Christmas 2015 Voucher Offer: Earn 5 points per $ spent (1 to 31 December 2015)

[kermatu]

Apologies if this is a silly question but can you use these to book return flights x-Australia? SYD-HKG-SYD? I've noticed above that people are saying that the flights need to be x-Australia and I want to double check that it's only the first flight that needs to originate in Australia.

A simple return is fine but not a multi-city booking.

 

[JohnK]

I'm guessing their system registers the purchase from the appropriate merchant (QANTAS) and it's flagged as an eligible transaction. I was impressed. Very impressed. (and now I have the voucher from QF).

Transactions for these vouchers are appearing as QANTAS AIRWAYS (M) on my Amex account. Don't remember seeing that description before.

 

[CaviAck]

Transactions for these vouchers are appearing as QANTAS AIRWAYS (M) on my Amex account. Don't remember seeing that description before.

M for Mascot? Maybe an update to their merchant name?

 

[JessicaTam]

Not according to the official published general terms for both gift vouchers and customer care vouchers. Does the service centre then have the discretion to override the terms and issue a residual gift voucher for amounts of $2 and less?

Terms have changed this year.

Also for newcomers, note vouchers cannot be combined, so if you buy 10 vouchers, you need 10 separate bookings. A trap for young players.

Ah the joys of the everchanging T&Cs!

 

[dektora]

The new T&Cs (dot point below) make it really hard for me to use the vouchers. In addition, they have changed (since this time last year) the way vouchers are used on the website - you can no longer use a voucher as a form of payment at the end of the booking process. In order to use the voucher, you must follow the link given in the voucher email to "load" the voucher (which is just a booking reference), then search for flights from that page. This makes it impossible to use the voucher for fares accessed via a Qantas promotional page (in my case, a corporate "employee, family & friends" page). The voucher T&C does not actually disclose this information - it only says that the voucher can be redeemed on the qantas.com/yourbooking page or through the contact centre.

While trying to book a simple Sydney/Perth return flight, I found that I could not pay for it with the voucher that I had just purchased for the purpose. So I called the contact centre and have just got off after almost 2 hours. The first consultant telling me emphatically that the voucher can only be used through the search option on the page loaded by the voucher. I was then transferred to a senior consultant at my insistence, and after explaining this situation for about 15 minutes, repeating the same information a number of times, she put me on hold for about half an hour, then came back and promptly (accidentally I would hope) hang up on me. Upon calling back, I was told she had gone on break (she did not even try to call me back on the number in the booking info). The consultant (the third person I spoke to) then agreed to apply the voucher, but it seems only because I had the booking reference for the incomplete booking (saved by the system automatically and emailed to me). I was then put on hold while she tried to get another senior to override the price for those flights on the booking reference for the voucher. She then came back to asked me to explain why I had a cheaper price - so I explained the situation again from the top, was put on hold again, and rinse and repeat a couple of times clarifying details before I was eventually told that I could not use the voucher! I was then told I had to call customer care to request a refund for the voucher because the T&C specify that it is non-refundable. Upon taking issue with this, I was put on hold again and after sometime, was ultimately informed that "as a once off" they will refund the voucher but only because it was purchased 2 hours ago.

• Redeemable for one-way or return Qantas domestic or international flights departing Australia only.
• Non-refundable and cannot be used for multi-city, Classic Flight Reward or Points Plus Pay - Flights bookings or redeemed for cash or other goods or services such as additional baggage or seat selection.
• Only one voucher can be redeemed per booking.

Last year, we bought quite a lot for ourselves and for gifts. After this experience, I doubt I will bother with the vouchers ever again!

 

[opusman]

In addition, they have changed (since this time last year) the way vouchers are used on the website - you can no longer use a voucher as a form of payment at the end of the booking process. In order to use the voucher, you must follow the link given in the voucher email to "load" the voucher (which is just a booking reference), then search for flights from that page.

