Qantas Points Club Discussion

[Mr H]

As a Plat or gold the QC membership is pointless.

PC is not intended to appeal to real status holders. It was always designed to be the poor man's status. Just be happy with the real benefits you get from your WP status.

 

[Cessna 180]

PC is not intended to appeal to real status holders. It was always designed to be the poor man's status. Just be happy with the real benefits you get from your WP status.

Oh, I did not intend to indicate I was unhappy with my WP. I often say to people how lucky I still feel to have this.
I was just pointing out that the two vouchers were of more real benefit to me than the QC membership.

 

[levelnine]

While churning is the way for non-business owners to get to PCP, it has become increasingly hard for churners to reach 350K pa. Sign-up bonuses have drastically reduced over the last 12 months, such that you're looking at closer to 5-6 cards per year rather than the previous 3-4 cards per year. That is hard to do on an ongoing basis because there are very limited card issuers in Australia & you can't get every card every year (ie you need about 15 months between sign-ups — 12 months wait period + 3 months to get the bonus and close the card).

All that is to say I think Qantas probably do need to sweeten the offer for PCP because it is getting harder to obtain & the Qantas value proposition has diminished since COVID. I know a lot of people who have switched to Velocity and Velocity has been quite aggressive in offering credit card bonuses of late to entice the churners to switch teams.

 

[SYD]

Oh, I did not intend to indicate I was unhappy with my WP. I often say to people how lucky I still feel to have this.
I was just pointing out that the two vouchers were of more real benefit to me than the QC membership.

There’s discussion up thread about a previous survey exploring options/choice for PC+ like being able to gift the QP membership or taking something else (from memory).

Actually, in your case that 1yr QP membership is probably “banked” and would be activated if you drop below SG.

I’m already LTG, so comp QP is totally useless for me unless I could gift it to someone else. Fortunately I’m happy just to tick over PC each year - it’s not that hard.

 

[SYD]

All that is to say I think Qantas probably do need to sweeten the offer for PCP because it is getting harder to obtain & the Qantas value proposition has diminished since COVID. I know a lot of people who have switched to Velocity and Velocity has been quite aggressive in offering credit card bonuses of late to entice the churners to switch teams.

For the target market - big spenders on the ground (ie mostly businesses) and no churning PC/PC+ is pretty easy. Especially if they consciously pursue it and can supplement / spread the points earn across the categories.

For the average Joe (non-churner) and non QF wine drinker they probably wouldn’t come close to PC, let alone PC+ (that additional 200K takes some effort!).

 

[levelnine]

For the target market - big spenders on the ground (ie mostly businesses) and no churning PC/PC+ is pretty easy.

If the target market were businesses, it would be part of the Qantas Business Rewards program. Indeed, the thresholds are set too low for business owners as you admit. The point of a tier threshold is to incentivise new behaviour — to prompt you to choose Qantas when you otherwise wouldn't.

 

[SYD]

If the target market were businesses, it would be part of the Qantas Business Rewards program. Indeed, the thresholds are set too low for business owners as you admit. The point of a tier threshold is to incentivise new behaviour — to prompt you to choose Qantas when you otherwise wouldn't.

QBR is actually more about flying. You get bigger discounts the more you fly. Also targeting small business (larger corps will negotiate some contract rates as best they can). I have QBR but really just to cream a few extra points. I might get to 2nd base this year off some future bookings.

But for PC, say a Vet or a Dentist or a Builder / Tradie who has quite a lot of input purchases each year (but doesn’t fly as regular as a road warrior small business person) could romp home for PC+. Those purchases are not directly with QF, just a QF points earning card.

 

[Danger]

Received a survey from Qantas asking how to improve the Pc program. One interesting question was:

We are continually reviewing the benefits available to our Points Club members. Please rank the following benefits in order of appeal:

• Invitations to the Qantas First Class Lounge
• Discounted Club Jetstar membership
• Ability to earn bonus Qantas Points on top of your existing points earn
• Access to exclusive experiences / events
• Gift vouchers (e.g. $50) to use across our program partners
• Preferential access to Qantas flight Classic Rewards Seats and upgrades
• Upgrade priority similar to Platinum tiered members
• Ability to use your Qantas Points at a discounted rate across a range of program partners.

As some others have noted, some of the possible benefits cut into existing benefits available to frequent flyer tiers. If they came to pass, it would represent another devaluation of the tier benefits.

You know what we haven't seen in a long time? Surveys about how to improve the status levels.

 

[Daver6]

You know what we haven't seen in a long time? Surveys about how to improve the status levels.

How about just delivery consistently on priority boarding and baggage?

 

[Danger]

How about just delivery consistently on priority boarding and baggage?

Ha. Yes. Perhaps a survey 'Which of the promised benefits we offer you but don't would you like us to actually deliver?' would be appropriate.

 

[Mr H]

How about just delivery consistently on priority boarding and baggage?

Doesn't priority baggage just mean that if they have to leave some bags behind, it won't be the ones with the priority tags?

 

[Daver6]

Doesn't priority baggage just mean that if they have to leave some bags behind, it won't be the ones with the priority tags?

