Earn Points and SCs with Any Seat Award Flights

[Siegfried]

This probably isn't the right place to ask questions about value for points expended, but there seems to be a lot of knowledgeable posts so far in this thread, so I'll ask anyway.

I'm returning from SCL to BNE later this month, which will leave me 380SC short of platinum requal this year (its been a VERY quiet year for me on the travel front). I'm probably going to be heading back to SCL in Septmber in J (BNE-AKL-SCL) but returning in October (my year end is 31 September), so I'll still be 100 SC short - but that won't be too hard to make up. The problem is that the project I'm working on is somewhat fickle in regards to needing me on site, so I can't be sure that the travel will actually happen in September.

In the meantime, I looked as Dom JASA's to bump up the old SC count. I've found a couple that I think look OK, but I was hoping for some advice on whether I'm right or whether I'm blowing smoke up my own cough*.

Anyhow, here they are :-

BNE-MEL-ADL (100SC)
ADL-MEL-HBA (80SC)
Overnight
HBA-SYD-BNE (100SC)

Total 280SC
Pts used ~88K
$ Spent - estimating $100 (accom $50 in HBA + 2 x $25 taxi)


BNE-CNS (60SC)
CNS-BNE-MEL (120SC)
Overnight
MEL-HBA (40SC)
HBA-SYD-BNE (100SC)

Total 320SC
Pts used ~122K
$ Spent - 0 (I have a place to stay and someone to do pickup / drop off in MEL)

So, are these good value or not?

* - A translation of a spanish phrase that I recently learned.

 

[markis10]

For 120K of points you can get the following:

ADl-BNE-TSV 120SC
TSV-BNE-DRW 140SC
DRW-BNE-TSV 140SC
TSV-BNE-ADl 120SC

Needs two nights in TSV and two in ADL for 520SC gain. Its closer to 100K of points if you are a WP because you earn 18744 pts doing it.


Alternatively do BNE-CBR then CBR-SYD-HBA-SYD-CBR with just the one night in HBA, excluding the positioning to CBR it would cost 40K and get 200SC's.

 

[Siegfried]

Plus whatever it takes to get from BNE-ADL and back (given that I am based in BNE)

and 2 nights in TSV? :shock::shock:

Better to spend 1 night in HBA (although with 2 heads)

 

[medhead]

I managed to get a BNE-CNS-BNE-ADL for about 73000 points earlier this year, earning 180SC. Booked as a multi city. I think the key to finding value is to pick destinations that will required a transit. So in my example the multi city search was for BNE-CNS-ADL.

Along those line looking at something like BNE-PER, with transits in ADL or MEL would also be another option. This could also possibly be done without hotels, if your willing to use the red eye flight.

 

[Aus ATC]

Siegfried,

It's not about the destination - just the journey.

How about BNE-MEL-ADL; ADL-MEL-BN trips (can be done in 1 day) for about 58k points (less 5400 points earned as a WP) for 200SC.

Do it twice and you don't have to go back to SCL this year.

And you get to sleep in your own bed.

 

[medhead]

Siegfried,

It's not about the destination - just the journey.

How about BNE-MEL-ADL; ADL-MEL-BN trips (can be done in 1 day) for about 58k points each (less 5400 points earned as a WP) for 200SC.

Do it twice and you don't have to go back to SCL this year.

And you get to sleep in your own bed.

Excellent suggest, make it a BNE-MEL-ADL-SYD-CBR, CBR-SYD-ADL-MEL-BNE, if you don't want to do it twice.

Also BNE-MEL-ADL and BNE-SYD-ADL will earn the same, so are interchangable.

 

[Foreigner]

For 120K of points you can get the following:

ADl-BNE-TSV 120SC
TSV-BNE-DRW 140SC
DRW-BNE-TSV 140SC
TSV-BNE-ADl 120SC

Needs two nights in TSV and two in ADL for 520SC gain. Its closer to 100K of points if you are a WP because you earn 18744 pts doing it.


Alternatively do BNE-CBR then CBR-SYD-HBA-SYD-CBR with just the one night in HBA, excluding the positioning to CBR it would cost 40K and get 200SC's.

Any JASA itinerary ex-SYD for max SCs? Don't mind overnighting as am able to get accommodation at reasonable costs.

f

 

[markis10]

Any JASA itinerary ex-SYD for max SCs? Don't mind overnighting as am able to get accommodation at reasonable costs.

f

Go to CBR and grab the Hobart express, its probably the best value.

 

[anat0l]

I don't know if any of you are awash with points, but IMHO 100k (even 40k per se) isn't an amount to sneeze at.

 

[Foreigner]

I don't know if any of you are awash with points, but IMHO 100k (even 40k per se) isn't an amount to sneeze at.

Pricey currency, in my opinion, which is why one should want to get the best value for it. My "year" ends end-April so I am in no rush to do a trade.

 

[AdamR]

I don't know if any of you are awash with points, but IMHO 100k (even 40k per se) isn't an amount to sneeze at.

Sure, but it is a saving of about $1500 at least over paying for those J routes. For people who earn a lot of points from CC, but are stuck flying red-e-deals for work (ie, me) it is the best chance to earn valuable status. My planned ADL-SYD-CBR-SYD-ADL for 48,000 pts + $80 will get me 200 points and make SG qualification for the first time a certainty. In that sense, it is very cheap.

