How long did it take you to get your desired points?

[AnnaB]

Been thinking about this one for a while and I am wondering how long it has taken everyone to get the desired points needed for a specific purpose?

What was the goal of your points, how did you accumulate them and how long did it take?

Our goal has been long distance travel (J or higher), most points has been accumulated over a long period of time of 8+ years via Westpac Altitude and everyday spending. We have the points needed at the moment, we just have to make up our minds of what route we want to take and transfer the points to the desired airline.

So I have already started accumulating for a second one, this time it should not take as long as the last time as I discovered this site. In a few months I have already got (or on its way) more points than I previously got in 2 years.

Whats your story?

 

[TomVexille]

Goal was QF F, originally 144k for a MEL-LAX (or vv) but morphed into 192k for LHR-MEL. It took about 12 months, and I got there by switching over to a QFF earning card and making sure that I accumulated QFF points at every opportunity.

 

[Buzzard]

My goal is to earn as many points as I can before retirement. QF, VA, SQ and paid such as AA are my targets.
I am also in the process of building HHonors points to pay for some accommodation to use with those "free" flights.

A couple of years ago my goal was to not fly economy. +1 and I blew about a million points that year, goal achieved.

 

[kpc]

I used to aim for J, now F...I scrounge points from ANY source. ..but mainly credit card spend and actual flights After Ansett, I earn and burn!!

 

[yld200]

I started collecting points before I really understood the value. My points were initially Commbank rewards points (yuck) but then transfered over to QF. I started collect QF points around April / May last year after researching a US trip for me and Mrs Y and the likelihood of an upgrade. My goal was to be able to have enough points to take at least one medium - long haul flight in business and now with the help of this website I've changed to goal and am aiming for a 280K one world award trip for 2 and getting pretty close with 500K QFF points in the bank.

I love my AFFers

 

[JohnK]

I wanted to have over 1 million QFF points. It took ~4-5 years to get there. Don't know what to do with the points but I would like to be able to go as far as I could go with them.

Currently have ~1.145 million QFF points. Have been using them for economy awards to SE Asia. Looking to go BNE-SIN in November for 28,000 QFF points and ~$190.

 

[Pvcmenace]

For me it used to be 3xMel-LAX in J 576K points, but then could never redeem that many seats, so then it was just buy semi flex Y fares and upgrade domestically. Then used points for a bunch of ASA's to get to platinum which lasted two years. Then QF was looking shaky a few years ago, in this time I redeemed about 800K points on SE Asia flights in J for the family. After this did a huge home renovation which resulted in no travel. The points grew to over 1m points so the family is spending christmas in Paris this year flying J. Still have over 500K points. with nowhere to go. Think I might save them now as there are very few ATO accepted cards and the earn rates have dropped.

In my opinion they are like the stock market, you've got to go with the good and roll with the bad. Good luck with them.

Regards,

 

[nickfromeastryde]

We are leisure travellers and only joined QFF in 2009 as part of the Woolworths program. A trip to HK and a family holiday a year later to Europe and the light started coming on.

I had about 100k in points and thought WOW, another 28k and I could fly return to Europe for free, at this time I had no idea about 'taxes'. It was about then I discovered this site and the concept of accruing more points and flying J becoming a possibility. So I started saving up for the 512k (2 x256) whilst continuing to learn more and soon enough started applying for a few credit cards and upping my target to 560k for the one world award holiday of a lifetime

Mrs Nick just sighs and rolls her eyes re my antics but since then we've done the big 280k award, upgraded to F Syd to LA, booked a J RTN Syd to DFW for later this year, a few domestic and across the ditch trips in J and now wouldn't consider flying Y on any long haul trip. And though my point earning capacity will reduce over the next few years, we still have a couple of million points to help us for a little while yet

So in summary my target kept moving and there probably isn't one anymore, just keep trying to earn and use getting the best value I can. Hopefully a mixture of cash flights and points bookings will keep us up front for the next decade or two. Still learning but it's been a great ride over the last few years.

 

[Denali]

Took approx. 18mths but we currently have more than enough points for 2 x SQ Suites or EY Apartment return for a trip to Europe but hubby says not yet - I think hes addicted to the balance and making it go higher and when I do pull the trigger, we'll go J so that will lessen his points-loss-anxiety.

It was 2yrs ago that I used points to upgrade on long haul flights and surprised him on checkin at the airport with the news - did I mention that he has me as authority on his accounts so I can do what I want with them Since then all our seats have been J due to points.

 

[travelislife]

Yeah my big one was aiming to get 2 x 280k in QF for an around the world in J for our honeymoon. That took me probably 2.5 years to accumulate through some work flights, CC sign on bonuses and general spend. Well we did that trip over December/January and it was awesome. In the meantime I have also got stuck in to Blue Diamond Miles, US Airways Dividend Miles and Avianca Miles to essentially try and get business class travel for the price of economy.

