"... we'll shortly announce a major investment to improve our Frequent Flyer program"

[ozflier]

I would be interested to know if QFF can determine which non QF carriers seats, which are made potentially available to QFFlyers, are actually allowed to be accessed by us!
If so,that would be a new low even for Qantas.

 

[RichardMEL]

I would be interested to know if QFF can determine which non QF carriers seats, which are made potentially available to QFFlyers, are actually allowed to be accessed by us!
If so,that would be a new low even for Qantas.

There's no real reason for QFF to do this thoigh. They want points spent (reduces liability) and they still make money on it (as their cost for the partner seat is less than the points value of course), it proves more value in the program to members so perhaps ensures further engagement, and it is not their inventory. Win/win/win.

I see no reason why QF would want to restrict members from partner rewards. This is not like the earn side where QF has a revenue incentive to try and push people to their metal for instamce.

Happy to be corrected on this though.

 

[drron]

When searching flying back from SIN to either SYD,MEL or BNE in February March 2025 the only CR that wasn't EK or CI was for 1 PE seat on BA15 on 1 day.
AA gave me a choice of 7 days for BA PE and 2 days for J awards. It also for the same points and charges route me on JAL SIN-HND-SYD in J. I can certainly be happy with that. Similiarly searching from BKK or HND. No JAL awards in J with QFF but some with AA and also offering FJ via NAN.

 

[ozflier]

There's no real reason for QFF to do this thoigh. They want points spent (reduces liability) and they still make money on it (as their cost for the partner seat is less than the points value of course), it proves more value in the program to members so perhaps ensures further engagement, and it is not their inventory. Win/win/win.

I see no reason why QF would want to restrict members from partner rewards. This is not like the earn side where QF has a revenue incentive to try and push people to their metal for instamce.

Happy to be corrected on this though.

Yep I'm a cynic but the reference to "win win win" certainly does not apply to Qantas frequent fliers.
QFF have to buy those other airlines reward seats to give them to us so - they save money by not making them available to the punters.
QF could also win if members had to either buy a QF revenue fare or more expensive use of QFF points eg "points plus" on their preferred itineray , if they restricted release of other airlines reward seats eg if AA reward seats across the Pacific.

 

[I love to travel]

Well Easter seems to have gone well so that removes one barrier for an April announcement

 

[RichardMEL]

Yep I'm a cynic but the reference to "win win win" certainly does not apply to Qantas frequent fliers.
QFF have to buy those other airlines reward seats to give them to us so - they save money by not making them available to the punters.
QF could also win if members had to either buy a QF revenue fare or more expensive use of QFF points eg "points plus" on their preferred itineray , if they restricted release of other airlines reward seats eg if AA reward seats across the Pacific.

My wins was more from the QFF point of view, not the punters.

Yes, QFF pay for those seats, but as I mentioned that cost is factored into the reward price - they are still making a profit on that transaction. Not offering them may save money but makes no sense imo. If one can't get that reward seat there's absolutely zero guarantee they will go buy a QF revenue fare. They would be happy enough to sell the partner reward seat and make a profit and save their own seats for rev fares...

 

[Captain Halliday]

I see no reason why QF would want to restrict members from partner rewards. This is not like the earn side where QF has a revenue incentive to try and push people to their metal for instamce.

Agree with this broadly.

But a cynic might theorise that partner inventory is being temporarily restricted to make a seat dump on enhancement day look better than it otherwise would.

 

[RichardMEL]

Agree with this broadly.

But a cynic might theorise that partner inventory is being temporarily restricted to make a seat dump on enhancement day look better than it otherwise would.

That's super cynical lol

Plus these kinds of issues have been going on for years (eg QR) so it's not like a temporary situation.

And since QF metal rewards are cheaper points wise than partners, they would already "look better" in those terms.

(Perhaps not produce wise for some partners, of course)

 

[OATEK]

I hope the announcement comes soon, as the conspiracy theories just continue to pile up in the interim.

 

[Mr H]

I hope the announcement comes soon, as the conspiracy theories just continue to pile up in the interim.

But we already know what it will be as it was "leaked".

 

[I love to travel]

I hope the announcement comes soon, as the conspiracy theories just continue to pile up in the interim.

There is a PhD in there for someone. History will judge whether it is a marketing or psychology PhD.

 

[levelnine]

When searching flying back from SIN to either SYD,MEL or BNE in February March 2025 the only CR that wasn't EK or CI was for 1 PE seat on BA15 on 1 day.
AA gave me a choice of 7 days for BA PE and 2 days for J awards. It also for the same points and charges route me on JAL SIN-HND-SYD in J. I can certainly be happy with that. Similiarly searching from BKK or HND. No JAL awards in J with QFF but some with AA and also offering FJ via NAN.

