here's an idea out of left field, to help fill seats

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ozfflyer

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ok today Virgin emailed flash sale which included $899 return to LAX in January school holidays.

The perception being put out by media & other destinations, is USA is expensive, when it's not.

They need to highlight how cheap USA is.

I'm specifically interested in skiing & in Colorado, which is cheaper than ever. You need 11,800 velocity ff points to fly LAX/DEN direct or via SLC I think.

So instead of offering double frequent flyer points, why couldn't VA or any airline, say use your frequent flyer points before you earn them ?

In VA's case, in USA DL fly almost everywhere.

To my way of thinking $999 is as good as $899, so instead of having a sale of $899, make it $999 & include add on fares to DL destinations, in exchange for the ff pts you would earn + the extra $100 fare.
 
Pricing phycology is a really fascinating topic.

There is an airline I'm working with that uses astrology data to influence what pricing customers see in emails. Changing a number from a 2, to 3, can mean the difference between an email being opened or not. That opened email can lead to the customer booking the flight. The wrong number, and you'd never know that customer was interested.

Sri Lankan Airlines, for example, offer a miles credit system - where you effectively have an overdraft on your miles balance. Being able to spend more miles than you have in your account certainly has its benefits for both the airline and the loyalty program.

Add-on fares are nothing new and my understanding is that they're not that popular. As in - the perceived value to leisure travellers (who they're aimed at) is lost on them because those travellers don't have a concept of how much the (for eg) LAX-DEN fare would otherwise cost. Therefore most airlines tend to bundle the price into one and say DEN is $xx_x and JFK is $yyyyy.

One thing is for sure - $899 is a cracking fare to USA.

BTW: Happy 737th post :)
 
Using before earning is problematic as earn rates are tied to different booking classes - and airlines.

If they then added restrictions to usage after booking, which they'd need to, it would be both even more complicated programmatically, which then just leads to more time spent explaining to travel agents and customers why costs change if you need to rebook, plus the associated hassle of collecting that. i.e. it's not worth their while.

Plus since you're now redeeming points, you either have to create random FF capacity everywhere which shoots holes in both yield management and FF financial modelling (redemptions/utilisation) or you tie bookings into FF availability which makes booking itself even more problematic, and would likely discourage sales as fares are returned as not available through this option.

So definitely not worth the costs in this case.
 
The perception being put out by media & other destinations, is USA is expensive, when it's not.
AUD at a near 5 year low versus USD. That's not perception. That's reality!

I'm in the US around 4 to 5 times a year. Accommodation, food and things I normally stock up on like clothing is definitely more expensive given the weakness in the AUD.

They need to highlight how cheap USA is.

This just isn't true. 'Cheap is a relative' term. But clearly the AUD isn't worth what it has been.

And, in any case you've made these same points multiple times in other threads recently. Staring a new thread promoting the same message isn't going to mean you gain any more traction with your idea.
 
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AUD at a near 5 year low versus USD. That's not perception. That's reality!

I'm in the US around 4 to 5 times a year. Accommodation, food and things I normally stock up on like clothing is definitely more expensive given the weakness in the AUD.
that sort of headline, 5 year low is meaningless, but is what you see in the media. Average for past 8-10 months has been 70 cents. It's now 69 cents or 1 cent/1.5% off the average for last 8-10 months.

We go skiing a lot & it's now much much cheaper to ski in USA, than when AUD$1 = USd$1.

Much cheaper than Canada, when you compare apples with apples.

Am talking accommodation & lift tickets.

Not sure why, but many people seem to think they'll find cheap prices online.

Maybe they just believe the garbage advertising & don't bother to research.

Online prices are not cheap, just convenient. Online agents charge up to 25% commission or even more, so hotels that get a lot of bookings via online, put their prices up to cover higher commission costs.

Sometimes look online, but never very good ski holiday deals online.

AUD at a near 5 year low versus USD. That's not perception. That's reality!

I'm in the US around 4 to 5 times a year. Accommodation, food and things I normally stock up on like clothing is definitely more expensive given the weakness in the AUD.



This just isn't true. 'Cheap is a relative' term. But clearly the AUD isn't worth what it has been.
maybe you're coming online prices of hotels in USA, but they are aimed at americans. Australians don't have to pay those prices. We get it much cheaper than Americans do.

Not quite sure why some people don't get it. The market is segmented. There is no one price for a hotel room.

Australians on average stay longer than Americans. We do get much longer annual leave than most Americans.

If staying in a resort, you go out for 3 meals a day, you can rack up a big bill, but who does that.

AUD at a near 5 year low versus USD. That's not perception. That's reality!

I'm in the US around 4 to 5 times a year. Accommodation, food and things I normally stock up on like clothing is definitely more expensive given the weakness in the AUD.



This just isn't true. 'Cheap is a relative' term. But clearly the AUD isn't worth what it has been.
ok i give up, what don't you understand about USA being cheaper now, despite the exchange rate ? Resorts do adjust their pricing to Australians if our dollar drops.
 
How many threads do we have to have this same discussion in? It's getting out of hand. Can I suggest to mods we put all the discussions about the impact of the AUD on travelling to the US into one thread, not scattered and repeated all over the place.
 
