500,000 Velocity points Brisbane to Rome?

[ozjuice]

Can anyone offer any suggestions or experience on the best use of 500000 points to get 2 x J or better tickers to Rome and back?

Seems that converting to SQ is rather costly in points and looking around maybe i am better using it as a flight cost plus upgrade use.

Hopefully someone has done similar in the past.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Can anyone offer any suggestions or experience on the best use of 500000 points to get 2 x J or better tickers to Rome and back?

Seems that converting to SQ is rather costly in points and looking around maybe i am better using it as a flight cost plus upgrade use.

Hopefully someone has done similar in the past.

Why not just book direct on VA site flying EY 139000 points each way per person.... close enough to 500k

 

[deva22]

Why not just book direct on VA site flying EY 139000 points each way per person.... close enough to 500k

View attachment 101005

Because "[FONT=&amp]All Reward Seat bookings on Etihad Airways operated flights made from 18 June 2016 will incur an Etihad Airways Reward Seat Carrier Charge.[/FONT][FONT=&amp]A charge of US$50 in Economy, US$205 in Business and US$300 in First Class will be applicable per flight sector for both adults and children."

You're better off trying to find SQ availability on the VA site and book from there. May not be easy to find though... Depends how far in advance you're trying to book, if you're right on the release date cusp availability is OK [/FONT]

 

[ozjuice]

i actually have been looking via the VA site and have found both SQ & EY flights as we are flexible with dates. Points end up exactly the same but the EY booking is $1200 Taxes compared to SQ $200. This would save converting points.

Also not sure about the hard product of SQ after a little bit of research. Perhaps dated? But that's also where i welcome advice.

 

[deva22]

i actually have been looking via the VA site and have found both SQ & EY flights as we are flexible with dates. Points end up exactly the same but the EY booking is $1200 Taxes compared to SQ $200. This would save converting points.

Also not sure about the hard product of SQ after a little bit of research. Perhaps dated? But that's also where i welcome advice.

Just did AUS - EU return on SQ.
Got the 333 BNE>SIN, yes dated hard product (angle lie flat), but soft product amazing.
Got the 359 SIN>DUS, fantastic hard product! soft product equally good.
Got the 77W MUC>SIN, fantastic hard product! soft product equally good.
Got the 772 SIN>BNE, dated hard product, but slightly better than the A330.

It seems you'd get a similar experience, as SQ now fly the 359 to FCO.

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Because "[FONT=&amp]All Reward Seat bookings on Etihad Airways operated flights made from 18 June 2016 will incur an Etihad Airways Reward Seat Carrier Charge.[/FONT][FONT=&amp]A charge of US$50 in Economy, US$205 in Business and US$300 in First Class will be applicable per flight sector for both adults and children."

You're better off trying to find SQ availability on the VA site and book from there. May not be easy to find though... Depends how far in advance you're trying to book, if you're right on the release date cusp availability is OK [/FONT]

to clarify...The price quoted in my post includes fees and taxes.. 139000 + $638.97...

You can try and find SQ seats...105000 KF ( 141750 VA points if you transfer to KF = 105,000 ) plus about $98 in taxes per person

Or as deva22 suggests, find SQ availability on VA and book...Screen shot below



Comes down to availability... 1 method is more available and more $$ vs less available and less $$ and whether you prefer the airline as well

 

[ozjuice]

Well if booking via VA is the same points cost and EY is $1000 more in taxes, it really comes down to product.

I really didn't want to snag a reward flight like this and then learn there's better ways.

So would love feedback on what's the best product. $1000 dollars is a fair amount but is it a better product than SQ?

 

[CJEMNMAC]

Well if booking via VA is the same points cost and EY is $1000 more in taxes, it really comes down to product.

I really didn't want to snag a reward flight like this and then learn there's better ways.

So would love feedback on what's the best product. $1000 dollars is a fair amount but is it a better product than SQ?

Good question.. obviously we all spend different and appreciate different things.. I actually like both very much and for me $$ is not the be all and end all of the decision.

If you are asking is EY $1000 better than SQ then I do not think so.( purely from a money perspective ). You can put the extra taxes you saved toward your holiday..

