Best advice on AFF

[JessicaTam]

My three:

mASAs/JASAa
T-80
Taking a photo of a hotel room card wallet, and then leaving it behind so it can't get nicked.

 

[QF WP]

My top 3 in order have to be:

1. QF's FASA/JASA (never booked a MASA). Brilliant use of points and kept me as Platinum for a couple of years. Earned and burned a lot when closure of this loophole was announced.
2. AAdvantage - initially the Plat Challenge and then (when it was still available) transferring CC points to my AAccount where it was included towards Lifetime Status. Once I have LTG with QF done, then I'll start crediting back to AA to get Lifetime Gold. That may take a while but my retirement flying won't be at the back of the plane.
3. DSC's. With the loss of number 1 above, there needed to be something to fill the void. Whilst the majority of my flying is now VA, when it's DSC time and eligible, I participate . This is helping get me faster to LTG.

Honorable mentions:
1. VA Status Match. I was a dyed-in-the-wool Qantas fan until Brett Godfrey cajoled me and I finally succumbed in August 2011 in the second round of status matching and haven't looked back.
2. VA Family Pooling. Well none of my kids or wife needs the points or status credits, but they benefit from me having Gold or Platinum status when we fly together. They allow me my predilection as it benefits us all.
3. T-80 seat selection. Particularly now as a Lifetime Silver member, normally it'll seat me in ~ Row 16 in Economy when I book, so I assiduously calculate T-80 and put in a reminder. With my recent DSC-inspired slew of QF flights, for those where a points upgrade hasn't cleared, this is a must. Case in point was yesterday, checking a booking I have (Saturday BNE/SYD). Instead of 16C I had been pre-assigned, I was able to select 4C at T-80.

 

[Sdtravel]

Taking a photo of a hotel room card wallet, and then leaving it behind so it can't get nicked.

I guess i havent been around long enough. What do you mean / not sure what this is ?

My 3:
Status runs
T80
Putting carry on in overhead bin opposite so you can easily keep an eye on it.

 

[JessicaTam]

I guess i havent been around long enough. What do you mean / not sure what this is ?

When you check in to a hotel they usually put the electronic card in a cardboard wallet with your room number on it.

If you are the victim of a pick-pocket they can head straight to your hotel room because they know which one it is. By photographing the card and leaving it behind the pickpocket will only have a room card with no room number connected to it. The photo reminds you of your room number should you forget.

 

[ellen10]

I have gained so many great ideas over my years of reading here, only wish I found the site earlier.

In no particular order:
- Credit card earn and sign on bonuses
- Award flights, the searching, booking and routing
- I can't remember all the details but one of the very first tips I got on this site was the Amex promotion. Was it 1000 points for each transaction? This little promo got us our very first award flight.

Honourable mention, the wine thread. I have been introduced to many great red wine buys.

 

[serfty]

QF's FASA/JASA (never booked a MASA). Brilliant use of points

All FASAs, JASAs & for that matter WASAs and YASAs were mASAs.

MASA: "Marginal Any Seat Award" (Qantas term)

 

[Bindibuys]

What was the staples debacle ?

It was one of QF Business promotions. If you had an ABN and joined QF Aquire??? 10,000 QFpoints. Buy something from one of their "partners" another 10,000 points.
We all went mad buying "a pen" "a stack of post it notes" there was no minimum spend, and Staples was the easiest partner to purchase from.
I have 7 ABN's, spent aprx $35.00 on stationary + I think the membership fee was $89?? so it was about total spend of $650.00 for 140,000 points.
I would NEVER have found or used the system like that without the guidance of members here.

 

[QF WP]

All FASAs, JASAs & for that matter WASAs and YASAs were mASAs.

MASA: "Marginal Any Seat Award" (Qantas term)

Just goes to show the older I get, the more I forget

 

[SponsorSFC]

1. BWA QFF Transaction account and macros to pay my TLS bill (still haven't spent all those points but booking some EK F next year may get us there)
2. Buying points from US Dividend Miles or AA Advantage (EY Apartments for $1,200 a particular highlight)
3. Amex sign ups and referral offers (VA, Plate Edge and Explorer have all been very kind to me)

 

[veraj]

hi there just read the posts on the best AFF advice since"sliced bread" but can anyone point me to where I can find out how to pay the ATO with credit cards?
I was not aware of that and obviously losing points
Ta team
Vera

 

[Scr77]

hi there just read the posts on the best AFF advice since"sliced bread" but can anyone point me to where I can find out how to pay the ATO with credit cards?
I was not aware of that and obviously losing points
Ta team
Vera

It’s complicated. Start by doing lots of reading here ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

And then ask your questions with some discretion..

 

[Dr Ralph]

hi there just read the posts on the best AFF advice since"sliced bread" but can anyone point me to where I can find out how to pay the ATO with credit cards?
I was not aware of that and obviously losing points
Ta team
Vera

I lot of this has been shut down already and the best opportunities have now finished. But you can start reading this thread to find out more:

ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

 

[serfty]

hi there just read the posts on the best AFF advice since"sliced bread" but can anyone point me to where I can find out how to pay the ATO with credit cards?
I was not aware of that and obviously losing points
Ta team
Vera

You are late to the party, but here: ATO (tax office) payments by credit card

 

[darktiger]

Churning through credit cards for FF point bonuses.

 

[burmans]

The most useful advice I have received on this forum is undoubtedly that there are other airlines aside from Qantas that Australians can benefit from (timely given there is some debate as to whether Qantas rewards are really worth much on our front page).

The one that dragged me in was how useful US Dividend Miles could be to buy points, I had a SYD-NYC trip in J for 2 for about $1800 each and a trip for 5 of us to Europe for about the same price with USDM buy (or even better share) promos. USDM sadly gone but continue to benefit, Lifemiles, AA, UA, Alaska are all good options when bonuses are available.

Or maybe its the very large number of points I got from referrals.

 

[Limewood]

I'd recon buying AS (Alaskan Airlines) miles/ points, when the additional 40K offers are on. Sample AS 60K points CNS/HKG/CNS in J on CX around $1800 - to buy around $5+K. We have used them many times plus ex HKG to USA and Europe, you do need to put some hard yards in finding flights before calling though they don't give it out on a plate, also can buy as many points as you like unlike most other airlines, AS are in bed with a plethora of Int. airlines likeQF, BA, CX AA etc, some info here on AS.

 

[TonyHancock]

MASA: "Marginal Any Seat Award" (Qantas term)

If only it appeared in the abbreviations thread.

 

[kpc]

Too many to list but it has resulted in flying with +1 to many destinations around the world, in the pointy end and staying at many, many nice places. I have done my first 2 bucket list of destinations so am creating a third bucket list! Best benefit of AFF is meeting many like thinking souls who I now count amongst my friends

 

[daft009]

Cove and the ATO thread for me.
And a colleague used to rave about having an Amex and collecting points everyday at lunch at work.

He was also the one who told me to read up on AFF. So during the 2am feeds for my infant son I used to get up for I read and I read heaps of threads on here.