How many threads do we have to have this same discussion in? It's getting out of hand. Can I suggest to mods we put all the discussions about the impact of the AUD on travelling to the US into one thread, not scattered and repeated all over the place.
ozflyer does make a valid point. Trying to sell airfares, without reference to the country where trying to give away fares to, is counter productive. Virgin should highlight all the things in USA that are much cheaper than in Australia or in other countries. Buying travel piecemeal, has never been the cheapest way to do it.
 
How many threads do we have to have this same discussion in? It's getting out of hand. Can I suggest to mods we put all the discussions about the impact of the AUD on travelling to the US into one thread, not scattered and repeated all over the place.
Agree. Same SPAM sales pitch from OP isn't gaining any traction, despite how many different threads it's posed in.
 
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ozflyer does make a valid point. Trying to sell airfares, without reference to the country where trying to give away fares to, is counter productive. Virgin should highlight all the things in USA that are much cheaper than in Australia or in other countries. Buying travel piecemeal, has never been the cheapest way to do it.
yes you seem to get it, but some others don't. Hotels often work out cheaper per night, the longer you stay, even online. You can even buy basic holiday packages online, which are usually just airfare & hotel, but anything more & it gets too complicated for computers.
 
ozflyer does make a valid point.

In this thread, I'm not arguing whether the point is valid or not. However, the very point has been discussed in at least 3 other threads, maybe even more, on a regular basis, and IMHO needs to be in a dedicated thread in the "Discussions Forum", not some discussion in QF/FJ threads, another in international travel deals subforum, then more of same in "VA routes cut" thread, and now a new day another repeat of same discussion in this thread. I didn't mention spam, others have, and I won't mention the "t" word, but that's what it feels like.
 
something very strange is going on here. It's almost like some people don't want to admit that online isn't cheapest. Get the feeling someone works for webjet who must be the worst online travel agent their outrageous claim of offering all options.

Let's get back on topic. Airlines certainly need to do something different, as current marketing is obviously not working. I always thought the word free works very well, rather than a race to the lowest price.
 
something very strange is going on here. It's almost like some people don't want to admit that online isn't cheapest. Get the feeling someone works for webjet who must be the worst online travel agent their outrageous claim of offering all options.

Let's get back on topic. Airlines certainly need to do something different, as current marketing is obviously not working. I always thought the word free works very well, rather than a race to the lowest price.



Your post history makes interesting reading. Again, not sure why the mods are allowing this. :rolleyes:
 
I've had a rather tempestuous relationship with the OP regarding the AUD/USD before. There was no winner.

There is such a significant degree of tension in the United States right now regarding tariffs/China/trade/immigration/gun laws - even the onset of the 2020 Elections. And until these conversations are resolved - I think the USA will remain a pipe dream for many Australians.

Our holiday in January is costing us more $$$ than ever before. I acknowledge that the Colorado snowfields (which I think is OP's favourite getaway) may have attractive options. I do concede the airfares quoted by @ozfflyer are pretty enticing.

BUT - I maintain my position that the USA is still financially out of reach for many Aussie travellers, nor does it offer the classic holiday romance that so many other destinations do. And unless VA wants to repeat the 2009 sub-$500 per person fares - I highly doubt $899 will change that fact.
 
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Not the only strange thing either. I've got a feeling some members are posting using multiple handles too 🤫
That does happen but I'm not sure that's happening with this thread. @ozflier makes some good points and it doesn't matter that there are multiple threads.

Similar things happening with golf in Thailand. AUD and most currencies are down against the THB. For quite a few years golf fees were increasing to ridiculous levels. They've now realised that golfers are not coming or going elsewhere and there are some very competitive golf rates in low season. Not uncommon to see THB1,200 or lower for green fee, caddy fee and cart on some top golf courses.

Of course hotels never learn or it appears that way and if tourist numbers are down they increase room rates.
 
yes you seem to get it, but some others don't. Hotels often work out cheaper per night, the longer you stay, even online. You can even buy basic holiday packages online, which are usually just airfare & hotel, but anything more & it gets too complicated for computers.

It might be the case that ski markets are cheaper now than before. But have you calculated the same for a family stay in Anaheim for Disneyland? With park tickets? How about the cost of four hotdogs and sodas once in the park? Have you priced a week in New York with Broadway shows, dinners and coughtails? how about shopping at Macy's or Century 21? Or a weekend in Las vegas? The Rocky Mountaineer railway? In a sleeping cabin?
 
It might be the case that ski markets are cheaper now than before. But have you calculated the same for a family stay in Anaheim for Disneyland? With park tickets? How about the cost of four hotdogs and sodas once in the park? Have you priced a week in New York with Broadway shows, dinners and coughtails? how about shopping at Macy's or Century 21? Or a weekend in Las vegas? The Rocky Mountaineer railway? In a sleeping cabin?

Great question. And one that I will answer with facts. $25k and counting for 3 weeks in LA and Anaheim. It doesn't include airfares either.
 
When I was in the US last September passing through Dallas and LA, I went clothing shopping and could only find a couple of pairs of shorts that were worth purchasing (pricewise).

A huge difference to a few years before when I bought an additional suitcase and filled both with bargains and saved hundreds over Aussie prices..
 
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