Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

[support]

This thread is for Questions and General discussion regarding the Best Status Run Options for QFF as per this thread:

Overview of Best Status Run Options [not the discussion thread]

Please keep your questions and queries to this thread and avoid posting in the other.

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You can also get some status run inspiration from this AFF article:

The Best Qantas Frequent Flyer Status Runs

Haven't earned enough status credits in your Qantas membership year? Here is a selection of the best Qantas Frequent Flyer status runs.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[anat0l]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

QA is AeroCaribbean.
Is that the one you mean Downloadingdata?
Or you mean QR being Qatar Airways?

I believe our esteemed friend wanted to mean QF, or Qantas Airways (possibly typing QA either to grab the initials of the airline or just grabbing the first two letters of the name).

I don't know many routes where JQ and either QA or QR have any competition, let alone on short haul operations.

 

[Captain Halliday]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

So I'm looking at doing BKK-KUL-MNL-KUL-BKK in J with MH to tack a status run onto a holiday...

My question is actually about my main flights with Jetstar I can go MEL-BKK-MEL for 360aud no SC/points OR MEL-SIN-BKK-SIN-MEL for 580aud with 110 SC and like 5000points and meals and bags etc.

Thoughts ? SC or no SC? Sale ends tonight I think...

If you're flying from MEL-BKK-MEL anyway, your question effectively becomes "is 110SC worth $120 and an extra stop in SIN?"

If you're adding a status run to your holiday I'm guessing you have a re-qual target in mind.

SG also means you have SIN lounge access, so if you can put up with the extra few hours on JQ, I'd certainly take the extra SC.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I don't know many routes where JQ and either QA or QR have any competition, let alone on short haul operations.

Only one I can find is BKK-HAN, Jetstar and Qatar have daily flights leaving within a few minutes of each other. Although it would be jetstar asia rather than JQ.

 

[downloadingdata]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

QA is AeroCaribbean.
Is that the one you mean Downloadingdata?
Or you mean QR being Qatar Airways?

Yep... i meant Qantas...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

On here, we don't use QA to mean Qantas.
We use QF.

 

[anat0l]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

On here, we don't use QA to mean Qantas.
We use QF.

Relax. We tend to use the IATA codes here but some are still coming around to them, especially if one does not fly any particular airline very often.

 

[moa999]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Mostly because the IATA codes are what one sees in day to day travel on boarding passes and the like.
Eg.
QF2 DXB-SYD.

Whereas we don't tend to see the ICAO notation that pilots tend to see.
QFA002 OMDB-YSSY

That said I think it is preferred to use both IATA and full name for non-common codes on this forum.
Eg. BL (Jetstar Pacific) is presently wet leasing an aircraft from VY (Vueling)

 

[supa007]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Hi all,

New to the status run game, so need some guidance / help. Currently silver, hoping to achieve gold, so need ~400 SC.

Will be in LAX end of June for a holiday. Wouldn't mind tacking on a status run before flight home close to midnight.

Is it achievable now with no AA domestic F? Without an overnight stay? Under $1k?

Any suggestions welcome

PS. Absolute NOOB, so need step by step instructions...

 

[serfty]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Answer to questions about some basic parameters would be helpful in providing any useful responses:

How many SC's are you chasing?

How much time do you have?

What is your budget ballpark?

Do you want to "stop and smell the roses" along the way?

 

[supa007]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Thanks Serfty,

I've started playing around with Google Flights.
Can't seem to find anything for <$4 per SC
After about 400 SC, not wanting to waste over 24 hr doing it, up to AUD$1.5K

 

[justinbrett]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I'm in the middle of a status run - SYD-AKL-SYD in J (overnight)

I had issues going through immigration in AKL, the smart scanner wasn't working for me and the officer did not like the fact i was only staying overnight. She read every stamp in my passport and asked to see my itinerary, credit cards etc. She even called a colleague over.

I had to explain I was doing a status run, she was having none of it - but luckily her colleague said to verify my FF status and then he said it was fine. Overall I was delayed for about 10 minutes.

A little weird, as an Australian citizen I didn't expect I would have to explain myself. I was originally going to do a day trip and I'm glad I didn't!

 

[AV8]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

With the fastly approaching AA "enhancement" on Jan 11 is there an easy way of searching for 3 class cabins to maximise s/c's on internal USA flights (I am aware of LAX-JFK) - HNL start/finish.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

With the fastly approaching AA "enhancement" on Jan 11 is there an easy way of searching for 3 class cabins to maximise s/c's on internal USA flights (I am aware of LAX-JFK) - HNL start/finish.

It's pretty limited, JFK-LAX/SFO and LAX-MIA (the latter with just one flight a day IIRC)

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I'm in the middle of a status run - SYD-AKL-SYD in J (overnight)

I had issues going through immigration in AKL, the smart scanner wasn't working for me and the officer did not like the fact i was only staying overnight. She read every stamp in my passport and asked to see my itinerary, credit cards etc. She even called a colleague over.

