(Accor) ALL the way to CGK and what the AFF community has shared with me

[Flyfrequently]

(Accor) ALL the way to CGK.....

Heading off on Sunday, and with all the well travelled folk out there with interesting and informative TR's that I enjoy reading, it is hard to make another Flop 'n Drop, Rinse 'n Repeat Birthday trip interesting!

But I do thank this community for being a wonderful resource of respectful and knowledgeable folk and thought I would share what I have learned.

The Flyfrequently family fell into QF in 1994 when a family trip to USA on Continental Airlines had us all become Qantas Frequent Flyers-geez so much younger then!

So why Jakarta this weekend.......

 

[Flyfrequently]

In the pre Covid years, I was fortunate enough to find dates and destinations for F flights to UK/Europe, mostly on Emirates.

Domestically and Asian holidays, I was slowly but steadily always accumulating points.
With the impending devaluation in September last year, it was time to burn a few points (edit August 5th 2025)
My plan was to head to UK/EU but fuel charges from here, were - well you all know that!
So, learning from the well travelled folk on this forum, head to Asia on points and find flights to further afield.

Manila and Jakarta popped up often, so for 57,000 points each and ~ $370 taxes each, locked in MEL- CGK return.
Done
Let's figure out the rest later!

 

[VPS]

Following along

 

[Flyfrequently]

After booking in August, I didn't think much about where we would go until we got back from Mr Flyfrequently's September birthday trip to Bali.

First on the agenda was sorting out a few medical issues that arose.
Eventually had 3 stints in hospital.
October and February were for removal of 2 SCC's that appeared rapidly (on lower left leg, right thigh Split Skin Graft and the other, right hand with Full Thickness Graft from wrist)
With a family history of Melanoma and my sun loving days, I never ignore what I think is just a pimple!

And December saw me requiring an interventional procedure for compressed nerve root.

All this time, I was researching and feeling less confident about the trip going ahead.

February DSC had also arrived and I booked flights to Singapore for August - methinks we'll use that as our starting point.

And we all then know what happened and Europe went out the window- remember I'm a catastrophiser!
Worked out "rinse and repeat" holidays were now in order.

Ok, let's keep this simple.
Back to Bali for my birthday - mix up the hotels and coughet for July/August as Melbourne can be bloody cold and miserable!

So, from knowledge gained here on AFF, Raffles Jakarta was on my radar as was Sofitel Nusa Dua, thanks @jase05 and others.

Thanks to AFF I also retained ALL + Explorer Platinum, putting my SNU's to good use for Sofitel and set myself up with a Fora agent( happy to share via DM)

By late April had locked in economy fares CGK-DPS return as they were prohibitively $$.
Boy did my sister,Party Aunty, hang it on me - but there is more to Party Aunty - and I can thank AFF for that too........

 

[jase05]

By late April had locked in economy fares CGK-DPS return as they were prohibitively $$.

Yeah and they severely cut back the number of A330’s on the route and when I priced CGK-DPS for the time and date I wanted it was only on the 737 and they wanted $820 each in J or $220 in Y.
We have STEP but still wasn’t keen to travel Y on a narrow body so did something way out of our comfort zone and booked Batik J for $230. Was surprisingly very good.
On the return flight I used QR Avios to book Garuda J tickets on the A330

 

[Flyfrequently]

Yeah and they severely cut back the number of A330’s on the route and when I priced CGK-DPS for the time and date I wanted it was only on the 737 and they wanted $820 each in J or $220 in Y.
We have STEP but still wasn’t keen to travel Y on a narrow body so did something way out of our comfort zone and booked Batik J for $230. Was surprisingly very good.
On the return flight I used QR Avios to book Garuda J tickets on the A330

Yep, the 737 J return was $1800 each initially but clearly no one buying it at that price @jase05
Might suss out Batik if it ever comes to pass again.

Went with 2 one ways in Y for ~AUD 200 each and put that on Westpac Platinum card for TI criteria spend as we have pre existing.

Time rolls on and copping plenty of flak from Party Aunty........
I didn't really fancy knees under my nose for 2 hours and decided to go for their Bid Upgrade - a WTH(eck) moment.

I figure Flyfrequently offspring will be ok when we cark it, so bid the lowest and it came through last night.
$345 each = total AUD 545 (about ~ $120-150 less than they are charging now for J and considerably less than $1800 each return, albeit still in Y for DPS-CGK)

My justification for this, it is pretty much what we are silly enough to pay for 2 hours on 737 J QF MEL-MCY on Christmas Day  YMMV

 

[Flyfrequently]

Qantas announced Lounge Pass gifting was going to change come 1 July with much chatter on AFF about this.
My sister, Party Aunty is usually the recipient of my passes and there was considerable discussion between the two of us of the "merits" of this enhancement.

I foolishly said "Well, now you'll never get to join me in the FLounge".............
never say never to Party Aunty!

About an hour later, she had managed to swing a week's leave and I get a screenshot of her QF booking MEL-SIN Sunday 7th June and a request for a pass for her JQ flight home.

Took a few days before I shared my +1 with Mr Flyfrequently.
Needless to say, just got an eye roll !

 

[Flyfrequently]

By March, I booked all my Accor ALL hotels as fully refundable should my April hand surgery not go to plan.

Locked in overnight at Ibis Styles Jakarta Airport followed by 5 nights Sofitel Nusa Dua, 6 nights Nusa Dua Beach Hotel and Spa rounding off with 2 nights at Raffles Jakarta.

Post surgery in April, time on my "hand" and with left hand one finger typing, I checked out the flights to DPS. They were quoted in IDR and found them to be ridiculously expensive - surely my conversion is incorrect?

I called the Garuda office in Sydney- nope $1800 each for J return was correct
Roger was very helpful, and for no extra fee, did the flexible Y bookings with seat selection over the phone and informed me that I would be eligible for "Bid Upgrade".

Ok hotels and flights sorted ........

Until May.
Along comes an Accor double rewards points offer - checked it out and prices were cheaper. Still handicapped, I talked Mr Flyfrequently through rebooking via the App on my phone.

Think he now has a better understanding of the planning that goes into these trips and all that I have learned, mostly via AFF, in gaining Platinum with Accor and QF