Now flying 80-90 times per year, which rewards schemes if any should i use?

[Fifa]

Some great advice and suggestions already.

May I suggest you also invest in an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy (with nil excess) which would be beneficial for cancellations, delays etc?

 

[DAC1]

Some great advice and suggestions already.

May I suggest you also invest in an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy (with nil excess) which would be beneficial for cancellations, delays etc?

Depends on the policy and cause of delay if you take this route. I learnt the hard way when my annual multi-trip policy didn't cover mechanical delays. But good option if you find a good policy.

 

[OzEire]

Few C and F words come to mind...Courier / Contraband / Fiction

There are also plenty of normal explanations for this type of commuter travel, and the OP has given their reason... Why the doubt ?

 

[Craigie]

I think Mel has suggested the best idea so far. Get a QP membership if flying jetstar. Cheaper than gaining status and can semi pay for itself if used for breakfast/lunch/dinner if you're normally going somewhere else for those.

 

[Mattg]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for replying so quickly, unfortunately my employer doesn't pay for my fares so they are coming out of my back pocket.
At this stage i cant really see where the value is paying double for a ticket with Qantas or Virgin just to get status and lounge access or are there other benefits that i'm not aware of?

Reesy

I think that if you are flying every week, you will come to appreciate the perks of having status with Qantas or Virgin. Lounge access is a big advantage. Status also gives you benefits like priority check-in/security/boarding, more points, a better chance of getting upgraded etc. You may not realise this now, but after several months of travelling weekly you will start to get tired of the commute and really appreciate the small things.

If you do decide to just book the cheapest ticket of the day/use JQ price beats, consider purchasing a lounge membership anyway. (You can also get a discount through AFF if you go down that path.) The only trouble with this is that you need to be flying on QF or JQ to use the Qantas Club, or VA to use their lounge. Which wouldn't be an issue, except that the Qantas Club in SYD is in a different terminal to the one Jetstar use, and the Qantas Club in OOL only opens 2 hours before each Qantas departure.

One final consideration when choosing airlines is delays and cancellations. Statistically, Jetstar and Tiger are more prone to delays than Virgin and Qantas. (And I'm not just saying this, published on-time performance stats back this up.) If travelling for leisure this might not be so important but if you need to get to work on time you'll probably want to minimise potential delays and cancellations.

In any case, you should definitely sign up to one or more frequent flyer programs and certainly you should credit any flights to a program that can be credited.

 

[ReLoad]

I think Mel has suggested the best idea so far. Get a QP membership if flying jetstar. Cheaper than gaining status and can semi pay for itself if used for breakfast/lunch/dinner if you're normally going somewhere else for those.

If you add up the cost of the Qantas club and only one or two IRRops before you have blown the money between flying JQ/TT and VA/QF and getting Qantas/VA club for free and all the status perks.

Personally based on my interstate commuting experience I think your nuts to go down the LCC route for 90 flights, you are not looking at the long game.

 

[eastwest101]

...consider purchasing a lounge membership anyway. (You can also get a discount through AFF if you go down that path.) The only trouble with this is that you need to be flying on QF or JQ to use the Qantas Club, or VA to use their lounge. Which wouldn't be an issue, except that the Qantas Club in SYD is in a different terminal to the one Jetstar use, and the Qantas Club in OOL only opens 2 hours before each Qantas departure.

Some very good points made by Mattg - and just to expand on this a little - if lounges are important to you, and they may become important if you pay money up front for membership or use them if delays happen, the lounge access issue at SYD is that JQ departures at SYD T2 no longer have sensible or practical lounge access. At the other end - paying for Qantas Club membership and flying JQ has a major flaw in that the OOL Qantas Club opens for QF flights and they are under no obligation to open for JQ flights, I will give you one guess as to which JQ flights are cheaper and whether the QC at OOL would be open at those times.

If you are trying to do the commute as cheaply as possible then be prepared to spend a lot of time online or on the phone trying to get JQ to price beat TT fares (and then not obtain QFF points or SCs) or be prepared to fly Tiger a lot. If the TT or JQ flight times (and delays) don't suit your own roster/schedules then QF or VA may be an option. Its all a trade-off between your own time stuck waiting at airports vs spending slightly more money to have a greater chance of getting home/to work on time. If you are travelling hand luggage only and getting taxis home from OOL airport then being early off the plane can save you massive amounts of time waiting in taxi queues at OOL airport.

One final consideration when choosing airlines is delays and cancellations. Statistically, Jetstar and Tiger are more prone to delays than Virgin and Qantas. (And I'm not just saying this, published on-time performance stats back this up.) If travelling for leisure this might not be so important but if you need to get to work on time you'll probably want to minimise potential delays and cancellations.

As others have said - with that many SYD-OOL sectors you are almost garranteed a few delays due to weather/aircraft delays/mechanical breakdown/airport power outages or miscellaneous other stuff-ups. When stuff like this happens - this is really when lounge access almost pays for itself (especially if you get it for free via status earn on QF or VA).

