Award flights... newbie questions

[cooni]

Managed to get myself around 150k points, thinking of using them for a trip to Korea maybe. I'm not a frequent flyer at all and am new to this whole QFF game.

What's the difference between Qantas and Partner Classic Award and Qantas and Jetstar Any Seat Award? Is there a "better" choice?

I'm generally happy enough to fly cattle class but I haven't really considered anything else. Is there a different way to use my points?

Been flicking through various threads and there seems to be so many considerations, I'm a bit overwhelmed.

As an extremely infrequent flyer I'm guessing status credits mean nothing to me. Is this a fair assumption?

Oh, I also have about 100k points on my Amex (Ascent). Again, any particularly good way to use these for travel?

Sorry if these questions are too open ended or just too basic - I'm struggling haha. Any suggestions welcome. Cheers!

 

[JohnK]

Partner awards are a little more expensive than Qantas classic awards in terms of QFF points required.

Any Seat Awards can be available sometimes for as little as a Classic award and earn SCs and QFF points at the same time. I do not think Qantas flies to Seoul so may be expensive.

Another option could be a Oneworld award which is 140,000 QFF points (+3,500 QFF points if cannot be booked online) and you can travel round the world up to 35,000 miles, 16 sectors and 5 stopovers. Taxes and surcharges are usually around $1,000 on this award.

As for your Amex MR points these can go to any number of FF programs such as CX Asia Miles, VS Flying Club, MH Enrich, TG royal Orchid Plus, SQ Kris Flyer, NZ Airpoints, VA Velocity. Which is better is entirely up to you.

As an example on SQ it would require 42,500 Amex MR points to travel return in economy saver awards to places such as BKK, SIN, HKG, TPE etc. Obviously more expensive if you want to travel in premium cabins.

On VS it is possible to go to HKG with 40,000 Amex MR points return in economy, 60,000 Amex MR points return in premium economy and 80,000 return in business class. Sometimes there are 30% bonus points specials which I utilised recently.

I hope that helps.

 

[cooni]

Wow thanks for that!

So on ASA I've found a return trip to Seoul for 127k points, and the best I can do with Classic is 100k points + $456 taxes.
By the looks of it I'll be better with ASA, no?

Where can I find out more about the Oneworld around the world option?

Are there any Amex partners that I can transfer points to and then use on a Oneworld award to claim a second around the world ticket for the wife?

Thanks again for your advice!

 

[JohnK]

So on ASA I've found a return trip to Seoul for 127k points, and the best I can do with Classic is 100k points + $456 taxes.
By the looks of it I'll be better with ASA, no?

If they are Qantas or CX flights then you should earn SCs and QFF points for the Any Seat award. Have you tried reducing the points required for the Any Seat award and pay some cash as well?

Where can I find out more about the Oneworld around the world option?

It would be in the terms and conditions of the normal classic award. It really is as simple as what I mentioned in my post. Up to 35,000 miles, 2 Oneworld airlines as well as Qantas, 16 sectors and 5 stopovers.

If you use the classic award booking engine and just keep adding all the flight combinations you want one after another and then look at availability. As it builds each sector the award point cost will continue to increase until it reaches 140,000 QFF points. If you go over then you have violated one of the rules above.

Are there any Amex partners that I can transfer points to and then use on a Oneworld award to claim a second around the world ticket for the wife?

AA has their own version of the Oneworld award but I do not remember all the details. Your biggest obstacle would be to get Amex MR points to AA you would need to go via SPG firstly at a rate of 1000:500 and then at a rate of 20,000:25,000.

So 80,000 Amex MR points would convert to 50,000 AAdvantage miles, 160,000 Amex MR points would convert to 100,000 AAdvantage miles or 240,000 Amex MR point would convert to 150,000 AAdvantage miles

AA Zone 5 economy Oneworld award 10,001-14,000 miles = 90,000 AA miles
AA Zone 6 economy Oneworld award 14,001-20,000 miles = 100,000 AA miles
AA Zone 7 economy Oneworld award 20,001-25,000 miles = 120,000 AA miles
AA Zone 8 economy Oneworld award 25,001-35,000 miles = 140,000 AA miles
AA Zone 9 economy Oneworld award 35,001-50,000 miles = 160,000 AA miles

I am not sure about other Oneworld airlines and whether they have the equivalent of the Oneworld award.