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

 

[Cynicor]

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

Alright- ignoring the poor value proposition, but aiming to not spend more than necessary, any ideas for a run out of Perth, to anywhere, over any amount of time prior to the 1st of march?

Need 400sc, but if value is ok could go for 1200. This is for my dad who really enjoys having the status and the flying in J.

I'm thinking a trip to Asia is in order, then flying endlessly back and forth for a bit.

 

[jetpack]

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

Other potential options:
- JQ/3K with a plus bundle to DPS/SIN (I think DPS is cheaper) but I'm not sure it'd work out much cheaper than QF once you factor in the plus bundle.

Under the current JQ sale, DRW-DPS-DRW including the bundle is $277.43 and earns 50 SCs.

 

[wandersen]

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

OK I just completed the following to take me to QP for the next year:

SYD-BKK (EK F Reward) - $326.65 (taxes)
BKK-KUL-MNL-KUL-BKK (MH J) - $518.93
BKK-KUL-ICN-KUL-BKK (MH J) - $1086.62
BKK-KUL-DPS (MH J) - $359,71
DPS-SYD (QF Y) - $388.76

For a total of 650 status credits for $2680.67 or $4,12 per status credit.

A few points:

- MH business class is OK but quite inconsistent. e.g. menus on some flights but not others. It didn't matter though as all the inbound and outbound flights (from KUL) had the same menu (other than ICN).
- MH has no alcohol on flights less than 3 hours (in my case, only the flights between BKK and KUL). Even in business.
- ICN is a more expensive cost per SC, but then it is on an A330 with flat beds. The MH long haul business product on the A330 is excellent and very similar to QFs. Dine on demand and excellent satay! Yum. It also avoids a hotel cost as you can sleep on the plane and do a same day turnaround in ICN.
- The MH online checkin system is hopeless. I had to clear security in ICN (once) as I simply couldnt get a boarding pass for my next flight (and you never know whether MH will or will not open a transfer desk). Security at ICN can take upwards of an hour so didn't want to take the chance on that. The immigration officer thought I was mad.
- I also couldn't transfer at DPS despite having my printed QF boarding pass. The security at the transfer desk swore to me that Qantas doesn't fly from the airport and that I would need to clear security and re-checkin. So I cleared security (not so bad at the new DPS airport) and straight back in. The people at the front accepted my web-checking boarding pass.
- This all lead to a nightmare with a customs agent at DPS. Selected for a bag scan and search. The officer asked where I had been - I said Bangkok, Seoul, Manila and Kuala Lumpur - in 3 days. This raised some red flags and he took off with my passport for 30 minutes to discuss it with a supervisor! All ok in the end.
- I did this in 5 nights - Left Saturday arrived back on Thursday morning.
- No missed connections but I had nightmares that it would fail. Only one MH flight was late - by 30 minutes. Everything else was spot on time.
- KUL is an excellent airport to transfer through as arriving and departing passengers are mixed until the boarding gate.

 

[RichardMEL]

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

Alright- ignoring the poor value proposition, but aiming to not spend more than necessary, any ideas for a run out of Perth, to anywhere, over any amount of time prior to the 1st of march?

Need 400sc, but if value is ok could go for 1200. This is for my dad who really enjoys having the status and the flying in J.

I'm thinking a trip to Asia is in order, then flying endlessly back and forth for a bit.

hmm gee a few weeks to basically get to Gold or Plat?

Don't forget the loyalty bonus SC's also.

It seems the requirements suggest your dad is currently Gold, and is on 200SC for the year, needing 400 to retain, and 1200 to make 1400 for Plat? So with LB he'd need 350 and 1100 (assuming QF/JQ SC's). Something to keep in mind for a small boost.

Having said that honestly if your dad has only 200 SC for 11 months of a membership year what is the future planned travel? I mean could redemptions cover travel for the next year in J or F and thus basically have the benefits of status?

I wonder if the time and effort (and cost) is worth it for planned future travel to take advantage given it seems relatively small travel this year?

(I realise I am basing this comment on a couple of assumptions as above).

Having said that it would seem PER-SIN-BKK then some sort of MH run is possibly your best bet, or PER-MEL/SYD/BNE and some trans-tasman QF(EK) flying could do it too.

