QFF Status more important than Points?

[Deleted member]

actually it will be the second time I've cracked 1,000,000. I didn't like the drop last time either

 

[boomy]

excitement today as I near the magic Million.
989,123 QANTAS

actually it will be the second time I've cracked 1,000,000. I didn't like the drop last time either

Not that exciting once you discover there is not much use of the points due to extremely high taxes.
I'm over 1M QFFP for quite some time and still find myself using points from other programmes because the overall value and availability are better.

 

[Alanslegal]

Not that exciting once you discover there is not much use of the points due to extremely high taxes.
I'm over 1M QFFP for quite some time and still find myself using points from other programmes because the overall value and availability are better.

Yes, I have seen you exploring the other frequent flyer threads Since you like to fly premium, you might as well suck it up like I did and pay the CRAZY taxes that Qantas that wacks on their award redemptions. My Qantas balance is zero now after paying almost $3,000 in taxes for four EK flights! It did hurt for a while knowing $3,000 does buy a lot of points in other programs but I had to eventually use my QF points sooner or later. Now the taxes are a distant memory and my EK flights are just around the corner and I can't wait.

 

[boomy]

Yes, I have seen you exploring the other frequent flyer threads Since you like to fly premium, you might as well suck it up like I did and pay the CRAZY taxes that Qantas that wacks on their award redemptions. My Qantas balance is zero now after paying almost $3,000 in taxes for four EK flights! It did hurt for a while knowing $3,000 does buy a lot of points in other programs but I had to eventually use my QF points sooner or later. Now the taxes are a distant memory and my EK flights are just around the corner and I can't wait.

Yep, I felt the pain when booked a couple of return flights to LHR... Problem is it's so damn easy to collect QFFP.
Ah, first world problems...

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Well, I didn't ask if the guy in 28D was SG or higher, but 28E was empty BNE - ADL and I had 28F.
So, good result all around.
This was a revenue fare, so what ever the mileage, and 15 SC, its all count towards the end of Jul anniversary period. SG bliss.
Plane wasnt very full, though some rows had 3 seats filled.

 

[drron]

actually it will be the second time I've cracked 1,000,000. I didn't like the drop last time either

I'm doing the same with Aadvantage.With long haul F milesAAver awards getting harder I'm once again earning more than I spend.At least that means I don't have to buy miles.

 

[dmitri]

Not that exciting once you discover there is not much use of the points due to extremely high taxes.
I'm over 1M QFFP for quite some time and still find myself using points from other programmes because the overall value and availability are better.

Where do you fly into that has such high taxes Boomy?

 

[TomVexille]

Where do you fly into that has such high taxes Boomy?

LHR is expensive

 

[RichardMEL]

technically it's flying OUT of the UK that is expensive - the APD's on premium cabins are disgraceful. Flying in is fine.
You can always get the train to CDG/AMS/BRU and fly out

but I digress

 

[boomy]

Where do you fly into that has such high taxes Boomy?

With QF you pay high taxes no matter where you fly, particularly to LHR as TomVexille said. You can fly EY F for example, pay less then $500 taxes return to LHR (via AA or VA), save money and get a better product!
The tax rip-off is also on much shorter flights, one way to SIN in J with QF will cost over $300 while the same flight with SQ will be less then $100! The list goes on and on...
The best value redemptions are domestic flights over three hours or flights to unusual destinations like LDH for example and to NZ.

 

[dmitri]

I paid $180 taxes for 1 x J award on QF SYD-HKG and $600 taxes for 2 x J awards on CX through QF-HKG to DUS. I thought both of these were quite cheap. I have never looked for award flights into LHR.

 

[RichardMEL]

small datapoint re ex-LHR:

Just made a dummy F booking SYD-LHR using UA miles flying TG/AI (yeah, laughable) in F.

total taxes: $401.40 USD (approx $528 AUD). The UK APD part of this is around $217.20 while UK Pax Service Charge $64.50 USD)..

that's about $371 AUD.

I'd note the UK APD rip off is based on a zonal system, so the further you travel ex-UK in a premium cabin it costs more - now if you did LHR-FRA, stayed there for a few days then went on, the APD would be much less, but I digress. Just to point out that the APD charge to DXB on a QF award would probably be different, but I haven't bothered to look it up.

The issue is that QFF *also* charge fuel surcharges on top of these fees (AA redemptions, for example, would have to charge the same UK taxes and AU pax charge etc).

This is why redemptions on QFF are far worse value than other programs (eg: AA/UA) at this point.

