Maximising use of points for return trip to Europe from Melbourne

[jlea]

Hi all,

I’m not a regular poster and only an occasional viewer, so don’t have a full command of all the acronyms that get used on this site, so please excuse/bear with my novice language.

My wife and I are planning a trip to Europe either September this year or May 2015. Between us we will soon have enough QFF points to fly business return. It’s taken us a along time to save these points, so we want to ensure we get the biggest bang for our collective points.

What I want to know is how to maximise use of the points and minimise the cost of taxes fees etc.

We are thinking go the current flight itinerary:

Melb-Singapore: LCC
Singapore- Dubai (QFF Points)
Dubai- Barcelona (QFF points
London-Dubai- Melbourne (QFF points)

I’ve read in previous post that it perhaps more economical to fly on a LCC to an Asian destination (Bangkok, Singapore or KL), and then use QFF points for onward travel to your European destination. This lowers the cost of fees and reduces number of points required. Coming across fares to Singapore on Scoot for $250 the other day, I began to ponder the viability of this option, rather than utilising all my points on a straight Melb- London return, which would use approx 256,000 points each and cost in excess of $1000 each in taxes and fees.

I would be interested to hear from anybody who has tried this approach, did you indeed come out in front re cost and points, and did you encounter any problems in making the booking? Is there anything else I should consider, or a better way of doing this?

Hoping some of the incredibly well informed frequent flyers on this site can shed some light.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Hi all,

I’m not a regular poster and only an occasional viewer, so don’t have a full command of all the acronyms that get used on this site, so please excuse/bear with my novice language.

My wife and I are planning a trip to Europe either September this year or May 2015. Between us we will soon have enough QFF points to fly business return. It’s taken us a along time to save these points, so we want to ensure we get the biggest bang for our collective points.

What I want to know is how to maximise use of the points and minimise the cost of taxes fees etc.

We are thinking go the current flight itinerary:

Melb-Singapore: LCC
Singapore- Dubai (QFF Points)
Dubai- Barcelona (QFF points
London-Dubai- Melbourne (QFF points)

I’ve read in previous post that it perhaps more economical to fly on a LCC to an Asian destination (Bangkok, Singapore or KL), and then use QFF points for onward travel to your European destination. This lowers the cost of fees and reduces number of points required. Coming across fares to Singapore on Scoot for $250 the other day, I began to ponder the viability of this option, rather than utilising all my points on a straight Melb- London return, which would use approx 256,000 points each and cost in excess of $1000 each in taxes and fees.

I would be interested to hear from anybody who has tried this approach, did you indeed come out in front re cost and points, and did you encounter any problems in making the booking? Is there anything else I should consider, or a better way of doing this?

Hoping some of the incredibly well informed frequent flyers on this site can shed some light.

May 2015 will be more realistic in terms of securing 2 x J seats. Sep 14 seats were released in Oct 13 and will be few and far between.
Do you have enough points for 2 x 280K Awards?
These are much better value, will allow you a wider choice of route/ carrier. Possible to go around the world on them (though not necessary to do so) Likely around the same in tax, can play around with landing in LHR and leaving from BCN as UK APD to Australia is expensive.
Have a look at this sticky
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ogram/oneworld-award-140k-280k-420k-8228.html

Regarding flying Scoot to SIN to catch an Award flight, personally I wouldn't risk it unless I had a stopover there incase things went awry.

EDITED:
You should also change your AFF handle to something other than your email address

 

[deejo77]

i agree with what PF has posted above. Do the RTW 280K point run.

I recently booked the below and will use QFF to get to singapore on a classic award and KF to come home in 2015.


2014
SIN to HEL - AY
HEL to VCE (via TXL) - AY and AB
VCE to ZRH (via Dusseldorf) - AB
CDG to BNE (via KUL) - MH

2015
BNE to LAX - QANTAS
LAX to SIN (via NRT) - JAL

140K per person - 4 people - Taxes $5650

 

[jlea]

thanks, yes the intention would be to have a stopover in singapore, also in Dubais.

 

[jlea]

How do I go about finding out more information about the 280K options you refer to, are these booked via the QFF website, or some other mechanism, assume maybe oneworld website, am I altready a member of oneworld, by virtue of my QFF membership, or is this a whole other process?

 

[Princess Fiona]

How do I go about finding out more information about the 280K options you refer to, are these booked via the QFF website, or some other mechanism, assume maybe oneworld website, am I altready a member of oneworld, by virtue of my QFF membership, or is this a whole other process?

The sticky I have linked in my previous post contains all the relevant info on booking them.
Essentially yes they can be booked via the QFF website. If doing it this way search for a multicity Classic Award.
As long as you have two OW carriers other than QF (note JQ cannot be used) the award will price accordingly in points and $.
From the QF website:
oneworld® Classic Award table (worldwide) excluding taxes, fees and carrier charges
The oneworld® Award Classic Award table is based on return flights, unlike the Qantas Award table.
The oneworld Award Classic Award table only applies when your Award Itinerary includes travel on at least two oneworld Alliance Airlines other than Qantas and does not include any travel on any airline that is not a oneworld Alliance Airline. Qantas flights operated by Jetstar Airlines (JQ, 3K, VF or GK) cannot be included in oneworld Awards.
Other conditions apply to oneworld Classic Awards. Find out more.
* Qantas flight numbers operated by Jetstar Airways are subject to change.
Zone
Return Miles
Economy
Premium
Economy
Business
First
1
0-1,200
30,000
45,000
60,000
90,000
2
1,201-2,400
40,000
60,000
80,000
120,000
3
2,401-4,800
55,000
82,500
110,000
165,000
4
4,801-7,200
75,000
112,500
150,000
225,000
5
7,201-9,600
85,000
127,500
170,000
255,000
6
9,601-11,600
100,000
150,000
200,000
300,000
7
11,601-14,000
110,000
165,000
220,000
330,000
8
14,001-16,800
120,000
185,000
240,000
360,000
9
16,801-19,200
130,000
195,000
260,000
390,000
10
19,201-35,000
140,000
210,000
280,000
420,000

 

[grussellt]

If you book your original routing as classic awards the stopover in Dubai will cost you 26000 points (SIN-DXB, 60000;DXB-BCN,50000 compared to SIN-DXB-BCN,84000). If you book as a multi-city award (SIN-DXB-BCN) you may be able to arrange a stopover of less than 24hr if the connections are favourable. You will not have a stopover on LHR-DXB-MEL for the same reason. The 280k will give you a lot more flexibility.