A million Qantas FF points but almost impossible to use for flights.

[Lynda2475]

For premium routes on QF metal you need to be ready to book as soon as seats are released but no later than 10 months in advance. Redemptions on partner airlines can be easier to find closer to departure, but if you are planning to travel at peak season it will be hard.

When i changed my OWA 10 months out to drop HKG transit and switch to DFW I had to be flexible and fly on a Monday as flights that get you home for start of the work (Fr and Sat departures) week always go super fast.

Searching non standard routing via multi-city tool usually shows more options than if you search a to b

 

[Jack_OC]

+1 for using the multi-city tool, being flexible and being creative with routes. If you do that, there are generally plenty of award seats available in premium cabins with partners. As others have said, award seats in premium cabins with QF itself are harder to come by, especially if you have no/low status, but still not impossible to find.

One issue at the moment is that there are a lot fewer flights in/out of Australia than in normal times, which limits options. In the past, there was generally lots of availability from MEL/SYD to Tokyo with JAL or HKG with CX, and loads of onwards options from those airports (with JAL or CX, plus BA, AY, AF and even EK). Due to limited flights by CX and JAL right now, however, those options are almost non-existent.

Also, the difficulty (or in some cases impossibility) of Singapore stopovers is a problem. There is usually (and still is now) plenty of award availability from SIN to various airports (including DXB, DOH with onward connections to lots of EU destinations, or direct to CDG, HEL, or LHR). It used to be that if you were stuck, you could pay for rtn flights to SIN and pick up reward flights to/from SIN a day either side, but again that's generally not viable now.

Assuming COVID issues gradually resolve, I would imagine you should have no problem finding flights to use your points on over the next 1-2 years.

 

[Fil-Ski]

Any tips for Singapore workaround given it's so hard to get availability?

 

[Jack_OC]

Any tips for Singapore workaround given it's so hard to get availability?

At the moment you can only transit in SIN if you have a connecting flight booked on the same ticket.

This means it's not possible to piece together different award tickets on separate bookings, or award flights coupled with paid fares, unless you are prepared to (and allowed to) formally enter Singapore (i.e. go through passport control).

In theory you can do this if you are travelling from Australia, book on a "Vaccinated Travel Lane" flight and meet other criteria. Coming back, it may not be possible at all though, depending on where you plan to go. Also note that Singapore has repeatedly changed its rules over time - so you could be ok to enter Singapore now, but that might not be the case next week or next month. In short, I would not recommend trying any workarounds involving Singapore right now. If you can book a connecting flight all on one ticket that's ok, but otherwise I would suggest either waiting and/or finding a different option.

 

[lexical_regatta]

Flexibility and creativity is key to booking flights with QF.

In case you weren't aware, you can also looking at booking a 'oneworld' award flight in business on oneworld partners (QF, AA, CX, QR, BA, JL, etc) with 5 stopovers for 318,000 QF points. There's an entire thread on this with a lot of helpful info - "oneworld" award (132.4K/249.6K/318K/455K) Planning - The Definitive Thread

Wow. It’s a whole new world I didn’t know about. Thanks heaps!

 

[lexical_regatta]

I understand what’s done is done but out of interest why credit cards that direct credit to Qantas if you don’t fly Qantas? Why not into an airline program you fly or something like Amex Rewards?

Yeah, I signed up for that Qantas credit card in 2005 and back then the rewards program was all pretty good. I accrued heaps of points and then started using them for some nice flights. Then I didn’t travel for a few years but during that time was still accruing points and when I started travelling again saw that it wasn’t what it once was. So I changed over to ANZ rewards in the end. But I still have the points I built up.

 

[Seat0B]

Yeah, I signed up for that Qantas credit card in 2005 and back then the rewards program was all pretty good. I accrued heaps of points and then started using them for some nice flights. Then I didn’t travel for a few years but during that time was still accruing points and when I started travelling again saw that it wasn’t what it once was. So I changed over to ANZ rewards in the end. But I still have the points I built up.

So if you are no longer accruing Qantas points, do just be aware of the need to earn or use at least 1 point every 18 months or else you will lose the lot - they expire after 18 months of inactivity.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

So if you are no longer accruing Qantas points, do just be aware of the need to earn or use at least 1 point every 18 months or else you will lose the lot - they expire after 18 months of inactivity.

