Are Frequent Flyer Programs still worth the effort?

[concorde70]

With continued 'enhancements' and reduced reward availability are Frequent Flyer Programs still worth the effort?
These are usually the airlines most profitable business units because they are in effect unregulated and the airlines can do what they want with their programs, it borders on gambling, spend money and maybe you will get a "prize".
Qantas are no different than most other airlines with this, the recent devaluations as an example.

 

[burmans]

FF programs make money, a reasonable implication of this is that for most people the answer is that for most people, the answer is no.

There are a small number of people (eg most of those on AFF and some others) who yes, manage to do quite well out of the process. But I’d venture most of this group know why the answer to this is yes for them and also why/how they make it work.

If you don’t already know, the answer is probably no.

 

[CaptJCool]

FF programs make money, a reasonable implication of this is that for most people the answer is that for most people, the answer is no.

There are a small number of people (eg most of those on AFF and sone others) who yes, manage to do quite well out of the process. But I’d venture most of this group know why the answer to this is yes for them and also why/how they make it work.

If you don’t already know, the answer is probably no.

What AFF can avail us of is the 3 things

1. How to earn effectively when You are spending your OWN DIME

2. How to burn efficiently
(eg rewards flights for least points, choice of programs, upgrade opportunities)

3. How to pay “next to nothing” for any flying through a combination of Points Acquisition and subsequent Redemption strategies

Of course, there’s lots of levers to pull as a Frequent Flyer as well the progra.m itself can enhance or devalue the Earn & Burn…

 

[levelnine]

3. How to pay “next to nothing” for any flying through a combination of Points Acquisition and subsequent Redemption strategies

Not sure you pay 'next to nothing' for Qantas or Velocity long-haul flights in J/F given that award ticket carrier surcharges now run into the many hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars one way.

Still true for some programs (eg SQ, AA, AS), of course. Though there aren't many AFFers acquiring large numbers of points in these programs for 'next to nothing'.

 

[CaptJCool]

Not sure you pay 'next to nothing' for Qantas or Velocity long-haul flights in J/F given that award ticket carrier surcharges now run into the many hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars one way.

Still true for some programs (eg SQ, AA, AS), of course. Though there aren't many AFFers acquiring large numbers of points in these programs for 'next to nothing'.

Well if we aren’t nobody is

Some are self-funded or have become that way

the best Status runs for the least $ costing- historically ex Australia was a South Pacific location coupled with DSC that could get you WP for around $3,500 and there was the infamous NZ Loophole and the x USA AA F status run

Many are funding it off spending they must do anyway, paying the household bills eg credit card churning, the Wine bonus points etc,
(eg Status Runs on Double or Triple points or Credits or Rewards tickets that extract best value for the Lowest co-payments $ spend, the quirks of Dog-leg fares = my motto Fly More, Pay Less

or Points Club membership that gives you JASA Like rewards but at the level of 70% not the historic 100%, family pooling etc, diversifying membership across multiple airline programs)

it’s always better to be spending OPM - Other people’s money (employer funded travel & non-taxed daily travel allowances) or negatively gearing your spending via tax deductions or acquiring points via your business spending from funds obtained by other people “buying” your business product - QBR

 

[levelnine]

Well if we aren’t nobody is

Not sure what the relevance of your response is, but my point is a fairly simple one.

You're no longer getting award tickets for 'next to nothing' in the major Australian programs — you're getting a discount on a cash ticket where the value of your points is, realistically, about 1.5-2c/pt (see here and here).

 

[burmans]

Yeah have to agree, I’d describe as getting the flights much cheaper than paying commercial rates rather than next to nothing. For mine we are still paying, just less (and if you do it right it can be a lot less).