Pay Points to Extend Qantas Status

[equus]

A data point on Qantas inconsistency and misinformation.

My partner is platinum, and not going to make even the reduced SC to retain. We have a lot more flying coming up shortly, including international, so were keen to keep the WP rather than drop down and climb back (also reduces the retain for next year).

As the QFF service centre only has limited hours, we tried the Contact us form, stating we believed there may be an option to retain by paying points. Actually received a response within 48 hours, which was good. but it simply went on about everything that had been done in the past to retain status, the currently reduced threshold, and then stated:

To be able to retain your current status, you will need to at least meet the current requirements of our Status Support campaign. Aside from this, we have no other ongoing offers for extending status.

Knowing Qantas, rang up today (actually having an opportunity during their working hours. Made the same request, and then advised that the operator needed to check the account - and put on hold for a couple of minutes. Came back with "you are eligible to extend for 120,000 points". Took it up. No idea if there is any criteria, but no invitation was received - we chased based on this thread. SC at the time of request was only 325, although they would have been able to see multiple bookings coming up, including flights today.

 

[RohanZ]

Two questions:
- what did they charge you in points?
- how many SCs did you earn in the two years prior to this one?

Sorry, realised I missed your question:

I was charged 80k points to retain gold.
In the two years prior, I think I actually earned (without roll-over and gift benefits) around 800 SC. Got lucky that they didn't check how many SC I had received from promotions rather than travelling!

 

[exceladdict]

Sorry, realised I missed your question:

I was charged 80k points to retain gold.
In the two years prior, I think I actually earned (without roll-over and gift benefits) around 800 SC. Got lucky that they didn't check how many SC I had received from promotions rather than travelling!

Hmm interesting - 800 per year or across both? If you added the last three years together, what total do you think you would have roughly hit?

 

[RohanZ]

Hmm interesting - 800 per year or across both? If you added the last three years together, what total do you think you would have roughly hit?

I didnt travel the year before, and yes 800 across both. Then of course you add on roll over + promotional stuff like green tier and the Qantas gifts

 

[equus]

I suspect that the amount actually earned is irrelevant to being able to use points to retain. I imagine there is relevance and an algorithm behind who gets an email to prompt them to ask if interested, and it probably sits somewhere around the half the required, given the reported prompted offer to retain gold when 300 SC short (600 SC being the norm to retain gold).

I am guessing that if you have the points and call up, they are happy to take them off you. There is not a lot for them to lose - if you are going to fly a lot in the next year, whilst you are using the benefits that come at a cost, they are probably also making money from flights. If you do not fly, then the status doesn't cost them. The one thing they may look at when deciding to allow you to use points on not would be what metal you are flying on - both in the time that you didn't requalify, and forward bookings. If you are flying QF a lot, then they know they are providing the benefits but making money off the flights and should be happy. If you are only flying other airlines internationally, then maybe you wouldn't get the offer - as there is no revenue prospect.

Or being QF, it could just be totally random.

 

[exceladdict]

I didnt travel the year before, and yes 800 across both. Then of course you add on roll over + promotional stuff like green tier and the Qantas gifts

Thank you for the datapoint. In the beforetimes, there were occasional status extensions where people had say two massive years of travel but didn't qualify in year three (but all three added together might have equaled the amount necessary to retain). I fear /figurethe points-to-renew has replaced this.

 

[Skrambled]

When are people getting the offer? My anniversary date is 30th of November and I'm going to fall about 165 SC short of keeping WP.

 

[oz_mark]

Knowing Qantas, rang up today (actually having an opportunity during their working hours. Made the same request, and then advised that the operator needed to check the account - and put on hold for a couple of minutes. Came back with "you are eligible to extend for 120,000 points". Took it up. No idea if there is any criteria, but no invitation was received - we chased based on this thread. SC at the time of request was only 325, although they would have been able to see multiple bookings coming up, including flights today.

My understanding from a conversation was that if you have half the required SC (600 for Plat), you would have got the offer. Anything less, and it goes for a manual review (which seem to get reviewed quickly, which make me wonder if it works for anyone with enough points)

 

[flyingfan]

My +1's had 480 SCs and her gold status was about to drop - she got an email telling her to call to 'discuss options.' Given I accrued a record number of SCs this year and previously gifted her SG I thought an extension was a done deal, but as it turns out DSCs aren't eligible for the 'platinum bonus reward.' (I'd gifted WP from my P1 status to someone else.)

