I'm over Qantas FF - Is there a better value program for an Oz Resident?

[ferni]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Hi,

Back to the original question rather than AA status. You said you earn a lot of points from Hotels. Check out a new website - Points Hound:

PointsHound.com: Book hotels. Earn miles and points.

It lets you earn AA miles on hotel bookings and has a price guarantee (which I've used also).

I have made bookings and will earn around 20K AA miles already and through Qantas would have earnt only about 4000 points as one of the properties wasn't in any FF program but still got to earn AA miles this way.

And they have a double dip section where can still get your chain status benefits with their bookings.

Dale.

Are you sure it has Price Beat Guarantee? The website says otherwise... From the FAQ:

Do you have a “best rate guarantee”?
We don’t. Every once in awhile customers will be able to find a better rate for a hotel room, often due to membership programs, shifts in room pricing from day to day or conference rates. Our goal is to deliver the best rate an overwhelmingly majority of the time.

 

[Nizar]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Are you sure it has Price Beat Guarantee? The website says otherwise... From the FAQ:

If you search for a hotel next to each price of different room categories, it says

Price match guarantee

​

 

[ferni]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

If you search for a hotel next to each price of different room categories, it says

Price match guarantee

​

I'm not seeing that, do I need to login?

 

[Nizar]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

I'm not seeing that, do I need to login?

No just search for any hotel at any date, select AA as the rewards program of choice and you go from there.

 

[dalereardon]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Hi,

Are you looking at PointsHound rather than RocketMiles? RocketMiles is different but PointsHound definitely has a price match guarantee and I have used it personally and they matched a lower price.

Right at the bottom of the page there is a link to low price guarantee. Here's the link:

https://www.pointshound.com/guarantee


Dale.

 

[Nizar]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

What's the best way to earn AA miles through CC spend ?
I had a look at Amex but the conversion seems to be an abysmal 3:1 to SPG ?
Any better options ?

 

[bismarck]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

What's the best way to earn AA miles through CC spend ?
I had a look at Amex but the conversion seems to be an abysmal 3:1 to SPG ?
Any better options ?

Not sure that's right? My Amex Plat Edge lists transfer rate at 1000MR:500 Starpoints (so 2:1). Bear in mind you then get a 5,000pt bonus for every 20,000 you transfer. So 1:0.625 which is not a good earning rate, but is also not the worst on the market (my old Commbank card earned 1:0.4 to QFF).

My understanding is that washing through SPG is the only way to get AA miles through Australian credit cards but others may know more.

 

[Newk]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Not sure that's right? My Amex Plat Edge lists transfer rate at 1000MR:500 Starpoints (so 2:1). Bear in mind you then get a 5,000pt bonus for every 20,000 you transfer. So 1:0.625 which is not a good earning rate, but is also not the worst on the market (my old Commbank card earned 1:0.4 to QFF).

My understanding is that washing through SPG is the only way to get AA miles through Australian credit cards but others may know more.

Diners points direct transfer to AA at 2:1 and also wash through SPG with the bonus.

http://www.dinersclub.com.au/rewards.htm

go to online catalogue--->travel and click "go"

But good luck with them. There is a thread here that includes reports about not being able to transfer on-line.

 

[asg29e]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Not sure that's right? My Amex Plat Edge lists transfer rate at 1000MR:500 Starpoints (so 2:1). Bear in mind you then get a 5,000pt bonus for every 20,000 you transfer. So 1:0.625 which is not a good earning rate, but is also not the worst on the market (my old Commbank card earned 1:0.4 to QFF).

My understanding is that washing through SPG is the only way to get AA miles through Australian credit cards but others may know more.

That is also my understanding, no direct earning cards unfortunately.

Diners gives a decent earning rate, but of course its acceptance is low.
David Jones Amex is great for supermarkets and fuel; after washing through SPG (and applying the SPG transfer bonus) you will get slightly greater than 1.5 AA points/$ with this sort of spend.

 

[k3nnis]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

What is the David jones Amex conversion rate for SPG ?

 

[Nizar]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Not sure that's right? My Amex Plat Edge lists transfer rate at 1000MR:500 Starpoints (so 2:1). Bear in mind you then get a 5,000pt bonus for every 20,000 you transfer. So 1:0.625 which is not a good earning rate, but is also not the worst on the market (my old Commbank card earned 1:0.4 to QFF).

