Pay Points to Extend Qantas Status

[DC3]

the ability to request CR release as well as a good likelihood of successful upgrades is worth $2k a year for me easily. the Flounges and other perks are a bonus beyond that.

That’s a good way of looking at it. We all have different objectives.

 

[GlennWL]

Finding this thread most interesting as I may have to head down this path next year to retain WP. However, could somebody please let me know what is meant by CR CR release and CR+
PH valuation refers to Point Hacks I gather? PC and PC+ refer to Qantas Points Club ?
Please take it easy on my ignorance.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Finding this thread most interesting as I may have to head down this path next year to retain WP. However, could somebody please let me know what is meant by CR CR release and CR+
PH valuation refers to Point Hacks I gather? PC and PC+ refer to Qantas Points Club ?
Please take it easy on my ignorance.

classic reward
classic reward release (ability for platinum to request the release of a classic reward seat)
classic reward plus… the new type of ‘award’ where commercial fares are calculated in points rather than dollars.

 

[GlennWL]

classic reward
classic reward release (ability for platinum to request the release of a classic reward seat)
classic reward plus… the new type of ‘award’ where commercial fares are calculated in points rather than dollars.

Much appreciated..thank you

 

[exceladdict]

I am still interested in others' experiences of the threshold to get an invitation to this offer. Next status year I will likely be short, but want to understand how close I need to get.

 

[Lynda2475]

I expect its less about how close you get and more a matter if you have the points they want you to cough up

 

[SYD]

I expect its less about how close you get and more a matter if you have the points they want you to cough up

Yes, you might be on to something there. No point offering a status purchase offer if one doesn’t have the points.

 

[equus]

You don't necessarily need an invitation. Many have had success from calling and asking (but you may need to HUCA as it is typically QF inconsistent). I think the criteria has little to do with how short you are, but whether or not you have the points, have met the 4 sector requirement and probably have you used the offer before (don't know about that one, don't know if anyone has actually tried a second time).

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

In my case, the invitation was received two weeks out from anniversary. I had not received any invitation previously. I had a points balance in excess of 1m at the time, had completed four sectors already was soon to requalify again with a DSC booking (not yet flown). Whether or not they were aware this was a PNR with a DSC attached when they sent the invitation, who knows.

 

[exceladdict]

In my case, the invitation was received two weeks out from anniversary. I had not received any invitation previously. I had a points balance in excess of 1m at the time, had completed four sectors already was soon to requalify again with a DSC booking (not yet flown). Whether or not they were aware this was a PNR with a DSC attached when they sent the invitation, who knows.

How many SCs did you have at time of offer?

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

How many SCs did you have at time of offer?

I had 389 at the time of invite.

 

[exceladdict]

I had 389 at the time of invite.

Interesting - and are/were you SG or WP?

 

[sevenfourtyseven]

Interesting - and are/were you SG or WP?

SG. And SG for the previous 7 years prior.

 

[RichardMEL]

Clearly the invites aren't just based on a SC level, but other factors such as PCV, future bookings perhaps, historic engagement (all goes to PCV too I assume) and so on. ie if QF considers a customer valuable enough to them (ie chances of more revenue) to make the offer to, to try and keep the engaged, then they probably will do the invite, but to others where they don't see that, they probably won't.

just an opinion - not any knowledge of the process or algorithm involved.

 

[sudoer]

other factors such as PCV, future bookings perhaps, historic engagement (all goes to PCV too I assume)

But wouldn't it be in the shareholders' interest to extend the status of people who are unlikely to actually use the benefits/cost Qantas anything?

It's hard to guess how the algorithm has been programmed without knowing whether Qantas' motivation is to reduce their points liability, or to rekindle engagement with a member whose loyalty is waning.

 

[RichardMEL]

But wouldn't it be in the shareholders' interest to extend the status of people who are unlikely to actually use the benefits/cost Qantas anything?

I suppose it even reduces liability via points burn.

I suspectbthe udea us not to make it a free for all or else points rich folks could just effectively buy status without flying (I know, status matches are rife, but rarely from QF iirc).

perhaps this is part of the thinking, or just to nit create ongoing expectation that it's possible to be short and just extend.
when they used to comp it, I thiught ut was granted one time inly. Not sure if this points paid extension is the same or not?

 

[equus]

could just effectively buy status without flying

To be fair, this offer / opportunity has only been to retain a status you are about to lose, so you can't buy the status.

In many ways, it makes great sense for Qantas, as there is little downside. If you are not going to fly much with the status, then it won't cost them much in the way of benefits provided, but if you do (and fly with them), then they make some more money. The redemption of points hits as income, and a particularly attractive redemption, as they have no immediate costs to have to offset against that points redemption.

Probably the worst outcome for them is if you use the retained status to access expensive lounges belonging to other OW partners whilst flying and crediting to those partners, but with the crackdowns on changing FF numbers in bookings, and the relatively few people who would do this, it is probably not that frequent.

This is most beneficial for someone who has failed to retain in one year (obviously due to a drop in flying) but has forward bookings for the next year for which you want to use the benefits - and where such travel will lead to a retention of status (especially if the planned bookings hit the retain level but perhaps not quite the slightly higher gain level).

 

[RichardMEL]

Ok by "buying" I meant potentially retaining via points spend. And (in the hypothetical situation of it being available yearly as an option - which is not reality now that could potentially mean "buying" the status thereafter. That is where my thinking was. Purely hypothetical.

 

[exceladdict]

SG. And SG for the previous 7 years prior.

Very interesting, thank you for sharing. So 80k points for more than 33% of the required retain (less if they counted your future bookings).

Clearly the invites aren't just based on a SC level, but other factors such as PCV, future bookings perhaps, historic engagement (all goes to PCV too I assume) and so on. ie if QF considers a customer valuable enough to them (ie chances of more revenue) to make the offer to, to try and keep the engaged, then they probably will do the invite, but to others where they don't see that, they probably won't.

just an opinion - not any knowledge of the process or algorithm involved.

It's like a puzzle we can reverse engineer with more data points! Based on the upcoming flights (which would tip the member over renew line) in a couple of quotes cases being excluded, I suspect it's an analysis by loyalty (not airline) of members due to expire that hit a certain SC threshold, have a sufficient point balance to renew it, hit four flights, and possibly haven't accepted the offer in the past. In any case, as others have said it seems to be monetizing the previous free comp extensions.

I remain curious as to what the lowest SC / flying a WP has done and been offered a retain for 120k bonus, in post covid times. Based on @sevenfourtyseven experience at gold I suspect (with no evidence) an 800sc threshold. Would love to be proven wrong (eg it's less or not SC related at all).

 

[veganftw]

Just to add another data point to the discussion:

• WP status expires end of September
• 4 QF sectors already flown
• ~800 SCs left to requalify
• Points balance currently ~60k

Was told there is nothing they can offer me to retain. I have only held WP for 3-4 years so maybe that factors in, as well as not currently having the points balance (however I can get the points fairly easily).

Not too concerned really, as the amount of flying I will be doing over the next year is low. And still wasn't sure if parting with the 120k points was even something I was willing to do!