Keeping all my CC points with Qantas, is it worth it? [other Options?]

[Nizar]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

http://www.singaporeair.com/pdf/ppsclub_krisflyer/charts/SQMI_OneWayAwardCharts.pdf
Don't forget the 15% discount for online bookings.

 

[Ansett]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

http://www.singaporeair.com/pdf/ppsclub_krisflyer/charts/SQMI_OneWayAwardCharts.pdf
Don't forget the 15% discount for online bookings.

And what about the taxes and charges between QF and SQ?

 

[Nizar]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

And what about the taxes and charges between QF and SQ?

IIRC its a touch higher for QF but not that much in it.

 

[Bazzi]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

We find the availability on SQ far superior to QF - even last minute - and we are entry level KFs with no status. Over the last couple of weeks I have been trying to help my FIL return early from a trip to Paris using his points. He is QF Plat and QF phone res said there was no availability for July (the rep I spoke with had no idea what a JASA was either) but I did manage to piece together connecting flights for him PAR LON DXB SYD but in two classes F/J and a higher point cost - which he wasn't too happy about. I checked SQ and I could still get saver award in J every other day.

We have travelled J on QF twice and on neither occasion were my partner or I addressed by our names at any stage during the flights. By comparison, on SQ we are always greeted by name and on many occasions by crew that we haven't had any direct contact with - how do they do that??

 

[Nizar]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

We find the availability on SQ far superior to QF - even last minute - and we are entry level KFs with no status. Over the last couple of weeks I have been trying to help my FIL return early from a trip to Paris using his points. He is QF Plat and QF phone res said there was no availability for July (the rep I spoke with had no idea what a JASA was either) but I did manage to piece together connecting flights for him PAR LON DXB SYD but in two classes F/J and a higher point cost - which he wasn't too happy about. I checked SQ and I could still get saver award in J every other day.

We have travelled J on QF twice and on neither occasion were my partner or I addressed by our names at any stage during the flights. By comparison, on SQ we are always greeted by name and on many occasions by crew that we haven't had any direct contact with - how do they do that??

Well said and totally agree

 

[ashleyn]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

We have travelled J on QF twice and on neither occasion were my partner or I addressed by our names at any stage during the flights.

I find that really odd Bazzi, my experience is the complete opposite over many years.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

Hubby & I currently have all our ff points automatically accumulate in our Qantas FF accounts, we have 2 credit cards that automatically credit our ff accounts each month + our woolies everyday rewards card & our insurance payments with ING also do the same.

This used to work out really well as I have booked a couple of great J ASA's having all the points sitting in our Qantas ff accounts.

With the change in ASA's ie being able to get the minimal point flights on the day they are released, it looks like we won't be able to get as good a "bargain" as we have done before & wonder if being such a Qantas loyal customer is now such a good idea.

What I would like to know is this what most people do or do you just have the points sitting with your credit card account & then decide which airline carrier you will allocate the points to?

I don't think it's wise to have all your eggs in the one basket & while it would be disappointing if QF did not continue with Any Seat Awards after the 'review' is over, I don't think it's any reason to flick all your points entirely as that would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I wouldn't necessarily book a QF Classic Award however the points come in very handy for Partner airline awards eg FJ ex LAX or HNL to NAN - you'd be surprised at how low the taxes are!

I am not too sure whether the points are worth very much at all - on a recent thread I speculated that I would blow my 3 million points and my wife's 1 million points on our family (7 adults and 9 kids) on a return flight to LAX using ASA and cash - 3 were to be Business and the balance Premium Economy - all booked on QF12 but could not get all Premium on QF11 so 8 transferred to QF108 - QANTAS current prices for October flights - was not allowed to use a single point and had to pay in cash in 3 days because of new pricing policy so what are the points really worth? I have accumulated 3880 status points in 8 months - 90 o QANTAS metal and the balance ONE WORLD - it appears that loyalty does not count for much - what, at my age, does one want from the QANTAS shop - not much (or really anything) so I think the points are worth nothing and when I finally kick it QANTAS will get back 3 million points - that's life I suppose!!

FJ award availability is a lot easier than QF so I'm sure you would have had better luck there if you'd gone down that road.

Let's face it 16 award seats on the same plane is always going to be a tough gig. I don't know if anyone's been able to pull that one off. Did you guys really all need to travel on the same flights?

 

[cove]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

I agree Oz. We moved seven and split up to get the group to New York.

 

[Swanhaven]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

I don't think it's wise to have all your eggs in the one basket & while it would be disappointing if QF did not continue with Any Seat Awards after the 'review' is over, I don't think it's any reason to flick all your points entirely as that would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I wouldn't necessarily book a QF Classic Award however the points come in very handy for Partner airline awards eg FJ ex LAX or HNL to NAN - you'd be surprised at how low the taxes are!



FJ award availability is a lot easier than QF so I'm sure you would have had better luck there if you'd gone down that road.

Let's face it 16 award seats on the same plane is always going to be a tough gig. I don't know if anyone's been able to pull that one off. Did you guys really all need to travel on the same flights?

Unfortunately yes, work requirements just made various flights for the family almost impossible - and 8 were kids aged 10 or less - anyway I should really not whinge just be happy to be in a position to take my kids and grandkids away - I feel privileged to be able to offer them this opportunity - to see the kids eyes when told and Disneyland to boot was and is worth all the cost and that matters.
Good people on this site with great incite and I thank you Oz for your comments - which I value.

 

[blu]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

J to Europe return on QF is 256k points, on SQ its 127k.

KF.

Wow.
Will have to look at KF when next churning credit cards.
I'm finding it difficult to find a J award of QF1 at the moment.

 

[Bazzi]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

I find that really odd Bazzi, my experience is the complete opposite over many years.

