Earning Points and SCs when on Government, Large Corporates or working for QF

[Stevo.1702]

Yes and No. For Commonwealth bookings..

Domestically, no. For AOT bookings I have had no Hilton or Marriot, or any other programs credit points or nights. The hotel also does not honor any tier benefits that you might have.

Internationally, yes. I have had all overseas QBT-booked hotels credit hotel nights and points.

 

[Lynda2475]

Note: there are differences between restrictions for Fed Government and Government Business Enterprises (GBEs) for example nbnco. If you work for a GBE, travel is booked through Serko and you are allowed to earn and keep SCs and points (and utilise DSCs). I also always received my hotel program points for Serko bookings at the GBE.

Likewize for large corporates you need to comply with travel policy but outside of that points and SCs are ok to earn and keep. One large Corp that I worked for required you to use Qantas, unless Qantas didn't fly the route (which mostly suited me) but given all travel was then on charged to clients, on routes where there was an advantage to flying VA (i.e SYD-ABX - bigger plan, quicker flight) I could just get the client to book my flight directly for me.

 

[Stevo.1702]

Additionally, you can't use your points to request an upgrade if on offical travel.

This is a real pain for me. Minimum 2 UK trips a year. The last one was DRW - LHR and being in Y both directions with policy saying I can't use my own points really hurts.

 

[justinbrett]

This is a real pain for me. Minimum 2 UK trips a year. The last one was DRW - LHR and being in Y both directions with policy saying I can't use my own points really hurts.

"Can't" = "Not supposed to".

Nothing technically stopping you.

 

[justinbrett]

Yes and No. For Commonwealth bookings..

Domestically, no. For AOT bookings I have had no Hilton or Marriot, or any other programs credit points or nights. The hotel also does not honor any tier benefits that you might have.

Internationally, yes. I have had all overseas QBT-booked hotels credit hotel nights and points.

In the case of Hilton, if you contact central reservations (Hilton - not AOT) and get them to add your HH number to the booking it should credit. I don't believe there's a way to do it online. There's no obligation for them to do this as you are not supposed to get the benifits or credits for non-direct bookings. However - if they do it - you will.

 

[sudoer]

There's no obligation for them to do this as you are not supposed to get the benifits or credits for non-direct bookings.

Most hotel programs will credit points and offer status benefits on non-direct bookings if they are booked by a TA using a GDS - in the case of Hilton:

To earn Points for staying at one of our hotels, you have to book through any of official channels including any of our Hilton brand or Hilton Honors websites (for example, Hilton Honors.com, Hilton.com, Hampton.com, etc.), Hilton Reservations & Customer Care phone lines (for example, 1-800-4HONORS or any local Hilton reservations office), Hilton Honors mobile application, directly at a hotel in the Hilton Portfolio, or through an IATA accredited retail travel agent professional ("Travel Agent") booking through a Hilton channel or the following Global Distribution Systems: Amadeus, Apollo/Galileo, Worldspan and SABRE.

https://help.hilton.com/s/article/Will-I-still-earn-Points-if-booked-through-another-website

 

[justinbrett]

Most hotel programs will credit points and offer status benefits on non-direct bookings if they are booked by a TA using a GDS - in the case of Hilton:

https://help.hilton.com/s/article/Will-I-still-earn-Points-if-booked-through-another-website

You can add an AOT hotel to a QBT booking, but you can also make a direct AOT booking.

I don't think the latter would go through the GDS.

 

[AustSerbKor]

I am working for a labour hire company hired by a federal government body using QBT and I didn't know the no upgrading with personal points rule, am I going to gaol? Of course gaol would be better than flying economy. I usually fly economy but post pandemic the opportunity to get a free groping at security followed by having my knees dug hard in the seat in front of me isn't as appealing as it used to be.