 

[Cheesy]

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

I have a run booked from PER later this year consisting of what was mentioned by RichardMEL:
• PER-SIN-BKK return (JQ with Plus bundle)
• BKK-KUL-MNL (MH/J) x2

A few one night stays in MNL (2) & BKK using hotel points, and all up came to approx $1500 for 540 SC's ($2.77/SC). Obviously you could add as many MH journeys as you need to get the desired amount of SC's.

 

[wandering_fred]

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

I'm still a fan of either BKK or CMB with MH Z class fares. At one time PEK was very inexpensive.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[ric_melb]

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

NZ J sale on again to CHC/AKL

SYD-CHC still 240SC for $1100 - 1200

I think you will find that SYD-CHC in J is only 160 SC return.

 

[sudoer]

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

I think you will find that SYD-CHC in J is only 160 SC return.

Via BNE or MEL is 240SC

 

[Dannyism]

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

OK I just completed the following to take me to QP for the next year:


BKK-KUL-MNL-KUL-BKK (MH J) - $518.93

.

How did you get this fare ? Best I can find is ~519USD not AUD....

Has MNL terminal been upgraded? I was there in 2014 was a ****hole.

Would you recommend same day turnaround in MNL or spend the night?


Thanks in advance!!

 

[Dannyism]

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

I have a run booked from PER later this year consisting of what was mentioned by RichardMEL:
• PER-SIN-BKK return (JQ with Plus bundle)
• BKK-KUL-MNL (MH/J) x2

A few one night stays in MNL (2) & BKK using hotel points, and all up came to approx $1500 for 540 SC's ($2.77/SC). Obviously you could add as many MH journeys as you need to get the desired amount of SC's.

Yeah I'm doing this but from MEL.. 1500 is very good. What flight timings did you take?

 

[wandersen]

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

How did you get this fare ? Best I can find is ~519USD not AUD....

Has MNL terminal been upgraded? I was there in 2014 was a ****hole.

Would you recommend same day turnaround in MNL or spend the night?


Thanks in advance!!

My credit card statement says that it is THB6600 for each direction (for 13200 total) booked on the MH website.

You can't do a same day turnaround to MNL. I stayed at the Hotel Belmont at resorts world - mostly because it is super close, cheap for a 5 star and a casino at least gives you something to do / walk around.

The MNL terminal is still the same steaming pile of excrement that you visited last time. There are a couple of new terminals but MH still flies from terminal 1.

ICN was the only one I could find where you could do a same day turnaround - though I couldn't find any that would then allow a same day turnaround back from BKK. ICN is more expensive, but you get 280 status credits (instead of 240), same day turnaround (so no hotel cost) and you fly on a long haul plane with flat beds.

In BKK I stayed at the Vismaya Hotel. Next to the airport, clean and excellent for THB1400 per night. I spent two nights there in transit.

 

[Cheesy]

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

Yeah I'm doing this but from MEL.. 1500 is very good. What flight timings did you take?

Thu 3K138 PER 2245 SIN 0410+
Fri 3K511 SIN 0720 BKK 0845
Fri MH785 BKK 1105 KUL 1415
Fri MH804 KUL 1730 MNL 2125
Sat MH805 MNL 0650 KUL 1035
Sat MH788 KUL 1220 BKK 1325
Sun-Mon ... repeat MH flights ...
Mon 3K514 BKK 2120 SIN 0040+
Tue 3K133 SIN 0330 PER 0840
... straight to work Tuesday morning!

Phew!

 

[wandersen]

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

The CX lounge in BKK is MUCH better than the Louis tavern lounge that MH direct you to. Cook to order noodle bar and Tattinger champagne.

The CX lounges all have printers too if you want to print boarding passes for future flights. None of the MH lounges do. There is a CX lounge at KUL too but it at the satellite building. It's not as good as the MH lounges there though other than then printers. All regional flights go from the main terminal for MH, but it is worth a trip to the satellite if you have time in the transfer train (2 mins) to check it out.

 

[theweaselsteve]

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

The CX lounge in BKK is MUCH better than the Louis tavern lounge that MH direct you to. Cook to order noodle bar and Tattinger champagne.