I had to explain I was doing a status run, she was having none of it - but luckily her colleague said to verify my FF status and then he said it was fine. Overall I was delayed for about 10 minutes.

A little weird, as an Australian citizen I didn't expect I would have to explain myself. I was originally going to do a day trip and I'm glad I didn't!

Sometimes its better to do a weekender.
Lucky they didnt do a drug swab, that can take half an hour. More indepth questions in that scenario.
One colleague on here bypassed NZ immi by going straight to int transit security at AKL airport for an SR. Cant remember who it was now. Hers was arr at midnight and out at 6am.

 

[downloadingdata]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Sometimes its better to do a weekender.
Lucky they didnt do a drug swab, that can take half an hour. More indepth questions in that scenario.
One colleague on here bypassed NZ immi by going straight to int transit security at AKL airport for an SR. Cant remember who it was now. Hers was arr at midnight and out at 6am.

How can immigration do a drug swab? shouldn't it be done at the customs, which is what, half an hour of walk away at AKL?

 

[NDiddy]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

A couple of work trips this year have seen me going from Bronze to bordering on Gold I've tried to navigate the information here but I'm hoping someone can suggest an option that would work for my case:

How many SC's are you chasing?
160SC

How much time do you have?
Till apr 30 2017

What is your budget ballpark?
Like to keep it under 1.5K but cheapest Y or J option to fill the remaining SC's

Do you want to "stop and smell the roses" along the way?
Would like to stop between 3 - 7 days

Was looking originally at a MEL-AKL ret in J but the options I can see come out to be $8 per SC which I'm lead to believe is pretty poor value? Any help would be much appreciated - Thanks!

 

[tea&coffee]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

I'm in the middle of a status run - SYD-AKL-SYD in J (overnight)

I had issues going through immigration in AKL, the smart scanner wasn't working for me and the officer did not like the fact i was only staying overnight. She read every stamp in my passport and asked to see my itinerary, credit cards etc. She even called a colleague over.

I had to explain I was doing a status run, she was having none of it - but luckily her colleague said to verify my FF status and then he said it was fine. Overall I was delayed for about 10 minutes.

A little weird, as an Australian citizen I didn't expect I would have to explain myself. I was originally going to do a day trip and I'm glad I didn't!

Your situation sounds very unusual. I frequently travel to NZ for one night (and have also done day trips) for business & leisure and I've never been quizzed. In addition I travel heavily for work so have lots of stamps in the passport.

The only country that have ever raised an eyebrow to my very frequent travel and short stays is Japan where I frequently get asked a lot of questions at the border.

 

[Doctore1003]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

A couple of work trips this year have seen me going from Bronze to bordering on Gold I've tried to navigate the information here but I'm hoping someone can suggest an option that would work for my case:

How many SC's are you chasing?
160SC

How much time do you have?
Till apr 30 2017

What is your budget ballpark?
Like to keep it under 1.5K but cheapest Y or J option to fill the remaining SC's

Do you want to "stop and smell the roses" along the way?
Would like to stop between 3 - 7 days

Was looking originally at a MEL-AKL ret in J but the options I can see come out to be $8 per SC which I'm lead to believe is pretty poor value? Any help would be much appreciated - Thanks!

Melbourne to either Gold or Sunshine coasts via Sydney in business class costs $1300 and nets 160SCs. Not the best SC earning rate but convenient and a nice getaway as well.

 

[NDiddy]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

Melbourne to either Gold or Sunshine coasts via Sydney in business class costs $1300 and nets 160SCs. Not the best SC earning rate but convenient and a nice getaway as well.

Thanks for the suggestion Doctore1003 - Found another option MEL - DPS with on leg in J + Max bundle and the other with a Starter fare + Bundle. Should net the 160 SC at around $6ish per SC.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

re: Discussion/Q&A on Best QF Status Run Options

For Downloadingdata...
I have never been questioned by the first line of NZ defence (ie NZ immi).
First time I went in 2013, I went through the staffed desk, he just scanned my passport, no talking.
Various trips after, then got a first chat with Customs (did an overnighter-AirNZ swapped by 777 to a 320 and I wasn't pleased-told the officer why my trip was short), but this was AKL downstairs, by the person who takes a look at the small receipt, in light blue shirt, like immi upstairs at AKL. This was the Indian guy I mentioned a long time ago on here.
CHC entry always ok.
Got drug swabbed on first trip to WLG, had used Smartgate NZ, she was chatty, and swabbed a lot of my things, took everything out of my bag. 1 out of 10 trips, not that bad.
NZ now has dropped its small papery receipt using Smartgate, its now like dep Au system. No more waist high machine.
This last past Christmas trip I took, was the CHC one, no long stopping.
So far, I am now at 220 QF SC, about $10 or so per QF SC, not good a return on investment, I do realise.