Flying cheap / in higher classes - sounds like too much work.

[Matt_01]

it's school holidays but the game is getting too difficult.

We (+1 and child) only travel in school holidays and often have to plan 12 months out and make bookings on the day reward flights come out. Although not ideal sometimes we have to travel separately and we are happy to do this as required. In the past 15 months I have been able to redeem ~1.4M for:

x2 J to Japan Sep/Oct 16 + one paying. I had to use WP status to request return legs.
x2 F to US, x2 J return Apr 17 + one paying
x3 J to SIN Oct 17 to use the last of my VA points. taking an in-law I will still fly QF.

That leaves me with ~1.2M. Trying to plan for Japan and NZ in 2018, Europe and UK in 2019.

My end state is to use as many of my points as possible within the budget I have for accommodation, fees, taxes and the purchasing of 1 fare whist I has the status to get redemptions.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

. Yes I know it's school holidays but the game is getting too difficult.

.

Well after two decades of having to in the main redeem in school holiday periods I have been enjoying, as of about a year ago, the freedom and greater opportunities from being able to now just fly whenever I wish

 

[JohnK]

And I'm just starting. It will get worse as daughter starts to go to school but then maybe I can plan 12 months in advance.

But for now as wife tries to settle here I will escort them back to Thailand 3-4 times/year.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Well after two decades of having to in the main redeem in school holiday periods I have been enjoying, as of about a year ago, the freedom and greater opportunities from being able to now just fly whenever I wish

If you feel that parental urge, I have a couple of pikininis I'd love to farm out if you're interested?!! :mrgreen:

 

[Flying Fox]

Businessman friend has 3M QFF points. He has never redeemed any

Same reasons as above

Does he need two toasters?

 

[Quickstatus]

And I'm just starting. It will get worse as daughter starts to go to school but then maybe I can plan 12 months in advance.

But for now as wife tries to settle here I will escort them back to Thailand 3-4 times/year.

School dates are set in stone year in year out.

 

[amaroo]

We're still in school holiday booking phase of life and have zero problems securing 4 seats over the last dozen + years ... either at short notice or on the fringe. We've averaged two OS holidays per year over that time and I'd say 75% of those were award seats.

 

[grov]

Having recently booked our first J RTW using points for about $1200 each, and regularly upgrading my transcon flights to J every time with points, I believe that collecting points for flight awards is a no-brainer. But as others have said, it's difficult convincing others to do the same. I've placed all the info I've collected into a document which I just send to anybody who might be interested, but never follow up - it's up to them to make that decision. You don't have to be rich to enjoy J flights everywhere - I'm mostly retired, only earning sufficient income to pay for the next OS holiday, travelling J of course. I spent far too much of my working life travelling Y, so now look for some comfort on those long journeys.

 

[Straubs]

Frankly, I am of te opinion that telling too many people is a waste of time and only adds more competition (for seats) to an already competitive market

My thoughts exactly!

 

[cove]

It took a heart bypass operation in 1994 to get us flying in business class instead of baggage class. From 1978 thru to the end of 1994 we were flying to Los Angeles regularly for business but in Y class. Everything became possible once I had a rethink of our travels. At first I felt a bit of a fraud when I started using points for flying in business class and then first class. No one blew a whistle as I worked on earning and using points. Along comes js with his ATO post about 8 years ago so flying to Los Angeles and London as well as Sydney and Melbourne became one big game. That game continues.....

 

[Pushka]

It took a DVT and now permanent blood clotting disorder to make me realise if I wanted to continue my love of travelling afar then flying Y was no longer an option. While we could and sometimes do spend the money on a non ex Australia flight I wanted to find a better way. It's worth it. I enjoy the challenge.

I don't need extra competition for the award flights so happy for others to be reticent. (My Bank Business Manager who approves my credit card applications is keen to find out more though)

 

[Digger11]

I am 6 ft 4" and 100kg and just do not fit comfortably in a Y seat - so am forced to play the J/F points game if I want to leave our isolated island.
Also, I have a bit of an issue with the general publics rudeness and selfishness sometimes, I find that in J/F people can be bad, but not as often as in Y.
As the Coodabeens once said "Public Transport would be great, if we just get the public off it."