Good advice about being nice to staff (especially at OOL), personal relationships can often be the difference between a minor annoying delay thats fixed up vs a total and expensive mess.

Avoiding Credit Card fees will be important to you as well, there are various threads around with a lot of good advice on specifics on how to do this (or at least minimise them where sensible/practical).

 

[Mattg]

Avoiding Credit Card fees will be important to you as well, there are various threads around with a lot of good advice on specifics on how to do this (or at least minimise them where sensible/practical).

You might also want to sign up to each of the airline's specials and book a whole lot of sale tickets when they come up.

And if you ever fly Virgin, make sure you check this thread: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ty/virgin-australia-x-off-bookable-54931.html

 

[dk4]

There is so much to weigh up in this decision!

First up, let's make it easy by ruling out Qantas, they lack frequency (important when things go wrong or change, at either your or their ends) and their prices are too high.

Tiger probably comes in next on the knock off list - while they generally have the best prices, which is important, they don't have the frequency.

Which leaves Jetstar and Virgin in the middle ground, where a frequent flier wants to be.

• Both with good frequency (general rule of thumb - Virgin better on weekdays and Jetstar better on weekends).
• Jetstar is the outright winner on price, their lead in price point is substantially lower than Virgin's.
• Virgin is the outright winner on service recovery, they have systems (and staff) in place to look after their best customers and take care of them when things do go wrong. Jetstar often cancels flights on that route and just puts you on a different one (which doesn't suit) with little alternative and no money back (so you can buy a flight on an alternative carrier).

So my advice - take a look at Virgin's frequent flyer program Velocity, with particular attention to Status Benefits and make your own calculation, to determine if the rewards to you (from paying more to fly frequently with them) are better than how you are doing it now. (I rate Virgin highly for - proactive quality lounge staff at OOL, "Fly Ahead", and premium entry at SYD airport. All important intangible concepts if you are flying frequently between Gold Coast and Sydney. And for the points factor, let's say you get 1,000pts* per flight and a redemption flight costs ~7,000pts then you are effectively+ getting - every 8th flight free+ [or around every 9th flight if you account for redemption taxes/fees] or a 12.5% fare discount+ [around 10% if you calculate redemption using $20 taxes/fees], although you may find a better value way of using your points than that.)

*e.g. $100 airfare with Platinum status
+plus taxes/fees

 

[Craigie]

Fair points made by others on the lounge membership option. Clearly the QP isn't going to work in this situation.

The main reason for suggesting it though was because if you average $50 cheaper every fare there's $4.5K over 90 flights.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Fair points made by others on the lounge membership option. Clearly the QP isn't going to work in this situation.

I didn't know this either!

 

[reesy84]

Fair points made by others on the lounge membership option. Clearly the QP isn't going to work in this situation.

The main reason for suggesting it though was because if you average $50 cheaper every fare there's $4.5K over 90 flights.

my point exactly Craigie, looking at the fact that Qantas lounge access is hard to get to at Sydney T2 if i am travelling from T3 and only opens if there is a Qantas flight within 2 hours at OOL then it leaves me really only with Virgin as my option with their flight schedule and lounge access at both airports.
However like Craigie has said, i could pay approx $50 cheaper every fare to fly TT or JQ meaning nearly a $4.5k saving over the year.

In saying that though i would lose any access to lounge facilities with VA and if i wanted to pay for Qantas lounge i would have to walk from T3 to T2 in Sydney and back again as well as going through the security twice and have a long walk to my gate if flying Jetstar but using QF lounge facilities.

I tend to fly down to Sydney at night on one of the last couple of flights of the night so i also think this may rule out using Qantas Club at OOL alot of the time. My return flights to OOL tend to nearly always be mid to late mornings.

The situation i currently see myself in is to commit to Virgin and earn points and status whilst paying between $90-120 per flight and have access to their lounge and flight perks or use Jetstar and pricebeat, paying approx on average $35-50 per flight and having no perks or lounge but saving approx $4500 per year give or take depending on re booking of lost flights or delays.

Thanking everyone for all of their advice and experience, i still have no idea what i will do.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Don't plan on using FF points for that family holiday in the school hols! Seats can be extremely hard to come buy

Not entirely true. VA have a guaranteed family holiday economy reward offer of up to four return fares, which for gold status is limited to domestic but for platinum can be international. There are some restrictive conditions, but it is there to use, even in school holidays.

Get a QP membership if flying jetstar. Cheaper than gaining status and can semi pay for itself if used for breakfast/lunch/dinner if you're normally going somewhere else for those.

VA has the better lounge in OOL and QF (as stated) doesn't work well for JQ in SYD. You've hit the nail on the head however, with the lounge value, which the OP may be wise to factor into his BFOD calculations before making a definite decision.

ruling out Qantas, they lack frequency ... and their prices are too high.