After the first trip we mentioned it to a couple of friends who had 30+ years service with QF as FAs and CSMs - they were surprised but said that it would be up to the CSM to gauge whether the pax would be comfortable with the formality. We wouldn't expect (or be comfortable with) continually being addressed by name but our friends said that regardless of the CSMs 'assessment' we should have been formerly addressed on boarding and deplaning.

 

[DaveB]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

I cut my loyalty with Qantas the day they forced points to automatically transfer to them. The decision was easy though as i had considerable points already stockpiled.
I still try and use up the QF points wherever possible but find I travel with other airlines, specifically VA, EY, SQ and CX with QF getting minimal flights which typically are OS. Might be different if I did some more domestic travel with our last trip to NT requiring QF to get to Darwin from Alice.
I primarily use cards that warehouse points sending to the airline able to offer J or F flights for when and where the family wants to go. I particularly like the Select card as most of my spend is on Visa to avoid fees. With a family of four, typically have to buy a seat or two and the Citi rewards program of buying seats at a burn rate of $58,000 card spend per $1,000 ticket price I think is OK allowing us to travel together in comfort.

 

[bryson43]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

I am silver with Velocity and accumulate points on CBA mastercard and wait for volume bonus to transfer -redeem on Etihad business class good availablity

Also bronze frequent flyer with Qantas-availabilty on business class is OK to ASia -sometimes buy a one way flight to Asia on Air Asia and then return overnight business class -works well if you have flexible dates

 

[WWTFC]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

My wife and I have 315,000 Qantas FF points between us. Mostly from AMEX and Woolies cards and a few o/seas and domestic flights - been Qantas & thus One world loyal.
We are looking to go o/seas in 2014 to Europe - any ideas as to best way to use points? Upgrades? buy one return fare and get one on FF points?

Also our Amex card is the Qantas Ultimate which was 1.5 points for every $ plus double when buying a Qantas product and a return trip from Adelaide to either Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane each year - annual fee is $450, although was waived in first year and reduced in second year. We have been pleased with Amex service and dont particularly want to leave them but not keen on new point structure.

Would we be better moving to the Amex credit card at $195 annual fee, Amex points at 3 per $1 for most things and points can be used with 8 airlines (Virgin plus Singapore, Malaysia, Thai etc. but not Qantas though).
From Adelaide get a return trip with Virgin each year to same destinations. I think you keep you points in Amex bank until needed and can then use with Amex travel or move 1 for 1 to say Krisflyer or one of the other schemes.

Also should we sign up to one of the other FF schemes anyway?
Do I just keep points with Qantas?
A few questions I know but would appreciate any advice.

Many Thanks
Col D

 

[markis10]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

I am silver with Velocity and accumulate points on CBA mastercard and wait for volume bonus to transfer -redeem on Etihad business class good availablity

Also bronze frequent flyer with Qantas-availabilty on business class is OK to ASia -sometimes buy a one way flight to Asia on Air Asia and then return overnight business class -works well if you have flexible dates

Nice first post for a member since 2006

 

[CMak]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

Have kept our points in Amex and Citi since losing 200k in the Ansett crash where we used Diners with direct sweep to Ansett!
I prefer Amex as we tend to fly Singapore internationally.

 

[skully]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

An alternative to using credit card points directly for airline frequent flyer points is to use the card points to book the flight itself. I found AMEX worked very well in this regard. Their booking site worked very easily, the fare was a good one, I got points on the flight as the airline considered it a cash booking, and I did not have to pay extra for taxes in that they were included in the fare. Citi has something similar but I did not find as good as Amex

 

[brickmark]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

I don't find QF good value when redeeming Classic Awards in J - we get much better value with SQ saver awards, MH and EY points and pay - also find the taxes much lower on these carriers. We really only use QF for PE sectors.

I agree - Qantas Taxes for Classic Awards are getting out of control. EG LAX - BNE is about $480 taxes but if I was to travel with LAX to Nadi it is $10. Then Nadi to BNE another $10. I think Qantas might need to think about renaming the Classic Awards program to Ned Kelly Awards Program.

 

[Mwenenzi]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

I agree - Qantas Taxes for Classic Awards are getting out of control. EG LAX - BNE is about $480 taxes but if I was to travel with LAX to Nadi it is $10. Then Nadi to BNE another $10....

Qantas taxes are exactly the same as other carriers. With QF awards you need to pay QF's carrier imposed fees (mainly fuel surcharges). Those people who incorrectly refer the to taxes & carrier imposed fees as "taxes" are playing into QF's game. Some other airlines have high "carrier imposed fees", including BA & MH

 

[kirstyoz]

Re: Keeping all my FF points with Qantas, is it worth it?

Would we be better moving to the Amex credit card at $195 annual fee, Amex points at 3 per $1 for most things and points can be used with 8 airlines (Virgin plus Singapore, Malaysia, Thai etc. but not Qantas though).
From Adelaide get a return trip with Virgin each year to same destinations. I think you keep you points in Amex bank until needed and can then use with Amex travel or move 1 for 1 to say Krisflyer or one of the other schemes.
Col D

This is a timely conversation for me...

My husband and I just reviewed all our points / cards etc and have decided to leave Qantas because of the difficulties in getting a J seat. We have just applied for the AMEX mentioned by WWTFC where we intend to keep the points with AMEX until we have plans and then take advantage of the best option... we also applied for the Citibank Krisflyer platinum card which has a decent return direct to the airline and the benefits of an AMEX and Visa.

We'll still use our EDR card to collect QF points but they are no longer a priority. Over time I just think the curtomer service has been bad to worse and the changes to the points program are the final straw. Very sad but bottom line, they aren't giving us bang for our buck anymore.