Even if that was the case, another benefit they can't deliver on from my experience

 

[Pushka]

There’s discussion up thread about a previous survey exploring options/choice for PC+ like being able to gift the QP membership or taking something else (from memory).

Actually, in your case that 1yr QP membership is probably “banked” and would be activated if you drop below SG.

I’m already LTG, so comp QP is totally useless for me unless I could gift it to someone else. Fortunately I’m happy just to tick over PC each year - it’s not that hard.

Yes, my QP is banked, it is due to expire 6 months after my next end of year qualifying date. The date of expiry is listed on the account page which I think must be an actual enhancement!

 

[SYD]

Yes, my QP is banked, it is due to expire 6 months after my next end of year qualifying date. The date of expiry is listed on the account page which I think must be an actual enhancement!

My QP membership expires May 2045. Which is disconcerting for LTG! There was some discussion on that a few months ago (QF predicting our deaths or something like that…).

Someone mention just the other day that their QP expires in 21xx!

 

[exceladdict]

For the target market - big spenders on the ground (ie mostly businesses) and no churning PC/PC+ is pretty easy. Especially if they consciously pursue it and can supplement / spread the points earn across the categories.

For the average Joe (non-churner) and non QF wine drinker they probably wouldn’t come close to PC, let alone PC+ (that additional 200K takes some effort!).

I agree SYD - however I do think QF are trying quite hard to push business owners towards business rewards and the associated cards, which doesn't earn towards PC when transferring. I suspect points are sold to banks (etc) for consumers at a higher rate.

Many card PDSs have exclusions for business related expenses too. I realise these are hard to enforce for smaller businesses with less predictable / volume of purchasing, but points to the intention of the cards. And, many consumer cards have major points limits too, with earn rates plummeting after a certain monthly spend.

Basically, Woolworths, wine, and acquisition bonuses (Optus, if your listening, it's time for another 60k please) are the remaining golden geese and I agree it will be hard to hit PC+ without it.

 

[SYD]

I agree SYD - however I do think QF are trying quite hard to push business owners towards business rewards and the associated cards, which doesn't earn towards PC when transferring. I suspect points are sold to banks (etc) for consumers at a higher rate.

Many card PDSs have exclusions for business related expenses too. I realise these are hard to enforce for smaller businesses with less predictable / volume of purchasing, but points to the intention of the cards. And, many consumer cards have major points limits too, with earn rates plummeting after a certain monthly spend.

Basically, Woolworths, wine, and acquisition bonuses (Optus, if your listening, it's time for another 60k please) are the remaining golden geese and I agree it will be hard to hit PC+ without it.

I haven’t looked to closely at the QBR AMEX, I already have a QF Small Biz AMEX $160pa that pays 1pt / $ uncapped and transferred monthly to my personal QFF account (definitely counts towards PC). I got that card in late 2019 but I believe that product was pulled when the QBR cards were launched.

Thinking about it, if I was still in a big corp, my monthly AMEX spend would also have helped a lot towards PC! I don’t spend nearly as much now that I have my own company. Especially now that my OS expenses generally go on a non QF pts earning card - to avoid 3% tax….

 

[exceladdict]

I haven’t looked to closely at the QBR AMEX, I already have a QF Small Biz AMEX $160pa that pays 1pt / $ uncapped and transferred monthly to my personal QFF account (definitely counts towards PC). I got that card in late 2019 but I believe that product was pulled when the QBR cards were launched.

Thinking about it, if I was still in a big corp, my monthly AMEX spend would also have helped a lot towards PC! I don’t spend nearly as much now that I have my own company. Especially now that my OS expenses generally go on a non QF pts earning card - to avoid 3% tax….

That sounds like a good card to keep open!

 

[aidan059]

Yes, my QP is banked, it is due to expire 6 months after my next end of year qualifying date. The date of expiry is listed on the account page which I think must be an actual enhancement!

where are you seeing this? I qualified for both PCP+ and retained SG this year. Only expiry date I can see is my SG card which is end of next membership year (in line with my SG retention date).

 

[levelnine]

QBR is actually more about flying. You get bigger discounts the more you fly. Also targeting small business (larger corps will negotiate some contract rates as best they can). I have QBR but really just to cream a few extra points. I might get to 2nd base this year off some future bookings.

But for PC, say a Vet or a Dentist or a Builder / Tradie who has quite a lot of input purchases each year (but doesn’t fly as regular as a road warrior small business person) could romp home for PC+. Those purchases are not directly with QF, just a QF points earning card.

If Qantas wanted PC/PCP to be a business-oriented program, it would have modified the existing QBR program to incorporate it.

The fact that they modified the QFF program to incorporate PC/PCP tells you that the target market is not limited to business owners.

And the fact that you keep saying business owners romp home to PCP once again proves my point.

 

[SYD]

If Qantas wanted PC/PCP to be a business-oriented program, it would have modified the existing QBR program to incorporate it.

But they didn’t. They’re really very different programs.

The fact that they modified the QFF program to incorporate PC/PCP tells you that the target market is not limited to business owners.

Correct. The target market is “Frequent spenders” (on the ground).

And the fact that you keep saying business owners romp home to PCP once again proves my point.

Not sure what point that was?