Classic Reward vs Points+Pay vs ASA (am I missing something?)

[jpboyce]

Hi all,

I've been looking at options for a return flight from Perth to Sydney and feel like I'm missing something. If I select the fares as Classic Reward, it seems a reasonable amount of points (36k vs 72k for economy and business). If I select a Red E-Deal fare, I can dump about 76k points in to reduce the fare to effectively zero. This is compared to business where I assign my entire amount of points and shave only about $800 off the air fare.

Add to this, the fact I found a somewhat old article talking about Any Seat Award tickets (and a number of posts here as well). This older information references features no longer available on the website, and I saw some reference to them being replaced with the Points+Pay method. Is this something only available if I call up? Thanks.

 

[OzEire]

Im sure someone here will give a more comprehensive reply about Any Seat Awards (ASA).

To answer your first point, I understand that QF 'price' a Classic Award seat the same as a discount economy class ticket (ie. Red eDeal) ... so when calculating the 'cost' of this seat in Points Plus Pay (P+P) the number of points required is approx the same as a Classic economy award.

But a business class seat is much more expensive ($) than a discount economy, so it follows that it requires many more points using P+P.

This is why a Classic business award is seen by many as a better use of points, because the 'relative' value of each point spent is higher. But each person values points differently.

 

[mannej]

P+P also earns Points and Status Credits, classics do not (unless under a special offer).

 

[medhead]

Any seat awards are gone. Don't even think about them. Points + pay converts cash fares into points at an exchange rate of about 0.7 cents per point. Classic awards in business will always be cheaper than a points plus pay booking in business. But for low cost fares points plus pay is much better value. Worth knowing is need status.

 

[jpboyce]

Hi medhead, that makes sense. When you say any seat awards are gone, does that include the "marginal ASA" fares as well? I ask because there's a topic relating to them here and it seems people are still able to book them.

 

[medhead]

Hi medhead, that makes sense. When you say any seat awards are gone, does that include the "marginal ASA" fares as well? I ask because there's a topic relating to them here and it seems people are still able to book them.

Excellent question. It depends on your inter pedant. Marginal ASA are gone, no longer exist, can't be booked. Finished 30 June 2014. Some people still have marginal ASA bookings but those will all finish by 30 June 2015.

Qantas have deemed that point plus pay is the same as a (non-marginal) ASA. But my inter pedant says not according to the terms and conditions. However, it is reasonable to conclude ASA still exist in the form of points plus pay.

 

[Anna]

What's the name for the option when you call up the booking prices in $ and it gives you a box that says 'show in points' and the answer is always eleventy gajillion points - is that still called ASA?

 

[medhead]

What's the name for the option when you call up the booking prices in $ and it gives you a box that says 'show in points' and the answer is always eleventy gajillion points - is that still called ASA?

I think that's called points plus pay. Although I only recall a show in points button on the virgin website. This is where my inter pedant comes in as the terms and conditions say it must be called an ASA to be an ASA. Something points plus pay lacks.

It doesn't always show a gajillion points.

 

[RichardMEL]

What's the name for the option when you call up the booking prices in $ and it gives you a box that says 'show in points' and the answer is always eleventy gajillion points - is that still called ASA?

It is still called ASA (Any Seat Award) but it isn't like the "Good Old Days" alas where the prices were reasonable. Yes, these ASA's will earn SC's and FF points at the fare level specified (Y/J/F)but really poor value.

This is similar to, but different to, points plus pay.

The days of JASA/FASA being decent value (specially under a double SC promo) are gone

 

[medhead]

It is still called ASA (Any Seat Award) but it isn't like the "Good Old Days" alas where the prices were reasonable. Yes, these ASA's will earn SC's and FF points at the fare level specified (Y/J/F)but really poor value.

This is similar to, but different to, points plus pay.

The days of JASA/FASA being decent value (specially under a double SC promo) are gone

The value is there to be found, depending.

I can't see anywhere in the booking process that it is called an Any seat award.

 

[RichardMEL]

I can't see anywhere in the booking process that it is called an Any seat award.

Well yes, they rejigged all the names recently but it's essentially what ASA became after the changes last year.

 

[RichardMEL]

Doing some digging I found this - hidden in the "Classic Flight Rewards" pages...

https://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/flying/using-points-awards-upgrades#points-plus-pay-flights

Points Plus Pay - Flights

You can use your Qantas Points to book any available seat on a Qantas flight with a QF flight number or Jetstar flight with a JQ flight number for yourself or any eligible family member. Points Plus Pay - Flights provides choice and flexibility, so you can choose the flight that suits your preferred travel times. And you'll earn Qantas Points and Status Credits on eligible flights^. You can see how many points you could earn with our Earning Points Calculator.

The bolding is mine. To me Any Available Seat is simply a rewarding of Any Seat Award - clearly QF wanted to move away from that term due to the changes.

Of course this is is misleading as it's under Points plus Pay, but I guess the "new" ASA is a points plus pay of $0 "reward".....

 

[medhead]

Well yes, they rejigged all the names recently but it's essentially what ASA became after the changes last year.

This is where the thread could turn pedantic. So I'll just say that technically that isn't the case.

 

[jpboyce]

It is still called ASA (Any Seat Award) but it isn't like the "Good Old Days" alas where the prices were reasonable. Yes, these ASA's will earn SC's and FF points at the fare level specified (Y/J/F)but really poor value.

This is similar to, but different to, points plus pay.

The days of JASA/FASA being decent value (specially under a double SC promo) are gone

Hi Richard, yes it seems I was looking at some examples in various articles about this older model where, if you were smart, could get ASA tickets on good value (ie. similar to the amount of points if you flew on a reward fare) while also getting the benefit of earning points and status credits. It was those good value options that got me down the path of looking at them as an option, but it seems that's sadly it's not an option anymore.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I would go P+P as it would earn that most important SC. Have done that once, after I discovered the "bonus" way of getting more SC from my flights.
Also, have done "comfort seat" buy too, instead of buying a $$$ J seat I sit in Y, but earn more than the normal SC than a single 1 for 1 tix.
I have done the buy QF top up points, no SC on the award.
I have done classic award too, no SC on it.
I am sitting on 33,000 going up soon, but will definitely use P+P again.

 

[yohy?!]

No you're not missing anything points plus pay is a total scam...search aff for oneworld award and get a good return on your hard earned points

 

[Deleted member]

Points + Pay is a rort IMHO.
Once I crash and burn my WP status in late 2016, I shall hopefully have qualified LTS, I shall then dust off my Life time QP (LQP ?) and use my million plus QFF points to fly long haul in J , perhaps upgrade the occasional trans Tasman from Y, and suck it up in Y domestically.
In spite of the plethora of CC partners offering QFF points on spend, even that perk is now being squeezed.
So the fun factor of status, points and the ingenious ways I have found (via AFF) to fly better and cheaper is now gone. I shall fly less, and I suspect others will do the same.