I didn't think she'd want to do a status run so I rang the number, preparing to part with 80,000 points which they said was the deal. But then they suddenly said due to my loyalty, they'd extend her status for free, no points needed after all! An unexpected pleasant surprise.

 

[CaptJCool]

There’s this whole kind of hidden “family pooling” going on where loyalty extensions were a thing. I had several

paying 4 adult fares twice to the USA probably helped. And two adults to Europe - Aside my own conference ventures

It’s good to see it might continue

 

[kpc]

My understanding from a conversation was that if you have half the required SC (600 for Plat), you would have got the offer. Anything less, and it goes for a manual review (which seem to get reviewed quickly, which make me wonder if it works for anyone with enough points)

I have been Plat for 12 years in a row...at current projections, I'm going to fall way short of retaining Plat, not even 1/2 way! Coughing up 120 K pts is much cheaper than doing a status run to maintain Plat.

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

Received the 'Your opportunity to retain status' email this morning and to call to discuss options. My membership year ends 31 January 2024.

I currently have 2/3rds of the status credits to requalify for SG with a return DSC flight tomorrow up to BNE and back in J, which will put me over.

Presumably the offer will be 80K points - am now considering rebooking tomorrow's flight for the new membership year to get a head start instead.

 

[elanshin]

Received the 'Your opportunity to retain status' email this morning and to call to discuss options. My membership year ends 31 January 2023.

I currently have 2/3rds of the status credits to requalify for SG with a return DSC flight tomorrow up to BNE and back in J, which will put me over.

Presumably the offer with be 80K points - am now considering rebooking tomorrow's flight for the new membership year to get a head start instead.

80k points for 200 or so SC?. So roughly 400 points per SC. Seems like a reasonable trade. For PC members, it generally costs around 1100 -1600points per SC.

 

[AIRwin]

My membership year ends 31 January 2023.

31 January 2024?

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

31 January 2024?

Ah yes, 2024. Still haven't caught up!

 

[riley4681402]

Hi all, would be curious to see if anyone who hasn’t received the email has called and been knocked back? Out of all the posts I have seen I haven’t seen anyone knocked back.

Long story short, I’ve been quite sick this year and have not travelled at all. All I have is 300 rollover credits from Covid. What are the chances of them approving me to extend. I still have another month and a few days to do a couple of flights if you all think it would be worth it? I have plenty of travel already booked for next Anniversary year already.

 

[exceladdict]

Hi all, would be curious to see if anyone who hasn’t received the email has called and been knocked back? Out of all the posts I have seen I have seen anyone knocked back.

Long story short, I’ve been quite sick this year and have not travelled at all. All I have is 300 rollover credits from Covid. What are the chances of them approving me to extend. I still have another month and a few days to do a couple of flights if you all think it would be worth it? I have plenty of travel already booked for next Anniversary year already.

Can't hurt to call and ask. Would be interested in what happens

 

[DC3]

Received the 'Your opportunity to retain status' email this morning and to call to discuss options. My membership year ends 31 January 2024.

I currently have 2/3rds of the status credits to requalify for SG with a return DSC flight tomorrow up to BNE and back in J, which will put me over.

Presumably the offer will be 80K points - am now considering rebooking tomorrow's flight for the new membership year to get a head start instead.

Any update to your post?

 

[riley4681402]

Any update to your post?

Haven’t called yet. My Status expiry is April not March so I figured I would give it a few weeks to see if the email comes through. I can’t imagine having much luck this far out. I will update you all in a few weeks when I call!

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

@DC3: I took the offer - which was 80,000 points. When I called up they tripled checked that I didn’t have any upcoming flights that would bring me over the 600 required.

Prior to calling I had already rescheduled the flights I had originally lined up to make my requalification and fortunately I could use the DSC booking for this year instead

Points were taken from my account about 24 hours after accepting the offer over the phone, with an email confirmation provided a couple days later. Status was updated almost immediately after the points were deducted.

Note - there was also a cooling off period available. I was told I could retract my acceptance up until the end of membership year, which was about two weeks away.