Does it make sense to buy Qantas points?

[Lynda2475]

yes I know Norfolk isn't part of AU

Actually it is an Australian External Territory, just because flights leave from the international terminal doesn't make it a foreign country.

 

[Ade]

QF Top up points offer from today ... Get 50% more Top-Up points, offer till 24/03 ...

 

[SYD]

QF Top up points offer from today ... Get 50% more Top-Up points, offer till 24/03 ...

Top Up points count towards Points Club. Some parallel discussion on the relative merits of buying points in this promo discussed here also…

Qantas Points Club Discussion

Things appear to have changed. Airline choice for my return trip from DUB has had its status changed to “under review”.

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Actually it is an Australian External Territory, just because flights leave from the international terminal doesn't make it a foreign country.

For me the real test is whether you have to clear I(e)mmigration on other either end of the journey. I would imagine so, but feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken here. In some respects this is sort of like Canadians travelling, "domestically" to the US. Technically yes you are crossing a border but it's really a formality more than anything, just as Europeans have to cross immigration checkpoints when flying within EU (i.e. travel between Ireland and other EU states).

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

For me the real test is whether you have to clear I(e)mmigration on other either end of the journey. I would imagine so, but feel free to correct me if I'm mistaken here. In some respects this is sort of like Canadians travelling, "domestically" to the US. Technically yes you are crossing a border but it's really a formality more than anything, just as Europeans have to cross immigration checkpoints when flying within EU (i.e. travel between Ireland and other EU states).

-RooFlyer88

No, you are mistaken. It’s a domestic flight. You don’t even need a passport. DL is fine.

But you can buy DF booze to take with you!

 

[kangarooflyer88]

QF Top up points offer from today ... Get 50% more Top-Up points, offer till 24/03 ...

Getting back on topic and to answer the question of the thread given this new information - purchasing 150,000 QFF points will net you 225,000 points with the bonus and set you back $4000. So now the question is, can one get greater than $4000 value using said purchased points?

Well I suppose it depends on what you book with the points. If you can snag business classic awards to LAX for say 108,400 points each way, then yeah that can be a really good deal, considering business class on QF between SYD and LAX routinely costs more than $4000 booked as a cash fare. Similarly flights to Asia and the UK from Australia can be very good deals indeed. For instance, one could fly from Sydney to Hong Kong as a business classic award for 68,400 points each way. On the other hand if you use it at the rewards store, I'd be surprised if you could find more than a fancy toaster for that many points!

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

purchasing 150,000 QFF points will net you 225,000 points with the bonus and set you back $4000. So now the question is, can one get greater than $4000 value using said purchased points?

Well I suppose it depends on what you book with the points. If you can snag business classic awards to LAX for say 108,400 points each way, then yeah that can be a really good deal, considering business class on QF between SYD and LAX routinely costs more than $4000 booked as a cash fare. Similarly flights to Asia and the UK from Australia can be very good deals indeed. For instance, one could fly from Sydney to Hong Kong as a business classic award for 68,400 points each way.

If not already PC/PC+, you will at least earn PC after that one purchase - so you’ll also earn SCs on those classic reward flights. So some additional value for some (plus some hotel and wine vouchers…).

 

[kangarooflyer88]

If not already PC/PC+, you will at least earn PC after that one purchase - so you’ll also earn SCs on those classic reward flights. So some additional value for some (plus some hotel and wine vouchers…).

Technically you wouldn't earn points club from this purchase alone since the maximum points earned on one transaction 125,000 points and 150,000 points is required to earn Points Club. That being said, yes if you've already earned a trivial number of points from flying QF and elsewhere then presumably one could earn points club status with the main benefit being earning status credits on those flights. In particular a business classic award flight to Los Angeles would net 72 status credits. Not the greatest earning compared to a cash fare, but certainly better than nothing.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

Technically you wouldn't earn points club from this purchase alone since the maximum points earned on one transaction 125,000 points and 150,000 points is required to earn Points Club. That being said, yes if you've already earned a trivial number of points from flying QF and elsewhere then presumably one could earn points club status with the main benefit being earning status credits on those flights. In particular a business classic award flight to Los Angeles would net 72 status credits. Not the greatest earning compared to a cash fare, but certainly better than nothing.

-RooFlyer88

No, that’s incorrect.

PC Ts&Cs state that “All points count” for top ups.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

No, that’s incorrect.

PC Ts&Cs state that “All points count” for top ups.

Where in the T&Cs does it explicitly say this. When I look at the T&Cs I just see the following:

Note: the following caps apply when calculating the number of Qantas Points earned in a Membership Year for the purposes of Points Club or Points Club Plus:

• Qantas Points earned from flying are capped at 20,000 total in each Membership Year; and
• all Qantas Points earn transactions are capped at 125,000 per transaction. This cap applies to all transactions in which more than 125,000 Qantas Points are credited to a Member’s account. For example, if a Member receives 300,000 Qantas Points in connection with a transfer from another credit card program, home loan or as a prize in a competition, then only 125,000 of those Qantas Points will count towards qualification for the Points Club Program.

 

[JohnK]

That's a very good problem to have!

Value is a relative term, you really need to understand the context to determine if it's good value. For instance, a lot of people may think I'm crazy to burn 32,000 points + ~$160 in taxes and fees to book a QF classic economy award between Sydney and Melbourne return for 2 passengers when these flights typically sell for $100 or less on QF and other airlines. However, I'm travelling during Easter where the cheapest nonstops will set you back $400 per passenger return meaning I'm actually getting pretty decent value here.

I agree with you.

I rate 8,000 QFF points + $40 taxes for a $200 cash airfare as excellent value.

