How much do you value your MR points?

[JohnK]

EDIT: Apart from AirAsia when does one go for Aus->Asia $1500 J ?

You can't but that is my price point for business class airfares. Anything more expensive and I am extremely happy going Qantas economy for ~$700 and earning SCs and QFF points for my troubles.

In my experience with BMI, USDM, AAdvantage the best I have done to Asia in business is ~$2,000 and that was with the 100% promotions. I don't think it is any cheaper now.

I miss BMI and the 1,500 miles/night for Hilton stays and 1,000 miles/day for car rental.

 

[LittleFokker]

You need to expand your reading, for a start would suggest ATO, USDM, AA and Lifemiles forums.

Well there's a week of my life I'll never get back....right down the lifemiles forums rabbit hole! Very interesting read and quite, er, tricky in places. Now I know how to get to SIN or BKK for ~$AUD590 in J on SG or TH to Bangkok. This has of course somewhat devalued my MR and QF points from what I thought they were worth a week ago :-/ (and i NEVER thought there was a chance I'd ever be flying TX!!!!).

thanks guys

 

[JohnK]

Now I know how to get to SIN or BKK for ~$AUD590 in J on SG or TH to Bangkok.

Someone else mentioned something similar on the weekend.

Have Lifemiles, USDM got cheaper to travel in premium cabins? I have not looked for a long time as it was costing close AUD2,000 for return in business class to BKK and I am not interested in paying that much for an airline seat for such a short flight.

 

[LittleFokker]

Someone else mentioned something similar on the weekend.

Have Lifemiles, USDM got cheaper to travel in premium cabins? I have not looked for a long time as it was costing close AUD2,000 for return in business class to BKK and I am not interested in paying that much for an airline seat for such a short flight.

Well, they're still $USD30/1000pt retail and $USD15/1000pt on sale. It's possible to find a route to Singapore or Bangkok for 27.5K points. Depending on how much you get the pts for that equates to between AUD$590 to AUD$674 depending on 1.5C or 3C points + pay. Of course that route doesn't include any check-in luggage.....'nuf said.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I'm in the process of migrating from being a rusted-on QFFer to a general FF tart now as an outcome of the recent simplifications.

Big part of that process was naturally moving from Amex QF earning to Amex MR and recalibrating my mental view of points value. Man, what a difference! 256K QFF vs 102K MR for MH J Syd-Lon ret. I used to value QFF at 2.0c but like-for-like (sort of) easily makes MR 3.0+ (maybe 4.0) on redemption.

Welcome to the "Penny has dropped" Club. Jumping off the QFF bandwagon now quite a few years ago was one of my smarter decisions in life.

And it is not just the better value per point...BUT availability is just way. way better too in that one can much more easily get not just J and F redemptions, but multiple J/ F redemptions so that one can fly with partners and family..


I now only put points to QFF when points value-wise it makes sense to do so.

 

[JohnK]

Well, they're still $USD30/1000pt retail and $USD15/1000pt on sale. It's possible to find a route to Singapore or Bangkok for 27.5K points. Depending on how much you get the pts for that equates to between AUD$590 to AUD$674 depending on 1.5C or 3C points + pay. Of course that route doesn't include any check-in luggage.....'nuf said.

Premium cabin with no check-in luggage?

Are taxes and surcharges included? BMI was minimum ~AUD1500 return in business to Asia with miles + pay + taxes and surcharges. And that was when AUD was > parity with USD. And now where AUD is .90 to USD it is cheaper to go in business to Asia? Hmmm....

 

[Moopere]

Premium cabin with no check-in luggage?

Are taxes and surcharges included? BMI was minimum ~AUD1500 return in business to Asia with miles + pay + taxes and surcharges. And that was when AUD was > parity with USD. And now where AUD is .90 to USD it is cheaper to go in business to Asia? Hmmm....

Yeah, I'm interested in this too - but I don't have a week to 'go down the lifemiles rabbit hole'

 

[markis10]

Premium cabin with no check-in luggage?

Are taxes and surcharges included? BMI was minimum ~AUD1500 return in business to Asia with miles + pay + taxes and surcharges. And that was when AUD was > parity with USD. And now where AUD is .90 to USD it is cheaper to go in business to Asia? Hmmm....

Luggage is included if you don't mind it going past your hidden city.

 

[JohnK]

Yeah, I'm interested in this too - but I don't have a week to 'go down the lifemiles rabbit hole'

Someone has kindly sent me a PM. I am not sure if I am allowed to pass that PM on but let me say one thing.

I may be silly enough to try the SYD-SIN trick on that itinerary once. Stupid if I did it a second time. An absolute moron if I continued to do it.

Now the complete itinerary sounds interesting to do for fun and I may end up doing it for fun.

 

[FuzzyAUS]

I too would love to get a PM

 

[LittleFokker]

Well after all the mental gymnastics around maximising my MR points & lifemiles etc, I woke up this morning with itchy feet and thought, bugger it, time for a (sudden) trip. The irony is that I'm flounging right now after buying a $2K whY revenue one way ticket to Glasgow on the train on the way home this afternoon. No tricks - just threw money at Qantas :-/

On the upside I'm only having to pay $1575 for QF2 J LHR-SYD week Sunday