What to do next...? [Newly Silver, expansion?]

[J.D.]

I've had a look around and haven't really found the advice I'm looking for, despite AFF's very clever search system.

I have about 100.000 points and just became a silver member. Not many points, I know, but that's how it is. I'm not a member of the Qantas Club. The app advises me I have 340 more status credits before I become a Gold Member (ahem...). I live in Melbourne and don't have a huge amount of spare cash.

From what I understand, the way this all works is by accruing as many points as you can by using the appropriate credit cards and other means to gain more FF points and by shopping around for airfares you may have to book yourself. So that if I want to fly from MEL to LHR, it's possible to do it cheaply, even in Business Class, by buying fares from different airlines via different destinations to gain cheap sector fares and better credits points etc.. I also get it that you can be a member of a partner airline's FF program and convert their points at Qantas point but only when paying for a fare.

Have I got all that right?

A friend of mine advised me to avid paying for an entire fare with FF points. He didn't say not to do it at all but with only 100K points, I can't do much anyway.

Anyhow, could some kind person take me through what they would do in my position to maximise my FF points and Status Credits? Seems to me there are a lot of people jetting about the world in business class and with lifetime status credits etc..

Any help appreciated.

 

[RichardMEL]

I would also add that sometimes people construct trips using a variety of methods... for example a cheap fare to Asia, then a FF redemption to europe, or say, if they have memberships, and points, in multiple programs across multiple alliances, making trips using rewards that way, where for example QF(or AS or whatever) does not have availability.

For example, prior to a points devalation last year, there used to be a sweet spot of flying Thai Airways in First from SYD to Bangkok or futher like Hong Kong using United or Lifemiles points (Thai is Star Alliance, a rival alliance to QF's oneworld alliance). From HKG, for example, getting Cathay Pacific using QF or AS points often proved quite easier than trying to get all the way from Australia, or even another option like Royal Jordanian (RJ) or Qatar (QR) from Asian ports could provide the key to makjing a trip work.

yet another option some take is positioning to a country like Sri Lanka (Colombo/CMB) and purchasing a discounted revenue fare from there - where often thousands can be saved.

And yet enough is "nesting" trips, and taking advantage of sales from different points of origin (for example, sometimes airlines like Qatar have very cheap fares out of some european cities like Stockholm or something to Australia or other points) and people can build trips around getting to europe, then going back from there, and so on.


As you can see all of this is very complex and can take time to plan and execute (as well as money, time and flexibility). There are many ways to play the Game of Travel.. these are just a few.

good luck with your journeys!

 

[J.D.]

For example, prior to a points devalation last year, there used to be a sweet spot of flying Thai Airways in First from SYD to Bangkok or futher like Hong Kong using United or Lifemiles points (Thai is Star Alliance, a rival alliance to QF's oneworld alliance). From HKG, for example, getting Cathay Pacific using QF or AS points often proved quite easier than trying to get all the way from Australia, or even another option like Royal Jordanian (RJ) or Qatar (QR) from Asian ports could provide the key to makjing a trip work.

yet another option some take is positioning to a country like Sri Lanka (Colombo/CMB) and purchasing a discounted revenue fare from there - where often thousands can be saved.

And yet enough is "nesting" trips, and taking advantage of sales from different points of origin (for example, sometimes airlines like Qatar have very cheap fares out of some european cities like Stockholm or something to Australia or other points) and people can build trips around getting to europe, then going back from there, and so on.


As you can see all of this is very complex and can take time to plan and execute (as well as money, time and flexibility). There are many ways to play the Game of Travel.. these are just a few.

good luck with your journeys!

Thanks again Richard. Yes: this is exactly the thing I'm talking about. I sort of already knew it but I'm not really sure how it's researched etc..

Mostly, I have been looking at sites like Momondo, which seems to be quite extensive. I probably don't have enough points to start trading away yet so I might just have to swallow the bitter pill and fork out until that becomes a possibility. The planning doesn't bother me at all. I quite enjoy it. Too bad about Thai though. Always wanted to try them, First or Business!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

IF you do decide to fly anywhere with JQ Jetstar, ensure you buy fare and then make sure you go and chase the Bundle package.
JQ basic starter fares on their own do not earn you any Qpoints or QF SC, even if you fly eg MEL - SIN in J with JQ.

 

[J.D.]

NO Status Credits? For a business flight like that (which is only Premium Economy on any other airline anyway)? That's cheeky. Okay, buy the fare first, then chase the package deal. Got it.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Play around so to speak on the JQ website and see it for yourself.
JQ are a group of money hungry so and so.
No bundle, no Qpoints and no QF SC.

 

[J.D.]

I did. Apart from the fact that i was difficult to navigate, the packages thing was really hard to avoid.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

Main point as I see it.
Do you want to save money when you fly or do you want to just fly at any cost with QF or EK with a QF flight number?
Or go cheap, ie JQ.
MEL - SIN with QF or EK with a QF flight number will cost bit more than JQ, but you will be assured of a bit of a standard, than flying el cheapo JQ.
I would avoid JQ personally, read up too on (dontflyjetstar), some love them though.

 

[J.D.]

I guess it depends where you're going.

 

[RichardMEL]

The JQ J fares tend to only have the one bundle that I have noticed (MAX?) which includes QFF SC and points. I've never seen a JQ J fare without them . I suppose they could be out there with deep discount sales, but I've yet to see one (not that I look at JQ that often, tbh).

For the cheaper Economy fares, like "Light" and the like - absolutely one needs to check the package or bundle one purchases.

 

[cwd]

The JQ J fares tend to only have the one bundle that I have noticed (MAX?) which includes QFF SC and points. I've never seen a JQ J fare without them . I suppose they could be out there with deep discount sales, but I've yet to see one (not that I look at JQ that often, tbh).

For the cheaper Economy fares, like "Light" and the like - absolutely one needs to check the package or bundle one purchases.

Not sure if this is what you meant, but you definitely have to add the Max bundle to get points and SC on a Jetstar Business fare.



I'm pretty sure I've seen larger differences before. It seems to match up to the way other airlines would normally price it, with the Max fare essentially being a non-sale fare, so similar price across all flights, whereas the non-Max fare can vary quite a bit. ie. it's not a fixed amount extra to take the Max option.

That said, even the standard business fare has no change fee, which is handy. Not sure I'd take fly them for this fare though.

 

[RichardMEL]

Thanks for tht. They've obviously changed it/. Last time I did this, or looked seriously at JQ J fares (some domestic tags which may have been a factor) they basically had one option whic was the max fare.. like couldn't select anything else. I guess they've created that option now(or it always was one, but just never available on the sectors I looked at).. which makes sense.

 

[J.D.]

Jetstar just got fined $1.95m by the Federal Court so they may need to be a bit more proactive about regaining any public trust they had. Personally, I’ve never had a problem with them.