Points Help!

[blackie kildare]

Long time traveller but i only used my points ONCE!

Hi Everyone! I have looked at the posts for info for a long time but finally joined and need some help. I have booked a trip to Japan with Malaysian Airlines. I just got economy so I can $ bid for upgrades on the Malyasian segments but unsure of how to bid for JAL segments. The last couple of times I have just paid for business class tix as I cant get my **** organised to get my points together. Im only a bronze level QFF but I have about 500,000 + points in both my American Express Platinum Card and Virgin Platinum card. I think all the points that I have accumulated with my past flights on various airlines FF have disappeared.

Any pointers???
thanks

 

[Mattg]

Welcome aboard! The forum is a very useful resource but I realise it can be difficult to know where to start.

Regarding upgrading your flights to Japan. As you have worked out, you can indeed bid for an upgrade on your MH sectors. This can represent pretty good value if you are successful. Unfortunately it is not possible to bid for an upgrade on Japan Airlines - to fly business on JAL you'll need to either pay for a business class ticket or upgrade with JAL miles. I notice that you mention you have an Amex platinum card - the points on this card can be transferred to quite a few airlines, but unfortunately JAL is not one of those. So unless you're prepared to pay the fare difference, I'd say you're probably out of luck this time.

In future, maybe consider flying with airlines where you can transfer points directly into their program? Otherwise, you could book with points outright. If you have Qantas points, you can book premium cabin award seats on any other oneworld airline. And so on.

If you fly a lot, perhaps consider getting an Award Wallet account? This service keeps track of all of your frequent flyer miles. It's also a good idea to try to consolidate your points in one or two programs so that you have more available to use and so that they don't expire. With Qantas, it's fairly easy to not let your points expire as they will still be good as long as your account is active at least once every 18 months.

I hope this made some sense. Let me know if you want me to explain anything in more detail.

 

[Steady]

Welcome aboard blackie kildare, I don't know enough about most of those programmes to be able to offer any valuable advice.

I would suggest you get a WW Everyday rewards card (if you don't have some other QF earner already) and use it occasionally to stop your QF points from expiring, and also buy fuel from BP occasionally and swipe your velocity card for the same reason.

 

[andye]

There is a way of getting JAL points from Amex Platinum. You can transfer to Starwood Preferred Guest and then onto JAL. Works out to 0.625 JAL points per Amex MR.
Whether this is worth doing would depend on the likelihood of a successful upgrade which I'm afraid I don't have enough experience of JAL to advise

 

[JohnK]

Welcome to AFF blackie kildare!

 

[TomVexille]

Welcome aboard!

 

[prozac]

Welcome to AFF blackie kildare.

 

[Dr Ralph]

A belated welcome blackie kildare . Nothing posted since you joined in May? I'm sure you have something valuable to contribute to the various forums.