best use of points

[N0mad]

Hi,

I have 369,000 QFF points, my wife is Thai and we fly to Thailand regularly (once every 1-2 years). We are a family of 4 (child 1:4yrs child 2:2yrs) live in Sydney and like to fly Emirates but aren't too fussy if it's direct.

we are planning our next trip and would like to fly:
SYD - BKK - QF23 (day flight easy with the kids)
BKK-SYD - EK418 business class (as its a night flight)

EK418 i'm locking in as obviously it's great use of points and the beds will hopefully make it easy for the kids to sleep,
i can redeem 112,000 points for QF23 and pay approx $300 in taxes above what i'd pay if only redeeming for EK418. I could alternatively buy tickets retail on QF23 costing $1,800 so a saving of $1,500 if using points.

to me it seems a no brainer and i should redeem both flights on points. theoretically, i could earn those 112,000 points back quite cheaply with all the credit card deals around.

I know a lot of people don't think economy redemptions on QF are worth it but i can't see how in this case. Just thought i'd see if anyone disagrees on my assessment?

 

[sudoer]

to me it seems a no brainer and i should redeem both flights on points. theoretically, i could earn those 112,000 points back quite cheaply with all the credit card deals around.

I know a lot of people don't think economy redemptions on QF are worth it but i can't see how in this case. Just thought i'd see if anyone disagrees on my assessment?

Nothing wrong with redeeming classic economy rewards if you are comfortable enough in Y and it's saving you cash. The only question is whether you want to save the 112k points for a "better value" reward (i.e. business/first) down the track - but if you find points easy to come by, then I'd say go for it.

 

[RichardMEL]

Paging @JohnK to the white courtesy phone....

 

[JohnK]

Sorry I can't help much but a couple of thoughts

- 112,000 points to save $1,500 is not a bad use of of points
- kids can sleep in economy easily and do not need a business class seat unless you want to spoil them easily

I'm not paying for my daughter until September but I'm not going to use points for her to fly business class when she is 2 years old. The plan is to purchase airfares for myself and daughter and redeem points for wife or if one can plan and book early ~$700 return airfares are a no-brainer and earn points.

The plan is to use points for Oneworld award 140,000 points x 3 to go to many places not just BKK.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

EK418 i'm locking in as obviously it's great use of points and the beds will hopefully make it easy for the kids to sleep,
i can redeem 112,000 points for QF23 and pay approx $300 in taxes above what i'd pay if only redeeming for EK418. I could alternatively buy tickets retail on QF23 costing $1,800 so a saving of $1,500 if using points.

to me it seems a no brainer and i should redeem both flights on points. theoretically, i could earn those 112,000 points back quite cheaply with all the credit card deals around.

I know a lot of people don't think economy redemptions on QF are worth it but i can't see how in this case. Just thought i'd see if anyone disagrees on my assessment?

I'm surprised the total taxes fees and charges for four ticket AU-BKK are only $300? The QF site is indicating $551 for the party of 2 adults and 2 children. Even at that price it would be a $1200 saving, which is a reasonably good saving. That same 112000 could get you a return to Asia business class for one passenger. But if you're not likely to use something like that then go for the cash in hand now.

 

[N0mad]

Sorry I can't help much but a couple of thoughts

- 112,000 points to save $1,500 is not a bad use of of points
- kids can sleep in economy easily and do not need a business class seat unless you want to spoil them easily

I'm not paying for my daughter until September but I'm not going to use points for her to fly business class when she is 2 years old. The plan is to purchase airfares for myself and daughter and redeem points for wife or if one can plan and book early ~$700 return airfares are a no-brainer and earn points.

The plan is to use points for Oneworld award 140,000 points x 3 to go to many places not just BKK.

thanks, it's quite hard flying at night with kids. last trip i didn't sleep which was hard. The kids were too distracted and took ages to sleep. it's more to make things easy for us than spoiling the kids. i think when they are a little older i'd agree the cheap airfares at the moment are ridiculous.

I'm surprised the total taxes fees and charges for four ticket AU-BKK are only $300? The QF site is indicating $551 for the party of 2 adults and 2 children. Even at that price it would be a $1200 saving, which is a reasonably good saving. That same 112000 could get you a return to Asia business class for one passenger. But if you're not likely to use something like that then go for the cash in hand now.

The $300 in taxes is in addition to what i would already pay for the business award. so the cost of 1 way tix are $1800 giving me a saving of $1500.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

EK J seating on the 380 is 1x2x1 so you have to put your self in the 2 middle, 1 adult and 1 kid in one row, say, 25 and then 1 adult and 1 kid in row 26 on the 380.
Windows are only 1 seat each.
Unless they do use the 777 then its 2x2x2 in J.
Sorry, I don't have kids but love EK as a QFF frequent flyer, pity that they are stopping EK flights from Au - NZ, but yes, there is a direct flight EK BKK - SYD.
Enjoy the inflight bar on the 380, ... love the prawn and mango jam coughtails!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The $300 in taxes is in addition to what i would already pay for the business award. so the cost of 1 way tix are $1800 giving me a saving of $1500.

I see what you mean and it's interesting... two one ways and the fuel surcharges are a lot higher than booking a return. No idea how they work that one out!

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Unless they do use the 777 then its 2x2x2 in J.

2-3-2.

 

[Flying mermaid]

thanks, it's quite hard flying at night with kids. last trip i didn't sleep which was hard. The kids were too distracted and took ages to sleep. it's more to make things easy for us than spoiling the kids. i think when they are a little older i'd agree.

dont let anyone guilt trip you. . Having kids in F and J makes your life so much easier (apart from the fact that you will enjoy it). It is not flying in a premium class that spoils children, it is how you raise them, the values you give them and the discipline you have.

We spent Christmas with Master FM in the states. He said he really appreciated as he has got older and more experienced how we ensured our children grew up “grounded”. He was Gold before he was 10 years old and I have lost count how many F and J flights the kids experienced, but they most definitely did not grow up spoilt.

Apart from things like having beds what I really appreciated when travelling with young children, was that I could get them a meal and have them tucked up and asleep while Y passengers hadn’t even finished the meal service yet. With tired children that was a blessing!

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

2-3-2.

Ta, I stand corrected.

 

[JohnK]

I see what you mean and it's interesting... two one ways and the fuel surcharges are a lot higher than booking a return. No idea how they work that one out!

Fuel surcharges ex- BKK are ridiculously higher than ex-Australia.