How to Use Up Qantas Points? Obviously not on flights

[robolb]

I have to say the current environment with regard to Classic Award flights is becoming very frustrating.
There is an obvious move to push us to Classic Plus or straight out purchase as a revenue grab.

Starting to look at award seat flights to Bangkok ex Sydney and it's a joke.
Via KL, via Hong Kong, via another Oz city, jetstar rather than Qantas.
It's like they are doing everything possible to make members just give up and buy a ticket.
What are we supposed to use our points for? Wine!

Anyone want to buy a million Qantas points?

Sorry......just a frustration fueled rant.

We're going to focus on other airlines now.

 

[RooFlyer]

We're going to focus on other airlines now.

Join the club

 

[aikman]

There's plenty of classic award seats to Bendigo and Broken Hill. I haven't been but I hear they're nice places.

 

[Cloud9]

There's plenty of classic award seats to Bendigo and Broken Hill. I haven't been but I hear they're nice places.

Don't knock it too hard. Nice cheap way of me getting from Bendigo to Sydney!

 

[robolb]

There's plenty of classic award seats to Bendigo and Broken Hill. I haven't been but I hear they're nice places.

Not a bad feed at the Broken Hill Musicians Club!
and of course stunning views from the top of the hill at the Line of Lode Miners Memorial

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I have to say the current environment with regard to Classic Award flights is becoming very frustrating.
There is an obvious move to push us to Classic Plus or straight out purchase as a revenue grab.

Starting to look at award seat flights to Bangkok ex Sydney and it's a joke.
Via KL, via Hong Kong, via another Oz city, jetstar rather than Qantas.
It's like they are doing everything possible to make members just give up and buy a ticket.
What are we supposed to use our points for? Wine!

Anyone want to buy a million Qantas points?

Sorry......just a frustration fueled rant.

We're going to focus on other airlines now.

I use the ‘transference’ method! Use points for my regular domestic travel, and for any international I can get. The cash banked from those is used to buy miles in Aeroplan (etc) which does have good availability. (For example return MEL-SYD business is ~38k QFFFF points, banking me $700 in cash saved. Three of those trips and i’ve bought Aeroplan one way to Europe in business.)

 

[JackMiles]

(For example return MEL-SYD business is ~38k QFFFF points, banking me $700 in cash saved. Three of those trips and i’ve bought Aeroplan one way to Europe in business.)

Impressive! Is this based on only buying Aeroplan during promotions? $AU4200 for AUS-EU return in J does not fit what I found from a quick online search, but I emphasise quick and I am probably missing something.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Impressive! Is this based on only buying Aeroplan during promotions? $AU4200 for AUS-EU return in J does not fit what I found from a quick online search, but I emphasise quick and I am probably missing something.

Yup, during a 100% sale. It actually work out to AUD4400 give or take depending on the exchange rate. Plus actual taxes (no fuel or carrier charges).

 

[JackMiles]

Yup, during a 100% sale. It actually work out to AUD4400 give or take depending on the exchange rate. Plus actual taxes (no fuel or carrier charges).

Aha, that accords with the info I found. Thanks so much for the reply and the insight. Guess I'm pretty late to this party!

 

[drron]

Yes it is very difficult to use QFF points for international classic awards in premium cabins on a flight and destination that you actually want to fly. We did find J awards on JAL in early 2020 but they obviously fell ove with Covid.. But I was a bit late in planning our next tip coming up in 9 days and when I began to look the day time flights on SQ had gone. We really don't like to start a long trip with an overnight flight.
So I did look at QF and lo and behold there was a classic award BNE _ BKK in J. The downside was it is on JQ. But beggars can't be choosers so we will start with our first ever international JQ flight and at least in J.

 

[Cloud9]

Yes it is very difficult to use QFF points for international classic awards in premium cabins on a flight and destination that you actually want to fly. We did find J awards on JAL in early 2020 but they obviously fell ove with Covid.. But I was a bit late in planning our next tip coming up in 9 days and when I began to look the day time flights on SQ had gone. We really don't like to start a long trip with an overnight flight.
So I did look at QF and lo and behold there was a classic award BNE _ BKK in J. The downside was it is on JQ. But beggars can't be choosers so we will start with our first ever international JQ flight and at least in J.

As long as you temper expectations to expect a W class flight, it's actually not a bad experience.

