Gaining Extra Points and/0r benefits

[lovetravellingoz]

Hi All,

I just thought it may be worthwhile asking this question...so as the capture what ways there are currently to gain extra FF points (whether it be to AA or QF.....or whatever) for Australian based members. Earning is a moving feast..and offers programs come and go...and so if you have any advice on what deals are going it would be most appreciated.

If I have missed a good string on it please point me to it.....thanks. I have read a lot of the old hotel strings though.

FF Programs
Lots of great posts..so need to repeat here.

Credit Card Programs

I think that there is ample fresh information on Credit Card programs on this site easily available & so will not repeat in depth.

However just quickly at present:

• Citibank VISA free for life & 1QFF point per $.
• AMEX cards at upto 1.5:1, and to get the joining bonuses of 15000 odd. These are repeated regularly. If you have missed, just wait for the next one...though one is current now. AMEX also can be used to hold points (way to go if you are with AA) or to be linked with QFF so that points transfer directly.
• Wizard for Zero fees and importanly Zero cost on using ATMs anywhere in the world). A great way for cash on trips. Pay your money in prior to deaparture and keep it in credit.

Hotel Programs

From the strings if you stay a lot at a particular International Hotel Chain it appears optimum value to belong to one or two and takes hotel points and not FF points. With americans it also seems that there are good ways to later convert to airline points....is this also so in Oz?

But is this still the case if your nights per year are low (ie say less than 10)?

And also if you only stay a few nights per year at random hotels...is it best to just take the points directly?

In my case I stay up to say 10 nights a year at mixed hotel chains and just take the QFF points. Some of the hotels I stay at are often not members of international chains but do offer QFF points. Is this a good move (to pool it with my other QFF points...or am I wasting benefits at the hotels that do have International Links?


QANTAS Club Membership

If you cannot get it free via status, before paying full price see if you can get it cheaper. Your company may have a corporate rate deal which you can use even if they will not pay it for you. In my case I can use my spouses corporate rate deal that her company has.

If you are in a Professional Association you can probably geta discount this way too.

Being a QC member makes discount economy travela lot easier.

Other Points???

What else is around that can be picked up at present apart from what is list on the QANTAS site (ie car hire etc....) Frequent Flyer - Earning Points.

From Flyetalk one can only look on with envy at what USA citizens can rake in from a wide variety of bonus partners.

What else is available to those residing in Australia?

ETrade has joining bonus from time to time of 300 points..and you can earn small amounts of points with them.


Are there other ways of gathering points????? or does the above basically cover what you can currently garner????



PS: Background on me is that most of my earn now comes via about 100K+/year of VISA /AMEX spend....with say 6 domestic flights (mainly business) and say 10 hotel nights (busines)per year. Will pay for international travel (holiday)when have not earned a redemption to do so...say every second or third year. Have QC membership at less than $200 ayear which is tax deuctable..so to me is a worthwile xtra for my economy flights. All flights are usually discount economy, though am off in Starclass Promo to Bali in March.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Hotel Programs

From the strings if you stay a lot at a particular International Hotel Chain it appears optimum value to belong to one or two and takes hotel points and not FF points. With americans it also seems that there are good ways to later convert to airline points....is this also so in Oz?

But is this still the case if your nights per year are low (ie say less than 10)?

And also if you only stay a few nights per year at random hotels...is it best to just take the points directly?

In my case I stay up to say 10 nights a year at mixed hotel chains and just take the QFF points. Some of the hotels I stay at are often not members of international chains but do offer QFF points. Is this a good move (to pool it with my other QFF points...or am I wasting benefits at the hotels that do have International Links?

Yes. While hotel stay programs do offer better value generally than getting points in a FFP, you need to collect enough to get the free stays (and be able to use it). So I credit miscellaneous stays to FFPs, although which FFP gets the credit varies as the crediting rate for the same stay can be considerably different. If there are worthwhile hotel frequent stayer program promos I will credit there. For Hilton HHonors I have a handy spreadsheet calculator to work out which of the several crediting options is best.

Don't forget QF Ready Rooms sometimes has promos (eg a recent one provided an extra 1000 QFF points a stay, conditions apply).

(edited to add example promo had expired - oops)

 

[Febs]

Agreed with Kiwi Flyer. Unless you stay in a LOT of hotels (and preferably all within the same chain/rewards program), you're probably better off crediting them all to one program, such as an FF program.

I probably spent around 65 nights in hotel rooms last year, but given the variety of hotels, the stays weren't worth crediting to anything other than my FF program (QFF). One or two stays at Hyatt, one or two at Crown (Plaza/Proemande) etc... When the flight earns 2,000 QFF pts, and the hotel stay earns 3,000, it's not a bad deal.

Another interesting point is that some hotel programs can be good for "laundering" points. Eg: I recently hired a car through SixT, who have no affiliation with QFF. They do have a deal with Hyatt Gold Passport however, who in turn have an arrangement whereby you can transfer points to QFF.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[Shano]

I am in the same situation as you Febs. I can spend up to 100 nights a year in hotels, but usually in chains where the loyalty programs are not really worth considering.