And for those curious there are a number of ways to prevent points from expiring:

• Sign up for Qantas Wellbeing Rewards (free) where you earn Qantas Frequent Flyer points for just going out for a walk.
• Convert your Woolworths Everyday Rewards points to Qantas points
• Scan your Qantas Frequent Flyer card when you fill up at BP to earn some points
• Hold a transaction account at BankWest where you earn QF points for holding a balance and QF points for each debit transaction
• Book a hotel stay using Qantas Hotels, stay at an AirBnb or even stay at an Accor property (i.e. Ibis, Mantra, Novotel) with a linked Qantas card to earn QF points on the stay.
• Shop at QF Wines either using points or cash to pay
• Make a reward booking or heaven forbid redeem towards some merchandise at the QF Shop

Those are just a couple of options, there many more. The point being, and I think most folks on this forum would agree, you want to try and optimize your frequent flyer earning opportunities to the point where it's sensible. Believe it or not, most of my QF points weren't earned by flying or with a credit card, but rather from my grocery shops at Woolies particularly when they had lucrative bonus offers at hand.

-RooFlyer88

 

[lexical_regatta]

For what it's worth, I've been fairly engaged in this whole travel thing for some time, and have certainly done the time to get there. Here are some exploits that I pulled off thanks to the knowledge I built over time:

• Booked a roundtrip flight in business class on Air Canada from Sydney to Toronto for ~$2000 AUD by purchasing frequent flyer points and redeeming them for the flight (MSRP of flight is ~$9000 AUD)
• Upgraded a $1100 AUD economy flight I had with United from economy to Polaris business class for LHR > SYD (via LAX) thereby entitling me to 25 hours in Polaris business class over 2 long haul flights (LHR > LAX and LAX > SYD) plus 5 hours in the Polaris business class lounge for 35,000 United miles + $600 USD co-pay (the MSRP of that business class flight was significantly more than that)
• Flew to remote places that would otherwise be expensive like Lord Howe Island and Iqaluit in Canada's arctic for peanuts (i.e. 15,000 miles + $100 in taxes and fees versus the $1200+ you'd normally pay for such a fare)
• Access the airline business class lounges you often find at airports with just a cheap economy fare which often include showers, food, business centre, etc (thanks to frequent flyer status)
• Checked 3 pieces of bags on economy fares when I was moving between continents for study without having to pay any extra baggage fees (thanks to frequent flyer status)
• Selected those comfy extra leg room seats you often see in economy on wide body planes like the 777 for $0 (thanks to airline status)
• Changed flights I had scheduled that day for nothing, despite me being on a cheap economy ticket so that I could attend a conference for an additional day (thanks to frequent flyer status)
• Bypassed all lines during check-in, immigration, security, at boarding thanks again to frequent flyer status

As you can see there is quite a bit you can gain if you do end up travelling quite a bit. Which begs the question: does frequent travel create the frequent traveller or does the pursuit of becoming a frequent traveller create frequent travel? Prior to 2012 I rarely travelled.

It was only when business required me to start travelling and I started digging more into things like Flyertalk that I realized, hey this travelling thing is fun.

-RooFlyer88

Wow, it's a real rabbit hole, you've had quite the journey!

 

[lexical_regatta]

Since you are Virgin Platinum, one particularly affordable way to earn status with an airline like Qantas is to keep your eyes peeled for the status match challenges they run from time to time. In essence you can earn something like Qantas Gold for a whole year (or more if you time it right) taking just one trip with Qantas. This is what I did last year, matching my United Premier Gold status to Qantas' Gold status. I took one trip to Darwin on Qantas (from SYD) and that's it, I got status through November 2022.

Yeah, there was a deal running at the start of the pandemic that would have gotten me Qantas Gold off my Velocity Platinum. I really missed out on that one.

 

[lexical_regatta]

So if you are no longer accruing Qantas points, do just be aware of the need to earn or use at least 1 point every 18 months or else you will lose the lot - they expire after 18 months of inactivity.

thanks, yes for this reason I keep a zero annual fee qantas amex card. it accrues a few hundred points a month, maybe less.