 

[BenP]

@drron just pointed out the key point and that is they are hard to find in a premium cabins.
I just plucked a random week in Nov obviously economy tickets. I really think it boils down a couple of things
1. How do you personally value the points (personally for me it is sunk cost and they don't earn me anything so I don't really value them that highly)
2. How quickly can you earn the points and how many do you have
3. What do you value more - flying in a premium cabin or getting to your destination.
4. The game has changed and most likely will change again for the worse (I'm jealous of hearing stories about finding regular flights in J and F at convenient times)

 

[MEL_Traveller]

@drron just pointed out the key point and that is they are hard to find in a premium cabins.
I just plucked a random week in Nov obviously economy tickets. I really think it boils down a couple of things
1. How do you personally value the points (personally for me it is sunk cost and they don't earn me anything so I don't really value them that highly)
2. How quickly can you earn the points and how many do you have
3. What do you value more - flying in a premium cabin or getting to your destination.
4. The game has changed and most likely will change again for the worse (I'm jealous of hearing stories about finding regular flights in J and F at convenient times)

View attachment 464358

So i picked a random date in november (13th) there are aeroplan awards, business class to bangkok on Thai for 45k one way. Or $900 + $180 tax.

For me that’s three one way QF business class awards MEL-SYD which have easy availability, and I would be flying anyway.

So that value of the QFFF points is real, they are an asset with value. I base my QFFF points value against the equivalent VA fare to get a fair comparison. So MEL-SYD return in VA is $700.

 

[SYD]

I have to say the current environment with regard to Classic Award flights is becoming very frustrating.
There is an obvious move to push us to Classic Plus or straight out purchase as a revenue grab.

Starting to look at award seat flights to Bangkok ex Sydney and it's a joke.
Via KL, via Hong Kong, via another Oz city, jetstar rather than Qantas.
It's like they are doing everything possible to make members just give up and buy a ticket.
What are we supposed to use our points for? Wine!

Anyone want to buy a million Qantas points?

Sorry......just a frustration fueled rant.

We're going to focus on other airlines now.

Where are you based and what sort of destinations ideally are you looking to use QFF points? There are actually still a few premium QF and partner CR seats out there BUT the “flagship” routes are definitely problematic unless you’re Uber flexible and can fly with 1 or 2 wks notice. Which is slightly ironic that a lot people always assumed they could use points whenever they wanted but the reality was you needed to book 350 days out (now you can’t do that on most routes…).

I’ve resorted to using points for positioning flights and picking up cheap J fares to Europe all up ($ and points), can be half the price of a J fare from Oz to Europe return.

Across the Pacific, AA release a lot of F/J seats within 2 mths of travel (at the cheaper QF rate plus you’ll probably see connections to elsewhere in the US). QF will also release CRs a month or so out if available. FJ were releasing like clockwork, 2x J seats to YVR, SFO, LAX on the days they fly. Although that has dried up for now with a combo of northern summer and FIFA World Cup. Hopefully that returns to normal soon. China Airlines works like clockwork, but alas usually only 1x J seat per day (but to lots of places).

QF BNE-LAX seems to be coming out like clockwork for now…


QF flights to Asia are oddball. I’ve seen more rocking horse poo than J CRs between Oz and BKK on QF metal. Similarly SIN has gone MIA but CGK, MNL and HKG are usually pretty reliable. A lot of partner awards (CX, JL etc) actually get released before QF but can be booked via the multi-city search. Early birds get nice worms.

AY, CX, MH all have CRs ex Asia to Europe. As does EK, but there’s some issues with the QF search engines making that a bit hit and miss - plus the massive EK imposed fuel fines actually lean towards buying a cheap J fare outright on another airline than waste QFF points.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

What are we supposed to use our points for? Wine!

Toasters?

I have become resigned to the fact that Qantas now runs a Frequent Shopper Program with an airline attached, especially when a shop at Woolworths or Uber airport ride earns you more 'valuable' points than an intra-Europe flight on one of their airline partners.

I still accumulate them because there are so many ways to do it, but have tempered my expectations of redeeming them for long haul F or J. I will still try, but will soon drop back to LTG and am focusing international flying on the other two alliances to broaden my options.

 

[flyguy77]

QF BNE-LAX seems to be coming out like clockwork for now…

This must be because of your Status

I'm a NB and can't see a single Business Class seat to North America in 2026.

 

[SYD]

This must be because of your Status

I'm a NB and can't see a single Business Class seat to North America in 2026.

Yes, that obviously helps. OP is LTG, so ought to be able to see what I can see.

 

[BenP]

So that value of the QFFF points is real, they are an asset with value. I base my QFFF points value against the equivalent VA fare to get a fair comparison. So MEL-SYD return in VA is $700.

I 100% agree that they have a value and they are an asset its more how you value it and view it as either an appreciating or depreciating asset.. Your example makes perfect sense for me it's more a gut feel does spending X amount of points seem reasonable. which I can't really define

That's one probably the main reason why I don't like how people put an arbitrary value on a point eg "we" value a point as 1.5 cents and then that becomes the gospel