The CX lounges all have printers too if you want to print boarding passes for future flights. None of the MH lounges do. There is a CX lounge at KUL too but it at the satellite building. It's not as good as the MH lounges there though other than then printers. All regional flights go from the main terminal for MH, but it is worth a trip to the satellite if you have time in the transfer train (2 mins) to check it out.

100% agree with all of this. The CX lounge at BKK is great. Although I'm a dirty smoker so did appreciate the smoking room at Louis tavern, other than that though the CX lounge wins by far. Very easy and quick to get to the satellite terminal at KUL for a visit to the MH lounge which is large and well appointed. Very friendly staff too who were more than happy to ask if I needed anything and fetch a few beers from the bar at the front.

 

[JessicaTam]

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

The CX lounge in BKK is MUCH better than the Louis tavern lounge that MH direct you to. Cook to order noodle bar and Tattinger champagne.

The CX lounges all have printers too if you want to print boarding passes for future flights. None of the MH lounges do. There is a CX lounge at KUL too but it at the satellite building. It's not as good as the MH lounges there though other than then printers. All regional flights go from the main terminal for MH, but it is worth a trip to the satellite if you have time in the transfer train (2 mins) to check it out.

They have Taittinger now? Yum. Previously it has been something nondescript.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

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

Thu 3K138 PER 2245 SIN 0410+
Fri 3K511 SIN 0720 BKK 0845
Fri MH785 BKK 1105 KUL 1415
Fri MH804 KUL 1730 MNL 2125
Sat MH805 MNL 0650 KUL 1035
Sat MH788 KUL 1220 BKK 1325
Sun-Mon ... repeat MH flights ...
Mon 3K514 BKK 2120 SIN 0040+
Tue 3K133 SIN 0330 PER 0840
... straight to work Tuesday morning!

Phew!

OT: and the ABF didn't say anything on your way back? I would go to tears if they even asked me a few questions, (I do use Smartgate 100% of the time howadays-but they still speak to a lot of people when the Smartgate tixs are collected).
Very brave of you to have done it, I would go weak at the knees going through Asia like that!

 

[futaris]

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

PER-SIN-BKK-KUL-MNL-KUL-BKK-KUL-MNL-KUL-BKK-SIN-PER in 6 nights, for Circa 1500 AUD...

 

[wandersen]

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

OT: and the ABF didn't say anything on your way back? would go to tears if they even asked me a few questions, (I do use Smartgate 100% of the time howadays-but they still speak to a lot of people when the Smartgate tixs are collected).
Very brave of you to have done it, I would go weak at the knees going through Asia like that!

I was grilled by a customs officer in DPS doing something similar and was completely honest - well almost. I said exactly what I had done - but said that my hobby is flying and it is a good way for me to get some quiet time away from a crazy busy life .... along with needing to get a bunch of frequent flyer points for a family holiday later in the year. I just couldn't bear explaining what a status credit is to an Indonesian customs officer. It did delay me by 30 minutes though.

Explaining to ABF would be an piece of cake by comparison. Carrying in Australian passport and with only a carry on the worst that will happen is an x-ray and a bag search which would take all of 5 mins.

 

[Cheesy]

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

OT: and the ABF didn't say anything on your way back? I would go to tears if they even asked me a few questions, (I do use Smartgate 100% of the time howadays-but they still speak to a lot of people when the Smartgate tixs are collected).
Very brave of you to have done it, I would go weak at the knees going through Asia like that!

I've travelled extensively through SE Asia with HLO, so I'm pretty confident in talking to border staff! Then again, you try to avoid having to cross a border where possible and just stay in transit. But as wandersen said, ABF staff are quite easy to explain a status run to in comparison.

 

[miniyazz]

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

My credit card statement says that it is THB6600 for each direction (for 13200 total) booked on the MH website.

You can't do a same day turnaround to MNL. I stayed at the Hotel Belmont at resorts world - mostly because it is super close, cheap for a 5 star and a casino at least gives you something to do / walk around.

This is not true, I did two same day turnarounds at MNL from BKK-KUL-MNL-KUL-LHR and vice versa in November. I did stay overnight in the much better KUL lounge where they had a place to sleep.