 

[samh004]

I don't know if any of you are awash with points, but IMHO 100k (even 40k per se) isn't an amount to sneeze at.

Most of these great value flights are out of my points budget and certainly out of my cash budget, but I can see how useful they are, as if I used roughly ~60,000 points (pretty much everything I have) towards the end of this year, I’d be about 100SC’s short of qualifying for SG, whereas without spending them UI’d stay at what will likely be my first year of PS.

So I can see they offer a lot of value, especially compared to real cash spend, but you certainly need a lot.

 

[serfty]

I don't know if any of you are awash with points, but IMHO 100k (even 40k per se) isn't an amount to sneeze at.

No, it's nothing to sneeze at - I value 100K QFF points at something over $2000 - 95% of my QFF point expenditure is for upgrades.

However, if one planned on using award points anyway, when you compare:

• 60K QFF points and $140 in
  
  to fly against
• 60K QFF and $230 to fly, earning 160SC's and at least 4.1K QFF points,

Then it's really a "no brainer".

I am looking to go to PRG in June and was searching for Business awards MEL-SIN one-way. There was availability via SYD.

My available options were:

• Classic Award:
  60K QFF points and $139 in

  
  [2½K/5K point Change/Cancellation penalty]

• Any Seat Award in Business Saver:
  • 76K and $0
  • 60K QFF and $228
  [$60/$341($202 & ~11K QFF) Change/Cancellation penalty]

With the JASA earning is 160SC's and minimum 4.1K QFF points.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Go to CBR and grab the Hobart express, its probably the best value.

Now we have a name for the best JASA in Australia.

No, it's nothing to sneeze at - I value 100K QFF points at something over $2000.

I am looking to go to PRG in June and was searching for Business awards MEL-SIN one-way. There was availability via SYD.

My available options were:

• Classic Award:
  60K QFF points and $139 in

  
  [2½K/5K point Change/Cancellation penalty]

• Any Seat Award in Business Saver:
  • 76K and $0
  • 60K QFF and $228
  [$60/$341($202 & ~11K QFF) Change/Cancellation penalty]

With the JASA earning is 160SC's and minimum 4.1K QFF points.
However, if one planned on using award points anyway, when you compare:

• 60K QFF points and $140 in
  
  to fly against
• 60K QFF and $230 to fly, earning 160SC's and at least 4.1K QFF points,

Then it's really a "no brainer".

Will be interested to read your findings for PRG, I will be planning a 2 week holiday in Europe for 2011 with PRG being the middle weekend.

I have used approx 28,000 points for MEL-BNE, with my current trips for next QF membership year I should just make it to 1205SCs but a few ideas from this thread if I come up short.

 

[serfty]

I looked at Any SEAT long haul to LAX and the points were a joke quantity so after about 6 views / attempts I put it off the radar.There is no way I need to burn more than a million points on one flight so I have gone Kris points when the offer was not competitive.
Now I can see it is working domestically at reasonable figures so this thread renewed my interest in a system that I had binned for long haul.
Thanks for persisting.

For example, I can see transpacific Business class awards in June from 96,000 QFF points and $280 in co-pay (or 116,000 QFF and $0).

Compare this this an award seat at 96,000 QFF and $191 in

 

[anat0l]

For example, I can see transpacific Business class awards in June from 96,000 QFF points and $280 in co-pay (or 116,000 QFF and $0).

Compare this this an award seat at 96,000 QFF and $191 in

Not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but I can't find these!

I'm still consistently getting full cash fares for a bit over $7000, points+pay and ASA engine giving me at least 700,000 points + $0 and you can work out the outrageous what not in between.

 

[serfty]

Not sure if I'm doing something wrong, but I can't find these! ...

Use the ASA engine. Have a look at MEL-LAX on June 15th.

QF93 is showing up at 115,870 QFF points. Use the slider to get it to 96K and $279.99.

 

[futaris]

Alternatively, a FASA for 13 July 2010 (Tomorrow):

QF93 MEL-LAX

163,870 or
144k + $320.15.

Which will earn 270 SCs and (7,923 x 1.5 = 11,185 + Status Bonuses)

Or as a classic award:
144k + ~$200 taxes

 

[anat0l]

Aaah OK now I see what you're getting at.

Now I realise my mistake(s); I just had to find the dates which have Classic inventory available.

Moreover, I was searching from BNE and looking at all the indirects. I believe that was a fool's errand.

Same thing for F, but F Classic availability for MEL-LAX is even more stark (i.e. there isn't any).

Funny thought: if you get a seat over the phone through WP request, does it get booked as a Classic or as an ASA? I think I know the answer to that, but shall I tempt the obvious (or not so obvious)....

 

[JohnK]

I don't know if any of you are awash with points, but IMHO 100k (even 40k per se) isn't an amount to sneeze at.

Very expensive form of currency which for the vast majority of people takes a long long time to accumulate.

In just over 2 years I have managed to accumulate just over 280,000 QFF points. That is enough for 2 Oneworld awards in WHY or 1 Oneworld award in business class. Next trip(s) planned for 2012 and 2015.