Getting best value of FF points

[g2420hd]

Hi guys, not sure if this should be here or the QFF section, but since I have other questions I thought I'll lump it here.

New to points etc, only really got into it since I am required to travel long haul for work.

Just wondering, is it more worthwhile to use points for a direct flight or upgrades?

I ask cause the options I am looking at right now seems counter intuitive.

i) 30k pts for a direct flight worth about $300-400
ii) 16k pts for upgrade from Full econ to PE from syd --> LAX. (which, unless i am looking at things wrongly is definitely a few times more than 300-400?)

Just wondering if there is something else I am missing!

Also, if I book a return trip to New York from Syd, and upgraded to PE, what class do i sit on the American airlines flight? Is there an equivalent?

Finally, I've recently signed up for the ascent points, but now it increasingly appears to be that FF is the way to go. What's the general consensus for the award programs? (looked around but not really directly discussed)

Thanks guys!

PS just saw the poll function so what the hell.

 

[cove]

Using points rather than buying tickets or upgrading them requires access to your work accounting area to firstly credit card all accounts that have no surcharge and put them on a point a dollar Visa or MasterCard. Next you can pay the work BAS to accumulate very large numbers at a cost of 0.65cents or for Amex 0.83 cents.
If you can do this you then book Premium Economy or business Class tickets where you can extract more than 4 times your cost upwards.
If work wants you to go in economy you just buy the cheapest available and points would not really matter much.
Upgrades can be a good use of points but don't always come through as you get put in a queue behind high level frequent flyers. Using 72000 or 96000 points each way to get across the ditch to LAX gets you past those in the queue.
The problem is no one ever wants to go backwards after getting a flight in a better seat so be careful of ever starting that relentless pursuit!