My understanding is that washing through SPG is the only way to get AA miles through Australian credit cards but others may know more.

Oh cheers 2:1 and 1:0.625 is not too bad.
But difficult to go from 1.5 points per dollar (what my current ANZ card earns to QFF) to 0.625 points per dollar, its less than half.
Though overall the tradeoff might still work out in favour of AA ?
$100k spend is 150k QFF points using say my ANZ Amex.
Using an Amex Plat Edge card $100k spend is 62,500 AA miles.

Both enough for a one way MEL-LAX in J but of course through AA you have availability issues though surcharges/taxes/fees will be less than half. You'd have no AA miles left over though but you would have >50k QFF points leftover.
Hmmmm.

I suppose with a higher proportion of spend at supermarkets (3 points per dollar) and fuel (2 points per dollar) and less towards ATO bills (0.5 points per dollar) you could lift the average to maybe 1:1 ?
Which would make crediting to AA a winner ? Maybe ?

 

[asg29e]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

What is the David jones Amex conversion rate for SPG ?

2:1
But if you just use the card for your supermarket and fuel shopping (3 points/$) it fills a niche.

 

[bismarck]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Oh cheers 2:1 and 1:0.625 is not too bad.
But difficult to go from 1.5 points per dollar (what my current ANZ card earns to QFF) to 0.625 points per dollar, its less than half.
Though overall the tradeoff might still work out in favour of AA ?
$100k spend is 150k QFF points using say my ANZ Amex.
Using an Amex Plat Edge card $100k spend is 62,500 AA miles.

Both enough for a one way MEL-LAX in J but of course through AA you have availability issues though surcharges/taxes/fees will be less than half. You'd have no AA miles left over though but you would have >50k QFF points leftover.
Hmmmm.

I suppose with a higher proportion of spend at supermarkets (3 points per dollar) and fuel (2 points per dollar) and less towards ATO bills (0.5 points per dollar) you could lift the average to maybe 1:1 ?
Which would make crediting to AA a winner ? Maybe ?

The lack of fuel fines is most compelling to me and is what gets me pretty close to pulling the trigger on it.

But then I reflect on the fact that a large portion of my points come from things like epiQure and EDR bonus offers. I think I only put about $30k through my personal cards, plus maybe $50k through my corporate card. Not really enough to justify a lower earn rate.

 

[ferni]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

2:1
But if you just use the card for your supermarket and fuel shopping (3 points/$) it fills a niche.

Are you sure? It's 2:1? That's the standard MR points transfer, pretty sure DJ MR points are different. They transfer at 2:1 to Airlines (compared to 1:1 for normal MR) and 3:1 for SPG (Compared to 2:1 for normal MR)

 

[asg29e]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Are you sure? It's 2:1? That's the standard MR points transfer, pretty sure DJ MR points are different. They transfer at 2:1 to Airlines (compared to 1:1 for normal MR) and 3:1 for SPG (Compared to 2:1 for normal MR)

Yep. Absolutely. From the DJ Amex rewards site:

1,000 David Jones American Express point(s) is equal to AUD 500 Starpoints
A minimum of 1,000 points is required for transfer to this participant and the transfer amount must be in increments of 1000

 

[Newk]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Are you sure? It's 2:1? That's the standard MR points transfer, pretty sure DJ MR points are different. They transfer at 2:1 to Airlines (compared to 1:1 for normal MR) and 3:1 for SPG (Compared to 2:1 for normal MR)

Yep. SPG is about the only transfer that's the same as the usual Amex

 

[zainman]

Re: [Confirmed] QF removing [cheap] ASAs [from web booking engine Jun 26] was 10Apri

Yep. Absolutely. From the DJ Amex rewards site:

1,000 David Jones American Express point(s) is equal to AUD 500 Starpoints
A minimum of 1,000 points is required for transfer to this participant and the transfer amount must be in increments of 1000

I have tried to get my QF account de-linked from my DJ AMEX platinum and each time they've said it will be done in a few days. Still earning QFF points on it, really want to de-link it and earn AMEX MR so I can diversify! Might have to give them a ring again if these can be transferred to SPG at a reasonable rate..