Having gutted my QF account to near zero (used a 'leftover' 100k to get us to Japan to go skiing at the end of the year) I have now switched to Velocity with the aim to get to 500k balance which will allow another big trip to the US or Europe in business class. Sitting on a tad under 300k at the moment and will hopefully be pushing that number come the end of next year.

 

[Doctore1003]

I've only been in this game for a couple of years and, like many others, have also had that feeling of "omg why didn't I do this sooner"?

Last September I set myself the goal of earning 500k QF points in 12 months. I did it in 7.

Unfortunately this earn rate can't be sustained as it involved 5 credit card sign-ups, with the most recent one almost not being approved. I have to let my credit score recover. In addition we are unlikely to see such generous bonuses with the reduction in interchange fees being implemented.

I use every trick I can to earn points. Being a wine lover helps (epiqure - 70k points in last 12 months ) as well as fashion and other online shopping (Asos and DJs through qantas mall - 30k points). Plus always use promos like QF gift vouchers for 5/10 ppd and qantas hotels (got 20k last night using the 9ppd promo for USA accommodation later this year). Actual flying over the past 12 months has earned 32k.

I'm aiming to build up to a balance of 1 million and then maintain it more or less, with redemptions being at least one international holiday in J each year, and a handful of domestic (PER-MEL) J upgrades, for me and my partner.

 

[AnnaB]

I use every trick I can to earn points. Being a wine lover helps (epiqure - 70k points in last 12 months ) as well as fashion and other online shopping (Asos and DJs through qantas mall - 30k points). Plus always use promos like QF gift vouchers for 5/10 ppd and qantas hotels (got 20k last night using the 9ppd promo for USA accommodation later this year).

I just found the Velocity eBay link :shock: Why did I not see this one earlier?? Could have earned a fortune, open 24/7 and accepts all major credit cards

 

[wombatpatties]

I am a plodder, just basic spending really! buy as much as possible by credit card (ANZ QFF) have received 2 flights, and on the way for a third.
My father is residing in a nursing home, BUT he likes his smokes and aero magazines, so I score these extra points with his shopping list., as I
am his POA, so everything is all above board and legal!
Nice one Dad, thanks, but I would love to have my father back as I remember him any day.

 

[v1nce007]

I'm aiming for 420k to do a OneWorld Award in F. I have just hit 400k which has taken me about 2 years, with maybe 100k burnt in J upgrades during this time. So about 20k to go to reach my target (plus a few extra to cover change fees) so I'm almost there.

My mates make fun of me for my obsession with factoring in a points earn consideration on every purchase I make, but I guess I'll be the one laughing as I fly around the world in F soon.

 

[Denali]

.....
My mates make fun of me for my obsession with factoring in a points earn consideration on every purchase ......

My husband and I are planning on knocking down/rebuilding our home.

His dilemma is not the budget or upgrades, its that we will have to cancel our electricity agreement with Lumo and no longer get Velocity points. Even when we resign/move back in, apparently the deal is no longer available and hes upset about that. Hes already told me we wont be resigning with Foxtel until there is a points deal on :shock:

 

[blackcat20]

Took me a while to earn the first 100k, as I had no idea about credit card bonuses, but once I was on that train (and Aquire), its been quite easy to earn that many quite quickly (and burn them just as fast). I've pulled in about 200k in the last 12 months.

 

[harvyk]

As an earner / burner I don't really have points targets.
I'll typically use them when I'm able to for upgrades, however I do every so often purchase a classic award with them directly.
I tend to look at my points balance as a "what can I do with this" type deal rather than a "if I had 250,000 I can do that".

 

[medhead]

Burning is the problem. Currently saving for 400000 QF points, and I'm on my highest point total ever - 380000-ish. +50000 Aquire. Should have 400000 in the account by mid-july.
Now, since 2010 I've collected 2,000,000 qantas points.

 

[psi999]

Burning is the problem.

^This. Was able to use 380k (VFF) earlier this year with a couple of last minute business return trips to LAX but still rolling 1.15M with nothing on the horizon.

About 18 months for 1.5M VFF, QFF pesos before that.

Points initially collected for Y (!) class redemption's but have obviously now developed J class tastes and wouldn't bother redeeming for anything less.

 

[masterpabu]

It still fascinates me to see people accumulating millions of points! That's the dream! (for me anyway!)
I'm still quite new to the game, managed to earn about 110,000 VFF points in a year - 2 credit card sign ups, online shopping bonuses, using Amex for everything wherever possible. I did a trip to the UK last year with Etihad but silly enough to not credit the miles to VFF :-|
I'm still merely a student/part-time worker so once I make some real money I plan to take advantage of a few more cc sign up bonuses.

Goal is to get enough points to get my first step into J
I'm planning a trip back to Europe again later this year and would love to fly J with Singapore, probably on the trip home LHR-SIN-SYD, fingers crossed the waitlist clears! the frugality in me feels uneasy burning all the points on it, but I think I deserve a little luxury