This is nothing new, it has always worked that way. That's the main reason for the restrictions on how vouchers can be used - they have to go through a separate booking system which hasn't been upgraded to allow a points/cash mix, multi-city, etc, etc. But it's nothing new.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

The points aren't really grabbing me this year. I have enjoyed saving multiples of $7 and $30 during the year however

 

[JohnK]

M for Mascot? Maybe an update to their merchant name?

Don't know. Trying to see if something else will work.

 

[levelnine]

How long does it take to receive a voucher? I bought three yesterday afternoon and still haven't received them.

 

[CMA222]

This is nothing new, it has always worked that way. That's the main reason for the restrictions on how vouchers can be used - they have to go through a separate booking system which hasn't been upgraded to allow a points/cash mix, multi-city, etc, etc. But it's nothing new.

I had the same problem last year. I found that the vouchers could often only be redeemed for a flight that was more expensive then those being advertised or being offered elsewhere on the site as a special. Win win for QF as they sell the voucher and force the recipient to, much of the time, redeem it for a fare greater than they can achieve if paying cash by Bpay. If you save the CC fee but the fare paid is greater, why bother. Not going to bother with gift vouchers this year.

 

[opusman]

I found that the vouchers could often only be redeemed for a flight that was more expensive then those being advertised or being offered elsewhere on the site as a special.

That has not been my experience.

 

[blackcat20]

You can actually get amounts less than $2 credited to a new voucher. It is the service recovery vouchers that have the $2 minimum.

Of course you need to be bothered to spend the time on the phone for <$2.

Despite numerous calls and emails I never did get my $1 voucher. But the rules have changed this year, no vouchers under $2 even for gift vouchers.

 

[Pushka]

I had the same problem last year. I found that the vouchers could often only be redeemed for a flight that was more expensive then those being advertised or being offered elsewhere on the site as a special. Win win for QF as they sell the voucher and force the recipient to, much of the time, redeem it for a fare greater than they can achieve if paying cash by Bpay. If you save the CC fee but the fare paid is greater, why bother. Not going to bother with gift vouchers this year.

This. I found this out the hard way when trying to redeem a credit voucher for a cancelled flight. I could get a much cheaper flight online than by using the voucher.

 

[TomVexille]

I had the same problem last year. I found that the vouchers could often only be redeemed for a flight that was more expensive then those being advertised or being offered elsewhere on the site as a special. Win win for QF as they sell the voucher and force the recipient to, much of the time, redeem it for a fare greater than they can achieve if paying cash by Bpay. If you save the CC fee but the fare paid is greater, why bother. Not going to bother with gift vouchers this year.

This. I found this out the hard way when trying to redeem a credit voucher for a cancelled flight. I could get a much cheaper flight online than by using the voucher.

And that's the difference between credit vouchers and gift vouchers. I've never had a problem with using gift vouchers for the exact sale fare available on the website.

 

[opusman]

So much confusion around vouchers every time.

 

[Pushka]

But hasn't someone just posted that the same booking issues are now occurring with gift vouchers? Have the T&C's been enhanced this time? You dont sell credit vouchers, just gift vouchers.

 

[Canny man]

Worked well enough for me yesterday. Booked a y return overseas that cam to just over $2k. Bought a $2k voucher and decided to just pay the balance. I will get 3000 points from the credit card transaction, plus the 10,000 bonus. Alas no triple points though as the flight is international. The voucher took about 10 minutes to process then was available to use. Pretty easy really

 

[Buzzard]

Seems like the Christmas Grinch is doing work experience at QF.

 

[eminere]

That has not been my experience.

Nor mine.
.....

 

[dairyfloss]

Has anyone ever had any success with buying a voucher for an amount which is in-between the other figures? I want to buy 2 x $1,500 to use on a single booking for 2 pax, but it jumps from $1K to $2K per pax with nothing in between... I'll just go for 2 x $1,000 if I need to, but seems a waste of the bonus points opportunity!

Cheers,
Matt.

Anyone... anyone? Simply not an option?