Are 70 SCs worth 120,000 FF points to keep WP?

[serfty]

...

And if you can stretch 120,000 points to being worth 3k like @serfty it's exceptionally poor value.

It's not so much I can't redeem at less than 2½¢ value out of a QFF point, it is more that I would avoid doing so.

MEL-LAX in U - $485 and 96K points is > 2½¢ value.
MEL-LAX in X - $250 and 45K points < 1¢ value

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

OK... Just rang my good friends at QF.. I think I might have gone through to an international call centre??
Anyway.. in summary.. I actually need 110SC. The 120,000 point offer is only offered to "valued" customers (i.e. they see that I have had WP status for 10+ years) and had a 48 hour expiry (was offered on Friday) but they are ok if I accept before COB today. Otherwise they cannot say whether or not I will be awarded WP based on their generosity.. they can only decide that when I don't make it on 30 September.
So... get the feeling they are really pushing the points offer and it's a gamble whether I keep WP otherwise.
I think the difficult thing is that logically I am not really sure what WP gets me in real terms.. And the FOMO might be my main driver.. as Juddles said the F lounge (particularly in LAX) is a joke... And with VAs new seat configuration in J (and direct flights MEL-LAX) I don't need to travel in F on QF just to get a flat bed and aisle access..
I think I will do nothing and see what happens.. If all else fails Mr Up is a QF loyalist so I can guest on his WP status when travelling together
I'll let you know what happens on the 30 September..

 

[BAM1748]

I'd do nothing, as you're LTG anyway there is no urgency for another 110SC.

Us the points and have a trip of your choosing not burn them for what exactly, Crown Larger instead of 150 Lashes.

Matt

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Been bumped to LTG.. 100 status credits short of retaining WP.

 

[QF WP]

@UpInTheAir:), well I'll have to come and commiserate with you next week when I'm in MEL...

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Off to PER next week.. will see if SG gets me a points upgrade..
QF just sent me an email offering me the chance to "bid" for my upgrade.. that didn't happen in WP land..
Oh well.. if I don't get upgrades with QF there's always VA

 

[QF WP]

Pity I'll miss you

Look at what AusBT put in their email today: Qantas now lets you buy Gold, Platinum status with points

Qantas' paid retention scheme appears to take the place of the complimentary status retention which has previously been extended to frequent flyers who fall just short of keeping Gold or Platinum, with their eligibility typically based on their average status credit tally over the past three years.

Looks they are looking to monetise anything that previously was "complimentary".

I see an AFF'er named in the article

 

[UpInTheAir:)]

Woohoo! Upgrade approved
So far life as SG not much different..

 

[Hvr]

Wasn't the joining fee waived previously for a short period when dropping from SG to PS?

80,000 points for Qantas Gold status is a pretty good deal considering that Qantas ‘sells’ Qantas Club membership for 78,000 points for one year, plus a 70,000-point joining fee (which they don’t waive when you drop from Gold to Silver)…

 

[teamhamsandwich]

Would 120,000 pts buy an ASA that earns 70 SC ?

That way you get to retain, and a trip for the points. Of course time/availability might be an issue.

The main benefit of retain is lower threshold for next year vs needing to reach the attain again.

Mel>Syd>Gold coast return in a day on flex for about 80,000 will get you 80sc.

 

[drron]

Mrsdrron got the 120000 points offer to retain WP today.
With the next 3 flights out of Australia in F and the next 4 QF domestic flights in J she would basically be giving away the points.By this time next year we will both be OWE anyway.

 

[drron]

Well the families romance with QFF is at an end.Mrsdrron officially now SG.As she is just 400 SC's from LTG there seems absolutely no point in keeping QFF as her main program as we now usually fly other OW airlines out of Australia and QFF is miserable earning on them.Have just to decide which program to credit to now.

 

[lae]

I have been Platinum for the last 6 years until last year when I missed by 200 SC and was "dropped" for 2017 to Gold.
Unfortunately whilst the start to 2017 was hectic flying wise due to personal reasons my flying over the past 6 months has been virtually zero so have not even made it to requalify for Gold FF status coming up 215 SC's short.

