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.

---

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

 

[elanshin]

Does anyone know how Domestic Malaysia SC crediting works for QF? Does J credit into QF J?
I checked the partner-airlines chart but it seems the intra-malaysia still earns as per normal?

 

[sudoer]

I checked the partner-airlines chart but it seems the intra-malaysia still earns as per normal?

J class (the specific bucket, not the general term for all 'Business' fares) will credit as Business. C and D class are treated the same.

Z and I discount business will credit as Flexible Economy.

 

[dandoes]

Just looking to earn 120SCs before May31st to retain QF Gold, either self-financed or via domestic work trips from SYD. Aside from the usual perks, my aim is to have at least some priority for booking next year's holidays using my 400-600k QF points on a RTW ticket.

To get those 120SCs, I think most likely is 3 x SYD<>MEL using JetStar Basic+MAX, for $338 x 3 = $1,014. These will either be work-paid trips, or self-paid to go to a conference, which I could tax-deduct.

One thing I noticed is that Jetstar.com says SCs are credited within 6 weeks. if it takes that long, I only have until mid-April to log the 3x flights. Is it likely to take that long?

 

[RSD]

Just looking to earn 120SCs before May31st to retain QF Gold, either self-financed or via domestic work trips from SYD. Aside from the usual perks, my aim is to have at least some priority for booking next year's holidays using my 400-600k QF points on a RTW ticket.

To get those 120SCs, I think most likely is 3 x SYD<>MEL using JetStar Basic+MAX, for $338 x 3 = $1,014. These will either be work-paid trips, or self-paid to go to a conference, which I could tax-deduct.

One thing I noticed is that Jetstar.com says SCs are credited within 6 weeks. if it takes that long, I only have until mid-April to log the 3x flights. Is it likely to take that long?

I don't know about how long Jetstar takes to credit SC's, however for slightly more if you travel on a weekend you should be able to pick up J class on Qantas SYD-MEL - I think that it was $418 one way in J which earn't 40 SC's

 

[exceladdict]

Just looking to earn 120SCs before May31st to retain QF Gold, either self-financed or via domestic work trips from SYD. Aside from the usual perks, my aim is to have at least some priority for booking next year's holidays using my 400-600k QF points on a RTW ticket.

To get those 120SCs, I think most likely is 3 x SYD<>MEL using JetStar Basic+MAX, for $338 x 3 = $1,014. These will either be work-paid trips, or self-paid to go to a conference, which I could tax-deduct.

One thing I noticed is that Jetstar.com says SCs are credited within 6 weeks. if it takes that long, I only have until mid-April to log the 3x flights. Is it likely to take that long?

For me, JQ have either posted within a week or needed retro claims (which you can do after 7 or 14 days) but haven't ever taken six weeks. In any case it is based on activity date, not the date they flow through to your account, so if for some reason they don't come through til the next year it should still all get corrected, just might be manual

 

[dandoes]

For me, JQ have either posted within a week or needed retro claims (which you can do after 7 or 14 days) but haven't ever taken six weeks. In any case it is based on activity date, not the date they flow through to your account, so if for some reason they don't come through til the next year it should still all get corrected, just might be manual

Thanks - I did expect activity date for credits normally, but wondered whether status would drop on the anniversary and then be more of a slog to recover after the fact.

Post automatically merged: Apr 4, 2024

I don't know about how long Jetstar takes to credit SC's, however for slightly more if you travel on a weekend you should be able to pick up J class on Qantas SYD-MEL - I think that it was $418 one way in J which earn't 40 SC's

Thanks a great suggestion, thanks! Could get me there in 2 trips (weekend out, meeting on Monday, JQ MAX back).

 

[RSD]

Thanks a great suggestion, thanks! Could get me there in 2 trips (weekend out, meeting on Monday, JQ MAX back).

Worth taking a look at the weekday J fares too - sometimes there are some cheap ones on that route, and we are probably due for some more domestic sale fares reasonably soon (unless of course you really have a burning desire to experience JQ )

 

[dandoes]

Worth taking a look at the weekday J fares too - sometimes there are some cheap ones on that route, and we are probably due for some more domestic sale fares reasonably soon (unless of course you really have a burning desire to experience JQ )

Not even smouldering, but I will be commended for my frugality in expensing JQ, and queried for booking U, even if it’s a cheaper ticket.

 

[RSD]

Not even smouldering, but I will be commended for my frugality in expensing JQ, and queried for booking U, even if it’s a cheaper ticket.

Ah the joys of corporate travel! Hopefully JQ can't stuff up MEL-SYD too much for you!

 

[elanshin]

Worth taking a look at the weekday J fares too - sometimes there are some cheap ones on that route, and we are probably due for some more domestic sale fares reasonably soon (unless of course you really have a burning desire to experience JQ )

You could experience JQ J departing SYD Int'l. And get J earnings. Not sure on the price though.

 

[tdimdad]

What's the best $/SC currently from the AU east coast to NZ and back? The current NZ Red Tail sale prices SYD-zzz to $1,1xx return when flying direct but a circuitous route goes to $2,xx_.

I'm looking especially doing a long weekend AU-x-CHC and back around 3 August, 1 September or 5 October. In earlier years you could squeeze this down to $1,5xx and more recently to $1,8xx but it now seems to go north of $2,000. I'm happy to position along the eastern states if that pushes the price clearly down from the SYD departures.