 

[Oneworldplus2]

Would love to move from QF and I have looked it into but it seems that all the other decent programs, whilst having better burn rates, seem to have, at least in my case personally, lower earn rates, because of the following points:

*The ability to earn points and SCs on award flights, whilst now difficult, is something unique to QF I think.
*Earning full points on ALL fare buckets of economy is pretty rare too.
*The credit cards available in Aus seem to have much more attractive sign on bonuses when credited to QF (I have made 100k points from these with another 75k to come before the end of the year).

I don't often defend QF but it is what it is, and whenever I think about starting afresh with another program the above points sway me in the favour of remaining with QF, despite the abysmal burn rates.

Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth.

I just booked a Sydney - Budapest return Y flight, using points. Departing Nov, returning 23rd Dec.

Total came to 160,000 points + $900 in fee+charges. I searched for this flight using cash only, and total price was around $2000.

Some of the fees and charges QF charge in award redemptions are really turning into a joke.

 

[drron]

Whether you want to go with aadvantage depends on what you want from your FF program.
If you want status and Flounge access it is now easier to earn that on QF-there are a couple of exceptions but even then if JASA/MASAs stay as part of QFF it is very definitely in QFFs favour.
Lifetime status is now very much easier to obtain on QF than AA.In the past it was the reverse when all points counted.Fortunately I had a tip off re possible change and was able to go from 1 million to 2 million points in less than 18 months so getting LTP a month before the change took place.Thank goodness it was before Diners computers imploded.
however if what you want is premium cabin awards then Aadvantage still has the advantage.Not only many less points but significantly less cash needed.Eg will be flying NRT-LGA then FLL-NRT on F awards on AA.Cost 62500 miles each + $US2.49 to the US and $US2.56 coming back.Next years awards are costing $US5.60 though.
One proviso.It is becoming obvious that AA are limiting MilesAAver awards which are the cheapest.Their anytime Awards cost double the miles.
And one thing about hotels earning.We usually have multi day stays so booking through the hotels website is better for us.EG Pointshound for our last SGS stay would have netted about the 1000 AA miles but because of the SPG last quarter promotion I earnt slightly more than 14000 SPG points which will be turned into 17500 AA miles.
And Hilton are hopeless for transferring to AA.

And one last tip for Aadvantage-be nice to them and they will be nice to you.

PS-forgot to say I also find greater availability on AA compared to QFF.twice I have got a J Aaward on QF on the BKK flight when mrsdrron couldn't get one as a WP on QF.And again 2 years ago I could get return J awards on QF to NZ for both of us when mrsdrron could only get one award on one leg.

 

[Nizar]

Whether you want to go with aadvantage depends on what you want from your FF program.
If you want status and Flounge access it is now easier to earn that on QF-there are a couple of exceptions but even then if JASA/MASAs stay as part of QFF it is very definitely in QFFs favour.
Lifetime status is now very much easier to obtain on QF than AA.In the past it was the reverse when all points counted.Fortunately I had a tip off re possible change and was able to go from 1 million to 2 million points in less than 18 months so getting LTP a month before the change took place.Thank goodness it was before Diners computers imploded.
however if what you want is premium cabin awards then Aadvantage still has the advantage.Not only many less points but significantly less cash needed.Eg will be flying NRT-LGA then FLL-NRT on F awards on AA.Cost 62500 miles each + $US2.49 to the US and $US2.56 coming back.Next years awards are costing $US5.60 though.
One proviso.It is becoming obvious that AA are limiting MilesAAver awards which are the cheapest.Their anytime Awards cost double the miles.
And one thing about hotels earning.We usually have multi day stays so booking through the hotels website is better for us.EG Pointshound for our last SGS stay would have netted about the 1000 AA miles but because of the SPG last quarter promotion I earnt slightly more than 14000 SPG points which will be turned into 17500 AA miles.
And Hilton are hopeless for transferring to AA.

And one last tip for Aadvantage-be nice to them and they will be nice to you.

Cheers. Sound advice. Appreciate that.
Thought I wanted status and Flounge access initially but now just leaning towards premium cabins. If flying F I figure I will get lounge access anyway. And yes I will keep an eye out for SPG promotions. By buying max points on promos per year and topping that up through hotel stays and flights with AA and other OW partners I will be able to accumulate a decent stash of AA miles. Thanks