The Qantas Status Run Master Thread

[flyingfan]

During my run a couple of weeks ago I landed in AKL around 23:30 and was told transit had already closed, around 23:00.

I had to clear immigration and customs and go landside (and couldn’t go back airside - immigration wouldn’t let me through either the e-gates or manual processing because my flight back wasn’t open yet). I could only go airside at 05:00.

 

[Danger]

Just as an FYI for AKL landside, you're pretty much limited to only wooden benches or plastic seats with armrests through them. It also gets quite cold - probably one of the worst airport overnights I've done.

I scoped it out in April and nothing looked particularly inviting, which is why I had originally planned to bring a swag, but I'm not rethinking that. Having checked luggage would make more difficult an involuntary reroute to something more direct, should the opportunity arise.

I would go across to the Novotel and relax with a glass of vino till check in opens then head to the lounge.

The airport hotels are quite pricey, extortionate even when you do the maths on a dollar per minute basis, given how little time I'd actually be there. The Ibis Budget seems the best option at about $150. Still a lot of money considering.

The transfer security in AKL should be possible. You should be airside by 0100. Take a blanket with you and curl up on the padded seats up near gate 9/10. Make sure you have an eye mask and ear plugs. The lounge opens at 0500 so about 4 hours snoozing. Not long enough to bother with a hotel IMHO.

I won't rule that out but feel an average night's (or half a night's) sleep would make the long journey back to Perth very, very uncomfortable. Given what flyingfan noted, I'd have to be doubly sure I could make it landside.

 

[Captain Halliday]

The Ibis Budget seems the best option at about $150. Still a lot of money considering.

I have a night there in a couple of weeks.

It was cheaper than an extra day car hire plus hotel parking, so first night at the ibis budget it is. But I digress…

I’m to report back on the midnight walk and the hotel if your trip is not in the next couple of weeks.

 

[11sjw]

The transfer security in AKL should be possible. You should be airside by 0100. Take a blanket with you and curl up on the padded seats up near gate 9/10. Make sure you have an eye mask and ear plugs. The lounge opens at 0500 so about 4 hours snoozing. Not long enough to bother with a hotel IMHO.

QF AKL Lounge? It opens at 04:30am.

 

[Danger]

I have a night there in a couple of weeks.

It was cheaper than an extra day car hire plus hotel parking, so first night at the ibis budget it is. But I digress…

I’m to report back on the midnight walk and the hotel if your trip is not in the next couple of weeks.

Yes, please. A report would be good.

 

[WilsonM]

Yes, please. A report would be good.

I've also stayed at the Ibis Budget - it's not a bad walk at night, as long as you have a map on your phone just in case. You just follow the main road out of the airport and then cross one big road, and then it's a quick stroll. Takes maybe 15-25min. Would probably be very cold though if you're going in winter!

 

[Ansett]

I have booked in at the Manha Hotel. They have 24-hour transfers and included breakfast for $120.00 and includes a free Breakfast. I will be staying there next weekend.

It's fairly new and has great feedback.

 

[DC3]

... I'm now thinking I'll use my Points Club Plus hotel voucher and get something close to the airport.

 

[Isolar]

Anyone have suggestions for creative routings with the current Red Tail sale offerings? (Preferably J).

I usually find something ex OOL with a few sectors but not coming up with anything reasonable this sale.

 

[MG1]

When not during a DSC sale, what would be considered a good $/SC value?
I'm looking at doing a mini-status run next year and wanted to know if I'm getting good value for money as I've not done one before (the best I can see is about $10/SC (2 domestic, 2 international, all J)).

From what I can see, QF normally releases DSC sales at about Feb-Mar; would this be correct?

 

[Isolar]

Generally, yes, DSC has been happening around Feb for the past few years. Of course, no one knows for sure what timetable QF will follow in the future.

With DSC, the lowest I have been able to get is $2.63/SC. However, that was a six segment itinerary to go somewhere I could have flown direct (see my message above for a hint where it started ). It includes my cost of positioning (low cost $ wise Virgin reward ticket), but I'm not including accommodation as this was a place I wanted to go to for a mini-vacation.

Sorry, I didn't answer your original question (excluding DSC what is a good $/SC value). I haven't actually ever considered that and really can't say. I wouldn't see myself doing a status run for more than $4 or $5/SC. But then, if I had to spend that much, it would be to somewhere I wanted to go to. So is it really a status run in the end?

 

[Ansett]

My upcoming run, multi city DSC in J cost $1986.00 and will net 580 S/C so $3.42 per S/C.

 

[sudoer]

My upcoming run, multi city DSC in J cost $1986.00 and will net 580 S/C so $3.42 per S/C.

So by that logic, a non DSC booking should aim for about $7-8.

 

[Ade]

When not during a DSC sale, what would be considered a good $/SC value?

I'd say depends on what you are trying to achieve by doing the run - is it to go to the next level or retain current level? Or is it a trip that you'd have to take anyway and you'd like to hitch a few sectors before/after and make it a run? For instance, I have had work trips where I'd tag a sector or overnight the day before or after to get more SCs.

For the purposes of attaining/retaining - also depends how much you need? I'd consider these things before determining the $ value of an SC without DSC.

$10/SC

That is bit high IMO ... as @sudoer mentioned, $7 sounds alright ...

From what I can see, QF normally releases DSC sales at about Feb-Mar; would this be correct?

That is how it has been so far ... I'm fairly new to the DSC game, only started my first run in 2019.

 

[WilsonM]

Very niche, but UL has a good deal on New Delhi - Kathmandu via Colombo in J for $318 OW - that's for 120 SC. Works out to be $2.65 SC/$ spent.

Of course, positioning et al. means it's not worth it from Aus, but if you're in the area already, it might be worth it. Days seem to be M, W, S & S.

 

[AFF Editor]

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[IceFlyer]

During my run a couple of weeks ago I landed in AKL around 23:30 and was told transit had already closed, around 23:00.

I had to clear immigration and customs and go landside (and couldn’t go back airside - immigration wouldn’t let me through either the e-gates or manual processing because my flight back wasn’t open yet). I could only go airside at 05:00.

I did this exact run in May. If you walk past the transit door (when its closed) and go to the end of the hallway there are bunch of couches/lounges you can wait/sleep on until it reopens at around 4.30am. So no need to clear immigration/customs and go landside

Side note however is I would never do this particular status run ever again as it was a killer. Though flying home on QF4 in J was nice...

 

[tdimdad]

Following from what Big John mentioned in another post, have you ever estimated the cost of your SC's against other criteria than money? Hours/SC, CO2/SC, etc? It'd be an interesting added dimension to the true/full cost of the status.

Looking at my recent run, it was 34 hours for 570 SC = 3.6 mins/SC (or a bit under 17 SC /hour) in transit time from office to destination landside + accommodation to return destination landside.

CO2's I would need to find from somewhere. Any reliable sources for that?

 

[sudoer]

CO2's I would need to find from somewhere. Any reliable sources for that?

Anything that references IATA CO2 Connect is a good bet

IATA CO2 Connect Calculator | ATAG

IATA CO2 Connect Calculator

atag.org

 

[DC3]

… have you ever estimated the cost of your SC's against other criteria than money? Hours/SC, CO2/SC, etc? …

No. I’m happy being superficial