Qantas Green frequent flyer tier

[dairyfloss]

Apologies if this has been asked before but has anyone tried to claim a tax deduction for “Give Back” donation? They‘re nominally $25 (or multiples thereof) but you can only pay using points: $25 = 3200 pts.

The confirmation email shows the $ equivalent. Fare game?

Supposedly not - this is from the 'product' details on QF for the item:

Important information
If you redeem your Qantas Points for this charity, and the required points are deducted from your account, Qantas Marketplace will pay the specified dollar amount to this charity within 90 days of the date of your redemption. Please note, members are not entitled to a tax deduction for redeeming points for charity (pursuant to taxation laws).

 

[SYD]

Supposedly not - this is from the 'product' details on QF for the item:

Well, it was worth asking!

Sort of clever of QF to take your points and convert that into a cash payment so that they get the tax deduction! Assuming also the points we pay (redeem) aren’t treated as taxable income. Presumably those points come of the Balance sheet liability and the accountants have worked out the optimum $/pts combo that works….

 

[bussyboy]

Well, it was worth asking!

Sort of clever of QF to take your points and convert that into a cash payment so that they get the tax deduction….

All those round up donations at supermarkets etc. work the same I believe!

 

[chrispy3276]

Did anyone else just get the survey (with 200 points for the first 1,000 respondents) about Green Tier? Interesting that they're considering more options including ongoing rewards for green tier for regular activities. Could some positive enhancements be on the horizon?

 

[Lynda2475]

Yeah I just did it, but not sure how they would know if you were recycling and how many electric vehicles can one person buy?

 

[Lat34]

Yes received and just working through now...

Edit: in my opinion EVERY response should receive 200 points at least... tight @rse incentive

 

[SYD]

Yes received and just working through now...

Edit: in my opinion EVERY response should receive 200 points at least... tight @rse incentive

In so much as we don’t want the responses to f.. it up for us and other but actually make it better….

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Did anyone else just get the survey (with 200 points for the first 1,000 respondents) about Green Tier?

I received it and responded right away on account of the first 1,000 respondents limitation on the 200 points. It remains unclear whether in fact Qantas has limited the 200 bonus points to 1,000 respondents or whether they just said that to create FOMO in recipients to get a quick response. I suppose we'll see in the coming days.

Interesting that they're considering more options including ongoing rewards for green tier for regular activities.

It is and one wonders what those options could be. After all, Qantas has done a good job incentivizing people to do a number of activities including exercise (Qantas Wellbeing), boozing (Qantas Wine), insurance (Qantas Insurance), etc. For them spending a couple thousand points on a customer is peanuts if it conditions them to want to rack up Qantas Points and become a long term points earner. People will start earning 10 or 20 points on these transactions and then start to pay attention. What can I use these 20 points for? The answer of course is nothing. But you can get that neat Smeg toaster for only 10,000 Qantas Points

Yeah I just did it, but not sure how they would know if you were recycling

Presumably they could be a partner at one of those bottle recycling depot programs such that instead of earning 10 cents you earn 10 Qantas Points, and if you have Green Tier, maybe you earn 25% more points. Other items I am less sure about. Maybe they could have a program with Woolies once RedCycle resumes where you can earn points based on how much soft plastics you recycle?

Aside: Recycling in this country is an absolute disgrace. And I say this as a Canadian growing up close to where recycling was started (Cambridge, Ontario). Back in Canada recycling was a 0 thought process. You put the item in the recycling in the recycling bin and that was it. When you have to incentivize people to do the right thing (i.e. via bottle deposits), maybe you need to rethink how the program is designed. Forcing people to go to supermarkets to recycle aluminum cans or household plastics is not a solution.

how many electric vehicles can one person buy?

I don't think it's the quantity of EVs you buy but rather how much you use them and the equivalent carbon emissions offset tied to it. If I am not mistaken, Qantas has partnerships with a couple of gas stations, namely Beyond Petroleum (BP) and EG Ampol (via EveryDayRewards). What you may not realize is that many gas stations are now building in EV charging infrastructure into the stations. It's not a big deal here in Australia, but when I was back in Canada there were many gas stations that also had those EV fuel pumps. Presumably they could measure how many times you charged your EV (and consequently how much GHG you avoided by using clean renewable EV fuel).

Could some positive enhancements be on the horizon?

For me one of the challenges is the limited number of ways you can earn those leaves. In particular you have to earn a leaf from 5 of 6 categories and some of them don't apply to me one bit. For instance the sustainability quiz on the Wellbeing app. You can only do that once in a lifetime it seems since it doesn't show up in my app.