It took a DVT and now permanent blood clotting disorder to make me realise if I wanted to continue my love of travelling afar then flying Y was no longer an option. While we could and sometimes do spend the money on a non ex Australia flight I wanted to find a better way. It's worth it. I enjoy the challenge.

I don't need extra competition for the award flights so happy for others to be reticent. (My Bank Business Manager who approves my credit card applications is keen to find out more though)

 

[Lemon_Party]

I am 6 ft 4" and 100kg and just do not fit comfortably in a Y seat - so am forced to play the J/F points game if I want to leave our isolated island.
Also, I have a bit of an issue with the general publics rudeness and selfishness sometimes, I find that in J/F people can be bad, but not as often as in Y.
As the Coodabeens once said "Public Transport would be great, if we just get the public off it."

I think it's generally accepted that other people are just awful. Thankfully in J/F there's less of them and they are spaced slightly further apart

 

[Pele]

Gday

Kinda related to this thread. Went out for lunch with some work colleagues and the discussion came to frequent flyer points. One contractor at work has twigged that there is shrewd ways to use them and was keen to know more from me. However the boss pipes up that frequent flyer points (QFF in his case) are rubbish for redeeming on flights and that he has over a million of them. His wise words which were lapped up by the rest of the table were that 'the best usage of QFF points is for Woolworths and Myer vouchers'. I said nothing but was laughing hard on the inside. That is one less competitor for the elusive J and F seat.

Pele.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Gday

Kinda related to this thread. Went out for lunch with some work colleagues and the discussion came to frequent flyer points. One contractor at work has twigged that there is shrewd ways to use them and was keen to know more from me. However the boss pipes up that frequent flyer points (QFF in his case) are rubbish for redeeming on flights and that he has over a million of them. His wise words which were lapped up by the rest of the table were that 'the best usage of QFF points is for Woolworths and Myer vouchers'. I said nothing but was laughing hard on the inside. That is one less competitor for the elusive J and F seat.

Pele.

Sounds like a good example of the "Peter Principle".

 

[Dr Ralph]

Gday

Kinda related to this thread. Went out for lunch with some work colleagues and the discussion came to frequent flyer points. One contractor at work has twigged that there is shrewd ways to use them and was keen to know more from me. However the boss pipes up that frequent flyer points (QFF in his case) are rubbish for redeeming on flights and that he has over a million of them. His wise words which were lapped up by the rest of the table were that 'the best usage of QFF points is for Woolworths and Myer vouchers'. I said nothing but was laughing hard on the inside. That is one less competitor for the elusive J and F seat.

Pele.

Thanks to people like your boss I've managed to redeem 4 J class flights to the US this year for well under 1 million points

 

[amaroo]

Thanks to people like your boss I've managed to redeem 4 J class flights to the US this year for well under 1 million points

Absolutely! We've toasted just over the 1M mark to ferry the four of us to and from the USA for our Xmas hols.... although the parents will be leaving the kids in J for one sector as we're flying F to Dallas

 

[LA10]

I'm only 30, but am so passionate about flying especially premium, but only get to go long haul a couple times a year. Just managed to book QF F even though I was looking for CX J. Now to decide whether to keep it as an AS booking, or change it back to using QF points on CX J! Talk about a first world problem!

 

[TheRealTMA]

I'm only 30, but am so passionate about flying especially premium, but only get to go long haul a couple times a year. Just managed to book QF F even though I was looking for CX J. Now to decide whether to keep it as an AS booking, or change it back to using QF points on CX J! Talk about a first world problem!

QF F is equivalent to CX J so I'd save your points and revert.

 

[ftm]

QF F is equivalent to CX J so I'd save your points and revert.

I'm not sure if I would agree with that. I'd take QF F over CX J any day.