Re: Are you ‘better’ at collecting FF points/managing your account when you have a go
Having a goal makes all the difference!
This thread seems the be a good opportunity to write a first post.
About 18 months ago I changed the earning on my J* MC from "J* Dollars" to QF points. When I was still semi-retired the $200 J* vouchers came in handy because I used to regularly fly AVV-SYD-DBO for work, but after fully retiring they seemed to come up at times that I had difficulty using them. Then about a year ago I discovered AFF. I found out how to use FF points to maximum advantage and decided on the goal of two OW J 280k awards. I started to chase points. I changed banks, took out another CC, mainly because of the sign-up bonuses. I bought QF gift vouchers with 10x points bonus last Christmas and will do so again this year. The list goes on...
Mrs jxv and I also make a couple of overseas and domestic trips each year, but flying is no longer our main earner. The QFF program seems to be biased against earning from flying: last month AMS-LHR on BA discountY netted a whole 58 points, while staying at a random motel in central Victoria added 495 points to the total.
With the travel we have booked, some bonuses and the expected earn from CCs we will have enough points to book the frist leg of the OW 280k awards around May next year for April 2016. A rough plan for 2016 is: get to Europe on a $700 Y airfare which comes with a Mediterranean cruise we have already booked, travel around Spain and Portugal before the cruise and start the award itinerary afterwards in IST. Fly IST-xDOH-CPT, make our own way through South Africa to JNB and return to MEL via SYD. Mid-year we plan on SYD-KUL-PEN-SIN-MEL, actually staying in KUL and PEN. Then later in the year to Europe again, this time via a HKG stopover to MUC or FRA for a driving holiday through southern Germany and Austria. Eventually returning to MEL with the homeward leg of the cruise airfare from FRA. As I have to add the mileage from FRA to the starting point IST this all comes very close to 35000 miles and I have to be careful with the rules on transits, stop-overs and land segments. I probably have to buy some short segments separately, like SYD-MEL or KUL-PEN-SIN.
I am sure that when it comes to the detailed planning AFF experts will be able to help!