It's really hard to know what to make of this post.

1. March 2025 is not available to book on AA (even today).

2. Qantas is showing more J awards than AA (eg with Malaysia on 24 February 2025).

3. Qantas will show the exact same FJ flights via NAN if you use the multi-search tool.

4. Because Qantas' award calendar starts before AA's award calendar, there are lots of opportunities to get J seats back to Australia before AA members even have a chance, including with JL:

 

[RichardMEL]

@levelnine - did you check for one or two oax? The doc wants two.

Anyway we can't have actual facts disrupting a narrative now can we?

 

[RooFlyer]

BFOD…?

I use that - Best Flight on Day

Nah, just by diversifying across several foreign FFPs with points/miles and exploiting each program’s sweet spot. I always recommend this approach instead of pursuing status by spending way too much with an undeserving local carrier selling “bundles of rights”.

Exactly what I do. I forego P1 on Bundle of Rights Air and have good status on about three programs.

 

[tdimdad]

I realise this may look like I'm nibbling at both ends of the argument, but if people do manage to get OWE with another program then their flying pattern is likely to be the same as when they were with QF, won't it? So boycotting QF but still flying them. And the main advantage for Aussies of the QF programme over other OW programmes is surely the ability to earn a lot of points from ground activity. I'm not sure the churning bonuses exist for other OW programmes, in which case these fleeing members are likely still to collect QF points anyway. Aren't they?

You wouldn't need to keep running after QFF if you switch. In the last 12 months I've added whopping 25,000 points to QFF from ground activities, 80% of those through Woolies bonus points promos. For the last 1-2 years I've been gradually burning off my points for upgrades and the odd CR instead of adding much to it.

To me, the FF program is currently for status more than CR's. From this viewpoint, my stable travel pattern is best supported by the QF and JL programs, could possibly also work with AY, BA or QR programs (or EK, if I switched camps altogether). For the time being, I could switch and aim to get a similar level of perks than what I use QFF for today. In terms of my trips to Europe, it'd be swapping from xSIN-LHR on QF routing to xTYO on JL (or whichever port is good with each program) without any need to think of QFF after that.

But for those who reside in Australia and aim to maximise their CR travel, QFF and VFF are probably very good choices and it'd make sense to shovel points into them (through credit card churning and consumption, etc). Overseas programs would need much more specific use cases or advanced FF program knowledge to work well in this scenario. I harbour also plans for larger trips using CR to optimise the cost of them and this would change the priority for me from status to redemption value - and QFF might (or might not) be the vehicle for it.

 

[CaptJCool]

I harbour also plans for larger trips using CR to optimise the cost of them and this would change the priority for me from status to redemption value - and QFF might (or might not) be the vehicle for it.

This has been my strategy for sometime now

I notice with European redemptions eg Amsterdam to Barcelona and the like Milan to Cairo that they are plentiful - perhaps different if booking a few days out

Like Sydney Melbourne for 8,000 points one could in theory rundown the points balance just on short domestic legs but too often especially around peak periods, there are ZERO CR seats left even months ahead of time (think football finals and Gather Round or Taylor Swift or Easter or Christmas)

And as for long haul, I’m reminded that CR out of Australia is like hens teeth and must be jumped upon as soon as noticed or one must re-position offshore. that EK F sweet spot SIN-Melbourne is amazing and any two cities elsewhere in the world seem to have decent availability since the QFF crowd live here…

 

[drron]

I said february/March. So on AA searching feb and on QFF both months. But here is an interesting one. Went back to August and on August 14 this month I get this on QFF. Good J award availability if I want to fly JQ.


But this on AA.

 

[Jousams]

I said february/March. So on AA searching feb and on QFF both months. But here is an interesting one. Went back to August and on August 14 this month I get this on QFF. Good J award availability if I want to fly JQ.
View attachment 376768

But this on AA.
View attachment 376776

I wonder if this is phantom on AA though.

 

[RichardMEL]

Yeah don't trust AA a lot because of phantom partner rewards. Til it's actually booked it may only be real in theory.

 

[levelnine]

I said february/March. So on AA searching feb and on QFF both months. But here is an interesting one. Went back to August and on August 14 this month I get this on QFF. Good J award availability if I want to fly JQ.


But this on AA.

I went and checked. As the other posters correctly guessed, it's phantom availability. AA is notorious for it.