Article: How I Make Qantas Reward Availability Work for Me

[AFF Editor]

How I Make Qantas Reward Availability Work for Me is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

How I Make Qantas Reward Availability Work for Me

It's much easier to redeem Qantas points for great value reward flights if you use the program as it's intended.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[Human]

I love this article. It doesn’t engage in needless Qantas-bashing, but it clearly articulates the truth that Qantas points are not the wisest FF currency to accumulate if long-haul flights to Europe or North America are the goal.

I’ve saved thousands over the last few years redeeming Qantas points for business class travel within Australia, and have also managed to use Qantas points for a couple of fun “aspirational” bookings (eg. JFK-HND in JAL first class, and SIN-MEL in Emirates first class).

I’ve added the article to my Reading List and next time someone complains that “QFF is a scam because there are no business class flights to London available” or the like, I’ll suggest they read it!

 

[levelnine]

Good article.

In fairness to the typical program user, you can understand why they get frustrated with the program. For large numbers of people, premium cabins on long-haul routes are the point of points accumulation (whether aided by Qantas marketing or not). There is a massive, massive cohort who don't really care about most of the routes listed in that article — they don't have much interest in a business class seat on a 3 hour flight to NZ or domestic flight within the US* — but do care about getting a business class seat for the 24 hour trek to Europe/North America. Indeed, that help explains why there is no availability — that's where all the demand is!

It's cold comfort to tell someone that they can use their points on this other thing that they have no interest in.

* And some of the better routes listed in this article are fleeting — eg the SYD-JNB route is currently experiencing great award availability due to the upgauge, but has historically been a very hard route to find premium cabin availability.

 

[bussyboy]

As intended: Frequent Flyers i.e. Platinum members get the redemptions they want, Gold have a half chance.

 

[CaptJCool]

Good article

Australian domestic flights for 8,000 points is a good deal !
Because it’s a distance based measure there can be decent value flying to the limit of the miles (eg adel - Melb, melb - Syd 8,000 or Adelaide - Brissy 12,000. Brissy - Perth 18,000)

the only idea I would add is
Use points to book internal flights on Iberia or BA in Europe - they are similarly priced to our domestic reward tics and are available even a few days before flying. (Noting it’s a good idea to compare the revenue prices before booking as some of them are “dirt cheap” and Euro J Can even be cheaper for longer (and often on late notice bookings cheaper than Y)

As an Australian based program, there’s wide availability there because Australians aren’t competing in large numbers for the reward tics

 

[Gold Member]

As intended: Frequent Flyers i.e. Platinum members get the redemptions they want, Gold have a half chance.

For high status Qantas Frequent Flyers the article is highly relevant and practical. Making Reward Availability work for you is dependent on your personal circumstances. For Matt (and many of us on AFF for that matter), he’s leveraged his Platinum status and his broad and in depth knowledge of various FF Programs, paid fares and the broader Airline Industry to make it work for him. The article makes some good suggestions for medium haul redemptions, but if we’re being honest, most members want to redeem their points on long haul premium cabins.

Qantas rightfully rewards their highest status members with significantly more award space in long haul premium cabin. And for those in the know, Platinum status members and above can even request Qantas to open up awards that remain firmly unavailable to anyone else. But these upper echelons of status represent such a small niche of members who likely already know the in’s and outs of finding rewards and how to best make it work for them.

For the majority of QFF’ers whom are Silver status or below (~90%), I’m sure they will have a far more challenging experience trying to redeem their points for long haul premium cabin awards. They spend countless hours searching unsuccessfully and eventually give up. In their moment of frustration and despair, their points are seemingly worthless and they believe QFF is a scam. That’s before they’re even quoted the number of points required and the Carrier Charges/Taxes.

Some are more stingy than others, but the reality is that no Airline can ever make awards available on demand to appease all of their members for obvious reasons. For the vast majority of QFF members without any meaningful status, Making Reward Availability Work For Them is indeed very difficult. Linking them back to the article may prove insightful, but it will not fix their problem.

 

[MelbFlyer]

I agree that QFF points aren't the best for those who are looking for long haul premium reward seats but it's definitely the easiest and most widespread program in Australia.

I have however, been able to use QFF points from churning CCs to redeem the below medium to long haul flights in business:
- HKG to EWR on CX
- A OWA to Europe, via HKG and SIN (quite difficult, but eventually got there)
- MEL to NRT on QF

I've used VFF points for MEL to SIN via SQ as well.

I find however, that redemptions via VFF definitely have less premium cabin availability though, even compared to QFF.

