Credit Card v Cash

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Bizzee Travelling

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QF frequent flyer points or save money?

Greetings all, this is my first post on here and hope someone can answer my question, please.

We’re booked on Cathay Pacific, Brisbane - London return in Premium Economy (sorry I don’t yet know codes).

The cost is approximately $8,000 and I’m thinking of paying with my Westpac Earth Black credit card in order to score the QF frequent flyer points, notwithstanding I will incur a 1.5% surcharge.

My question therefore is;

Is it better to pay cash for the tickets and avoid the 1.5% surcharge or use my credit card to gain the frequent flyer points.

Advice greatly appreciated,

Thank you.

BT
 
The cost benefit re points is open for comment and will ultimately depend on how you plan to use the points.

However, the best reason to pay with credit card is the ability to 'charge back' if there is a problem. Also, the card may provide travel insurance. This is essential for any journey and should be purchased at the same time as the air fares.

Welcome aboard to AFF and may your stay be long and fruitful.
 
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Thanks Hvr. One of the reasons for joining this forum is to seek advice on the best way to use my points. I have >250k at the moment but trying to work out how to get the best return on those points isn’t an easy task. I’m going to enjoy reading comments from seasoned frequent flyer points users.
Cheers
 
Welcome to AFF.:)

It's really a personal choice. Are you actively accumulating FF points? Do you have a use in mind for them? If yes, use the card. If you are indifferent, then save the surcharge.

Do you regularly use your cc for general purposes? If yes, then the air fare shouldn't be much different.

Buying with cc sometimes had additional benefits such as recourse in charge back, Insurance etc but I'm not sure how relevant they are here.
 
Seeing your post above, I'd say definitely use the card, but it's an entirely different matter once you are overseas.

Make sure you get the 'right' card for that - but there are several threads already on that topic (28 degrees card etc)
 
The cost benefit re points is open for comment and will ultimately depend on how you plan to use the points.

However, the best reason to pay with credit card is the ability to 'charge back' if there is a problem. Also, the card may provide travel insurance. This is essential for any journey and should be purchased at the same time as the air fares.

Welcome aboard to AFF and may your stay be long and fruitful.
I agree with HVR in that the ability to charge back and have travel insurance are more of the reasons I pay with credit cards and incur the surcharge, rather then being able to earn FF points, although YMMV.
 
The surcharge is 1.01% (not 1.5%) capped at $70 per ticket - so assuming 2 adult tickets then this is $80.80 fee. You will earn 16,000 points (assumes 2 points per $, but this could be higher as usually bonus for Qantas spend) so cost is $0.005 cents per point - only you can decide if this is value.

However, you get insurance etc.
 
Is it better to pay cash for the tickets and avoid the 1.5% surcharge or use my credit card to gain the frequent flyer points.

I dare say that the Travel Insurance is going to cost you much more than the 1.5% surcharge, so take that into account too.

The FF points + Insurance together trump the international fee surcharge scam every time.
 
Lynda,

Thanks for your thoughts. I’m interested to know more about the credit card su
The surcharge is 1.01% (not 1.5%) capped at $70 per ticket - so assuming 2 adult tickets then this is $80.80 fee. You will earn 16,000 points (assumes 2 points per $, but this could be higher as usually bonus for Qantas spend) so cost is $0.005 cents per point - only you can decide if this is value.

However, you get insurance etc.
Hi Lynda,

Thank you for your advice. I’m interested to know more about the credit card surcharge cap, please. Is this something that’s regulated as I’m sure the travel agent told me there is a 1.5% surcharge? I’ve booked through STA Travel and plan to use my Westpac MasterCard.
 
Hi Bizzee sorry just assumed you were booking directly with Qantas, as they cap credit card surcharges per my post.

I never use travel agents to book, i usually book directly with airline and for accomodation direct with hotel (or its reward program) that dont impose cc surcharges.
 
Maybe the travel consultant will be more flexible on the surcharge if you bring it into question or are you booking via their website? Is there anything that they are providing in the deal that is exclusive to them-there are a lot of alternatives out there if you go direct and some highly recommended travel agents are members here
 
Lynda,

Thanks for your thoughts. I’m interested to know more about the credit card su

Hi Lynda,

I’ve booked through STA Travel and plan to use my Westpac MasterCard.

As you're going with STA, just check if you will accrue points for miles flown.
A family member booked & paid with them to Vancouver and I asked if they had supplied their membership number to accrue points. STA told them due to their low cost airfares they wouldn't accrue any miles. STA is aimed at students who don't care about miles, just getting there for the cheapest price... make of it what you will :)
 
As you're going with STA, just check if you will accrue points for miles flown.
A family member booked & paid with them to Vancouver and I asked if they had supplied their membership number to accrue points. STA told them due to their low cost airfares they wouldn't accrue any miles. STA is aimed at students who don't care about miles, just getting there for the cheapest price... make of it what you will :)

That would have had more to do with the fare class purchaed and the T&C's of the FF program than where it was purchased. If you'd bought the same fare direct it still wouldn't have earned points.
 
Perhaps STA go hunting those fares and therefore have lower prices?

OP should also check fare class then before payment
 
I'd pay by credit card for the convenience when paying for airfares.
 
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