Tiger probably comes in next on the knock off list ... they don't have the frequency.

take a look at Virgin's frequent flyer program Velocity, with particular attention to Status Benefits and make your own calculation, ... let's say you get 1,000pts* per flight and a redemption flight costs ~7,000pts then you are effectively+ getting - every 8th flight free

I so agree with this post ^^^^^^^^^^

reesy84, I pretty much lose track of my flights these days (upward of 120 a year) but I can tell you that the status benefits are worth factoring in. My advice (as someone who's flown lots of OOL-SYD or VV) is definitely VA. A status helpdesk, fly ahead, row 3, easy lounge access both ends, priority check in, priority security, direct lounge access in SYD, priority boarding and priority luggage often means (not always) a painless (subjective of course) booking management and arrival process and mostly a quick get away, which is exactly what you'll treasure most.

Bonus points, family pooling, companion status, guaranteed family holiday and extra luggage allowance will place you in better favour with the cheese and kisses (not to mention parental membership pause might also be useful depending upon your circumstances), plus other benefits Hilton status and Europcar/Hertz status may make a family holiday more affordable/enjoyable as well (it certainly does for us).

Factor into your equations, the semi-regular discount codes which often gives a free flight after every nine and you can earn more points (x3) with a VA co-branded credit card and even save the fees by booking a multi-trip ie OOL-SYD-OOL-SYD-OOL-SYD-OOL etc if you have set rosters that are unlikely to change. (if you get a Velocity AMEX, you also get 2 free flights which pays a fair chunk of the annual fee). I agree totally with buying an annual multi trip travel insurance policy (especially if you pay hire car excess reductions) and finally (I think), don't just compare the airfares. Factor into the BFOD (best fare on day) comparison, the free flights, the extra point earn, the lounge food and drink you'll likely consume, the extra luggage (if that's a factor, even if just for holidays) and the quicker exit from the airport (after 90 flights a year.....that is important, as you'll find out).

I can't think of anything else just now......oh yes I can....don't forget that VA even feed you in flight (that was sarcasm)!

Welcome to frequent flyers and frequent flying!

 

[mooingchicken]

As what most people have said I would look to join VA.

I have never flown syd-ool or VV myself, but some of the sales fares VA have decent. If you chase status, 100% of your flights don't have to be VA.

Even if you just make gold, you have good benefits, and that is only 50 flights (discount econ) then the 2nd year is 40 (only need 400 to retain), less if you do other trips and have family pooling. So when prices are close book VA, if JQ is a lot cheaper that day then book JQ, just plan to make sure you do make the 500, no point falling short at 450 or so

 

[Alanslegal]

And VA points can morph into SQ KF points if you swing that way.

 

[Buzzard]

Without repeating what everybody else has already written, Vote 1 VA.

 

[SuzieQ68]

FWIW and in my opinion only, as the partner of someone who has done the commute (for almost 5 years between OOL and ADL twice a week), having the benefits of status and lounge access outweighed the savings of a LCC.

We aligned with VA and purchased saver tickets as far in advance as we could (especially during the school holiday periods). There were odd times that we needed to change (which did cost), but in the scheme of things, it balanced out pretty well as we were able to pick up VA sale fares a lot of the time. We did however know which dates we needed which made it much easier. Given your work situation, not sure if buying well in advance would work for you.

Having status meant that if a flight was delayed (as it quite often was on the flight home from ADL to OOL via SYD or MEL), then we would receive priority attention. The pooling option with VA also meant that both my partner and I have status (he WP, me SG).

Perhaps one thing to consider is would the additional cost of aligning to say VA or QF allow you to gain enough points that you could take your whole family on a trip using these points each year? If so, and if the cost starts to balance out, then you'd have the best of both worlds - all the benefits of status as well as a family holiday. If you also pay for your flights with an airline aligned reward credit card, you'll accumulate more points, so maybe this could be something to factor in.

Personally, I believe it's worth the additional cost of flying VA, but again, just my opinion.

 

[reesy84]

Hey everyone,

Thanks again for all the wonderful tips, i think i am going to explore taking on VA flights into the future and take advantage of the services they have to offer me, a few questions i have with Status points are, do the status point get credited to the account at time of booking or at the time of flying? What im trying to work out is what is the date on my account in which the annual points are worked out by so i can start booking my flights. I dont want to book heaps of flights today if the status credits will run out in 1 months time.

Does anyone know the best way of avoiding booking fees with VA or have any tips.

Are there any other little tricks and tips anyone can give me with regards to making the most of the Velocity service.

Many thanks

 

[get me outta here]

Slightly OT, but you could apply for a cc giving 80K VA points to join. https://www316.americanexpress.com/...05FF9E281&mgmerSource&MGMURN=AAAAEgUPFx8JCg==

 

[andye]

Points and SCs post shortly after you fly ( reliable domestically, less so with international partners)