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

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Ah - the cabotage part being going from Sydney to Melbourne via AKL with an Australian carrier? But I thought that there were quite a few reports where people have obtained their return boarding passes in SYD (maybe by mistake then)?

One item to consider is what passports do you have and which ones are you travelling on? It's my understanding that if you are a dual national (i.e. Canadian and Australian) you must enter and exit Australia on your Australian passport. Which passport you use outside countries you hold citizenship for is frankly your own choice. If you are a non-Australia citizen you are also advised to check out VEVO to ensure that your visa is still valid and there are no issues on that end.

My limited experience travelling internationally from Australia makes me think the ABF puts more scrutiny into traveller's flights. For one thing, Australia is one of few countries that has an emigration process. Also, Australia has an international transit area meaning things like clearing immigration is a bigger deal than it is in say the US, where one is obligated to clear immigration even if you are going international to international.

Pre-pandemic, I would fly regularly into and through the United States and not once have I had a red flag raised (aside from the aforementioned borderline cabotage flights). Once I flew Berlin to Las Vegas, overnighting in Las Vegas then flew out in the morning to Japan. I've done Heathrow to Sydney, connecting in LA (where one must clear US immigration). Never had to talk to an agent or anything, simply walked right in as a Canadian Nexus card holder.

-RooFlyer88

 

[exLXCXFF]

One item to consider is what passports do you have and which ones are you travelling on? It's my understanding that if you are a dual national (i.e. Canadian and Australian) you must enter and exit Australia on your Australian passport. Which passport you use outside countries you hold citizenship for is frankly your own choice. If you are a non-Australia citizen you are also advised to check out VEVO to ensure that your visa is still valid and there are no issues on that end.

Yep - all good on that front, the check-in agent asked exactly the same questions. I don't have an AUS passport and only one non-Australian one. Just checked VEVO and all good there as well.

 

[SYD]

My guess is this is cabotage related. In Canada you would get a lot of dirty looks by immigration authorities flying United domestically in Canada (via the US).

-RooFlyer88

Except we have a single Trans Tasman aviation market for airlines 50% or more owned in either Oz or NZ.

Besides, flying SYD-MEL via AKL is not going to be cost effective compared to say SFO-JFK via YYZ!

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Yep - all good on that front, the check-in agent asked exactly the same questions. I don't have an AUS passport and only one non-Australian one. Just checked VEVO and all good there as well.

Another thought popped into my head - is your visa single entry or have other restrictions? Also when does your passport expire? Many countries require your passport to remain valid several months after your intended departure. All that being said, if everything looks fine, I frankly wouldn't sweat it. Just check in normally and go from there.

Except we have a single Trans Tasman aviation market for airlines 50% or more owned in either Oz or NZ.

Fair point. Still a quick turn out of AKL would raise some eye-brows, no?

Besides, flying SYD-MEL via AKL is not going to be cost effective compared to say SFO-JFK via YYZ!

It's usually the reverse (flying domestically in Canada via a US city) since at least pre-pandemic it was quite common for simple trips like Toronto to Vancouver to cost north of $600 in economy on Air Canada or WestJet, versus half that flying United. US flights by definition are dirt cheap with Spirit, SouthWest, Allegiant, Frontier to name but a few on top of the major US carriers of Alaskan, American, Delta and United. Given SF Bay Area to NYC is a popular route, prices will also be dirt cheap. So yeah, for a given date you may not be able to find SFO > JFK for $200 return, you would certainly find something like SJC > LGA or OAK > EWR return for that price.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

Fair point. Still a quick turn out of AKL would raise some eye-brows, no?

No, not really. There was even talk of removing the need for PPs on TT flights for AU/NZ citizens.

It's usually the reverse (flying domestically in Canada via a US city)

Either way, very unlikely to work here with AU-AU city via NZ or v.v. Apart from maybe a mistake fare that was honoured…

 

[exLXCXFF]

is your visa single entry or have other restrictions? Also when does your passport expire?

Thanks for all the thinking support - appreciate it. It’s multiple entry and passport does not expire for several years.

Just landed in Auckland, and the AKL - MEL boarding pass popped up in my QF App - quite a suprise (and relief). No idea still what was the issue in SYD.

 

[Port Power]

Thanks for all the thinking support - appreciate it. It’s multiple entry and passport does not expire for several years.

Just landed in Auckland, and the AKL - MEL boarding pass popped up in my QF App - quite a suprise (and relief). No idea still what was the issue in SYD.

Maybe just because you were on return flights, not one way. Different to a connecting outbound flight one-way, you were not in transit in AKL as such. You had to arrive before return boarding pass could be issued.

 

[exLXCXFF]

Maybe just because you were on return flights, not one way. Different to a connecting outbound flight one-way, you were not in transit in AKL as such. You had to arrive before return boarding pass could be issued.

Good point @Port Power - maybe it was as simple as that!

In the end, I had no issues with immigration either side and everything went smoothly. Now enjoying the Spice Bar in the Melbourne Dom J Lounge.

 

[Lynda2475]

There was even talk of removing the need for PPs on TT flights for AU/NZ citizens.

This used to be the case in the 70s. My first trip to NZ in 1978, my parents travelled on their NSW drivers licenses, no pssport required and as a toddler I didnt need any ID at all!

But you have needed a passort since the 80s afaik.

 

[Danger]

Did anyone ever have issues in getting SYD - AKL (today); AKL - MEL (tomorrow morning) - SYD boarding passes issued here in SYD. I was told by the checking agent here in SYD that my Australian APIS failed, she then called the ABF (who told her something which she could not pass on to me) and said, that she can’t issue my AKL - MEL boarding pass and that I have to go to the counter in AKL tomorrow morning.

