Are the days of Points collecting over?

[SYD]

I have never been able to relate to this. You go on a family holiday but split up for 24-36 hours each way just so you can sit in a business class seat for a few hours. I would have thought the logistics, additional hotel costs and time wasted would negate the benefits. Not to mention you miss out on the shared experience and memories of everyone sitting in economy together.

I suspect quite a few young families with say 2x kids are quite happy to use their points for whY seats (or PE if available).

Maybe not the greatest points value but still a decent option. The challenge for the regular flyer(s) in the family they are probably used to J flying (at company expense) and can’t quite bring themselves to slum it…

 

[SOPOOR]

Given that you can't get EK F or J out of Australia from March onwards next year, I suspect that will hit soon

What's happening to ek?

 

[SYD]

What's happening to ek?

No one knows.

Apart from NZ, pretty much nothing in/out of Oz after Feb/Mar 2026 (varies by port) - there are a few random dates in May (from memory).

But QFF can still book flights originating from other zones/countries….but F seats went AWOL (again, other than CHC).

 

[lovestotravel]

What's happening to ek?

Thread on it here Qantas - Emirates Award flight Discussion

Short version, EK Australia to DXB flights in F and J stopped being available as a QF award seat from Mid July 25. So the last release of seats was up to Mid March 2026, and they have slowly been booked and now the last lot of F and J and even Y is Feb 2026.

Plenty of seats, up to 8 J's when booking with EK points with EIK, but they are not being made available to QF.

It's been 2 months and the issue hasn't been fixed so I suspect it's a permament enhancment.

Getting F on other routes is now also an issue and even getting J on other routs is very much limited compared to before.

Qantas Actively Blocking Some Emirates First Class Awards? covered it briefly, but without any actual update

The last 2 months I've stopped collecting QF points, except for a recent Woolies shop, as if I can't use them EK they are pointless to me

 

[SOPOOR]

Thread on it here Qantas - Emirates Award flight Discussion

Short version, EK Australia to DXB flights in F and J stopped being available as a QF award seat from Mid July 25. So the last release of seats was up to Mid March 2026, and they have slowly been booked and now the last lot of F and J and even Y is Feb 2026.

Plenty of seats, up to 8 J's when booking with EK points with EIK, but they are not being made available to QF.

It's been 2 months and the issue hasn't been fixed so I suspect it's a permament enhancment.

Getting F on other routes is now also an issue and even getting J on other routs is very much limited compared to before.

Qantas Actively Blocking Some Emirates First Class Awards? covered it briefly, but without any actual update

The last 2 months I've stopped collecting QF points, except for a recent Woolies shop, as if I can't use them EK they are pointless to me

Ive said it somewhere else before but I did my first and last emirates flight in J/F last year. Was absolutely mortified by the surcharges/taxes. I tried everything to get out of it or reduce it. But no luck.

Ended up changing from return to paying $1800 surcharges for one way,
Emptied out the emirates account and will never use them again

 

[Happy Dude]

Don't forget that EK now also limits F awards to its own elites, meaning that transferring credit card points to EK without Skywards status there has limited use. Another nail in my FFP coffin.

 

[NoName]

I have never been able to relate to this. You go on a family holiday but split up for 24-36 hours each way just so you can sit in a business class seat for a few hours. I would have thought the logistics, additional hotel costs and time wasted would negate the benefits. Not to mention you miss out on the shared experience and memories of everyone sitting in economy together.

Who says there are additional hotel costs or wasted time? On both occasions we have split up on different flights we have departed and arrived at the same port within a couple of hours of each other. Plus inflight wifi keeps us connected and communicating. And we’ve done enough trips all together in J to know what the experience is. There’s no need to share it.

Each to their own though. If you don’t want to be split up and instead prefer to feel like garbage for a period of time after needing to be removed from your economy seat with a giant shoe horn then that’s totally ok.

