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

 

[SYD]

Have heaps of qantas points

The other advantage of PC/PC+ is earning SCs when you burn those QF points on QF flights. Which can offer some interesting status run options if you can get the system to throw up a multi-leg reward flight for the same points as a flying direct.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I am sure QFF knows those of us who have earned a lot of points from ground activities, and those who earn a lot from flying.
Not that they would publish their said knowledge publicly.
Having a lot of points does not matter, having SC does, and that is the benefit.
With higher status, you get eg, being able to use premier security screening, premier check in, faster response to call centre calls, and once you get high enough, your calls to QFF when the needs arise would most likely get you to be answered by either the HBA call centre, or the AKL one, rather than the ones in other countries.
If you have QFF PS (Silver), maybe paying for QP (Qantas Club) is better than chasing status, but if you are very close to QFF SG (Gold), or higher, then its worth it to chase more status.
If you are down the bottom of the status ladder, keep plonking to get further up by flying for your job, or SC gained by PC (PointsClub).
Earning lots of points from card spend will elicit lots of points, but that is not important QFF wise, what is important, is you get to climb/scale the QFF status ladder, once you get to QFF SG, keep there or aim for higher.

 

[SYD]

I’ve just booked SEA-JFK-SAN on AS F for next year but nothing like the value / SC earn of years past….

So AS have decided to stuff as around on both sectors. The Gentlemen's hours departure from SEA to JFK is now an OMG it’s early departure and our comfortable departure time from JFK to SAN will now get us in around closing time…

The upside is both changes pretty much give us free rein to rebook on more convenient times and more importantly SC earn at no extra cost!

So SEA-ORD(AS)/ORD-LGA(AA) and JFK-SFO or SEA-SAN now. Thoughts?

Currently I can’t see options via DFW, which are good for maxing SCs…

 

[elanshin]

Hi all,
I know of the SYD > MEL > AKL > MEL > SYD J runs. Im just wondering if it would be better to go via MEL / BNE pair as that has higher domestic base SC earnings and then just tacking on an additional flight to and from the starting city.

 

[aikman]

Hi all,
I know of the SYD > MEL > AKL > MEL > SYD J runs. Im just wondering if it would be better to go via MEL / BNE pair as that has higher domestic base SC earnings and then just tacking on an additional flight to and from the starting city.

BNE-MEL does have higher SC earn compared to SYD-MEL but whether its "better" depends on the cost and timings.

If you have to spend a fair bit to tack on a flight to MEL or BNE plus spend money on a night at a hotel on the way then perhaps it is not that much "better".

 

[Ade]

Hi all,
I know of the SYD > MEL > AKL > MEL > SYD J runs. Im just wondering if it would be better to go via MEL / BNE pair as that has higher domestic base SC earnings and then just tacking on an additional flight to and from the starting city.

Welcome to AFF, @elanshin

SC are based on the distance and hence BNE-MEL (60SC in Disc. J) will earn more than BNE-SYD (40 SC in Disc. J). When I plan a status run, I plan the trip ex-OOL or BNE for the SC that these ports earn.

Depending on how many SC you need - you can always tailor the route. Please note that depending on where you are based, you'd have to get yourself to OOL or BNE and that would be additional cost.

 

[exLXCXFF]

You can actually force DSC through, by ringing and getting someone to override the original PNR date. As long as you registered, booked and flew during the right dates. Just be polite and firm.

I seem to recall @nlagalle also had success with this a few years ago.

I would be very interested in how this process works in practice step-by-step - @nlagalle, would you mind sharing?

Background is, I have another DSC run coming up to Cairns and I stupidly used a voucher which had an older PNR attached outside the DSC windows (just a few days actually). So if I coudl still get DSC that would be great.

Having said that, I don’t have access to Hobart/Auckland - so probably impossible now…

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Would there be any issues with booking a DSC trip with a voucher over the phone? I can't seem to locate the flights I want on the website.

 

[Danger]

In theory, no (other than if if you get through to an offshore call centre, that is).

 

[RichardMEL]

No issue with using a voucher to book over the phone. It's a valid payment method.

 

[Silvia]

Is there any value from any domestic runs or even JQ runs? Seems like it’s getting more difficult or taking more creativity to do any runs

 

[Ade]

value

Value is a very personal thing. Depends on your circumstances, a run could be valuable or not …

domestic

Very valuable to get those last 50 or so SC …

JQ runs?

When booked with the Max bundle, definitely valuable, depending how much you need the status and how much you are able to spend.

Post automatically merged: Jan 29, 2023

Seems like it’s getting more difficult or taking more creativity to do any runs

This is true … again, the level of difficulty is relative … but I know what you mean .. it’s certainly expensive nowadays to do a decent run to gain decent SC … if you are able to tell us how much SC you need, I’m sure folks on this forum can provide their ideas

 

[downtheback]

Some others here are churning CCs with signup bonuses to get to Points Club Plus (PC+) that comes with comp QP.

Question about PC+ you might know. Say I'm platinum and I earn exactly 1200 SC every year, does 100 automatically roll over to the next year so only need 1100 SC perpetually from that point on (whilst maintaining PC+), or is the rollover only on the SCs earned above the 1200?

 

[muppet]

Question about PC+ you might know. Say I'm platinum and I earn exactly 1200 SC every year, does 100 automatically roll over to the next year so only need 1100 SC perpetually from that point on (whilst maintaining PC+), or is the rollover only on the SCs earned above the 1200?

Yep. 100 will rollover even if you only earn 100.

 

[SYD]

Question about PC+ you might know. Say I'm platinum and I earn exactly 1200 SC every year, does 100 automatically roll over to the next year so only need 1100 SC perpetually from that point on (whilst maintaining PC+), or is the rollover only on the SCs earned above the 1200?

Yep. 100 will rollover even if you only earn 100.

Which is about the only really valuable thing for existing WP/SG deciding to just stick with PC or going for PC+.

I would be very happy with 100 SCs pa from PC+ and another from Green tier to set the WP bar to 1050 each year (not to mention status bonuses). But I can’t justify the additional pts required.

 

[pyramidforce]

Ive read on the other thread abput flying F on Alaska air, does a 'First' ticket on alaska ticket as F?

 

[Lynda2475]

First tickets on AA domestic only earn points and SCs at the J rate, so I would expect Alaska to be the same since it is not a genuine first class despite the name.

 

[SYD]

First tickets on AA domestic only earn points and SCs at the J rate, so I would expect Alaska to be the same since it is not a genuine first class despite the name.

Three class AA transcon will book and earn as First but two class credit as Biz.

Similarly, AS “First” class book into CDIJ and earn Biz SCs.

 

[exceladdict]

Was hoping it wouldn't land that way, but yes just looked at some AS F legs in two-class and they seem to be landing in C.

 

[pyramidforce]

How exactly does one book F on Alaska? Do they have 3 class transcon routes as well?