 

[elanshin]

What's the best $/SC currently from the AU east coast to NZ and back? The current NZ Red Tail sale prices SYD-zzz to $1,1xx return when flying direct but a circuitous route goes to $2,xx_.

I'm looking especially doing a long weekend AU-x-CHC and back around 3 August, 1 September or 5 October. In earlier years you could squeeze this down to $1,5xx and more recently to $1,8xx but it now seems to go north of $2,000. I'm happy to position along the eastern states if that pushes the price clearly down from the SYD departures.

OOL - MEL - NZ tends to always be one of the better SC runs. Not sure what the current price is right now but as it a distance breakpoint, you get more SC in the domestic leg. (BNE is similar but generally cheaper from OOL). Flip side, MEL - BNE - NZ can also work decently.

 

[Mr Enthused]

J class (the specific bucket, not the general term for all 'Business' fares) will credit as Business. C and D class are treated the same.

Z and I discount business will credit as Flexible Economy.

I have never understood why QFF doesn't credit SCs consistently across all OW partner airlines compared to QF metal/marketed or EK.

 

[sudoer]

I have never understood why QFF doesn't credit SCs consistently across all OW partner airlines compared to QF metal/marketed or EK.

They did, once upon a time. Then this

Qantas Is Introducing Simpler (Not Really – Far More Complicated) & Fairer Flying Program (Partner Earnings Dramatically Cut)

Qantas is slashing the the number of points that you earn on discount economy fares and drastically lowers the number of SC’s (status credits) earned on partners.

loyaltylobby.com

 

[Mr Enthused]

They did, once upon a time. Then this

Qantas Is Introducing Simpler (Not Really – Far More Complicated) & Fairer Flying Program (Partner Earnings Dramatically Cut)

Qantas is slashing the the number of points that you earn on discount economy fares and drastically lowers the number of SC’s (status credits) earned on partners.

loyaltylobby.com

Ahhh yes, the old "enhancements" and "simpler and fairer". Ultimately, the doggo brekkie that it has become is why I'm not a QFFer.

 

[tdimdad]

OOL - MEL - NZ tends to always be one of the better SC runs. Not sure what the current price is right now but as it a distance breakpoint, you get more SC in the domestic leg. (BNE is similar but generally cheaper from OOL). Flip side, MEL - BNE - NZ can also work decently.

Wow, this turned out to be quite a sweet spot for a status run. Many thanks for the hint!
$1,469 netting 260 SC = $5.65 each, if using DSC is comes to $2.83/SC. Now to organise the surrounding days in SEQ...

 

[Notyourbag]

Anyone seeing any value status runs with the Jetstar fly return for free sale with the max bundle?

 

[Notyourbag]

Going to answer my own question! Found PER-CNS on JQ (max bundle gives 80 status credits in Flex Y) for a return flight for $369

 

[RSD]

I have zero experience with doing status runs within the U.S. as I'm usually time-poor on trips to there, however I've got a little bit of an opportunity this time and if anyone can make some suggestions on how to maximise SC return getting from LAX to SLC via anywhere and back again that would be appreciated!

Exact dates unknown just yet but will be in June - however it will be a Saturday morning arrival into LAX, and then I have until Sunday afternoon to get to SLC

then leaving SLC mid afternoon to connect in LAX for one of the late evening departures back to SYD or MEL.

It would be good to put some cheap SC's into the account if I can!

 

[SYD]

I have zero experience with doing status runs within the U.S. as I'm usually time-poor on trips to there, however I've got a little bit of an opportunity this time and if anyone can make some suggestions on how to maximise SC return getting from LAX to SLC via anywhere and back again that would be appreciated!

You might be too late for bargain flights (precovid typically the optimum booking window was around the 3 to 6mth out from travel). But you might be lucky and even booking fairly straightforward trips to get to where you’re going can offer some reasonable value for $ v SCs.

LAX to SLC non-stop on AA or AS First (earns as J with QF) will be 40 SCs each way. I‘d check the costs of that first to see if it’s worth doing something more creative.

Even LAX-SLC via SEA will jump to 100 SCs each way (60 + 40).

Exact dates unknown just yet but will be in June - however it will be a Saturday morning arrival into LAX, and then I have until Sunday afternoon to get to SLC

That’s a relatively short window to get adventurous on seperate (possibly multiple seperate) PNRs!

Will you be HLO?

then leaving SLC mid afternoon to connect in LAX for one of the late evening departures back to SYD or MEL.

Dom to Int transfer at LAX is simple but again, seperate bookings creat issues. If you can book your return SLC-x-y-z-SYD/MEL is ideal!

It would be good to put some cheap SC's into the account if I can!

If you want to do a pure SR, another lower risk option might be to get to SLC and do a circle route out if there?

I was looking for flights in/out of SLC last year as part of a visit to Yellowstone but not a lot came up.

You’ll probably find that AS will be much cheaper than AAand mainly have you bouncing around the West Coast via SAN, LAX, SFO, PDX and SEA.

AA will offer more adventurous pure SRs to SJU, PVR etc via DFW/MIA. But probably not enough hours in one w/e to make it work. Also a shame to get to those places only to turn around!