200K points, Bronze status....! What to do.

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occxlr8ed

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Feb 28, 2014
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Situation is, we plan to go to the USA (from Melbourne) in April/May 2015 and i hope to somehow use these points unless people recommend i save them for something else?

I now have collected, 194,402 points, on a Bronze membership....

What should I do with these points? My partner has 0 points.

I understand that say booking a normal fare Mel-LAX and trying to upgrade to business with points is pretty much like the lottery for me because of my Bronze status so i'll put that out of the question. We should like to travel business somehow using the points though....!

I've heard that maybe booking a flight to Fiji with points for two then paying cash for flights from there would be an option?

Any thoughts be welcome.

Cheers
 
Seems like you want to fly premium?

I would try to get the outbound flight in Business Class, say MEL-LAX at 96k per person. I know it will be hard to find two seats but I'd give that a try first.

I would make my way home paying cash and the cheapest way I see it, is coming home via Honolulu with JQ.

My personal preference is that if I can't fly the returns in business class, I would prefer to fly the outbound in premium and start the trip on a positive, then slum it on the way home and straight into my bed for recovery.
 
That could be the way to do it. Those damn taxes though still.

Yeah usually we'd be fine on cattle class to Asia etc. but this huge trip and our anniversary makes for the reason for an upgrade.
 
Possible to churn 1, 2 or a few credit card sign up offers to top up the balance?

How about sign up to an overseas FF Program (say AA's), buy points and book through them into QF J to come home?
 
I would buy some Alaska points and use it for Y+ to LAX ( J is impossible to get), then coming back I would use qantas points. You can book direct but If you want to reduce the taxes, try Fiji airways. You can even have a stop over in Fiji on the way back, then from NAN, if you live on the east coast, you can route if through AKL and try EK J.
 
Possible to churn 1, 2 or a few credit card sign up offers to top up the balance?

How about sign up to an overseas FF Program (say AA's), buy points and book through them into QF J to come home?

Yeah struggling to find 2 business seats via points during mar/april!

Could possibly get another 50k points!?

Is that a cheaper way of getting a flight back?
 
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@Seritonin

Sorry, where would I route through AKL? LAX-NAN-AKL-MEL?

LAX-NAN-MEL on J ticket works, only ~$260 in fees for two too!! Guess we will have to decide if we want a stop over there as well.

Could you explain using Alaska Miles, what's the advantage over just paying cash?!

Is there a thread highlighting the best CC's with the best bonus points atm?

Thanks for the help!
 
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Not the ideal, would you be willing to pay for the trip with cash or card, and use the points to get QF Hotel rewards.
As a NB (Bronze), QF is not all that interested in you, if you were PS (Silver) with that balance, they would be bit more helpful, even give you one lounge access internationally too. SG (Gold) now you are talking.
If I were in your shoes/spot, I would go and use the points for free or lower cost hotel nights.
But as I have not done it, the trip you plan, my fluff is up to you to accept or not.
Just a suggestion.
If you can add a bit more of points, granted that the points needed per night is quite a lot, but hey, what an experience to stay in HNL at hotels like these...
Search results for Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America | Qantas hotels
 
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NAN-MEL on Fiji Airways is not on their new a330.. So not the best J seats, from memory there's too long if a transit time between LAX-NAN and NAN-MEL, you might as well stop in Fiji. They fly A330 to AKL & SYD, just search for award flights NAN-MEL and if you are lucky you might get the emirates connection.

Alaska points might not work for you as QF availability is pretty scarce if not booked well, well in advance...
I would look at credit card bonus for velocity points and book VA. I personally think Velocity points are worth more than QF especially to the US as it's easy to find award flights and great partner like Virgin America & Delta(not so much)...
 
Not the ideal, would you be willing to pay for the trip with cash or card, and use the points to get QF Hotel rewards.
As a NB (Bronze), QF is not all that interested in you, if you were PS (Silver) with that balance, they would be bit more helpful, even give you one lounge access internationally too. SG (Gold) now you are talking.
If I were in your shoes/spot, I would go and use the points for free or lower cost hotel nights.
But as I have not done it, the trip you plan, my fluff is up to you to accept or not.
Just a suggestion.
If you can add a bit more of points, granted that the points needed per night is quite a lot, but hey, what an experience to stay in HNL at hotels like these...
Search results for Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America | Qantas hotels

Business Class flights are a far better return than hotel nights even for Bronze QFFs
 
I've done a quick search and it seems hotel bookings with points aren't of much value.
I've also found JFK-MEL J flights for two, for a bit more points than i have though. That could work if we make our itinerary end in NY.
Maybe i'm better off saving the points for a Europe flight in the future?!
I also get priority pass with AMEX Platinum so hopefully that covers some lounge access!
 
Not the ideal, would you be willing to pay for the trip with cash or card, and use the points to get QF Hotel rewards.
As a NB (Bronze), QF is not all that interested in you, if you were PS (Silver) with that balance, they would be bit more helpful, even give you one lounge access internationally too. SG (Gold) now you are talking.
If I were in your shoes/spot, I would go and use the points for free or lower cost hotel nights.
But as I have not done it, the trip you plan, my fluff is up to you to accept or not.
Just a suggestion.
If you can add a bit more of points, granted that the points needed per night is quite a lot, but hey, what an experience to stay in HNL at hotels like these...
Search results for Honolulu, Hawaii, United States of America | Qantas hotels
Hotels over premium cabin flights? That is a very poor value proposition.
 
I suppose it comes down to how often you fly now and into the future, and if that is how you accumulated your points .
Do you stockpile for that really big trip? Say buy one fare on points and the other with cash?
do you need or want a new CC that has a large points incentive to join, thus boosting our balance and your options?
Is here a family member with points that are not much use to them willing to transfer them to you?
 
Personally I fly every year on average, but never to USA/Europe etc.
Always have covered Asia, did Japan this year via Qantas.
Usually travel via budget airlines too.
Buying one fare on points is about ~$4500 for a J ticket one way MEL-JFK (since going via Fiji we're not on the A380 not much point?)
Better off trying to sign up to another CC.

Don't really need or want a new CC, but i can just cancel my current day to day CC for a big boost!?
 
The OP must get his/her points on card spend, ...
If I were to be able to get 200,000 points, I would be at least SG by now, or even a low WP.
This year, in my case, I will make at least 21,000 and get PS.
Back to the gist of the OP, granted, hotel stays will suck up all the points, and only get 4 nights out of it, seeing a lot of hotels are asking 45,000 per night!
Just a thought anyway.
 
Upgrades on QFi flights, though, as mentioned on here, is a lottery, as its not automatic.
If the OP used the points for 1 in party to go straight business, ie, not upgrade, it might be good, but upgrade on QF international, I certainly wouldnt do it.
Not knowing is the downside, not knowing if that upgrade is mine, or the OPs in the this case, till a week before flight, what happens if the upgrade does not go through. What a put down if that happened!
 
I think after much deliberation, i think i'll save the business class ticket for a Mel-London flight.
The flight Mel-LAX is 'only' 14Hours vs a 24hour flight Mel-London which for another 50k points i think is much more worth it!
Will think it over though.
 
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