Value of QF SC?

[ozboy01]

Hi

Just putting my mind to QF SC strategies for my next year including any DSC promos that QF may put in place. I am WP and wish to retain that level.

I have seen a lot of online feedback about value of QF points (suggested AUD1.8 cents per point) but I appreciate value is very subjective. I have not seen any online discussion on AUD$ value per status credit.

With current premium cabin seat pricing at historic nose bleed expensive levels and an assumption they are not going to abate any time soon I was curious if there was any current consensus as to AUD$ per QF status credit.

Once again I appreciate “value” is very subjective and will be impacted by the acquirer’s personal circumstances, but as an example say a J fare SYD-HND return on QF metal was purchased for $6,800 during a DSC promotion this would work out at approx. AUD$14,16 per SC. How does this compare to historic norms?

Any feedback is gratefully received.

 

[mviy]

That’s not cheap. Flying indirect rather than direct where possible can give better value. However if you are based in SYD you have more limited options as QF only flies to some destinations from SYD

 

[tdimdad]

Historically, getting below $7/SC is good, below $5/SC great. The best of all bargains have been below $3/SC (using DCS).
Whether these figures will ever make reappearance remains to be seen.

 

[SYD]

There was a very recent article / post (that I can’t find) that listed some of the better QF status runs. There’s a table with $/SC. Something around $5 or less is considered good.

As mentioned earlier, A->B via C (and D and E etc) are usually the better value earners.

The other hack for SYD/MEL based FFs is to depart OS from PER (or AKL?). The “Simpler & Fairer” partner earn table is actually significantly better despite often shorter flights… eg compare QR J SYD-DOH v PER-DOH (or ADL).

 

[CaptJCool]

Ordinarily one might do well with $10/SC by flying dog legs
DSC obviously halves it

Sales fares MIGHT get you down to $11/SC
EG Current J fares syd-OOL (or Bris or sunny coast)
$449 for 40 SC = $11/SC


PS the BEST I’ve ever heard was a spend of around $2,500 for WP status involving a run somewhere into the Pacific on Sales J fares during DSC

(The AA 10 leg runs to eg San Juan for around $400-600 no longer exist but they were once a thing)

Realistically
PRICING bears zero relationship to distance travelled. The Sydney - Melbourne Flexi fare prices tell us so ($621 For 20 SC)
If you travel OOL-SYD-Mel flexi you pay $490 for 40 SCs

By purely flying it’s difficult to push the rate down below the $10/SC
HOWEVER with sales J, DSCs and (one or more) dog legs can definitely can be done.

Bear in mind this means all the planets aligning AND your willingness to travel to wherever the sales fares are offered during DSC
Even my favoured DOMESTIC route would with a DSC would have no change out of $6,500

 

[elanshin]

Assuming no DSC (just divide by 2 for DSC). One of the most common status runs available commonly is OOL > MEL > AKL in J. This retails regularly for $850 which means a cost of about $6 per SC.

You can probably also get some pretty ridiculous value on a DONE4 for example.

Otherwise if you can get it below $10 per SC doing the common routes you're doing decently. (Don't forget JQ Max).

 

[CaptJCool]

Assuming no DSC (just divide by 2 for DSC). One of the most common status runs available commonly is OOL > MEL > AKL in J. This retails regularly for $850 which means a cost of about $6 per SC.

You can probably also get some pretty ridiculous value on a DONE4 for example.

Otherwise if you can get it below $10 per SC doing the common routes you're doing decently. (Don't forget JQ Max).

$6.34/SC

 

[WilsonM]

Don't discount the value of points-based SC runs as well, if you have PC/PC+. Obviously more geared towards the points rich, but they still count in a DSC, and if you're willing to fly QF a lot (most likely Domestic or short-haul intl.) it can be a cheaper way to get a heap of SC.

 

[CaptJCool]

Don't discount the value of points-based SC runs as well, if you have PC/PC+. Obviously more geared towards the points rich, but they still count in a DSC, and if you're willing to fly QF a lot (most likely Domestic or short-haul intl.) it can be a cheaper way to get a heap of SC.

Ah the new reformed JASA!

 

[tdimdad]

Assuming no DSC (just divide by 2 for DSC). One of the most common status runs available commonly is OOL > MEL > AKL in J. This retails regularly for $850 which means a cost of about $6 per SC.

You can probably also get some pretty ridiculous value on a DONE4 for example.

Otherwise if you can get it below $10 per SC doing the common routes you're doing decently. (Don't forget JQ Max).

And to top it off, some of the return fares NZ -> AU are more affordable. Overall, makes a good way to gain SC's, if you are going that way and have flexibility.

I just recently got it down to $4.16/SC with DSC's involved. Not the cheapest possible but worked out well for me.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

There were some amazing DSC runs last year where I booked, OOL-MEL-BNE-CHC r/t for 1.3k but I don't think those exist anymore. It was $1.625/SC.

I'm always looking for the cheapest SC runs but these days they're incredibly difficult to come by. With DSC, starting in MEL, OOL, BNE you to NZ usually gets you the best deals. Otherwise a hop to the US might be the next best thing.

These days, it entirely depends on the market and the market says no to extremely cheap SC runs.

 

[kangarooflyer88]

The best I have done was 480 status credits on a $1,130.78 J fare between Australia and NZ booked during a double status credit (DSC) promotion. This works out to $2.35/SC.

The routing worked out as follows:

• SYD > MEL (80 status credits total)
• MEL > AKL (160 status credits total)
• MEL > SYD (160 status credits total)
• SYD > MEL (80 status credits)

The United States tends to have a number of rich opportunities to find decent status credit accruals. I'm doing one such run next week (don't ask me why) for $555 AUD in business class will net me 160 status credits $3.46/SC. Whilst not the cheapest, one benefit of US based status credit runs is there are many opportunities for a so called same day turn (i.e. fly to destination and fly back same day), meaning no need for hotel rooms. The routing for this flight is:

• LAX > PDX (60 status credits)
• PDX > SEA (40 status credits)
• SEA > LAX (60 status credits)

I'm sure there are other such deals out there.

-RooFlyer88

 

[CaptJCool]

The United States tends to have a number of rich opportunities to find decent status credit accruals. I'm doing one such run next week (don't ask me why) for $555 AUD in business class will net me 160 status credits $3.46/SC. Whilst not the cheapest, one benefit of US based status credit runs is there are many opportunities for a so called same day turn (i.e. fly to destination and fly back same day), meaning no need for hotel rooms. The routing for this flight is:

• LAX > PDX (60 status credits)
• PDX > SEA (40 status credits)
• SEA > LAX (60 status credits)

I'm sure there are other such deals out there.

-RooFlyer88

Yes it does

There’s just a TINY problem of re-positioning

Surely WE don’t need to include the cost of travelling to/from USA to the bill

 

[SYD]

Yes it does

There’s just a small problem of re-positioning

Surely WE don’t need to include the cost of travelling to/from USA to the bill

No, but still a good idea to be opportunistic if already heading there. Alas, as mentioned earlier, prices for Domestic F are no where near pre-Covid low fares. But at least AS is now in the mix (as well as AA) although not nearly the coverage of their larger OW
partner.