The Danger of Hoarding Points

[cove]

My international friends tell me the first 10 million FF points are the hardest ones to hoard. After that it seems to get a bit easier.

 

[Pushka]

How many people would book a holiday 13 months in advance? I'm typically about 2 months for a major overseas holiday.

If you want to get award bookings then that is exactly what you have to do for long haul flights. I get back from one long holiday and immediately start planning the next.

 

[craven morehead]

Policy has not changed - to be sure of getting the long haul flights you want in premium cabins on awards, you basically need to be planning 13 months out and book 11½ months out when the awards classes become available

This is exactly what I do and have had no problem at all picking up JASA's, FASA's and Classic J & F ( at times for 4 pax) :mrgreen:

 

[PLC]

My advice to the OP is use them if you are going to enjoy using them, and hold onto them if you are not. I first became a WP while sucking at the teat of the taxpayer, and it was great. I got quite a few points under my belt, but didn't really need to burn them because I was already jetting of to interesting places while at someone else's expense and that was enough for me.

However, now that I am not sucking on the taxpayer's teat - I am in fact sucking on my own - I burn through them regularly and really enjoy the JASA / F Lounge experience when I do. But I always keep enough in reserve for a return JASA to BKK or HKG...just in case.

 

[HKGNZL]

But why should we put up with QF treating us like this? No other FF systems make it so difficult to get reward J or F.

 

[craven morehead]

I thought the same a few years ago with 600,000 QFF points, i decided to cash them in for Woolworth's gifts cards when they had a special offer 5750 points for a $50 gift card, got me $5200. Not as good value as a long haul flight but not bad.

From a premium cabin flying experience/perspective you probably shortchanged yourself $30k with that amount of points

 

[serfty]

How many people would book a holiday 13 months in advance? I'm typically about 2 months for a major overseas holiday.

I guess those who travel two or three times a year on long haul Business or First class class awards.

If you want to get award bookings then that is exactly what you have to do for long haul flights. I get back from one long holiday and immediately start planning the next.

Exactly!

I guess other airlines put more priority than Qantas on looking after their FF. ...

But why should we put up with QF treating us like this? No other FF systems make it so difficult to get reward J or F.

You don't have to do you? You could credit travel to another frequent flyer scheme or even fly another carrier/alliance.

 

[HKGNZL]

That's purely a mathematical calculation without adjusting Availbility. With a Woolworth card you can buy anything anytime in the shop. You hardly can find premium cabin seats in long haul. Most of us have had to adjust travel plans to suit availability of seats if we want to burn points. That factor needs to be included in the formula. You will never use Woolworth card if most time your choice of product is sold out or not in stock!

 

[Champo]

Agreed, very few of my QFF points (or US, AA, United, SQ, etc. .... points for that matter) come from flying!

Another risk of keeping points too long is if Qantas decide to charge a greater number of points for the same journey, e.g. in the mid 2000's or thereabouts the cost of a RTW First Class fare escalated from 600,000 points to 844,000.

 

[amaroo]

Another risk of keeping points too long is if Qantas decide to charge a greater number of points for the same journey, e.g. in the mid 2000's or thereabouts the cost of a RTW First Class fare escalated from 600,000 points to 844,000.

I remember that. IIRC something like 40%+ increase over night.

Earn them - burn them.

 

[coyote25]

+1. I booked my first a few weeks ago and now can't wait to start my first ever RTW!

Great use of points imho.

Outside a couple of opups to PE these were my first flights on international outside Y and believe me I enjoyed them.

I still have the DFW to Brisbane flight in February and I grabbed 5F. This use of points is awesome value. Now to one say book a F Award international flight and see how the 1% fly

 

[burmans]

But why should we put up with QF treating us like this? No other FF systems make it so difficult to get reward J or F.

Well, can I state the obvious, I don't think you have to. There are plenty of other options and you should start using them, vote with your feet.

 

[Grandma's Wings "]

Currently I'm saving for a long awaited trip to England as I would dearly love to see where my Ancestors came from in various Counties... I have been watching the Qantas/Emirates deal which would suit me in getting to Manchester as well... ...I currently have 101,000 FF points and it has taken me a long time to save them, so I would be devasted to lose them under any circumstances.. let's hope this does not happen in the near future.. Also I understand about about the rising costs of fuel and taxes but hey !!!! you get nothing for nothing.... Happy New Year to one and all.

 

[JohnK]

Another risk of keeping points too long is if Qantas decide to charge a greater number of points for the same journey, e.g. in the mid 2000's or thereabouts the cost of a RTW First Class fare escalated from 600,000 points to 844,000.

For 2 people? Current QF Oneworld award in first is 420,000 QFF points.

 

[Grooba]

Outside a couple of opups to PE these were my first flights on international outside Y and believe me I enjoyed them.

I still have the DFW to Brisbane flight in February and I grabbed 5F. This use of points is awesome value. Now to one say book a F Award international flight and see how the 1% fly

Great stuff!

I saw a very tempting FASA the other day, I'm that close to booking it but I'm afraid the better half won't approve (still haven't told her about the 280k RTW I booked a few weeks ago)... eeek.

 

[Grooba]

If you want to get award bookings then that is exactly what you have to do for long haul flights. I get back from one long holiday and immediately start planning the next.

I've gone one better and whilst actually on holidays I've seen a nice special come up and booked it, couldn't wait till I got home.

 

[Pushka]

I've gone one better and whilst actually on holidays I've seen a nice special come up and booked it, couldn't wait till I got home.

Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Grandma's Wings "]

How lovely to have someone to share such joy & surprises.... my hubby of over 50 years is no long able to travel due to health reasons and mainly the costs of Travel Insurance... so my travel is respite on my own....Enjoy your travels and keep doing it for as long as you possible can afford to do so and young enough....

 

[The six of us]

I've got 550k Altitude points that I'd figured to use going somewhere with the family, but trying to book a flight via the Altitude web site it seem that I need 1,000,000 points to get one return economy seat to NZ!

Any tips on how best to use these point? Ideally I'd like to get my wife and one or two of the kids to Switzerland.

 

[mhen]

I've got 550k Altitude points that I'd figured to use going somewhere with the family, but trying to book a flight via the Altitude web site it seem that I need 1,000,000 points to get one return economy seat to NZ!

Any tips on how best to use these point? Ideally I'd like to get my wife and one or two of the kids to Switzerland.

As well as booking flights direct through Altitude Rewards site you can redeem your Altitude points for frequent flyer miles/points.
250K Altitude points will get you 3,435 Air New Zealand Airpoints or 275,000 Asia Miles or Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles or Malaysia Airlines Enrich points or Velocity Frequent Flyer Points.
Singapore Airlines will get you access to Star Alliance carriers and soon Malaysia Airlines will get you access to One world carriers. Which will be best for you depends on award charts, class, dates, availability, number of seats required etc.

I am "hoarding" my Altitude points for the moment. When I need them I will transfer only the necessary amounts to the relevant frequent flyer program, that way I avoid stranding points in a program that I don't use often or run the risk of some points expiring.