I am a PC member, but less than 10 nights a year would be spent in Holiday Inn's, etc. (and most of those are at the R**ty Hill HI in Sydney) I am also a Choice's Priviledge Card holder, but on checking a few times for room availablility in locations where I would want to spend my time (not my company's) the options were not great.

Hilton Hotels? No chance.

So given that most of my domestic hotel / motel stays are in Bestern Western / Comfort Inn / etc, these are all credited to QFF.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Thanks for that adavice on Hotels and Points in Oz....



With respect ways of gaining points in addition to:

• CC spend
• and to what is listed on the QANTAS site...

Does anyone know of any additional ways?????

 

[Febs]

Car hire, duty-free purchases, E-Trade, other financial services etc...
(Note though - these don't usually wield a huge amount of FF points).

The Qantas FF website has a list of partners.

Cheers,
- Febs.

 

[NM]

And the old fashioned way .... flying .

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Car hire, duty-free purchases, E-Trade, other financial services etc...
(Note though - these don't usually wield a huge amount of FF points).

The Qantas FF website has a list of partners.

Cheers,
- Febs.

Thank you..but I am aware of these and the QANTAS site is mentioned already in my OP including the LINK...as well as my last post.

I obviously have not made myself clear enough.

I am interested in whether there are other ways of gaining points or benefits that are not listed on the QANTAS FF pages....or are perhaps there but you have to search on the partner site for it as it is not obvious

• For example if you join Earth for $39 you get a free FF membership worth $82.50 (or usea overseas address and get it free

Perhaps there are no other ways of earning points?????? The americans have numerous ways,,,,,but there seems little one can do in Oz????


PS Your earlier hotel info was most informative. Thank you.

 

[serfty]

Hmmm... seems the OP is getting a bit demanding (while still being polite) ...

 

[lovetravellingoz]

hi again...I am not meaning to be demanding....

I was just curious to see if there were other ways of earning points about besides the easy to find ones....and if so...that such a string would be useful to many....


IF the Virgin Program beacuses stronger perhaps one benefit may be that the opportnity to earn extra points will increase.....though yes I am aware that with the US that just beacuse they are a larger market increases opportunities...which we in Oz cannot have.

 

[NM]

Have a look at Points.com. They have lots of promotions for earning points in many loyalty programs, some of which can trabsfer into QF (such as Starwood). Most of their promotions are USA-based, but some are available to Australian residents. I have not seen any that will earn directly into QF. But you could open an Starwood account and earn there and then transfer to QF or AA or another program - of even take the novel option of earning hotel stays at Starwood proprties!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

PS...for those that have not yet gained their 17500 points from Amex..

Want up to 17,500 Qantas Frequent Flyer Points? - Money & Finance - Member Offers - Telstra BigPond

Fee free for 12 months..but apply by 1 march.

 

[Roma]

Are you allowed to cancel it after 11 months to avoid the fee.

RR

 

[Flashback]

Are you allowed to cancel it after 11 months to avoid the fee.

RR

I can't see why not .. you may even get them offer you the next year free, when you do that

 

[PLANT]

Can You Cancel The Amex Card And Re-apply For It On Another Offer And Get The Points Multiple Times?

Or Once In Amex System No Chance To Get Ffp Application Bonuses?

 

[statov]

I think your thread is GREAT !!

Another way to gain points (for those people that pay rent) is via Rental Rewards - Pay your Rent with your Credit Card It is aligned with Westpac's Altitude Rewards program, which allows altitude points to be transferred into QFF points. Sounds pretty nifty. Too bad i don't rent :-|

Sooo, will look in to the mortgage options offered by ANZ, Macquarie or TIO (all Qantas partners).

 

[StevePER]

Another way to gain points (for those people that pay rent) is via Rental Rewards - Pay your Rent with your Credit Card

"The only charge is a credit card convenience fee of 1.32% (incl. GST) for Visa/MasterCard or 2.97% (incl GST) for American Express." I think this makes it of questionable value.

 

[oz_mark]

"The only charge is a credit card convenience fee of 1.32% (incl. GST) for Visa/MasterCard or 2.97% (incl GST) for American Express." I think this makes it of questionable value.

Convenience Fee? Sounds like the spin doctors had a go at the conditions!

You may have already experienced such convenience fees for credit card payments with flight bookings, taxis, telephone bills, etc.

 

[Shano]

"The only charge is a credit card convenience fee of 1.32% (incl. GST) for Visa/MasterCard or 2.97% (incl GST) for American Express." I think this makes it of questionable value.

Agreed. Assume you pay $16,000 a year in rent - used as an example for a MEL-SYD return award flight - then you will pay a "convenience fee" of $211 if charging to MC / Visa or $475 if charging to Amex. Better off paying cash for the rent and buying a red e-deal.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

I think your thread is GREAT !!

Another way to gain points (for those people that pay rent) is via Rental Rewards - Pay your Rent with your Credit Card It is aligned with Westpac's Altitude Rewards program, which allows altitude points to be transferred into QFF points. Sounds pretty nifty. Too bad i don't rent :-|

Sooo, will look in to the mortgage options offered by ANZ, Macquarie or TIO (all Qantas partners).

While there is the convenience fee.....there may be some FF members in a position where there work is paying rental for them....so it may still work for some.