Can you have too many Frequent Flyer points?

[RAM]

Just like Oliver, I always want more.

BUT FF is often the biggest profit maker for Qantas. That doesn't come from thin air - it comes from people stock piling their points for years. Just like the present value of $10,000 in 5 years time at current interest rates is worth less than $7,500 today, so waiting a few years for a big redemption is just adding to Q profits.

1,000,000 points held for a number of years is a generous boost to the Irishman's bonus pool - that is something I don't feel like donating too.

Without having done the numbers, would an open ended ticket be a better alternative? If you can for a small fee (free even better) postpone the departure/return dates down the track you avoid the rush for flights if Q cut the conversion rates any more and lock in the hopefully lower "surcharges".

Although a cash flow cost for surcharges it should work out a better all-in cost given current depressed state of fares and mkt share battles.

Or is there too tight a limit to pushing out the dep/rtn dates?

 

[EmilyHoward]

Well I have had built up nearly 1.5 million Qantas FF points at times but currently down to less than 300k. I earn and use them. Sometimes I book flights a long way out with them. I don't think you can ever have too many.

EH

 

[suey]

I currently have 360k on QF and 100k on virgin, but I am saving up the QF points til I have enough for a RTW for me and my 2 kids, I am guessing that it would be about 200k points for each of us - need to look into that to work out how many to save and hope in the meantime that they don't loose their value!

I don't have any plans for the 100k virgin points as yet, so I guess I am just stockpiling them...

 

[melaus]

I think that if you hoard points to an airline that is Government owned/backed (partly or majority), it 'could' be a 'safer' bet.
EK and SQ come to mind as being 'safer' than QF (in the event of an airline going bust). QF is cutting routes and expanding JQ too, thus limiting choices in the future.

Also, trying to lock in future flights as far out as possible is another step towards minimising downside risk. When AN went belly up, l *think* that QF/VA honoured AN bookings.

Back to the OT by cove, no, l don't think that you can have too many points.
If you get a sniff that things starting to go pair shaped at QF, there is always the frequent flyer store to pig out on. How many plasmas/LCD TV's do you need 'eh?

You'd better be quick after you get that "sniff" as I feel the draught from that FF Store banging shut at the same time as the other benefits dissolve!

 

[cove]

Oneworldplus2 pretty much everyone would be related to Mrscove as I married a Smith!
To avoid a build up of points we have booked flights out to February which can be unhelpful if a Double SC offer comes along on QF.

 

[straitman]

Cove you wouldn't read about it, but l went onto ancestry.com, and it turns out l'm a long, long, long, long lost cousin of yours.

I have not read about it and actually don't believe it.

If that was the case then you would also have to be related to me and that is not possible. :shock:

 

[genedna]

The most I had was 3 million points, but hover around 2 million now. I only lost 90,000 on Ansett, but it's a lesson not to get too attached to them. I have flown in-laws business class from Brazil, and sent my tbrother and wife around the world, and both my sisters from Australia to Panama. I decided to use them for holidays and for family....and upgrades, but have been frustrated by Qantas' lack of co-operation by not offering any upgrade ability on most fare types (would be happy to pay extra points for upgrades on sale fares, but they don't even offer that).

So, have started accumulating points with virgin and United, and sent a good friend to LA last year, for a Vegas trip. Hoping Qantas start to allow using points for upgrades on all fares. Why sell the ticket and leave a business seat empty, when they could take points out of the system?

Too many points? In the end...no..., but like an expensive bottle of wine, it's there to be drunk.

 

[Kangol]

This is going to sound weird, but I'm saving mine for a return FASA to LHR for when my QP membership expires (going to be a couple of years from now to allow for dropping back from WP). This is because flying F is something I want to do at some stage and if I book it right I can earn SG with one return flight. At that stage I don't plan on travelling any more often than I do now (not that I am travelling often atm anyway)...