 

[lexical_regatta]

or heaven forbid redeem towards some merchandise at the QF Shop

I'm not proud to admit, but I've come dangerously close to buying stuff at the QF shop, but pulled myself away from the brink.

Post automatically merged: Feb 16, 2022

For premium routes on QF metal you need to be ready to book as soon as seats are released but no later than 10 months in advance.

I wish I had my life organised enough to plan more than 10 months in advance

 

[encryptededdy]

I can completely emphasize with the difficulty of booking award tickets when you have strict date restrictions to work around, since your only hope for these as a Bronze FF is really to book as soon as they're released (and even then, unless you're booking with a partner, they've already been picked at by Platinum, Gold, and recently Silver FFs).

I've personally actually had a pretty good experience booking Business Class flights with my QFF points as a Bronze, but I realize I'm very fortunate that;

1. My favorite place to travel is around Asia. I've found that there's so much more award space available (I assume from lower demand) on both QF and partners like JL, CX, and CI travelling to my favorite destinations like Taiwan or Japan versus trying to book flights to North America or Europe. Of course, if Asia isn't your thing, then this can't be helped.
2. I've managed to pick up a few last minute domestic business flights booked 1 week or two out. I've also booked a few international flights (Singapore and Auckland) only a few weeks out. I assume these were from last minute cancellations. Of course, this is reliant on you being able to actually travel on such short notice.

I've basically accepted that my points are going to pay for my trips around Asia Pacific, and if I ever want to go to North American or Europe in Business I better plan a year ahead and/or pay with cash.

 

[vicsta]

Or you could alternatively wait for the next Qantas Points Auction!
I bought the SA holiday prize. Not exactly the best value but I figured out I wasn't going to have enough opportunities to use them on round the world business class trips!

 

[ozflier]

That's correct, QFF members with status have no greater chance of securing Cathay or Qatar seats than a Bronze member.

Having said that, only time will tell whether Cathay survives the pandemic, and Qatar intentionally limit award availability to all QFF members (regardless of status), so those two examples you've mentioned might be some of the harder options to fly.

Add to that Japan is slow opening up .
Along with problems with connections via Singapore and as you said , Qatar's punishment of Qantas Frequent fliers , returning from say Europe via the middle east and asia is looking problematic!

 

[sudoer]

Add to that Japan is slow opening up .
Along with problems with connections via Singapore and as you said , Qatar's punishment of Qantas Frequent fliers , returning from say Europe via the middle east and asia is looking problematic!

Japan has allowed transits through the entire pandemic and both JL and NH have offered outstanding award availability.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Japan has allowed transits through the entire pandemic and both JL and NH have offered outstanding award availability.

Not entirely true. It's not allowed to transit between the two co-Terminals in Tokyo, for instance: HND and NRT. Having flown a number of TPAC segments pre-pandemic it was quite common to have that connection. Indeed, even to this day these co-terminal transits are offered for international-to-international flights.

For instance this was part of an itinerary I had at one point last year:

-RooFlyer88

 

[DC3]

I think that sudoer was referring to international transits being allowed at the airports of NRT and HND. Not about travelling across the city from one airport to the other.

Anyway, we know that tourists are not permitted to enter Japan at the moment including leaving airside to cross to another airport.

 

[Mattg]

Or you could alternatively wait for the next Qantas Points Auction!
I bought the SA holiday prize. Not exactly the best value but I figured out I wasn't going to have enough opportunities to use them on round the world business class trips!

Out of interest, have you taken the holiday yet? How was it?

 

[lexical_regatta]

Out of interest, have you taken the holiday yet? How was it?

oh I have 2x conference trips to Moscow in June, but I'll pay for those (probably fly Eithad or Singapore since my Velocity platinum should give me some lounge access). The points I want to use for personal travel. I think my wife would be happy with an Asian city destination.

Problem is that with my work I can't really plan more than 4 months ahead.

Post automatically merged: Feb 22, 2022

Or you could alternatively wait for the next Qantas Points Auction!
I bought the SA holiday prize. Not exactly the best value but I figured out I wasn't going to have enough opportunities to use them on round the world business class trips!

I'm unfamiliar with this?