Qantas Gift Vouchers Promotion 5 points per dollar December 2016

[TomVexille]

I have seen that wording many times - it has always represented total spend of the target figure or higher, regardless of the number of transactions or if there were any less than the figure.

So 2 x $350 or 1 x $700 would both qualify.

To confirm this, I had a ~$640 and a $100 spend in the last week and got the amex email

DO NOT BUY THESE VOUCHERS! (in my opinion)
I was previously stung with these vouchers. you do get the bonus points when you buy them, but then when you go to use them, you are not given ALL the flight options. To use vouchers, you have to "log in" with the voucher and THEN search. If you do simultaneous identical searches on a different browser (looks to Qantas like someone else searching) then for real money you get the options of the cheapest flights, but when using vouchers you DO NOT GET SHOWN the cheapest flights. This means that Qantas is able to sell more expensive seats that it would do if people were using their own real money.
I made a complaint to the ACCC about this, but no-one ever followed up.
I my opinion it's a rort and people should know.
Cheers

That's rather unfortunate that happened to you. IME I actually get a better range of flights on offer and exactly the same price as available when searching normally.

 

[JohnK]

Sorry attimo69, but I have used vouchers dozens and dozens of times and I have experienced literally zero of the issues you raise.

Actually attimo69 is right.

Try BNE-KUL. You don't get the EK BNE-SIN red-eye as a choice to coonect to 3K SIN-KUL in the morning. You do get that option when you do a point to point search withoit gift voucher.

There are many other anomalies including less connections offered.

 

[kevrosmith]

Sorry attimo69, but I have used vouchers dozens and dozens of times and I have experienced literally zero of the issues you raise.

Entirely agree.

How long ago did you experience these issues attimo69? A couple years ago, it used to be the case that if you had a $150 voucher, it would only show fares over $150. However, that has now changed. If you have a $150 voucher, you can purchase a fare for under that value, and it will issue the remaining value on a new voucher.

 

[RichardMEL]

Probably several issues at play re vouchers and flight options:

1. vouchers as refunds of a cancelled fare still carry the original fare restrictions, so you will be only offered higher fare classes - this is explicit in the T&C
2. the voucher search page/facility is the older type, which sometimes benefits but probably also has limitations too that are not strictly part of the act of getting a voucher.

to attimo69 - had you tried calling QF and getting them to price out whatever flight options you wanted using a newly bought voucher?

Anyway every voucher I've ever purchased I've always been offered the same fares available via "normal" search - and I've booked and used a LOT of vouchers

 

[Dr Ralph]

DO NOT BUY THESE VOUCHERS! (in my opinion)
I was previously stung with these vouchers. you do get the bonus points when you buy them, but then when you go to use them, you are not given ALL the flight options. To use vouchers, you have to "log in" with the voucher and THEN search. If you do simultaneous identical searches on a different browser (looks to Qantas like someone else searching) then for real money you get the options of the cheapest flights, but when using vouchers you DO NOT GET SHOWN the cheapest flights. This means that Qantas is able to sell more expensive seats that it would do if people were using their own real money.
I made a complaint to the ACCC about this, but no-one ever followed up.
I my opinion it's a rort and people should know.
Cheers

That's a big claim attimo69. Do you have some screen shots/other evidence to back things up?

 

[eminere]

Try BNE-KUL. You don't get the EK BNE-SIN red-eye as a choice to coonect to 3K SIN-KUL in the morning. You do get that option when you do a point to point search withoit gift voucher.

Just ran a regular cash booking search for BNE-KUL and EK is not offered at all as an option.

 

[Hvr]

DO NOT BUY THESE VOUCHERS! (in my opinion)
<snip>

As noted in post 44 I've already purchased and used my first voucher. I knew what flights I wanted and had simultaneous searches on different browsers. I actually got a better option on the GV search and quickly booked my flights.

However, on a previous occasion the preferred flight was not offered so I rang Qantas and after she got the same search outcomes as me booked it without fee (I was P1 at the time so suspect that was a factor).

As with any offer YMMV so you need to decide if this offer is suitable for you.

 

[RichardMEL]

phone fees should be waived if it's clear you can't do the booking online. Sure P1 helps, but I think anyone should reasonably argue against a fee in that situation

 

[attimo69]

Eminere, if the people who are using the vouchers are not keen on getting the cheapest flights, then I agree, they work fine. However, if they really do want to get the cheapest flights, save $50-100 here or there, then these vouchers just do not give you the option of buying the cheapest flights available. At least they didn't when I last did the research a year ago. I spent quite some time with different browsers open, doing identical searches, and when finding flights after entering the voucher details, (as you are required to do when using the vouchers with Qantas) you don't get the same options. Jetstar allows you to just use its vouchers as part of the payment options after going through the regular booking process. Qantas makes you enter the voucher first and then you search from there. Why can't Qantas just do what Jetstar does and allow you to pay for a regular booking with a voucher??? For the very reason I have raised. Using a voucher with Qantas means you don't have the option of choosing the cheapest flights.

 

[eminere]

Eminere, if the people who are using the vouchers are not keen on getting the cheapest flights, then I agree, they work fine.

Again, I have not found this point to be true. Before booking my flights I also do a comparison between a regular cash booking search and a gift voucher booking engine search, and have never found discrepancies in the flight options presented nor their prices.

 

[JohnK]

Just ran a regular cash booking search for BNE-KUL and EK is not offered at all as an option.

EK SYD-BKK is not offered as an option for BNE-BKK either. Something's wrong with search engine.

When I was searching for flights after my daughter was born there were many anomalies in the searches between cash bookings and using gift vouchers.

But I still buy gift vouchers as they are very useful.

