How wealthy do you need to be to buy your own J or F ticket?

[Duffa]

I'm trying to find out what our members think is the sort of salary one needs to earn before one can justify spending, say $12000 a year on two J trips to Europe, out of their own pocket?
I know if you earned a couple of million a year then $12,000 is small beer. Conversely, I also suspect some members might be prepared to spend that on flights, when on a salary of $100,000.
My salary has doubled in the past 10 years but I still can't put myself and Mrs. D up the front, unless we're on points!!
Am I a cheapskate?
Is 200k or 300k or 500k a year enough? What do you think?
I'm dreading the answers as I promised to show them to her!

 

[samh004]

Buy miles, redeem for seats?

 

[Rallo]

I agree with Sam , save your cash and use award schemes such as Lifemiles etc , especially if it is only you and the better half travelling , travel in J or F and more often.
Happy Wife Happy Life

 

[vitagen]

Depends on the stage of your life. If I didn't have a mortgage, kids and debts and earning the same amount as I do now I would pay and fly J or even F for my holidays.

For me not to care I would need to be earning at least 250k a year.

 

[Paddy55]

I'm a small businessman (IT Consulting company of 1 ) and in middle of my 2nd DONE4, which I consider v good value for business related travel.
I couldn't afford point to point J/F travel to US and/or Europe

 

[albatross710]

I've only ever paid cash for one J flight to Europe at the height of the GFC. It was good value and covered all of my stops. All my other travel is on Y, or J redemptions. When I did pay the J fare I was sharing the cost with 'Wayne Swan' ie tax deductible.

I'd rather bank the cash.

Cheers

 

[casanovawa]

Agree with most here, i don't chase status so buying fares to get SCs means nothing to me at present... And when redeeming J awards i get all the lounge access and extra luggage i need anyway for long haul and neither here nor there about short haul Y travel...

So i would need to earn a lot of money to buy J or F ($200,000+), which would really only come down to having more freedom to choose when and how to fly than redeeming awards seats which often needs to be done 4-6-12 months out and you're a bit at the mercy of the agent and the airline rules... I will be sticking to award redemptions for the forseeable future....

 

[Paddy55]

I'm a small businessman (IT Consulting company of 1 ) and in middle of my 2nd DONE4, which I consider v good value for business related travel.
I couldn't afford point to point J/F travel to US and/or Europe

Ooops, forgot at height of GFC in 2008/9 got CX 2 for 1 Eur J return... to celebrate a significant birthday with Mrs Paddy

 

[Duffa]

All my other travel is on Y or J redemptions.

I hope you meant to put a comma or semi colon after the "Y" above, or do you actually commit the ultimate AFF'er sin of burning points for Y redemptions!

 

[nonpop]

Sometimes it is also a matter of perspective change i.e when you first think J is expensive and you could never shell out that much cash vs a Y flight but all of a sudden you find yourself being able to justify & afford it. May be you make cut backs in other areas or you use a combo of points and revenue flights. Then also keep in mind sale or promo pricing.

And as you get older you tend to find the body doesn't handle a long haul Y seat very well. So price becomes relative to the product and experience. It becomes your perceived value of what it is you are consuming for the benefit derived to you. You also find that if you really do want something then you will make it happen.

 

[albatross710]

I hope you meant to put a comma or semi colon after the "Y" above, or do you actually commit the ultimate AFF'er sin of burning points for Y redemptions!

has been edited. thanks.

 

[cove]

Just a million more !
Buy Mrsduffa one and you fly on points. Be sure to use her stash to get the bought ticket and you will have much less pressure in future bookings.
She will learn to play the game!

 

[Mal]

Theres no wealth requirement. If you wany to pay it, you will pay it.

I think ive only bought F once long haul. Was 50pc off iirc so only about 3x the economy cost. I could justify that... but not 12k to europe (for example)

 

[Mardi]

We're mid 40s, established financially, no kids, and buy J fares for a trip to New York each year when they are on special so about $13k. Our income is certainly not at the high levels some have suggested would be required to do this but we can afford it. It's about choices - for example, we only have one car, and that is replaced only every seven or eight years. And we love our trips to New York but the first time we went, in 2010, we came back Y and it was just dreadful - a nightmare I still shudder to think about. I wouldn't travel if I had to travel Y.

We are going to Hong Kong in a couple of weeks and bought Y+ fares on special so I'm interested to see what Y+ is like - but we've put in for upgrades to J so it may never happen! We have also put in for upgrades from J to F for our NYC trip in Oct/NOv - well the MEL - LAX and LAX - SYD legs since they're the only ones on which F is available. And it is very true that F spoils you for J.

 

[k_sheep]

About 20% of my income has always been spent on travelling. As I've climbed the ladder, the class of travel has increased too

I've never paid for J or F (never flown F for that matter), but have splurged on full service carrier vs LCC, points upgrades etc etc.

I'm similar to Mardi except 10+ yrs younger - we have 2 cars but are '92 and '95 models. No kids. Combined income between $100k to $180k depending on what contract the Mr has managed to get.

And even though I generally won't pay for J or F, I'm perfectly happy dropping quite a few $$s on status runs ... even though it'd probably be cheaper to just pay the higher fares, rather than rely on status for lounge, seat selection etc! Crazy. I blame AFF

 

[SFSC]

Every person or couple's situation is different as is how you form your opinions and requirements about travel.

In our case, we are not poor but not super rich either. We have lived more than 50% of our lives and we have educated our children sufficiently so they are not dependent on any resources we may leave them post mortem. Our policy is to purchase I or D class if we can get it for the "J" cabin (and A class for the "F" cabin for flights > 6 hours).

 

[k3nnis]

Hi, I don't have a 6 figure salary but I must admit I have purchased a couple if J fares and upgrade to F using points. I did MH J Syd - kul - LHR return. And rtw with MH and VS in J with a upgrade to MH F for a sector of LAX - KUL.

 

[ozmille]

I'm not in the 6 figure income bracket either but why on earth would you pay 13k to Europe when you can get the same seat for 3.5...

 

[k3nnis]

I had a great deal on MH. I paid approx $5000 for the syd to LHR return on MH J. This was probably 5 years ago.

 

[Paddy55]

And even though I generally won't pay for J or F, I'm perfectly happy dropping quite a few $$s on status runs ... even though it'd probably be cheaper to just pay the higher fares, rather than rely on status for lounge, seat selection etc! Crazy. I blame AFF

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