QF multi-city SCs

[voulez]

Hi all, attempting a MEL - LHR - JFK - LAX - MEL trip in J later this year. Grateful for your help:

1. How do I calculate SCs for this, in particular the London - New York leg on QF J ticket?
2. What's the best way of maximising SCs? I can justify a more creative routing if the total costs amount to the same as the straightforward routing - is there a handier way of calculating this, the Qantas multi-city tool is a little clunky.
3. Any tips on BA vs AA flight from London - New York?
4. Any tips on how best to aim for Plat? Gold at the moment, and have a MEL - LAX - MEL in J early next year (within same membership year). Will hopefully be eligible for Qantas Points Club to earn SCs via reward bookings.

 

[Lynda2475]

1. Use the calculator on QF site enter one way LHR to JFK, select correct Business and make sure you select correct Airline. SCs on this leg is lower because no QF metal.

LHR-JFK on AA/BA in Business = 100 SCs

2. Depends how much time you have, there is a QFF saying why go direct because indirect earns more. Generally SC earn is highest on QF metal, but can be worth playing with routing to LHR across carriers to see if worthwhile:

On QF: MEL-LHR direct nets 280-310 SCs (depending on if discount business, business or flexible business)
whereas
MEL-SYD (40) + SYD-SIN (120-135) + SIN-LHR (160-175) nets minimum of 320 (up to 350) or
MEL-BNE (60) + BNE-SIN (120-135) + SIN-LHR (160-175) nets minimum of 340 (up to 370)

On QR: MEL-DOH (80) + DOH-LHR (60) only nets 140SCs.

From LHR to NYC you could go via DOH or HEL, since there is no QF metal advantage:

On AY LHR-HEL (60) + HEL-JFK (120) nets 180 SCs so more than flying direct not sure of the cost difference though.

Coming Home:

AA JFK - LAX (100) + QF LAX-MEL (180) nets 280-300

but AA JFK-DFW (80) + QF DFW - SYD (200-220) + QF SYD - MEL (40) nets 320-340.

3. IME for reward flights you only get offered AA in Y, if booking J only seem to get offered BA. On a paid ticket obviously not an issue. Aircraft would influence my choice (different times have better choices), BA tend to be cheaper than AA on LHR-JFK, but also look at flying into Newark (new jersey).

 

[voulez]

Wow thanks for the comprehensive reply @Lynda2475 ! Very much appreciated. I will look at DOH and HEL option. Thanks again!

 

[kangarooflyer88]

Hi all, attempting a MEL - LHR - JFK - LAX - MEL trip in J later this year. Grateful for your help:

1. How do I calculate SCs for this, in particular the London - New York leg on QF J ticket?
2. What's the best way of maximising SCs? I can justify a more creative routing if the total costs amount to the same as the straightforward routing - is there a handier way of calculating this, the Qantas multi-city tool is a little clunky.
3. Any tips on BA vs AA flight from London - New York?
4. Any tips on how best to aim for Plat? Gold at the moment, and have a MEL - LAX - MEL in J early next year (within same membership year). Will hopefully be eligible for Qantas Points Club to earn SCs via reward bookings.

Couple points which may be helpful here:

1. Qantas calculates status credits on a sector by sector basis so if you're travelling Sydney to Heathrow via Los Angeles, it will be computed as Sydney to Los Angeles and Los Angeles to Heathrow for points and status credits.
2. The number of status credits you earn per sector depends on which airline you are flying and what type of fare you're booked into. A discount business class fare (i.e. a sale fare) will earn fewer credits and points than a Business or Business Flex fare, the latter of which would earn the most points for a business fare. Since status credits are calculated sector by sector, this also means that if you are booked into a lower fare class for a given sector you'll earn less status credits and points for that sector. An example of this would be a flight where J is not offered (or available), and so you are booked into Y.
3. Not all partner airlines credit in the way you think. A classic example of this is JetStar. If you book a Starter fare you'll earn 0 status credits and points. However, if you book a plus fare you'll earn some (equivalent to Discount Economy on QF) and on a Max fare you'll earn the most (equivalent to a Economy Flex on QF). Interestingly on routes that offer business class (i.e. SYD to HNL) regular business class earns you nothing but Business Max will! If you book through the Qantas website it will tell you during booking how many status credits you'll earn.
4. Given (1) it's often advantageous to increase the number of connections you have since each additional sector represents a new earning opportunity for status credits and points. The number of status credits you earn is vaguely based on milage flown but it's diminishing returns (i.e. you don't earn 2x the number of status credits flying 12,000 miles versus 6,000 miles on QF). To give you an example near and dear to my heart: if you were to fly American from LA to Heathrow that would earn you 140 status credits. However, if you were to fly LA to Heathrow, connecting in Chicago, that would earn you 220 status credits (100 status credits on American from LA to Chicago and 120 for Chicago to Heathrow). Indeed, the intrepid amongst us might even want to connect into JFK for good measure to nab those extra status credits from that. In addition, I also look forward to having my trips interrupted, since then I can often choose a routing with even more connections to maximize the status credits earned. For instance, next week I'm flying JetStar back from Darwin on a Max fare. Ordinarily I would earn just 40 credits on that flight. However, when that flight got cancelled instead of choosing a direct flight on another day, I decided to choose a routing that had me go via Adelaide, allowing me to earn 60 status credits instead (plus take off at a reasonable time and have access to 2 QF lounges)!
5. Whilst US domestic flights are often marketed as First class, you'll only earn business class status credits on such flights, unless the flight in question offers a separate business and first class service (a couple American flights do) and you're actually booked into First on said flights.

My last tip, and arguably the most valuable tip at this very moment, is to look at the double status credit promotion Qantas is offering where you will earn twice the status credits you would ordinarily earn flying Qantas for flights booked between now and April 1. In which case it can really be child's play to get QF status. For instance, I booked one trip in J in January to AKL from Sydney and I will earn 480 status credits from that trip for an outlay of $1100 AUD, which when combined with status credits rolling over will mean I'll have re-qualified for Gold for the 2022/2023 program year. The key thing here is you want to book Qantas flights as those are the only eligible for the promotion, and you can book flights as far out as March next year meaning plenty of opportunity to earn status for this program year and next. Further details on that here.

-RooFlyer88

 

[voulez]

Thanks @kangarooflyer88, great tips there! Didn't realise that about Jetstar so will definitely keep an eye out on that. I'm trying to book something this week although not sure if I can get the necessary approvals. Finger crossed!

 

[Lynda2475]

The DSC offer doesn't apply to JetStar flights, so no rush if you plan to fly them, its for QF flights on QF metal only.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

The DSC offer doesn't apply to JetStar flights, so no rush if you plan to fly them, its for QF flights on QF metal only.

Correct. These trips need to originate in Australia and need to be operated by Qantas (not JetStar). Yes you will earn status credits on JetStar if booked in Plus or Max, you just won't earn double status credits on those sectors. In addition, the QF member needs to have an Australian address on file.

All of that being said, I reckon an itinerary like SYD > AKL > MEL on QF in J as a multi-city would be considered fine for the purpose of the promotion as I'm originating and ending my trip in Australia (albeit different cities).

-RooFlyer88