 

[Sprucegoose]

I remember as a kid my father being burnt by Ansett.. and I think it was Continental (Early 90s) Around the 1,000,000 mark. I recall he was very pissed off... I don't want that to happen to me

We all got burned on Ansett. I had redeemed alot of mine but reckon there were 300k plus gone.

I can't see qantas failing. They may alter the scheme but that would be slowly. The airline won't be allowed to fail per se ala Ansett or continental



Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[Austashes]

RTW 140K points Economy, 280K Business, 420K First - Dont think they have Premium but if you book Business you may be offered some lower seats. Also You get charged for the highest seat class requestedm so you cannot mix & match.

 

[RWJ777]

We all got burned on Ansett. I had redeemed alot of mine but reckon there were 300k plus gone.

I can't see qantas failing. They may alter the scheme but that would be slowly. The airline won't be allowed to fail per se ala Ansett or continental



Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

I have two friends who both lost a million each on Ansett; I was not travelling for work then so nothing travelled nothing gained (or lost)!

 

[craven morehead]

Same here! Just cracked 3 million points for the first time and quickly divested myself of 1.6 million of the little buggers. A combination of "JASA" - BNE-HKG , Classic "J" HKG-LHR , Classic "F" LHR-BKK & "JASA" BKK-BNE for 4 people... Now that's living :mrgreen:

 

[serfty]

I currently have 360k on QF and 100k on virgin, but I am saving up the QF points til I have enough for a RTW for me and my 2 kids, I am guessing that it would be about 200k points for each of us - need to look into that to work out how many to save and hope in the meantime that they don't loose their value!

I don't have any plans for the 100k virgin points as yet, so I guess I am just stockpiling them...

In economy with QFF it's 140K each, in Business it's 280K.

 

[hotanddusty]

Sorry to hear you lost your points with Ansett and I was on the understanding Ozy sold NZ a dead duck of an airline!! and just to rub it in I managed to use all my point on a family trip plus a few extra point Ansett generously credited to me to complete the journey just prior to the airline going down for good. Keep your eye on Qantas ??
Happy flying

 

[Foreigner]

We all got burned on Ansett. I had redeemed alot of mine but reckon there were 300k plus gone.

I can't see qantas failing. They may alter the scheme but that would be slowly. The airline won't be allowed to fail per se ala Ansett or continental

Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

I wouldn't say Continental failed. It was managed under Cap. 11 protection, maybe twice, but finally merged with UA in 2010.

 

[amaroo]

Sorry to hear you lost your points with Ansett and I was on the understanding Ozy sold NZ a dead duck of an airline!! and just to rub it in I managed to use all my point on a family trip plus a few extra point Ansett generously credited to me to complete the journey just prior to the airline going down for good. Keep your eye on Qantas ??
Happy flying

I always thought is was Abeles & Murdoch that drained the life & cash out of AN!

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

I always thought is was Abeles & Murdoch that drained the life & cash out of AN!

I think that's right, while News Corp and Air NZ both held 50% each in the 90's, News Corp prevented funding for much needed fleet renewal and other capex. As a 50% owner, Air NZ should have had full knowledge of the situation but decided to buy them out anyway in 2000. Maybe no one knew how bad the situation was, Air NZ managed to outbid Singapore Airlines who also bid for News' 50%.

 

[11sjw]

I always thought is was Abeles & Murdoch that drained the life & cash out of AN!

Air NZ drained Ansett of Capital Items such as spare engines. Plenty of former Ansett pilots can pass on tales of cargo flights full of engines departing ex East Coast and heading to NZ.

 

[straitman]

Air NZ drained Ansett of Capital Items such as spare engines. Plenty of former Ansett pilots can pass on tales of cargo flights full of engines departing ex East Coast and heading to NZ.

.... and having low time parts replaced with high time parts whilst in NZ.

 

[casanovawa]

I knew NZ types were dodgy as, this has just confirmed it!!!!

Back O/T, i can't imagine having too many FF points, and nor do i expect to be faced with that problem anytime soon...