When is next anticipated double SC promotion?

[kiwitripper64]

Can anyone remind me when next anticipated double status credit promotion is likely?
Thanks

 

[GoldCanyon340]

The double SC promotions always seem to appear when there are NO seasonal sales discounts running.
After the current crop of New Year and Summer sales expire there's a lull before the start of the next school holidays season when most fares are regular price ... then BAM DSC promotion for fares bought "now" in the 7-10 day period.
Then once the DSC promotion finishes, new sales will be launched.

That's my observation as well. An international route I fly regularly had a price rise before most of the last three years' DSC promotions too.

 

[GoldCanyon340]

I wonder if these sort of things also hurt forward sales. Ie, people delay booking with the expectation of a promotion coming?

You'd have to wonder though how many people are cognisant of this.

 

[woodborer]

The double SC promotions always seem to appear when there are NO seasonal sales discounts running.
After the current crop of New Year and Summer sales expire there's a lull before the start of the next school holidays season when most fares are regular price ... then BAM DSC promotion for fares bought "now" in the 7-10 day period.
Then once the DSC promotion finishes, new sales will be launched.

Gee, you'd almost think they plan their promotional offerings....

 

[RichardMEL]

I would say the numbers of people who put off booking waiting for a promo would be.. minimal. The numbers putting off waiting for a sale fare would be far more significant. It's a small minority of folks, IMHO, who even care to worry about such things or plan. I mean the casual flyer will book on schedule and price, or stimulated by a sale ("oooh Bali is on sale!")... the business pax are tied to requiring flexible options, and probably much closer in to date of travel, and if a promo comes along it's likely to be more chance than real planning that the two combine (with the exceptions of people who inhabit boards like this who obviously wish to make the most of both).

Of course some of the promos last year DID overlap with one or two sales to certain destinations being open (I don't recall specifics right now, but there were one or two I recall) but in general yes, the "big" sales finish before a global promo, and usually start a new round right after the promo finishes. That's prety obvious tactic really. And they are different methods to stimulate traffic and bookings.

And finally just because they have been regular over recent years I again do not think it is a given they will occur again. After all who remembers the 10points/$ Christmas Promos for GV's over a number of years, that got enhanced to 5 points/$ and finally disappeared fully a number of years ago.

It may be likely to come around again, but as I have noted previously, I would not make my plans with the expectation of one (and I have a very flexible travel schedule and budget).

imho

 

[mrsterryn]

For us having a few overseas trips in our next qualification year, sales are therefore more useful for us .
In a year when we only have one or two os trips DSC helps a lot

 

[nutwood]

Y'know the answer is "maybe"

Personally, I never factor them in as anticipated to drop at certain dates(or periods) because that may change behaviour (ie: holding off a booking in the hope of a promotion).

2018 saw 3 of the global offers - Feburary, August and then a few months later in October.

The final one seemed puzzling, but can only be explained by softening of demand for QF forward bookings and they wanted to stimulate more. It is entirely possible that the response to the TWO promis in the second half of the year will dictate if we get further ones this year.
It may well be there was lower response than anticipated to the August promo, hence the one a few months later. If it also got a lower than anticipated "payoff" for QF, they may consider a different strategy for this year. Remember - they want revenue while we want more status(for ourselves, anyway ). These two goals are not always in sync

It's also entirely possible there will be none and they may dangle double(or more) points offers as carots - specially if the DSC offers did not meet the expected targets.. or indeed if they overshot the targets by a large amount.

All things being equal it seems "reasonable" that one will appear before April 2019. However this is hardly a given.

Unpopular view but I think hey overdid it last year.. Yes, I have benefited personally I fully admit that, but I think it was too many personally - and if everyone and their dog can more easily attain status, the further devaluations are likely to occur. I know at least one poster here has been saying this for years now And, to a degree, I agree with that.

It's worth noting that the third offer had a shorter widow to fly in. It was more like an extension of the second offer booking window. My thought is that they anticipated a certain number of extra bookings from the second offer and fell short.
With regard to the question of whether there were too many, I can't help but wonder if there was a deliberate attempt to get more people into the golden handcuffs. It'll be interesting to see what happens this year.

 

[kermatu]

Too many in my opinion. Really devalues status, leads to overcrowded lounges etc. I'm possibly an outlier but the restrictions last year (largely to QF metal only) saw me not do my usual pre-purchase of a few GVs. So I've been free to book later with other airlines rather than tied to my GV, and QF has lost out on my cash advances.

 

[nutwood]

Too many in my opinion. Really devalues status, leads to overcrowded lounges etc. I'm possibly an outlier but the restrictions last year (largely to QF metal only) saw me not do my usual pre-purchase of a few GVs. So I've been free to book later with other airlines rather than tied to my GV, and QF has lost out on my cash advances.

It's an interesting, and quite complex question. Personally, the extra DSC's last year tipped me over into P1. Had they not happened, or any DSC's for that matter, I'd still have been solidly WP. I've no complaints with P1, but really, considering it takes six times the SC's to achieve P1 over retaining SG, you have to wonder? SG gets you lounge access, priority boarding, lounge upgrades. With DSC's, SG takes a handful of flights to achieve.