In a way (to get this track back on topic) this devalues the value of Points, because even if you use points to cover these extra charges, you need more to cover that.

 

[BD1959]

small datapoint re ex-LHR:

Just made a dummy F booking SYD-LHR using UA miles flying TG/AI (yeah, laughable) in F.

total taxes: $401.40 USD (approx $528 AUD). The UK APD part of this is around $217.20 while UK Pax Service Charge $64.50 USD)..

that's about $371 AUD.

APD = Departure Tax? Payable on arrival from Sydney??

Regards,

BD

 

[RichardMEL]

APD = Departure Tax? Payable on arrival from Sydney??

Regards,

BD

oops that was unclear - my bad. SYD-LHR ** return **

Of course the APD is only charged on DEPARTURE from a UK port, as I noted earlier.

I knew what I meant, I just didn't express it properly I was distracted contemplating F on AI - even on a dummy booking

 

[Alanslegal]

I paid $180 taxes for 1 x J award on QF SYD-HKG and $600 taxes for 2 x J awards on CX through QF-HKG to DUS. I thought both of these were quite cheap. I have never looked for award flights into LHR.

It sounds cheap but it really isn't because $180 + $300 = $480 in taxes one way to Europe. Multiple that by two for the return and it's close to $1,000. Book the same flights using AA points for example, and its around $150 in taxes one way, so a third of what Qantas charges.

 

[Deleted member]

Re: Thanks, AFF

excitement today as I near the magic Million.
989,123 QANTAS

And as I get even closer......

Membership Type:Platinum
Total Points:999,146

 

[JohnM]

Re: Thanks, AFF

And as I get even closer......

Membership Type:Platinum
Total Points:999,146

Nice, but how many did you have and use when it really counted - ie. in the days of JASAs and MASAs? I let the meter tick over the 1M just to say I'd got there just about the time JASAs went into the MASA hospice, then I went on a JASA/MASA spending spree - but never used a single point on a status run. OMG, they were the days .

 

[Deleted member]

Re: Thanks, AFF

Nice, but how many did you have and use when it really counted - ie. in the days of JASAs and MASAs? I let the meter tick over the 1M just to say I'd got there just about the time JASAs went into the MASA hospice, then I went on a JASA/MASA spending spree - but never used a single point on a status run. OMG, they were the days .

I did have a few (over 1,000,000) and we did use them on JASA's FASA's and the MASA toward the end.
one of the advantages of being a member of this group is that your perspective changes ( well for me it did).
when once I would just suck it up long haul in Y ( How much do I regret not knowing then what I Know now!) I will now look more closely at my options and plan more judiciously.
because I'm a late starter, I don't have LTG, and its unlikely I will get it anytime soon (I'm still 1400 sc's away from LTS).
the one " status " advantage I do have was a result of a "chance" encounter with the sister of a friend, who convinced me, back in the day that a Life membership of Australian Airlines Flight deck would be a great idea. as a consequence, I now have LTQP. so even when I fall from grace (below WP or even SG) I will still have my lounge access.
but I digress, the advantage I speak of is knowing when and how to book, upgrade and use points. I also liken long haul travel to good wine, where once I would drink cask wine ( fly in Y) I now have adapted to bottled wine and progressed to bottled " fine" wine. ( J cabin)
do I still drink $15.00 quaffers ? ( fly interstate in discount Y) hell yes, but when it counts (to me) I plump for the pointy end.
I have the added advantage of being able to choose to fly when the fares and travel class work best for me, not some fixed point in the future removing flexibility from my options. so in my case, status ( whilst nice to have) isn't going to be the be all and end all .
my own 1mil points is only part of the equation, Mrs GPH has a significant amount as well.

 

[JohnK]

Status is important but points is where the fun begins.

I'd love to do a few RTW trips with Oneworld awards. I was going to do them on my own but now I have someone we can experience it together.

I almost don't want to spend any !!

I have had 1,000,000+ points for ages now. I don't want to spend them.

 

[amaroo]

We've started the migration from status being replaced by points as the primary source of joy.

When travelling in a family pack - status is king! All the perks delivered no matter what class you fly. Now that the kids are getting older (14/12) and we're more comfortable plonking them in J and moving to F ... the points are becoming more critical. As the kids get older we look forward to our FF point and general travel expenditure halving :mrgreen: Our next phase of travel life (couple only) will be significantly cheaper resulting in more trips in better style!

QFF has been very good to us - 10 years of annual long haul premium award travel x 4 seats is not an easy task ... luckily QFFP are more plentiful than grains of sand.