SCs - Best way to Earn in Asia

[Archphoto]

I'm now based in BKK and missed out on WP renewal this year.

Looking at suggestions for earning my SCs to help me reach that plateau again, or at least retain my Gold status if it falls short.:shock:

Obviously, flying around Asia has its drawbacks with flying Qantas for SCs - I gain points happily on Cathay, but SCs are half of what I've normally earned in the past (same for FF Points).

Where I can, I'll fly J for business (client paying) but for business meetings in SIN & SGN on my dime, it's a little tighter in the $$$$ dept.

Wish I could do some of the deals that QF is offering domestically right now. . . . .

 

[samh004]

You need to look for good J deals. There were some on sale fairly recently, but I think that’s no longer the case. Routes such as BKK-SIN via HKG on CX can be really good for SC earning, if you can find the right rates

If you search, you’ll find quite a few threads on the topic, and from time to time new ones will pop up, you just have to keep a look out.

And of course, make sure you maintain 4 flights on QF or JQ

 

[dajop]

Where I can, I'll fly J for business (client paying) but for business meetings in SIN & SGN on my dime, it's a little tighter in the $$$$ dept.

You can get to SIN on 3K (Jetstar Asia), but the Jetflex fares are often quite pricey compared to fares on full service alternatives like SQ & TG. CX often have J class specials from SIN-BKK return for about the same price as SQ & TG in economy, but not sure if they offer the same from BKK. (they are back again, but not via HKG only on direct services). You have RJ to HKG that sometime have good deals, and if you want to go for a status run, RJ sometime do have deals to the middle east ex-BKK in business. Then there's CX who seem to rotate excellent business class specials originating from a range of destinations - you have to the research on this yourself as it varies from time to time. And lastly starclass on Jetstar to MEL!

What we need is Jetstar Pacific in Vietnam to offer QFF pts/SCs on Jetflex fares in Vietnam domestic flights. There'd certainly be some potential there!

 

[Archphoto]

You can get to SIN on 3K (Jetstar Asia), but the Jetflex fares are often quite pricey compared to fares on full service alternatives like SQ & TG. CX often have J class specials from SIN-BKK return for about the same price as SQ & TG in economy, but not sure if they offer the same from BKK.

What we need is Jetstar Pacific in Vietnam to offer QFF pts/SCs on Jetflex fares in Vietnam domestic flights. There'd certainly be some potential there!

Oh yes!! If only they gave QFF pts/SCs on Jetstar Pacific - almost paid the full fare there thinking I was going to be one lucky FF, then read the fine print! (Cheeky, cheeky, Jetstar.)

I've done the BKK-SIN on CX a couple of times now - certainly much better than 3K, but the points and Scs are really woeful in comparison. Think I can be happy to retain my "eligible" flights by flying Jetflex x 4 (split over a 6mths/year not so bad), but SCs are going to be the hard part to keep. (Yes CX *is* often cheaper than J* on that route - guess I need to decide how much I want to pay for SCs. . . . . . )

 

[v8Statesman]

I've done the BKK-SIN on CX a couple of times now...but the points and Scs are really woeful in comparison.

How so? SC are the same across OW. You have Nothing if you book a Non-earning fare then you have -Y, Y, J and F. Points well maybe bad. But that has nothing to do with SC.

 

[djfuzz]

What are those QF domestic deals you're referring to? The only one I'm aware of is the arbitrary targeted double SC offer (I refuse to open that thread - grr ).

I'm assuming you're saying that you're not getting many SCs on CX because you're flying economy, and almost all but Y class economy fares on CX earn discount economy SCs.

To earn decent SCs on CX you need to fly business (any fare), which can be done very reasonably on certain routes, as noted above and many other places. I can attest to that, having just racked up over 700SCs on CX for about $1500. Of course, it does require your travel to coincide with beneficial sale times, though there are certain ports that offer pretty good business saver fares most of the year.

If you're willing to pay a little extra on these routes (and it certainly isn't much compared to how much business class fares cost elsewhere), you can do really well in terms of earning SCs. But if you're not willing to go beyond economy on your own dime (which is totally understandable), then unfortunately you will likely struggle to get the most out of some of those routes.

 

[dajop]

I'm assuming you're saying that you're not getting many SCs on CX because you're flying economy, and almost all but Y class economy fares on CX earn discount economy SCs.

Not quite correct. Almost all economy fares on CX either earn discount economy SCs or no status credits at all. One of the challenges with the "premium" airlines in Asia, be it CX, TG or SQ is the cheaper fares are non points earning. To hit a points earning fare on route like SIN-BKK, for example on CX the $295 and $385 SGD return fares earn no miles, you have to hit $425 before getting that privilege, this for MEL-BNE type flight. Coming from Australia where every fare on DJ or QF will earn miles is a paradigm shift.

 

[djfuzz]

Not quite correct. Almost all economy fares on CX either earn discount economy SCs or no status credits at all.

If you want to get pedantic, technically I was correct - almost all economy fares on CX do earn discount economy SCs (while some of them earn nothing and some earn full economy SCs). But your point is well taken.

One of the challenges with the "premium" airlines in Asia, be it CX, TG or SQ is the cheaper fares are non points earning.

I am about to enter into inevitable discussions with QF about why a CX flight number booked on a QF itinerary through their website is booked on a code CX doesn't sell, and consequently doesn't fall into the acknowledged SC fare buckets in the QF Airline Earning Table.

Coming from Australia where every fare on DJ or QF will earn miles is a paradigm shift.

AA seems to have this problem too, so I don't know that it's Asia-specific.

 

[Archphoto]

How so? SC are the same across OW. You have Nothing if you book a Non-earning fare then you have -Y, Y, J and F. Points well maybe bad. But that has nothing to do with SC.

Others are correct - many of the CX flights are discount economy; the last I flew was an earn flight, but in comparison to J* Jetflex (which I last flew early Jan) the earning status was poor in comparison (and you don't get the class bonus on your FF points either).

20 APR 10
CX 713 DISCOUNT ECONOMY 18APR10 BANGKOK/SINGAPORE 449 - - - - - - 449 15

20 JAN 10
3K 516 JETSTAR ASIA 17JAN10 BANGKOK/SINGAPORE 897 - 897 1,794 30~

Kind of like flying discount economy in Y with QF *except* that you still earn the same number of FF points when you fly QF.

 

[Fantic125]

Have you considered a (gradual) transition over to *A?

Asiana Club only requires 20k on-board miles or 30 flights within 24 months from 'Reference Day' to achieve Asiana Club Gold (equal to *A Silver), then the same to requalify.
To achieve Asiana Club Diamond (equal to *A Gold) is 40k obm's or 50 flights within 24 month from 'Reference Day', then the same to requalify.

If I was based in BKK and had the choice of who I could fly with I know who would get my money.....

 

[dajop]

Asiana Club only requires 20k on-board miles or 30 flights within 24 months from 'Reference Day' to achieve Asiana Club Gold (equal to *A Silver), then the same to requalify.

Depending on one's budget and if one is at the behest of employer policies, sometimes it can be a challenge on TG or SQ getting a fare that earns miles. Sometimes not, depends on how last minute and how full the flights are.