Hope you find the flights you need and enjoy, I doubt you will be disappointed with either

 

[scwappy]

Well if booking via VA is the same points cost and EY is $1000 more in taxes, it really comes down to product.

I really didn't want to snag a reward flight like this and then learn there's better ways.

So would love feedback on what's the best product. $1000 dollars is a fair amount but is it a better product than SQ?

Only you can decide. They are both in the top 5 IMHO. Maybe go one way the SQ and the other EY? If money was not an issue I would choose EY, but as it is a factor I would choose SQ.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Only you can decide. They are both in the top 5 IMHO. Maybe go one way the SQ and the other EY? If money was not an issue I would choose EY, but as it is a factor I would choose SQ.

Our EY flights to Europe at Christmas were excellent. If you have VA status you'll have much better lounge access in AUH. First lounge for us was incredible.

I've read a lot of reviews - I think SQ is generally a more consistent service level, but when EY are good they are great.

Our next flights are still booked with SQ as for me the $1000 is better put towards the holiday.

 

[bwhouse]

Personally, I would shell out the EY booking fee for J when SQ is the same amount of points. If you really wanted to try EY Apartments then the booking fee may be worth it. But it is a personal preference thing.

 

[ozjuice]

So i already have EY tickets booked for November to the Seychelles and therefore decided on SQ for this trip. So far i have booked it BNE to Rome and am 2000 points short of return. Hopefully my dates are still there when i have the points. Plus...i hope i like the SQ product as it's cleaned me out.

 

[deva22]

So i already have EY tickets booked for November to the Seychelles and therefore decided on SQ for this trip. So far i have booked it BNE to Rome and am 2000 points short of return. Hopefully my dates are still there when i have the points. Plus...i hope i like the SQ product as it's cleaned me out.

Transfer some flybuys? Sign up for e-rewards if you haven't already? Transfer some money onto your global wallet and use it to pay for bills? Prepay some health insurance on a points earning card? Buy a bunch of Coles/Myer Group gift cards from coles (so you can get flybuys too) to pre-pay your groceries for a while?

Just some thoughts

 

[Lemon_Party]

Lalithwaites Wines had a 1000 point new customer bonus. I tried a mixed case for a couple hundred $$ and think ended up around 1400 points or so.

Wine was pretty average but points posted quickly...

 

[bwhouse]

So i already have EY tickets booked for November to the Seychelles and therefore decided on SQ for this trip. So far i have booked it BNE to Rome and am 2000 points short of return. Hopefully my dates are still there when i have the points. Plus...i hope i like the SQ product as it's cleaned me out.

2000 points is only $68 via the top up system. If you can see availability now, I would personally shell out the $68 and book right away rather than risk it.

 

[Denali]

So i already have EY tickets booked for November to the Seychelles and therefore decided on SQ for this trip. So far i have booked it BNE to Rome and am 2000 points short of return. Hopefully my dates are still there when i have the points. Plus...i hope i like the SQ product as it's cleaned me out.

Cant you top up by buying points if you are just short?

Our EY flights to Europe at Christmas were excellent. If you have VA status you'll have much better lounge access in AUH. First lounge for us was incredible.

How long was your layover? Ours is 2.5hrs and wasnt going to bother with the lounge.

 

[Lemon_Party]

How long was your layover? Ours is 2.5hrs and wasnt going to bother with the lounge.

From memory about 2 hours on the way out, maybe a little more. Had enough time to try one or two plates and have a relax. It really depends on incoming security - on the first leg there was almost no queues at the scanners, we actually got an aerobridge (think AUH uses mainly bus gates) and would have been in the lounge within 10 minutes from arriving at gate.

The way back we had 2 nights in Dubai visiting friends so arrived maybe 3.5 hours early and did the tasting menu, wine tasting, coughtails, cigar lounge etc etc. Its the only F lounge I've been too, and while a little formal, it was very impressive.

 

[ozjuice]

I have pretty much scraped my barrel for points but also still waiting on my Amex points transfer and some hotel points to get me close by 2000. Once i get those i will look at the points top up which i totally forgot about. Already a Lathwaites member!