Best way to use points (new to QFF, please be gentle...)

[yc0137]

Welcome to AFF yc0137!

Don't waste 128,000 QFF points on a point to point award flight.

In my opinion the best value flights are the Oneworld awards. There are separate threads explaining all the details.

Quick summary is it costs 140,000 QFF points in economy, 280,000 QFF points in business and 420,000 QFF points in First class. Up to 16 sectors allowed with 5 stopovers and a maximum of 35,000 miles.

Right, will look at Oneworld now...

 

[DeKa]

Right, will look at Oneworld now...

It's still a Qantas award, not obtained from Oneworld. Look at the last table here
http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/usingPoints/pointsTables

 

[JohnK]

Thanks, but I am trying to figure out what you mean.
I think I saw somewhere an explanation of abbreviations, but can't seem to find it now.

He is talking about booking an Any Seat award in business where points cost is the same as a Classic award but you earn SCs and QFF points.

 

[yc0137]

where are your desired destinations? and how far in advance are you able to book these? that will play a big part.

Countries I would like to visit are:

SE Asia - Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam

Europe - Russia, Greece, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain

C America - Mexico, Costa Rica, some Caribbean islands


Not all at once, obviously, but over 2 - 3 trips

And I can book about 6 mths in advance.

 

[yc0137]

Amex points can be convertered to SPG hotel points which can be converted to a range of airline miles [be aware of the conversion rate]

I have some Delta miles ex NW. They do not seem to expire(die). You should have received an email dated about 08/10/09 with your new number from Delta when they took over NW. Try logging on to Delta freq flyer program

I did get that email with the new Delta number, but can't log in as I have no idea what the pwd or pin is.
When I tried to retrieve it, I was asked to verify address details but that failed for some reason, and now it has locked me out.

 

[Champo]

Recently booked 2 x RTW J class Adelaide/Sydney/Johannesburg/Victoria Falls/Johannesburg/London/Dubrovnik/Helsinki/London/Miami/LAX/BNE/Adl spread over 6 weeks at a cost of $4.5k in taxes etc which is much cheaper than approximately $30K if paying cash for that itinerary.
It was a difficult exercise in getting exact dates for various stages so need to be very flexible, e.g. 4 days in Victoria Falls instead of a desired 2 days. To assist in getting desired flights and connections it pays to try and book between 350 and 355 days out. Some airlines can be tardy in releasing their award bookings. Since 2004 have undertaken 2 First Class RTW trips and this current itinerary will be the 2nd RTW J Class. Would not even contemplate booking Y when flights can be very cheap if you are flexible enough

 

[burmans]

The premium travellers of course. Those travelling economy couldn't care less about the results of a poll.

Oh. we thought you meant it would be you flooding the poll!

 

[roncritch]

Recently booked 2 x RTW J class Adelaide/Sydney/Johannesburg/Victoria Falls/Johannesburg/London/Dubrovnik/Helsinki/London/Miami/LAX/BNE/Adl spread over 6 weeks at a cost of $4.5k in taxes etc which is much cheaper than approximately $30K if paying cash for that itinerary.
Did you book that as the 280K qantas or a oneworld? How many points if indeed it was a oneworld?

 

[Champo]

560000 for 2 (280000 each) using the Qantas/BA/Finnair. There are about a dozen partner airlines you can use with this system, maximum of 5 stop overs of 24 hour or more, maximum of 35000 miles. I think this is regarded as one world

 

[thehound]

Don't use your points on economy - if you do that, once you factor in the taxes, you might as well just pay for the fares outright and earn status credits/FF points. You would be much better off using your points for business (or even first) class awards, given that business fares cost significantly more if paying cash, but disproportionately less in points terms. Much more bang for your buck, and with 625k points you can do 2 x business RTW fares and still have some points left over for the future.

 

[angusburns]

Do you have to book the entire RTW in one go? ie Do you have to wait for 350 days out + six weeks so that the final flights are available, and, if so, are there still FF seats available for the first flights, that have been available for six weeks? Would be good if you could book each leg as the flights opened 350 days out...

Never done it so curious as to how it would work.

Thanks!

Angus

Recently booked 2 x RTW J class Adelaide/Sydney/Johannesburg/Victoria Falls/Johannesburg/London/Dubrovnik/Helsinki/London/Miami/LAX/BNE/Adl spread over 6 weeks at a cost of $4.5k in taxes etc which is much cheaper than approximately $30K if paying cash for that itinerary.
It was a difficult exercise in getting exact dates for various stages so need to be very flexible, e.g. 4 days in Victoria Falls instead of a desired 2 days. To assist in getting desired flights and connections it pays to try and book between 350 and 355 days out. Some airlines can be tardy in releasing their award bookings. Since 2004 have undertaken 2 First Class RTW trips and this current itinerary will be the 2nd RTW J Class. Would not even contemplate booking Y when flights can be very cheap if you are flexible enough

 

[bismarck]

Don't use your points on economy - if you do that, once you factor in the taxes, you might as well just pay for the fares outright and earn status credits/FF points. You would be much better off using your points for business (or even first) class awards, given that business fares cost significantly more if paying cash, but disproportionately less in points terms. Much more bang for your buck, and with 625k points you can do 2 x business RTW fares and still have some points left over for the future.

Generally speaking that is true but there are definite exceptions. Wanted to go to Brazil for Xmas and the cheapest revenue fare I could find was $3.500. Instead I used pts for an economy booking and will go to New York, Brazil and Barcelona for 140k pts and $1000.