I think as long as you're able to be flexible and can avoid the Qantas call centre as a non-Gold or above member (I'm only Bronze and seek reward seats rather than status), you should be fine.

 

[Human]

I've been using points to book flights to/from Europe in business class for years but I've had success using Qantas points once, and only once: QF10 from London to Melbourne via Perth. I was able to snag seats for my wife and me in early 2022 -- this was just after the borders had re-opened and most people still had cold feet about going overseas.

Ironically, I subsequently cancelled the booking when Qatar Qsuites came up instead.

 

[flyguy77]

the reality is that no Airline can ever make awards available on demand to appease all of their members for obvious reasons.

And here-in is the problem.

These FF programs are all well past capacity to deliver the really valuable rewards to 99% of their members.

BUT they keep happily taking on and sucking in more and more new members....

A common problem with all big business who simply just care about the dollars.

 

[RooFlyer]

I’m also a user of Qantas points for domestic business or economy travel and Int’l business on ‘boutique’ routes not the popular ones.

 

[aikman]

It's easy to say that diversification is the way to go but the points ecosystem in Australia has developed in a way that most people will end up collecting Qantas points and a lot of those people want to go to Europe. You are therefore saying that the whole system is designed to fail.

 

[DrGear]

Solid points. Hell, I was able to book SYD-HND for next year in J by going via Manila. Had I booked a few days earlier we could have gotten a direct flight to HND and there were more options for the return leg. Moral of the story; jump on the tickets that are available ASAP and don’t overthink it. You can always change/cancel them later if need be for a small points fee

 

[Winemaker]

How do I use QFF points to book American LAX to Las Vegas return? David

 

[trader10]

QFF points
Previously I have been Platinum. Why would I go business on an internal flight? ( except Perth). I am now with Singapore who gives me all I want. Qantas has lost it and their planes need upgrading. Look elsewhere.

 

[GrahamBRI]

Brilliant article Matt!!!! Very objective. I am looking forward to the sequel.

 

[bradnjayne]

After reading articles in AFF (thanks Matt) I altered my approach to utilising my Qantas FF points. We are travelling to Europe next year in Business Class, courtesy of Qantas points. The changes I made to my usual attempt to book a Classic Rewards flight was to add a stop over for a few nights and not to fly into London. We are flying Sydney-Hong Kong with Qantas. After our stop over there we are flying with Emirates, HK-Dubai-Zurich. All with points, all in Business Class for less than $1700 in taxes for the two of us.

 

[Askance]

I picked up ADL to AKL biz return using classic rewards three weeks before travel. Used the tricks AFF has taught me to ignore the inflated point price of classic plus rewards when searching, and being retired gives me flexibility in when i travel.

I wouldnt even try Oz to Europe with my remaining points and my slowing declining status (silver). Qatar and SG get my money to build up points these days.

 

[LukeO9]

What !?! Canberra-Melbourne with QFF points is 49% efficiency - though the route is an expensive one.
Yes, Canberra-Brisbane is efficient at 99%.

 

[Mischief1]

Good article. Everyone’s needs/wants are different but my beef with Q is that its not just Business long haul routes that are difficult to find CR seats on its often tough to find Economy. Its also true that you can often get good value domestically on certain routes and at certain times.

But to be honest the new Classic redemption category costs so many more points its hard to escape the conclusion that its introduction was partly in response to flak they were legitimately copping for the scarcity of CR seats.

And the question has to be asked if VFF and partners are able to provide more CR seats why can’t QANTAS??

 

[NoName]

I love this article. It doesn’t engage in needless Qantas-bashing, but it clearly articulates the truth that Qantas points are not the wisest FF currency to accumulate if long-haul flights to Europe or North America are the goal.

I’ve saved thousands over the last few years redeeming Qantas points for business class travel within Australia, and have also managed to use Qantas points for a couple of fun “aspirational” bookings (eg. JFK-HND in JAL first class, and SIN-MEL in Emirates first class).

I’ve added the article to my Reading List and next time someone complains that “QFF is a scam because there are no business class flights to London available” or the like, I’ll suggest they read it!

Agree with this. I don’t fly anywhere near as often as many/most on this forum but when we plan something we have generally been able to use Qantas points for part of the trip and in premium cabins. The aspirational stuff is what we looks for too. Our last big trip in 2022 we got the 3 of us in F & J on EK to Europe (and the two adults in F the previous trip to Europe earlier in 2022). And I’ve managed to get JL F from SIN-JFK for December as well. Particularly looking forward to the A350-1000.

My opinion is that if you plan carefully and far enough in advance there are definitely options.