A Thank You to the awesome AFF community! I'm starting a "Points Project"

[markis10]

Top up points is often dearer than points plus pay.

 

[cove]

Good thinking markis10. You have to check each way that's for sure.

 

[Anna]

You still need to keep in mind the cost of the commercial fare for the sector because the cost of buying points plus the hefty airline fees, charges plus taxes could mean that you may end up paying more than purchasing a retail ticket that would earn points & SC.

Exactly why the 'points project' I am just commencing is to stop bothering to earn them. Am ditching EDR and have switched to low fee or no fee, no FF point cc's. The money saved on cc fees and surcharges will go towards buying the fares I want that either I can't find award availability for or else the award taxes are ridiculous making it not worth it to use points.

I admit I probably wouldn't be doing this if I hadn't already got to LTG, or if QFi still flew ex ADL.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Exactly why the 'points project' I am just commencing is to stop bothering to earn them. Am ditching EDR and have switched to low fee or no fee, no FF point cc's. The money saved on cc fees and surcharges will go towards buying the fares I want that either I can't find award availability for or else the award taxes are ridiculous making it not worth it to use points.

I admit I probably wouldn't be doing this if I hadn't already got to LTG, or if QFi still flew ex ADL.

Each to their own. In my case I am an affirmed Points Runner, and it is way, way too lucrative to give up. though it also has other perks such as improving quality of travel, low ATM fees etc.

However in my case I view points as a very cheap way of gaining long-haul international flights in J or F.

I say "very cheap" as :
1/ Taxes and charges normally still have to be paid (though sometimes are low, or even $0.00)
2/ That normally there is some cost involves to acquire points in either money and/or time. However sometime like the current ANZ sign up for my wife and I you can gain 100,000 QFF points combined for 2 x 15 minute time periods to sign-up


I assess every purchase for value, and so do not blindly buy just to gain a point. For example I rarely by fruit and veg at Woolworths, and will forgo the 3 Amex points and 1 EDR point in favour of 1.25 Citibank point by shopping at my preferred green grocer who always has better produce, as well as being cheaper.

I include my time to acquire in this. But equally I value my time in ways to save cash. So for example I will not drive to the market for my meat and veg, where I know it would be cheaper because it would take me all up another hour or more of my time.

There are ways to super-charge ones points earn...if one is alert. ie my EDR averages 4 points per $ rather that 1 point per $1...with another 3 Amex points per $ on top of that.

My Amex Edge card for its yearly fee earns me a flight that I use that is worth more than the yearly fee PLUS 3 points per $ on a wide range of purchases beyond what you can get in the supermarkets PLUS bonus offers and discounts on top of that.

Yes sign on bonii can be attractive, but I deliberately only take the best. ie 50,000 for $0.00. 40,000 for $59 etc.

My Citibank Sig is free for live and earns high VISA points per $.

Points are out there for low cost. A lot of them. And I do not intend to give up flying internationally, at low cost, in J/F each year on holidays anytime soon. Long may it last!!!

PS: I rarely fly for work, or stay in work-paid accommodation, and only domestically when I do. Nor do I run a business that I can earn points through. For those that do, good luck to them as there are sorts of ways to earn points, and so the opportunities available is different for each of us. Tally ho!!!

 

[JessicaTam]

Exactly why the 'points project' I am just commencing is to stop bothering to earn them. Am ditching EDR and have switched to low fee or no fee, no FF point cc's. The money saved on cc fees and surcharges will go towards buying the fares I want that either I can't find award availability for or else the award taxes are ridiculous making it not worth it to use points.

I admit I probably wouldn't be doing this if I hadn't already got to LTG, or if QFi still flew ex ADL.

Whilst I am still collecting points, I am not as fervent as I was. I am buying them, however, with the likes of AA and LM more often.

 

[Anna]

in my case I view points as a very cheap way of gaining long-haul international flights in J or F.