For me the main driver is earning those 50 bonus status credits without flying. I cannot think of another benefit tied to Green Tier. Sure there are draws (and yes I even won one of them earlier this year) but is it really worth it?

Edit: in my opinion EVERY response should receive 200 points at least... tight @rse incentive

Clearly you haven't tried RedPlanet yet. Those surveys can also take 10-15 minutes each to earn the same number of points. If anything this survey was a walk in the park compared to the others where I have to rank the quality of dog food brands on a scale.

In so much as we don’t want the responses to f.. it up for us and other but actually make it better….

Yeah like deducting points (or worse status credits) whenever we fly based on the green house gas emissions produced when we don't offset our flying.

-RooFlyer88

 

[SYD]

For me one of the challenges is the limited number of ways you can earn those leaves. In particular you have to earn a leaf from 5 of 6 categories and some of them don't apply to me one bit.

Putting aside the usual derogatory remarks about your host country, the GT leaves are easy peasy to earn assuming you fly QF domestic short haul at least once and apply a $1 to $2 offset. The rest can be done in an afternoon while sipping on a soy latte.

For instance the sustainability quiz on the Wellbeing app. You can only do that once in a lifetime it seems since it doesn't show up in my app.

No, it comes back. In fact, in year 2 they just gave me that leaf gratis AND I still have the quiz to redo at some point for 100 pts….

The only beef I have (and provided as feedback in the survey), is the “Give back” donation is only points - no cash option. For those after the points prize, that 3200 (?) pts eats into your reward. Less of an issue for SC hunters but I’d still prefer to fork out $25 (plus the Tassie Holiday home) and a few dollars here and there for 50 SCs.

 

[Jean Prouvaire]

Yeah I just did it, but not sure how they would know if you were recycling and how many electric vehicles can one person buy?

I assume they're thinking about partnering with some sort of recycling organisation so that if you spend money with that program, you get a green tier tick (and maybe some points). Ditto for EVs - partner with a dealer or manufacturer and get a tick. You'd think that given the size of the outlay required, buying an EV would be worth multiple ticks, but I doubt that'll happen.

 

[dairyfloss]

Just completed the GT survey - at 5 or so minutes, it was probably an easier 200 QFF points than many of the Red Planet surveys would be.

 

[chrispy3276]

You'd think that given the size of the outlay required, buying an EV would be worth multiple ticks, but I doubt that'll happen.

I'm assuming it would be similar to the solar panels, just the 1 tick, but lasts multiple years.

 

[SYD]

I'm assuming it would be similar to the solar panels, just the 1 tick, but lasts multiple years.

Ah, I hadn’t looked that closely at that leaf. But if it’s a recurring tick and it’s something you’re going to do anyway - why not.

 

[Flyfrequently]

Ah, I hadn’t looked that closely at that leaf. But if it’s a recurring tick and it’s something you’re going to do anyway - why not.

Would that be the same for Red Energy Greenpower @chrispy3276 and @SYD ?

 

[SYD]

Would that be the same for Red Energy Greenpower @chrispy3276 and @SYD ?

I don’t know but there are peeps up thread who’ve mentioned switching to Red Energy. Hopefully one can chip in?

 

[Lynda2475]

I switched to red energy for the sign-up bonus points, but the green plans are different from the ones that earn QFF points and are more expensive, so no green tick earned by me.

 

[Flyfrequently]

I switched to red energy for the sign-up bonus points, but the green plans are different from the ones that earn QFF points and are more expensive, so no green tick earned by me.

Only signed up a few weeks ago and got the bonus also @Lynda2475. Came through quite quickly.
Did sign up for Greenpower to get the leaf, will revert to standard red plan once 1st bill is paid. Should only be a few bucks extra for greenpower.

 

[Lynda2475]

I will consider a plan switch if I dont manage the ticks some other way.

 

[SYD]

Email just in with an expanded list of “sustainable hotels” including Ovolo hotels.

https://www.qantas.com/hotels/campaigns/sustainable-hotels

There‘s also a bunch of Accor hotels now on the list () but I’d be inclined to book those direct for status benefits etc But maybe some cheapish green leafs for the not so creative there.

 

[chrispy3276]

Email just in with an expanded list of “sustainable hotels” including Ovolo hotels.

https://www.qantas.com/hotels/campaigns/sustainable-hotels

There‘s also a bunch of Accor hotels now on the list () but I’d be inclined to book those direct for status benefits etc But maybe some cheapish green leafs for the not so creative there.

Potentially a decent number of points on offer if QF Hotels does a double/triple points promo here - Ovolo right now is 6 points per dollar + 50% bonus for PC+ + 150 points per night for green tier.

Also interesting that all non Ovolo hotels added are all Brisbane ones, hopefully that means other cities come online in the near future.