Yep, surcharges are high and it would've been better value to go business but I didn't have the pts or money for that, so I consider the deal I got to be good value.

People define value differently.

 

[Nizar]

Generally speaking that is true but there are definite exceptions. Wanted to go to Brazil for Xmas and the cheapest revenue fare I could find was $3.500. Instead I used pts for an economy booking and will go to New York, Brazil and Barcelona for 140k pts and $1000.

Yep, surcharges are high and it would've been better value to go business but I didn't have the pts or money for that, so I consider the deal I got to be good value.

People define value differently.

I actually found a deal to brazil via flightfox that saved me alot of money for next years world cup.
Best I could find was also around $3500 in the end its gonna end up costing closer to $2500.
PM me if keen to know details.

 

[Champo]

Do you have to book the entire RTW in one go? ie Do you have to wait for 350 days out + six weeks so that the final flights are available, and, if so, are there still FF seats available for the first flights, that have been available for six weeks? Would be good if you could book each leg as the flights opened 350 days out...

Never done it so curious as to how it would work.

Thanks!

Angus

I booked in three stages, 1st stage got me to Dubrovnik, 2nd stage to Miami, 3rd stage from LAX to home, all 3 stages took about a month to complete and each subsequent stage after the first one costs you 3,500 ff points per passenger to amend the existing itinerary. Depending on the simplicity of your itinerary you may be lucky enough to do the RTW itinerary in one session which I have done in the past but it seems to be becoming more difficult these days. My itinerary also involved getting to Gatwick after arriving LHR to fly to Dubrovnik which I could not do without a stopover in either London or Gatwick which was over the 24 hour limit

 

[angusburns]

OK - so you book and amend - cool!

This implies you can amend a ticket by adding legs without losing the existing flights, ie it is really an amendment, and not a cancel and redo. I had not thought that was possible with my FF & ASA bookings limited to return flights so great to know!

Thank you.

Angus

 

[brucek]

Don't use your points on economy - if you do that, once you factor in the taxes, you might as well just pay for the fares outright and earn status credits/FF points. You would be much better off using your points for business (or even first) class awards, given that business fares cost significantly more if paying cash, but disproportionately less in points terms. Much more bang for your buck, and with 625k points you can do 2 x business RTW fares and still have some points left over for the future.

I've read on AFF and elsewhere that a cost effective use of points is to book a cash economy fare and use points to upgrade. What is the consensus?

After recently using some EK points to book MEL-TSV-MEL flights on QF (don't ask why, long story, it was not cost effective, and I should have taken my wife's and AFF's advice!) I can atest to the thinking that using points for domestic flights is not cost effective anymore than redeeming them for non-flight rewards (e.g. accommodation, car rentals, and even toasters). The taxes and charges, required to be paid in cash usually, make this option bad value. I've found international economy MEL-SIN-MEL quite good value however, but have no experience purchasing a cash ticket and using points for an upgrade, nor have I ever done the sums.

I'd welcome commentary on this.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I've read on AFF and elsewhere that a cost effective use of points is to book a cash economy fare and use points to upgrade. What is the consensus?

After recently using some EK points to book MEL-TSV-MEL flights on QF (don't ask why, long story, it was not cost effective, and I should have taken my wife's and AFF's advice!) I can atest to the thinking that using points for domestic flights is not cost effective anymore than redeeming them for non-flight rewards (e.g. accommodation, car rentals, and even toasters). The taxes and charges, required to be paid in cash usually, make this option bad value. I've found international economy MEL-SIN-MEL quite good value however, but have no experience purchasing a cash ticket and using points for an upgrade, nor have I ever done the sums.

I'd welcome commentary on this.

international upgrades cannot be confirmed. they are determined in the few days before flight departure, and based on status.

the expectation should be 'buy economy, fly economy'. and an upgrade is a bonus.

using points to upgrade from say business to first is not so much an issue. if the upgrade doesn't come through you still have a comfortable ride.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Recently booked 2 x RTW J class Adelaide/Sydney/Johannesburg/Victoria Falls/Johannesburg/London/Dubrovnik/Helsinki/London/Miami/LAX/BNE/Adl spread over 6 weeks at a cost of $4.5k in taxes etc which is much cheaper than approximately $30K if paying cash for that itinerary.

For those ppl who don't have 560,000 ff points in the bank it would be an interesting exercise to see:

a) how many points $4.5K you could buy you eg with AA or AV LM &

b) what those miles would get you on a J award with those airlines and or their partners on an itin similar to the one above.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Recently booked 2 x RTW J class Adelaide/Sydney/Johannesburg/Victoria Falls/Johannesburg/London/Dubrovnik/Helsinki/London/Miami/LAX/BNE/Adl spread over 6 weeks at a cost of $4.5k in taxes etc which is much cheaper than approximately $30K if paying cash for that itinerary

Much of the $4500 will be carrier imposed surcharges & fees (aka profit).
Never confuse real taxes (paid to governments) with carrier imposed surcharges & fees

 

[Duffa]

I'm still confused.
Can you actually go to the Oneworld website and book a ticket with QF points?
The way some members are writing their replies, it sounds like one can. That doesn't seem right to me.

For my two-bobs worth, I'm about to do MEL-JFK J, stop; JFK-LHR J stop; CDG-MEL F for approx 249k points on mixed carriers. So the 280k J doesn't seem such great value.

p.s. Do NOT buy a toaster!!