Intentionally triggering a targeted 50% bonus SC promo

[sudoer]

As many of you know Qantas appears to be moving towards targeted SC promotions.

These promotions are sent via email and appear to be triggered by searching for certain routes on the QF website when logged in with your QFF account. The subject line of the promo email will be "Fly to <city you searched for>, get 50% more Status Credits", however the T&C are not restricted to that city. In targeted promos, the offer terms have consistently been:

• Flight eligibility: any QF marketed flight with a QF flight number where Status Credits are normally earned
• Booking window: 12.01am (AEST) <today> until 11.59pm (AEST) <week from today>
• Travel window: today until exactly four months from today
• Must register offer from targeted link in email

Late last year, I unintentionally triggered an offer while signed into my partner's account and it got me thinking about whether I could intentionally trigger one the next time I need to book a decent QF itinerary. I have a ~360SC booking to make for mid Feb travel, and while making this booking will probably ensure a public DSC comes along in Feb (you're welcome!) I can't wait that long to book. So I logged in and started searching on the QF website. My [crude] strategy was to replicate the actions which triggered the offer for my partner:

Route: SYD-CHC
Dates: early March to mid March
Cabins: J/F

Over the past week I've logged in on three different days to make the same search, albeit with slightly different dates each time. Yesterday was the 3rd attempt, and just as I was starting to think my theory wasn't going to work, I woke up to find..



I have no idea whether it made a difference but before attempting the searches I browsed to Air NZ's partner page and clicked their "Visit the Qantas website" link (scroll down) so the QF big data magical machine could glean from the HTTP referrer header that I'd been on one of their competitor's websites.

I'm hoping this thread will help us share data on what has worked for you - even if just sharing which destinations you've received 50% bonus offers for.

 

[Pushka]

i think there is more to it. I have been trying this for many weeks now on a set route with no offer. In vain sadly. Maybe it also depends on year expiry date. Plus a whole lot of other stuff.

 

[sudoer]

I have been trying this for many weeks now on a set route with no offer.

Which route and how soon are your travel dates? Given the targeted offers are only valid for the next four months I'm assuming it'll only trigger on searches in that period.

 

[Pushka]

Which route and how soon are your travel dates? Given the targeted offers are only valid for the next four months I'm assuming it'll only trigger on searches in that period.

March. I’ve been searching since November and finally booked a couple of weeks ago. Adelaide through Denpasar.

 

[sudoer]

Adelaide through Denpasar.

I think QF only target certain destinations and I'm not sure DPS is one of them. I did quite a few searches for DPS last year also and didn't get a single offer, but within a week of searching for CHC an offer arrives. This is the benefit of sharing the info - we may be able to find a pattern...

 

[Pushka]

I think QF only target certain destinations and I'm not sure DPS is one of them. I did quite a few searches for DPS last year also and didn't get a single offer, but within a week of searching for CHC an offer arrives. This is the benefit of sharing the info - we may be able to find a pattern...

Thats interesting info. Nothing really to do with the status credits then but filling up some selected routes. Is the SC offer limited to only certain routes? I thought they worked generally.

 

[KSC]

It’s an interesting incentive to fill flights, get a flight conversion, without a loss in revenue.
Status is a big pull for many and offering greater status points doesn’t have any ‘direct’ costs.

Good that some of you have noticed the remarketing Qantas are doing.
Hope you all get your extra 50%.

 

[sudoer]

Nothing really to do with the status credits then but filling up some selected routes.

Exactly my thoughts. I've seen quite a few posts from people receiving the SC offers on AKL/CHC, SIN and Europe routes - but never to Tokyo, for example.

Is the SC offer limited to only certain routes? I thought they worked generally.

They work generally - I had no intention of flying to CHC

 

[oz_mark]

The only real pattern I've seen is that they come on batches. No one mentions it for a month, then one day a bunch of people say they got one.

 

[sudoer]

The only real pattern I've seen is that they come on batches. No one mentions it for a month, then one day a bunch of people say they got one.

I agree, they do seem to go out either once or twice per week. All the offers I've received so far have come in on a Thursday or Friday between 6am and 8am..

 

[teamhamsandwich]

I think you have to pick direct qantas locations too. No codeshares.

 

[runway16R]

A few data points below on where I've received offers for to help with searches:

 

[Lynda2475]

I was doing some searches for a friend to USA, and this triggered an offer for me for 50% SCs this week. I registered then booked my flights to ADL for the AFF Rockfords event, will only earn an extra 10SCs but everybit helps.

Will definately be trying to trigger again when i have some decent airfares to book.

 

[sudoer]

was doing some searches for a friend to USA

Do you recall what time of year? I'm assuming QF systems are smart enough not to send the offer when they already have enough forward bookings - e.g. school holidays.

 

[Lynda2475]

Yep searched different dates in June and Aug (outside of school holidays) for MEL-SFO and LAX for 2 adults 2 kids - lol Qantas should know I never book more than 1 seat. I also searched for same flights on AA and UA directly, im not sure if cookies in browser tell Qantas.com something about looking at competitiors too.

Edited: I just remembered I also had searched for 1 adult BNE-ORD for Boxing Day returning New Years - both paid and reward seats to compare costs - so that could have been the culprit too.

 

[sudoer]

Yep searched different dates in June and Aug (outside fo school holidays) for MEL-SFO and LAX for 2 adults 2 kids - lol Qantas should know I never book more than 1 seat. I also searched for same flights on AA and UA directly, im not sure if cookies in browser tell Qantas.com something about looking at competitiors too.

That's surprising - is your 50% offer only valid for travel in the next four months? Maybe the system isn't as smart I'd expected....

 

[Lynda2475]

Offer was "For a limited time, you'll be rewarded with 50% more Status Credits on eligible flights with a QF flight number on your ticket.* ...... make a new booking between 15 January 2020 and 21 January 2020 for travel from 15 January 2020 to 14 May 2020 " so only 4 months, either way they were wanting to entice me to travel earlier I guess. I cant (and they should know) I already have a heap of travel in June and July and a girl just doesnt have that much annual leave.

I miss the old public DSC offers which were usually valid for much loger, as for big trips i tend to book 10-12 months out. Its only short domestic weekends away etc that tend to be booked within 4 months.

 

[Pushka]

That's surprising - is your 50% offer only valid for travel in the next four months? Maybe the system isn't as smart I'd expected....

It’s Qantas IT remember.

 

[HockeyMonkey]

I quite like these new offers as they apply to QF codeshares and you can often find flights on sale that would generally not be the case in a global DSC promotion.

Recently booked a MEL - SFO - ORD - LAX - BNE - MEL trip in J which nets 930 SC with a 50% bonus costing around $8K

Same trip in a DSC would have netted 1040 SC but likely have cost much more.

 

[samh004]

Very interesting development. Good to compare notes but then I also wonder how much focus QF will pay to this thread to alter the parameters. Reminds me of ASA's and how they were deemed to probably only be booked by a very small group of users, but they too were 'enhanced'.