 

[samh004]

You'd have to wonder though how many people are cognisant of this.

I've got to make a trip to Melbourne to drop some things to my sister, ideally before the end of my current membership year (end-Feb) so I can claim another loyalty bonus... however I'm holding off booking because I'd rather double my earn. Quite sad, haha.

 

[whughes3]

Too many in my opinion. Really devalues status, leads to overcrowded lounges etc. I'm possibly an outlier but the restrictions last year (largely to QF metal only) saw me not do my usual pre-purchase of a few GVs. So I've been free to book later with other airlines rather than tied to my GV, and QF has lost out on my cash advances.

I would have thought that any distortion of status value caused by DSC's is trifling compared with what was caused by the outrageous rort of SC;s for ASA flights, which was available 52 weeks a year and for minimal cost.

 

[DC3]

I would have thought that any distortion of status value caused by DSC's is trifling compared with what was caused by the outrageous rort of SC;s for ASA flights, which was available 52 weeks a year and for minimal cost.

Yes, those were the days.

 

[mrsterryn]

Is there that many people who would use double status credit runs to try for P or P1 ?

 

[Captain Halliday]

It's an interesting, and quite complex question. Personally, the extra DSC's last year tipped me over into P1. Had they not happened, or any DSC's for that matter, I'd still have been solidly WP. I've no complaints with P1, but really, considering it takes six times the SC's to achieve P1 over retaining SG, you have to wonder? SG gets you lounge access, priority boarding, lounge upgrades. With DSC's, SG takes a handful of flights to achieve.

Ha! That’s one for the humour thread.

 

[kermatu]

I would have thought that any distortion of status value caused by DSC's is trifling compared with what was caused by the outrageous rort of SC;s for ASA flights, which was available 52 weeks a year and for minimal cost.

True, except you needed to have the points for J or F to be a real SC earner (or endless time to travel).
xASAs were never promoted, so I reckon comparatively few took advantage. DSCs are advertised to all and sundry.

 

[kermatu]

Is there that many people who would use double status credit runs to try for P or P1 ?

A few, especially for Platinum. Point is though you don't really need to try. Maybe my distorted view but a pretty modest amount of travel will get you WP if the DSC promo conditions fit. No need for a status run.

 

[juddles]

My belief is that the effect of DSC promotions on lounge crowding is about zero.

If people need a DSC to gain WP, they are not flying that much, hence, their presence in lounges is also minimal.

IMHO the pressure on lounges is from failure of airlines to expand them in spite of generally increased travel, including by such people as FIFO workers in their thousands who would obviously attain status. (ps I have no problem with those in flouro shirts inhabitting the lounges - they may travel "just for work", but they are in the very true sense frequent travellers, and deserve such access)

 

[djchuckles]

My belief is that the effect of DSC promotions on lounge crowding is about zero.

If people need a DSC to gain WP, they are not flying that much, hence, their presence in lounges is also minimal.

IMHO the pressure on lounges is from failure of airlines to expand them in spite of generally increased travel, including by such people as FIFO workers in their thousands who would obviously attain status. (ps I have no problem with those in flouro shirts inhabitting the lounges - they may travel "just for work", but they are in the very true sense frequent travellers, and deserve such access)

I fly 4-6 times a month, but needed a DSC to get me over the line as most of my flights only earn 10 SC's

 

[astrosly]

A few, especially for Platinum. Point is though you don't really need to try. Maybe my distorted view but a pretty modest amount of travel will get you WP if the DSC promo conditions fit. No need for a status run.

I make WP and then some on my own travel needs as I don't want to rely on potential DSC promotions to do so, but I do book flights to maximise and I would say for a WP I have a modest amount of travel which is 2-3x overseas and 4-5x domestic annually. What I do pick up from DSCs is part of the tally over attain and I look at these promotions as a bonus to getting to LTG faster, but it represents only about 20% of my average annual SC haul over the last three years they've had these promotions for all (I never get targetted SC bonus offers).

 

[astrosly]

I fly 4-6 times a month, but needed a DSC to get me over the line as most of my flights only earn 10 SC's

I see how DSCs can benefit your flying pattern. I work with someone who flies every three weeks from ARM-MEL return which is 60 flights annually at 10 SC each and so just gets SG. I don't fly anywhere near that number but I am WP as a good portion of my flights are long haul for more SCs. This fellow would need DSC on almost every flight to get WP with that flying pattern which isn't realistically attainable other than with DSC status runs.

 

[Doctore1003]

I suspect the next DSC promo will be either in the first week of February or first week of March. But nobody outside of Qantas really knows for sure.

Yes I agree. A possible "tell" was that ausbt just ran an article about how to make the most of a potential DSC offer in early 2019. Knowing how media works, I'd say there's a 50/50 chance Qantas mentioned this to them (confidentially).