 

[SOPOOR]

Don't forget that EK now also limits F awards to its own elites, meaning that transferring credit card points to EK without Skywards status there has limited use. Another nail in my FFP coffin.

I saw the video of the ceo/top person gloat about how many members they had when questioned about these surcharges,
maybe the surcharges make up a small proportion of their profits, or they dont care , and its an exclusive image they want,
but I dont think me boycotting them will have any impact, although I wish i did

 

[bashworth]

For me points collecting is not as good as before but still well worth doing. . . and I don't use the credit card if there is a surcharge.
Pre Covid I was typically getting two International return flights on points every year.
When travelling resumed there were too many people with points and not enough flights so I used 200,000 Q points to save $2,000 on a holiday in India.
Now it looks like I'm getting around the equivalent of a couple of international return flight every couple of years. (this year I spent points on a business upgrade Manila to Sydney and 2 one way flights Jetstar business Singapore - Melbourne. Next year it will be business JoBurg-Hong Kong- Melbourne for my wife and I)

 

[dajop]

Who says there are additional hotel costs or wasted time? On both occasions we have split up on different flights we have departed and arrived at the same port within a couple of hours of each other.

We've done it on many occasions. In fact a couple of times, we've flown into LHR (from SIN) separately on TG and SQ, arriving at 7pm, basically within minutes of each other. In fact last time we did it, I flew in on TG and as we moved off the runway after landing, I looked out the window to see SQ landing. I arrived at the carousels first, picked up my suitcase, went to the SQ carousel, picked up his suitcase, and a minute later he emerged from immigration and we left the airport together as if we'd been on the same flight.

The various reasons we've done this include award availability, or one on work travel and the other joining for leisure (or WFH), or various other reasons. Even when we're travelling together, particularly in business, we do interact a bit during meals, but often have our own routines around watching entertainment, sleeping etc. so it's no big deal. Main exception I'd say is when we have the novelty of an F award on day time flights, it's best enjoyed together!

 

[MelbFlyer]

whY seats (or PE if available)

Honestly for me moving forward, if I can just avoid regular Economy (short flights like MEL to SYD/BNE etc is fine though), that's the job of my points done then and there.

As much as we'd all love to travel in business or higher, it's not always possible, so I've resigned to the fact that Premium Economy (where available) is good enough.

ie. I'm thinking of a trip to the US sometime in the near future - if I can't find business seats but there are PE seats I'd be fine with that.

We've had it good for the past number of years but with the increase in social media / awareness and constant devaluations both from cards and airlines, it's just going to get harder and harder to score those elusive reward seats.

 

[I love to travel]

Whilst(hoipefully) it is not my farewell as I still have some points lying around in QF and Aeroplan, just booked, all in J, BNE - DOH (VA wet lease) - CDG, stopover for 19 days - IAD for 120,000 areoplan points. Including taxes $3100 as I purchased points. Still an absolute bargain. Coming home even better EWR - SIN, 9 day stopvoer - BNE, $2300. That round the world in business would be a lot more than that to buy outright!!

I think that the days of getting cheap business class affairs are almost over, but not quite. So very much harder though. The one thing I do not lose sight of those is the incredible value and experiences I have had since I started playing in 2015. First class, multiple times across multiple airlines and too many business class airlines to list. Most people never get to experience these things and for that, I am grateful

 

[SYD]

Honestly for me moving forward, if I can just avoid regular Economy (short flights like MEL to SYD/BNE etc is fine though), that's the job of my points done then and there.

As much as we'd all love to travel in business or higher, it's not always possible, so I've resigned to the fact that Premium Economy (where available) is good enough.

ie. I'm thinking of a trip to the US sometime in the near future - if I can't find business seats but there are PE seats I'd be fine with that.

We've had it good for the past number of years but with the increase in social media / awareness and constant devaluations both from cards and airlines, it's just going to get harder and harder to score those elusive reward seats.

Keep an eye on FJ to the USA but book on the day they open!