Key questions:

1) What could the issue be given that heaps of you have done this route this year;
2) How is it any different to get my boarding pass tomorrow in AKL vs today in SYD?

I am travelling on a non-Australian passport with a valid visa (in case that may trigger a difference)

I had no issues getting all boarding passes for SYD-xMEL-xAKL-xBNE-SYD on departure from SYD. This was one return ticket with a 2.5 hour layover in AKL and hand luggage only.

 

[SYD]

This used to be the case in the 70s. My first trip to NZ in 1978, my parents travelled on their NSW drivers licenses, no pssport required and as a toddler I didnt need any ID at all!

But you ahve needed a passort since the 80s afaik.

Yes, you’re totally correct. More specifically, the talk was to allow TT flights on QF / NZ to operate from the Domestic terminals. Which would be a bummer for getting QF F Lounge access….! Meanwhile, as an aside, going to NLK is still ok with DL only from SYD T1!

 

[tdimdad]

Any suggestions for doing SYD-BKI (Kota Kinabalu), please? I have a DSC GV which I can burn off for a SYD-SIN leg but from there I'm open to a potentially creative routing. If it can involve a quick stopover in KUL, even better. Between SIN - BKI, I'd prefer either same day arrival or an afternoon departure with a morning arrival.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Any suggestions for doing SYD-BKI (Kota Kinabalu), please? I have a DSC GV which I can burn off for a SYD-SIN leg but from there I'm open to a potentially creative routing. If it can involve a quick stopover in KUL, even better. Between SIN - BKI, I'd prefer either same day arrival or an afternoon departure with a morning arrival.

Can DSC vouchers be used for flights not operated by QF and if so would one earn DSCs when travelling on them?

 

[JessicaTam]

Can DSC vouchers be used for flights not operated by QF and if so would one earn DSCs when travelling on them?

Generally the T&Cs generally require a QF (and maybe JQ) marketed and operated flight. So having MH SIN-KUL for example on the SYD-SIN ticket will not earn DSC for the KUL leg.

Mind you, QF points and SC earn with MH is woeful at the best of times.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Generally the T&Cs generally require a QF (and maybe JQ) marketed and operated flight. So having MH SIN-KUL for example on the SYD-SIN ticket will not earn DSC for the KUL leg.

Mind you, QF points and SC earn with MH is woeful at the best of times.

One other question that may help tdimdad, would be whether you would earn DSCs on bookings made using a combination of DSC voucher and cash?

In terms of sweet spots, the most obvious ones are business "sale" fares involving connecting flights. For instance, I'm on a $1,000 J fare flying SYD > MEL > AKL > SYD > MEL which will earn me 480 status credits (i.e. 240 base credits). I reckon that's about as good as you're gonna get on SC generation.

-RooFlyer88

 

[JessicaTam]

One other question that may help tdimdad, would be whether you would earn DSCs on bookings made using a combination of DSC voucher and cash?

In terms of sweet spots, the most obvious ones are business "sale" fares involving connecting flights. For instance, I'm on a $1,000 J fare flying SYD > MEL > AKL > SYD > MEL which will earn me 480 status credits (i.e. 240 base credits). I reckon that's about as good as you're gonna get on SC generation.

-RooFlyer88

It has been a while since I have used a DSC voucher* with cash but it has credited ok in the past. I used to just buy $50 vouchers and use them as required. It is the voucher that has the DSC PNR that becomes the ticket PNR.

*I now credit to BA

 

[tdimdad]

It has been a while since I have used a DSC voucher* with cash but it has credited ok in the past. I used to just buy $50 vouchers and use them as required. It is the voucher that has the DSC PNR that becomes the ticket PNR.

*I now credit to BA

Yes, the DSC's come through to the QF segments. Any other segment on the PNR are credited the normal SC's (based on the booking class).
E.g. if I did SYD-SIN on QF and SIN-KUL-BKI on MH in 'Business Basic' (Z), I'd expect the DSC for the SYD-SIN / SIN-SYD part and Y flex SC's for the SIN-BKI return part (as per the current earn category table for MH).

It's the potential sweet spots I'm actually after. I have no idea where they might be and optimistically hope someone might have some clues on where to go in the search of those.

 

[tdimdad]

One other question that may help tdimdad, would be whether you would earn DSCs on bookings made using a combination of DSC voucher and cash?

In terms of sweet spots, the most obvious ones are business "sale" fares involving connecting flights. For instance, I'm on a $1,000 J fare flying SYD > MEL > AKL > SYD > MEL which will earn me 480 status credits (i.e. 240 base credits). I reckon that's about as good as you're gonna get on SC generation.

-RooFlyer88

Thanks, two NZ trips next membership year are on the cards and I intend to do them this way. The trip to Borneo would not be a status run but if I can add more to the lifetime SC tally with only a modest extra cost, I'll do that instead of flying direct.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

One other question for those with DSC vouchers. Is it possible to specify how much of the DSC voucher to use and how much from the other payment method? For instance, could you say $1 from the DSC voucher and the balance on CC? The reason I ask is I reckon some folks would love to stretch out that voucher as much to maximize the DSC benefit.

-RooFlyer88

 

[tdimdad]

One other question for those with DSC vouchers. Is it possible to specify how much of the DSC voucher to use and how much from the other payment method? For instance, could you say $1 from the DSC voucher and the balance on CC? The reason I ask is I reckon some folks would love to stretch out that voucher as much to maximize the DSC benefit.

-RooFlyer88

The vouchers are actually gift vouchers (GV). They work essentially as a down payment for a future booking.
E.g. if you buy a $50 GV, you eventually go to redeem it for a flight. The full $50 will be used in the redemption and then you pay the outstanding balance with your CC to complete the booking.

If you want multiple DSC bookings this way, you'd need to buy an equal amount of GV's during the DSC promo period.