That's the theory. I'm glad that it works in practice for you. In my case, I've been lucky to get my third preference for outbound flights and I've become very familiar with techniques of getting cheap one way fares due to the need to purchase the return journey when there is no award availability. I put 320,000 points through my QFF account in the last 12 months and every time I wanted to spend points it was a complete and utter PITA to find something approximating what I wanted to spend them on. For me, it is no longer worth the bother, especially when the taxes can be as much as the cost of a Y fare.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

That's the theory. I'm glad that it works in practice for you. In my case, I've been lucky to get my third preference for outbound flights and I've become very familiar with techniques of getting cheap one way fares due to the need to purchase the return journey when there is no award availability. I put 320,000 points through my QFF account in the last 12 months and every time I wanted to spend points it was a complete and utter PITA to find something approximating what I wanted to spend them on. For me, it is no longer worth the bother, especially when the taxes can be as much as the cost of a Y fare.

Well I do agree that better availability would be preferred. However I can mainly get where I want to go. Though it does help that I often, but not always, book early.

Well my main tips to you would be:

* Do not just think one airline FF program (and in particular not QFF which has very poor availability).

* And within each airline FF program that you are in, think Alliance Awards and Partner Airline Awards.

* Be open to using one airline program in one direction and, another for the return.

* Have CC's that provide a good choice of airline to move points to (which again can open up yet again more airlines through Partner Awards/Alliances) ( I currently have points at Amex, Citibank and Westpac)

Strategically organising who you acquire points with will greatly increases the availability of possible flight redemptions.

ie over the last several years some of holiday redemptions have included
Booking a VA reward via SQ as a partner Award for MEL_CNS was half the points cost of VA direct, plus with no taxes.

Flew a family of 5 in J to coughet, booked only months out over Xmas Holidays, by booking via SQ on Thai there, and on SQ back.

Have just booked QR via QFF to get to Africa in J.

Have booked Egypt Air, SAA, Thai all through SQ

SQ for many redemptions including Saver Suites.

BA direct for flights around Europe (and with a bonus that points did not deduct and so was also able to book a hotel in London for 4 nights for free ...and one rare Y flight on Niki for Vienna to Barcelona.

Choosing were you put your points in a diversified way also allows one to magnify the most attractive earn, as well as burn opportunities in terms of not just point cost, but also increases availability and destination choice.

 

[JohnK]

Exactly why the 'points project' I am just commencing is to stop bothering to earn them. Am ditching EDR and have switched to low fee or no fee, no FF point cc's. The money saved on cc fees and surcharges will go towards buying the fares I want that either I can't find award availability for or else the award taxes are ridiculous making it not worth it to use points.

Everyday Rewards the credit card or the shopping offers?

With the help of mum, dad and my brother we have earned ~100,000 QFF points in 3 years. Almost enough for a business class return to SE Asia + ~$500 in taxes and surcharges. Has not taken a lot of effort although sometimes mum gets angry with me but then when it is time to shop again the week after she is asking me the bonus points offers of the week.

 

[burmans]

Well my main tips to you would be:

* Do not just think one airline FF program (and in particular not QFF which has very poor availability).

Exactly what I thought when I saw Anna's comment! Poor availability and requires a high no of points, you must only be looking at Qantas.

 

[Janeski]

Burmans & Lovetravellingoz
I'm with Velocity as well and points chasing there too.. so you think there are other programs that would work well to get the points and/or flights???

 

[casanovawa]

Depending on your dates I can see how the 4 of you might be able to get over there for about $1,700 cash, then all these QF points and Virgin could get you your return flights...

Might be a more manageable propsect to achieve it in 6 months...

 

[Marsonline]

$1,700 for 4?

I think for Janeski getting 4 seats is probably harder than collecting the points...

Depending on your dates I can see how the 4 of you might be able to get over there for about $1,700 cash, then all these QF points and Virgin could get you your return flights...

Might be a more manageable propsect to achieve it in 6 months...

 

[Janeski]

I'm assuming this $1700 is one way for 4?? That seems amazing... Cheapest I've seen is Qantas' current sale for approx $1200 one way to LA. Again I agree hardest part is going to be getting 4 seats!! But this project is mostly about how quickly I can accumulate points

$1,700 for 4?

I think for Janeski getting 4 seats is probably harder than collecting the points...