 

[attimo69]

It was over a year ago that I did this research. I had bought a number of gift vouchers to get the points. Then I realised that it was a waste of money for me. Why should I pay $250 for a flight to sydney with my voucher, when the flight was available for $199 for money.

Think about it, if what I am saying is not true, why do you have to use a different booking process to use the voucher. Why not just do what Jetstar does and make using a voucher one of the options at the end of the booking process.

Maybe it is possible to get the same prices, if you ring and speak to an agent (even better if you're P1 like another commenter here) but you shouldn't have to.

 

[eminere]

It was over a year ago that I did this research. I had bought a number of gift vouchers to get the points. Then I realised that it was a waste of money for me. Why should I pay $250 for a flight to sydney with my voucher, when the flight was available for $199 for money.

...

Maybe it is possible to get the same prices, if you ring and speak to an agent (even better if you're P1 like another commenter here) but you shouldn't have to.

I booked multiple flights this year using vouchers and have always gotten the same prices for the flights I want, through the flight voucher booking engine after cross-checking with the regular cash booking engine. No need to call up.

 

[RichardMEL]

Eminere, if the people who are using the vouchers are not keen on getting the cheapest flights, then I agree, they work fine. However, if they really do want to get the cheapest flights, save $50-100 here or there, then these vouchers just do not give you the option of buying the cheapest flights available. At least they didn't when I last did the research a year ago. I spent quite some time with different browsers open, doing identical searches, and when finding flights after entering the voucher details, (as you are required to do when using the vouchers with Qantas) you don't get the same options. Jetstar allows you to just use its vouchers as part of the payment options after going through the regular booking process. Qantas makes you enter the voucher first and then you search from there. Why can't Qantas just do what Jetstar does and allow you to pay for a regular booking with a voucher??? For the very reason I have raised. Using a voucher with Qantas means you don't have the option of choosing the cheapest flights.

In your experience was this a NEW voucher or a voucher from a refund/cancelled flight?

you're making a sweeping statement that most of us have not experienced. You need to be careful to note that, in my view. I am not saying it does not happen, but various have posted here that it has not been their experience.

 

[RichardMEL]

The reason QF have a different system to book with vouchers is that vouchers are basically a "kludge" on the existing booking system and they put a front end around it to enable it.

Buying a voucher creates a PNR with dummy flight sectors in it, when you redeem it those sectors are removed and whatever you buy are put in. The initial booking has the voucher value in it.

eg, I just bought a voucher:

Qantas Airways | QF9097 confirmed

[h=2]Monday 20 November 2017 | duration 3:00[/h]

• Dep: 09:00 | QZW
• Arr: 12:00 | QZY

A dummy flight, dated the date of the voucher expiry (which of course is the latest Amadeus can book for when you buy the voucher)




Jetstar use a different booking platform that have this functionality built in.. it is not native to QF's platform so it's basically a workaround to make it happen.

(you can see all this in checkmytrip)

so basically the voucher is created as a dummy booking with a value attached, until it's used, which is then a change to the original booking in terms of Amadeus

 

[attimo69]

This is just one of many things which Qantas does to make a bit more money. Like the mysterious charge you pay when buying a reward seat with points, but still have to pay more than just the taxes in actual money. (it's the fuel surcharge which was conveniently never removed from reward flights, even when it was removed from retail flights.)
Like I said, it was over a year ago that I did these experiments, but believe me, I'm pedantic. I researched thoroughly and you could not get the same flights with the vouchers, in particular the cheapest flights.

One problem is that you can't do the comparison until you buy the voucher.

 

[opusman]

The prices look the same to me, in a quick test.

 

[serfty]

Never a problem.

e.g. Last weekend I researched a $599 return fare MEL - HKG.

Found the dates and times for the cheapest fare I was after.

On Saturday I purchased a $400 voucher.

On Sunday I used this voucher along with another $199 to buy the same cheapest fare.

Doing this I avoided the credit card fee and earned 2800 QFF points for buying the voucher (used a 2 point per dollar AMEX).

 

[get me outta here]

I always check the price before logging in for the voucher use. The price has never changed when I have decided which flight and go to the voucher redeem page.

 

[RichardMEL]

This is just one of many things which Qantas does to make a bit more money. Like the mysterious charge you pay when buying a reward seat with points, but still have to pay more than just the taxes in actual money. (it's the fuel surcharge which was conveniently never removed from reward flights, even when it was removed from retail flights.)
Like I said, it was over a year ago that I did these experiments, but believe me, I'm pedantic. I researched thoroughly and you could not get the same flights with the vouchers, in particular the cheapest flights.

One problem is that you can't do the comparison until you buy the voucher.

Sorry, you're making blanket statements (based on experience from a year ago perhaps) that have been disproved to not actually be the case.

I've been using vouchers for years now, maybe 3-4 and never experienced this.

Yes, you clearly came across an issue, perhaps related to a specific flight search or unusual circumstances that caused an issue, but I will take exception to you continuing to suggest that use of vouchers mean one can't get the cheapest fare (or any specific fare for that matter).

I'm not trying to sound rude, but you've made a number of blanket statements that simply aren't true... and weren't even a year ago as many of us have had experience with.

No doubt the voucher system has problems, and in the past had many more (some, but not all, issues have been fixed over the journey) but tbh pricing has never been one of them.

The only situation where voucher use pushes displayed fares higher is in the case of a refund voucher generated from a cancelled booking which inherit the fare conditions of the cancelled booking, which often in the case of sale or cheaper fares, require purchase up to the next highest fare.. in this case the display will show higher fares for a specific flight search, but that's only obeying the fare conditions of that particular fare the refund voucher was created with.

Anyway my 2 cents.