book your flights with it to help meet the minimum spend.

(If you go for the Explorer (via Steady's referral ) you will also get $400 credit towards the paid flights, but no good if chasing QF)

 

[puppysparkes]

I have the opportunity to spend Christmas with the family this year. Winner! But how to do it?

I'm sitting on a 50% bonus SC offer. On the dates I'd need to travel I'd be up for ~$1,100 rtn and 100SC, plus the 50SC bonus. This would push me to within 20SC of my next status bonus (a further 50SC these days). I' already requalled SG and WP appears out of reach this year.

Amazingly there's also J award availability for the same dates. 75,000pts rtn plus ~$130 in fines. But the catch is I'm trying to accumulate points for a Oneworld 280k award for three late next year.

Do I burn the cash or burn the points?

What would you do?

I think lifetime status...

 

[Captain Halliday]

I think lifetime status...

That's normally my approach too, but $1100 seems a lot for DRW-BNE-DRW in Y. And at just 25% of the way to LTG, it seems so far away not to be worth chasing.

Is there any evidence to suggest that booking during at 50% bonus SC offer will trigger further similar offers? Is it algorithm based or just random?

 

[JohnK]

I would use points in these situations as they provide excellent value.

Trying to book BNE-SYD for 2 people for evening of 23 December and airfares are ridiculous. In previous years I could see award seats but not this year. Airlines really trying to squeeze everything this year.