My preference would have been international redemptions but Qantas playing games there for time being. I'm not booking 12 months in advance. There's another covid around the corner with restrictions back in place and I'm not risking booking to play their game.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

I'm not booking 12 months in advance. There's another covid around the corner with restrictions back in place and I'm not risking booking to play their game.

That's one of the big benefits of booking an international classic flight award - you can cancel for any reason and it'll only cost you 6000 points. Compare that with a cash fare where there are restrictions left and right on refunds and changes. In addition, just like cash fares, if the airline has to make a change on their end, your ticket becomes fully refundable (including all points). And I say this as someone who booked travel to Canada using points in April 2020 and had to rebook a dozen of times in the interim before I finally took my flight to Canada in June last year.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

Where in the T&Cs does it explicitly say this. When I look at the T&Cs I just see the following:

@bussyboy posted this in the PC thread mentioned earlier.

 

[bussyboy]

I think this promo is just opportunistic for many, particularly if you're short on points for a specific reward flight that might no longer be available if you wait.

As an example I'm eyeing off some F rewards on EK ex Europe for December, which are cheaper than business right now... do i wait to earn points organically and potentially miss out on the experience I desire, or pay a little extra now for the points and lock in a dream trip?

Value differs for everyone.

 

[CaptJCool]

I think this promo is just opportunistic for many, particularly if you're short on points for a specific reward flight that might no longer be available if you wait.

As an example I'm eyeing off some F rewards on EK ex Europe for December, which are cheaper than business right now... do i wait to earn points organically and potentially miss out on the experience I desire, or pay a little extra now for the points and lock in a dream trip?

Value differs for everyone.

Earlier upthread someone mentioned spending $800 on wine for 35,000 points

ergo x 5 = $4000 and 175,000 points

ergo this offer would appear to be In the same ballpark sans wine (which I’m limiting recently given its propensity to sugar me up)

this offer is $3999 and 225000 points

Noting How to Buy Qantas Frequent Flyer Points from today

let’s say I used them on adel - Syd 24,000 return would give me 9 return trips. Currently, minimum pricing is $358 return so that’s $3,222

however, full flexi is $608 that would cost a whopping $10,944 for 9 return trips (ugh)


however there’s F All F (ex Australia) so rather makes the points chase a “paper dragon”

 

[stopthecap]

I see no reason to buy points when wine offers better deals. 1600 dollars netted me 78k points plus some amazing wine

 

[MelbFlyer]

For me, spending $100 on a red e-deal between Sydney and Melbourne or Brissie that will attract 10 status credits each way, and then proceeding to spend 10,900 QF points to upgrade into business on an A330 is also really good value. Sure the flight is short but it's a hell of a lot more comfortable than being stuck in cattle class on a narrow body!

Depends, whilst an A330 might be "scheduled" on a specific flight, it could be changed at anytime to a B737 with inferior business class seating.

From what I can see though from a quick search, from Melbourne to Sydney it seems there's a maximum of 2 A330s used per day (1 in the morning and another in the afternoon), all the rest are B737s.

Looking at Monday 27/03 from Melbourne to Sydney, it states that QF470 is scheduled with an A330, but looking at Flightaware, it states that it's been run with a B738 daily.

I'd be really disappointed if I booked a Melbourne to Sydney flight that states it has a A330 running it, only to be changed last minute to a B737, or if the aircraft that's stated on the Qantas website is simply incorrect.

I know Melbourne to Sydney is only 1.5hrs, but there's a massive difference in business seats between the A330 and B737. I would not pay the same amount of points for a B737 business seat.

 

[MelbFlyer]

I see no reason to buy points when wine offers better deals. 1600 dollars netted me 78k points plus some amazing wine

Not everyone drinks wine!

 

[Volki]

View attachment 319807

I see no reason to buy points when wine offers better deals. 1600 dollars netted me 78k points plus some amazing wine

How long does it take for the points to land in your QFF account after purchase?

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Depends, whilst an A330 might be "scheduled" on a specific flight, it could be changed at anytime to a B737 with inferior business class seating.

That's a risk on any flight, though. I mean I was booked on a 787 both ways with KLM between YYZ and AMS and in one direction it was down gauged to a 777 with its inferior 2-2-2 seating in J. Indeed this could even happen if one were to buy a cash fare.

I know Melbourne to Sydney is only 1.5hrs, but there's a massive difference in business seats between the A330 and B737. I would not pay the same amount of points for a B737 business seat.

It's a bit better, yes I will concede there. Catering on the narrow body tends to be better, sure, but the seating and not having a neighbour on the A330 makes it the winner all things being equal.

Not everyone drinks wine!

Wine makes an excellent party gift!

Post automatically merged: Mar 21, 2023

Earlier upthread someone mentioned spending $800 on wine for 35,000 points

ergo x 5 = $4000 and 175,000 points

ergo this offer would appear to be In the same ballpark sans wine (which I’m limiting recently given its propensity to sugar me up)

this offer is $3999 and 225000 points

Noting How to Buy Qantas Frequent Flyer Points from today

let’s say I used them on adel - Syd 24,000 return would give me 9 return trips. Currently, minimum pricing is $358 return so that’s $3,222

however, full flexi is $608 that would cost a whopping $10,944 for 9 return trips (ugh)

The mistake you are making is you are assuming that one would book these flights months out during a red e-deal. Chances are they won't, and even if they did, if they were travelling during school holiday season, it won't matter anyway. What classic awards get you is the ability to buy otherwise expensive domestic flights for cheap with the flexibility to make changes and cancellations with minimal penalty.

-RooFlyer88