!!!HELP NEEDED!!!Best use of points for award flights

[kody]

Hi guys,

Need some help, my college would like to get from Brisbane to Europe (LHR but open to other cities if easier/cheaper burn rate) in mid August to September, however she doesn’t have any status or a great amount of points herself. Her in-laws however have offered to help and have the following points available:

QFF: 170,000
Altitude: 390,000
Amex (aus): 268,000

Is it possible for the in-laws to use their points to buy award seats for them or can they transfer them to her/her husband and then they can book the flights.

What would be their best option and use of points, they would like to travel J or PE however would just be happy with 2 Y fares for little cash.

I was looking at Asia miles as it seems they can transfer the amex and altitude points to Asia miles and get 2 PE tix on Qantas to London. Have joined Asia miles to call and see if they have availability first as we don’t want to transfer the points only to find out they don’t have any seats available. Tried calling a few times but no luck getting through to anyone every time we enter the membership number it says its incorrect and it there doesn’t seem to be any option to just talk to someone for help they direct you to their website, have also tried emailing with no luck. Anyone had any luck dealing with Asia miles.

Have also tried Virgin Atlantic however they could only get them J to Hong Kong and not onto LHR, or Y to London on Ethiad.

Would be interested in your thoughts on how best to use points to get them hopefully J seats.

Hopefully someone on here can help

 

[Alanslegal]

Qantas is now officially in my NOT LIKE LIST so I am going to do what I can to suggest/persuade you to fly anyone other than QF

I don't know your exact dates but here's a route I found this morning that are available right this minute.

20 August Brisbane - Singapore - Amsterdam in SQ business class (cost 127,500* for 2 pax)

Make your own way to and from Amsterdam / London. It's only a short hop.

22 September Amsterdam - Singapore - Brisbane in SQ business class (cost 127,500* for 2 pax)

I believe Amex can be transferred to SQ KF at 1:1, whilst Altitude to SQ is 2:1


If you have any other date preferences, give me a yell. I would be more than happy to assist - as long as you avoid QF

*this is after online 15% discount.

 

[kody]

Thanks Alanslegal, for your prompt reply and all your help.

No need to be on Qantas very happy to fly with SQ, the date they were looking at was very close to what you have given which is great. Was there any flights coming back a week earlier around the 14-15. Does having a stopover affect the price coming home at all? If it does it’s not needed.

How is the best way to book these, do they simply create an account with SQ and search online the dates required.

Are you aware if you can book/hold the flights and then transfer the points and do you see there being a problem transferring the points from the in-laws to the sons account or should the in-laws create an account and then can they book the flights on behalf of them?

Thanks for all you help I hope the above makes sense.

Cheers

 

[Alanslegal]

This thread might end up on the SQ forums soon

However you can create a SQ KF account and you can search for flights etc and see what is available before you commit to the transfer of points.

Having a stopover >24hrs is going to force you to book from a Saver Award (which is what is available for those dates) to a Standard Award which means twice as many points as I quoted.

Personally I don't have experience with transferring points from card to someone else, so I guess the safest option would be for the in-laws to create their own SQ KF account and then add the two family members who will be travelling.

I also don't think you can hold tickets whilst the points are being transferred, [I could be incorrect though].

Saver Awards are extemely good value, which will work out to 127,500 Kris Flyer points for 2 passengers to Europe. Compared this with QF ... QF charges 128,000 per passenger one way!

 

[Alanslegal]

Just had a look for 20 August outbound and 14/15 September inbound, and there aren't the cheapie Saver Awards. However still generally good value.

Total cost required for 2 passengers confirmed in Business Class:-

Miles Required 348500
Airport/Government Taxes AUD 318.44
Carrier Surcharges AUD 1,176.00

 

[Alanslegal]

Ok I've optimised the route a little

Outbound: Brisbane-Singapore-Amsterdam on 20 August
127,500 points plus $780 in taxes.

Explore Amsterdam for a day or two and then make own way to London.

Inbound: London-Singapore-Brisbane on 14 September
229,500 points plus 790GBP (or ~$1220aud)

Total cost for 2 passengers 357,000 + $2,000

Benefits, save a London to Amsterdam trip, and also the London to Singapore leg will be on an Airbus A380

 

[Timtammi]

Regarding Asia Miles I have had no luck whatsoever being able to redeem the quite significant number of points I have (for CXflights anyway). I think the problem is no status with CX (OWE doesn't count apparently) and all my points earned through CC spend. The system they have is hopeless, makes redeeming QFF points like a doddle. If SQ has good options and you can transfer to somewhere to redeem flights with them then I would go with that.

Cheers

Timmi

 

[kody]

Thanks guys for all your help really appreciate it. Have passed the information on and now they are jsut doing some investigation on how best to get the points to them.

Will keep you poseted on the progress made

 

[dajop]

Having a stopover >24hrs is going to force you to book from a Saver Award (which is what is available for those dates) to a Standard Award which means twice as many points as I quoted.

Just a point of clarification that may be trumped by your later posts anyway, on return Saver Awards a stopover IS allowed in one direction. On one way awards a stopover is not permitted. (at least according the the KF rules, whether one can make this work on the booking engine is a different matter entirely).

 

[Alanslegal]

Yep you are right dajop , great pick up on my mistake about the stopover.

I usually book one way awards and piece my itinerary plan using multiple bookings. And everytime I try to stopover eg. in SIN, it tells me I'm not allowed given I have two Saver segments. Guess I was relying on my experience rather than the actual rules when I made that comment.

 

[dajop]

I usually book one way awards and piece my itinerary plan using multiple bookings. And everytime I try to stopover eg. in SIN, it tells me I'm not allowed given I have two Saver segments. Guess I was relying on my experience rather than the actual rules when I made that comment.

Not sure, but you may be able to do stopover on open-jaw returns by calling KF to make booking over the phone but in all likelihood you lose the 15% online booking discount (although I do recall reading somewhere if you indicate you can't make the booking online due to lack of functionality they may either set it up for you and get you to ticket online or give you the discount, but I wouldn't assume that would be the case).

 

[cove]

With SQ their call centre can work really well but yes you do lose the discount if they finish the booking.
They told me where to look so that was a big help. Then book it on line yourself.
We are going to Manchester on 29th in First from SIN rather than LHR so it is a 2 hour train ride and we booked it this week on Standard points.
Try various close options like Paris,Amsterdam or equivalent if you are OK with SQ.
My son got back from LHR this morning and he was stoked with the lounges and the flights he used.
I still use both QF and SQ and Mrscove is still a QF kinda girl but thinks SQ is very good.