Article: How Qantas & Velocity Point Values Have Changed Over Time

[AFF Editor]

How Qantas & Velocity Point Values Have Changed Over Time is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

How the Value of Qantas & Velocity Points Has Changed Over Time

In just a few years, frequent flyer programs have changed a lot.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

 

[kpc]

Thanks for the review. You should do one on Sq where there has been not only an increase in points needed for awrads but also more awards are only available as Advantage as opposed to Saver levels....that's a big killer for me of the Sq program...not to mention the devaluation of Amex and Amplify Rewards transfers to Sq.

 

[levelnine]

Helpfully shows you that QF points collectors are on borrowed time. The program is ripe for devaluation. The only thing saving it is the recent chaos. Once that news cycle is done, I'm sure it'll be on the cards. My guess would be a late 2024 to early 2025 announcement.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The reward charts may have stayed the same, but so have earning levels. If we are talking BIS earning… we’re spending more on airfares, for the same points. Isn’t that sort of a devaluation? CC earn is also being devalued with changes to transfer and earn rates.

VA on the other hand gives me points per dollar. So the more i pay, the more points. And the charts haven’t increased.

 

[Firemansam1962]

How Qantas & Velocity Point Values Have Changed Over Time is an article written by the AFF editorial team:

How the Value of Qantas & Velocity Points Has Changed Over Time

In just a few years, frequent flyer programs have changed a lot.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic below.

The value of the points may not have decreased but the opportunity to use them certainly has. Try getting a flight out of Perth to Europe and you'll be met with a blank screen. Maybe the ACC should have a closer look at these issues as well/

 

[Julio Lamont]

In 2015, my wife and I flew return from Perth to Rome, business class, on Emirates which cost us 500,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points. This year, my daughter flew Qatar, economy class, from Perth to Amsterdam return and it cost 500,000 Velocity points. That's how much things have changed!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

In 2015, my wife and I flew return from Perth to Rome, business class, on Emirates which cost us 500,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points. This year, my daughter flew Qatar, economy class, from Perth to Amsterdam return and it cost 500,000 Velocity points. That's how much things have changed!

I think you have highlighted the difference between ‘base’ or ‘classic’ awards and those which are ‘anytime’ points+pay seats. The later is any revenue seat converted in to points, which is what the velocity seat is. A classic or true award would only have been 65,000 points each way.

 

[Julio Lamont]

I think you have highlighted the difference between ‘base’ or ‘classic’ awards and those which are ‘anytime’ points+pay seats. The later is any revenue seat converted in to points, which is what the velocity seat is. A classic or true award would only have been 65,000 points each way.

I also forgot to add that it cost $1200 on top of that because she was flying on July 4th, the absolute peak of the season! Poor use of points by any measure, you would agree.

 

[bcworld]

In 2015, my wife and I flew return from Perth to Rome, business class, on Emirates which cost us 500,000 Qantas Frequent Flyer points. This year, my daughter flew Qatar, economy class, from Perth to Amsterdam return and it cost 500,000 Velocity points. That's how much things have changed!

That's not a reward seat...using 500,000 points for that is, sorry to say, madness!

This is how much a oneway economy reward would be.


...and business class:

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I also forgot to add that it cost $1200 on top of that because she was flying on July 4th, the absolute peak of the season! Poor use of points by any measure, you would agree.

Yes, but... everyone values points differently. If you saved $2000 some would argue better to have the cash in hand than points which are essentially worth nothing!

 

[Julio Lamont]

That's not a reward seat...using 500,000 points for that is, sorry to say, madness!

This is how much a oneway economy reward would be.

View attachment 352122
...and business class:

View attachment 352123

I didn't buy the ticket until two weeks before the flight, so I had no choice.

Post automatically merged: Oct 30, 2023

Yes, but... everyone values points differently. If you saved $2000 some would argue better to have the cash in hand than points which are essentially worth nothing!

Yes, that was in fact my justification at the time.

 

[levelnine]

Yes, but... everyone values points differently. If you saved $2000 some would argue better to have the cash in hand than points which are essentially worth nothing!

If you redeem 500K points to save $2,000, you are almost certainly going backwards — for anyone except a pure credit card churner, those 500K points would have cost more than $2,000 to acquire (in the form of credit card annual fees, credit card surcharges, choosing Qantas points over WW dollars, etc).

 

[Julio Lamont]

If you redeem 500K points to save $2,000, you are almost certainly going backwards — for anyone except a pure credit card churner, those 500K points would have cost more than $2,000 to acquire (in the form of credit card annual fees, credit card surcharges, choosing Qantas points over WW dollars, etc).

150,000 of them came from an American Express deal and the rest were double or triple FlyBuys points on a Coles Mastercard. But, yes, I take your point.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

150,000 of them came from an American Express deal and the rest were double or triple FlyBuys points on a Coles Mastercard. But, yes, I take your point.

Sooooo… how much was the cash fare? (just out of interest since we’re talking about it now!)

 

[Julio Lamont]

I've tried to blot the whole terrible episode out of my mind, but from memory I recall it being around $2800.

 

[Duffa]

I've tried to blot the whole terrible episode out of my mind, but from memory I recall it being around $2800.

So, next time she is flying to Europe, message me!
I will pay cash for her fare and you can bung me the 500,000 points.
Welcome to AFF, by the way.
.

 

[bcworld]

I've tried to blot the whole terrible episode out of my mind, but from memory I recall it being around $2800.

So that was the choice. Pay $2800...or use enough points to book 2 x rtn in business.

 

[stm1sydney]

Helpfully shows you that QF points collectors are on borrowed time. The program is ripe for devaluation. The only thing saving it is the recent chaos. Once that news cycle is done, I'm sure it'll be on the cards. My guess would be a late 2024 to early 2025 announcement.

And in the meantime, Qantas makes it virtually impossible for customers to use their points for anything useful.

 

[Julio Lamont]

So that was the choice. Pay $2800...or use enough points to book 2 x rtn in business.

Yes, it was my bad because I left the purchase to the last minute and no rewards seats were available.

Post automatically merged: Oct 31, 2023

So, next time ahe is flying to Europe, message me!
I will pay cash for her fare and you can bung me the 500,000 points.
Welcome to AFF, by the way.
.

Yes, I made a big mistake which is why I joined AFF.

 

[Bolt]

Excellent analysis. I ran my own analysis this year as well.

Jetstar flights in economy are excellent value. In my calculations, you get an average of 1.55c/$ in Jetstar vs 1.04c/% for QANTAS. Those values are when comparing a Jetstar reward vs a Jetstar cash fare, and a QANTAS reward vs a QANTAS cash fare taking into account baggage, meals, points, status credits, and platinum frequent flyer bonus. Given that Jetstar flights are generally cheaper than QANTAS for the same route, it becomes clear just how good the value for money is when redeeming a Jetstar flight.

Reality is that the best international redemptions are for the places that you want to go. Don't travel far for the sake of travelling far, just so that you can hit some points per dollar metric.