I received an email asking me to contact the FF centre to discuss my FF status and when I did they offered me the option to extend my Gold status for another year for 80,000 FF points.
By my reckoning that is equivalent to about 33 return flights BNE-SYD which at cheap Red-e deal fare would be in points earned around $8,000!!! (Happy to have my math corrected if needs be though)

Needless to say I told them that was ridiculous!!

I might say that I have been a QFF for 20 years,(since returning back to Australia after living overseas) and a Qantas Club member all that time with current Lifetime Silver status and should make Gold Lifetime within the next 12-18 months.

Not sure if Qantas have any concept of loyalty other than to shareholders and senior execs!!

 

[RichardMEL]

lae, would you have preferred they offered nothing?

While it could be argued that the previous year they could have comp'd you Plat based on the past years we have no way of knowing the exact situation based on what you've written. You then admit you dropped off QF flying for various years, dropping to Gold and then getting <400 SC tthis year. At least an offer was made to extend - and this seems to be the new system rather than comps which fine., is annoying to "lose" an unpublished benefit that previous existed, but this is the new world.

Were you expecting them to just renew you Gold again with nothing? Or is the price in points your quibble? Yes it's fairly high, but some people are points heavy and would see it as worthwhile. Maybe not for you.. it's a value equation for everyone and it will be different.

When the trend of your spend / SC earn has gone down for the past few years how does it look for them? You got under 2/3rds of the way to Gold requal and I'm not quite sure what you were expecting?

I may seem harsh in this response and perhaps I am being... there's got to be a line somewhere though no?

 

[lae]

lae, would you have preferred they offered nothing?

While it could be argued that the previous year they could have comp'd you Plat based on the past years we have no way of knowing the exact situation based on what you've written. You then admit you dropped off QF flying for various years, dropping to Gold and then getting <400 SC tthis year. At least an offer was made to extend - and this seems to be the new system rather than comps which fine., is annoying to "lose" an unpublished benefit that previous existed, but this is the new world.

Were you expecting them to just renew you Gold again with nothing? Or is the price in points your quibble? Yes it's fairly high, but some people are points heavy and would see it as worthwhile. Maybe not for you.. it's a value equation for everyone and it will be different.

When the trend of your spend / SC earn has gone down for the past few years how does it look for them? You got under 2/3rds of the way to Gold requal and I'm not quite sure what you were expecting?

I may seem harsh in this response and perhaps I am being... there's got to be a line somewhere though no?

Hi RichardMEL,

Don't have any issues with most of what you are saying (and will no doubt cough up for Qantas Club membership as a Silver QFF) and I guess my quibble is how Qantas FF determined 80K in QFF points as the requirement.
I do not have a credit card which gives me points, mine are all earned by flights so at my reckoning of $8k to accumulate the 80000 QFF points it does seem pretty steep.

Cheers,
Lae

 

[RichardMEL]

Fair enough Lee, but many people's situations are different.

I mean compare 80k points for the equivalent of 215 SC (which is what you are short of Gold requal) = 372 points/SC . Compared with the 583 points/SC for the 120k for 70 SC (per this thread) you're getting off better in that comparision!!!

QF has decided to put a price on retaining status and it's a choice you make depending on your situation.

Would I cough up 80k points for Gold? nah I'd have made up the SC's somehow (ignoring that I already have LTG of course) but that's me.

What would be your "price" for your gold requal? 50k? 30k?

Again, some members who fall this short are offered nothing....

 

[drron]

On the other hand whilst mrsdrron was WP we would buy Circle Asia fares in J or a DONE ticket and always using QF out of and into Australia.
Now there is no point.We can fly other OW airlines out of Australia and instead of the miserly SC earn on QF get qualifying points,miles in other programs that will allow both of us to regain OWE and hence the right to sit in the QF Flounge.
Yes mrsdrron fell 205 SCs short of requalifying last year and we weren't expecting a comp.Though in previous years with her normal SC earn of 1400-1600 SCs a year almost certainly would have given her a comp.

 

[mviy]

I do not have a credit card which gives me points, mine are all earned by flights so at my reckoning of $8k to accumulate the 80000 QFF points it does seem pretty steep.

Well if you have an income that allows you to get one they do make a lot of sense. Some have no annual fee for the first year, so you can get one of those, do the required spend and once the QFF points hit your frequent flyer account cancel the card. Indeed once you've done the required spend and paid it off you could cut up the card even before you get the points.

But each to his own.