My Personal Valuation of Qantas FF and Velocity Points

[Renato1]

I've just applied online now and have apparently been accepted, not that I doubt this, but I suspect pretty much all these applications get accepted by the web interface unless you tick/enter a red-flag item. I'm sure they get reviewed later on. In any event, I'll report back here if the points arrive .. or if they don't :O

When I clicked on the T&Cs then on the PDF file within it, I noticed that this card seems to give the complimentary flight to beyond the main capital cities (which is all Platinum Edge does).

Also, have you explored the apparently (if I read it right) unlimited up to 50% discount on Business in the code share flights? This would be the card for you, if correct - leaving you with the dilemma of what to do with your points as you wouldn't be using them for upgrades as often.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[JohnK]

One question to ask yourself with the comparision between J redemptions and the cash fare cost is - "would I ever pay the cash fare?". If the answer is no, then there's no point valuing the points based on the cash fare.

Totally agree.

I am generally only prepared to pay for economy so the points used for business class redemptions are based on the cost of economy class tickets.

 

[Moopere]

Also, have you explored the apparently (if I read it right) unlimited up to 50% discount on Business in the code share flights? This would be the card for you, if correct - leaving you with the dilemma of what to do with your points as you wouldn't be using them for upgrades as often.

Ha! Yes, sounds pretty exciting huh? I haven't read the current version, but when I had this card previously the 'up to' 50% off the full rack rate price was so full of gotchas and T&C as to be almost laughable. For someone like me who doesn't like gambling but does like known quantities in advance ... didn't seem very interesting.

 

[Renato1]

Unfortunately, my personal valuation of Velocity Points is now shot to pieces. As I demonstrate in my Thread in the Virgin Australia Velocity board, my bank of Velocity points has just been devalued from what I thought it was, as the amount of points that are needed for flights have been inflated by between 18% and 19% from the numbers required back on 21 June 2015.

It transpires I used a June 15% off promotion for my valuation of the Velocity points. So now I have to go back and recalculate my personal valuation to a`lower figure.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Kaiser]

Thanks for this comparison, was good to read through as I deliberated on whether to jump on the current 110K velocity AMex offer. Saver awards for the popular routes though book out earlier than i can confirm/book my annual leave - so I think it will be hard for me to use the points as I wish.

 

[Renato1]

Thanks for this comparison, was good to read through as I deliberated on whether to jump on the current 110K velocity AMex offer. Saver awards for the popular routes though book out earlier than i can confirm/book my annual leave - so I think it will be hard for me to use the points as I wish.

Still, even valuing Virgin points at say a low 1.3 cents per point, that make the current 110000point offer worth $1430, plus you get a free plane trip, plus two lounge passes - worth at very least $300, assuming you take the longest complimentary trip.

So that's $1730 for spending $349 on the card - which is pretty good value.

What if you took saver routes to places that aren't so popular - might be less crowded and more restful?
Cheers,
Renato

 

[burmans]

$1750 for $350 and it's only pretty good value, you're a hard marker!

 

[Renato1]

$1750 for $350 and it's only pretty good value, you're a hard marker!

Yes, well that hard`marking arises because of the conditional and personal nature of the points and benefits, and not wanting to generalize. For someone like me, they woukd be worth around that amount.

But today I went and saw my Doctor, and we spent a large proportion of the consultation discussing credit cards, complimentary flights and FF points. His problem is that he has a wife that works and kids at school, and that he has a hard time getting them all free at once, and at a time that he can reasonably expect to be able to book the award flights for all of them to go somewhere that he wants to go to. So he would have to value deals such as this one as something that is going to occur at some indeterminate time in the future - he may not be able to use the complimentary flight and the lounge passes that year, and they will expire. And the amount of points required for a flight may well increase in the future, hence devaluing his current valuation.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[burmans]

Yes, well that hard`marking arises because of the conditional and personal nature of the points and benefits, and not wanting to generalize. For someone like me, they woukd be worth around that amount.

But today I went and saw my Doctor, and we spent a large proportion of the consultation discussing credit cards, complimentary flights and FF points. His problem is that he has a wife that works and kids at school, and that he has a hard time getting them all free at once, and at a time that he can reasonably expect to be able to book the award flights for all of them to go somewhere that he wants to go to. So he would have to value deals such as this one as something that is going to occur at some indeterminate time in the future - he may not be able to use the complimentary flight and the lounge passes that year, and they will expire. And the amount of points required for a flight may well increase in the future, hence devaluing his current valuation.
Cheers,
Renato

Yes I know some people can't take advantage of this but it's kind of irrelevant if you are one of those who can. I judge deals because of their value to me and no doubt others can't get value out of FF rewards, but we are on AFF and it's a pretty good assumption that those on this site are here because they both can and want to.

Your doctor, her probably doesn't frequent this site and I can totally understand that.

 

[Moopere]

I've had an Amex of one type or another for years ... 2-3 years ago I got this Velocity Amex and gained the bonus at the time, can't remember now if it was 40K or 80K ... it was reasonable anyway. Cancelled it 1-2 years later as part of the normal CC churn we all have to endure.

I've just applied online now and have apparently been accepted, not that I doubt this, but I suspect pretty much all these applications get accepted by the web interface unless you tick/enter a red-flag item. I'm sure they get reviewed later on. In any event, I'll report back here if the points arrive .. or if they don't

Said I'd report back, so here it is. I've not seen the points hit my velocity account yet but I checked the Amex site today and they are being reported there - probably just waiting for the end of the CC month to move across. 100K + 10K points - happy with that ... even happier once they actually hit Velocity.

 

[Steady]

But today I went and saw my Doctor, and we spent a large proportion of the consultation discussing credit cards, complimentary flights and FF points. His problem is that he has a wife that works and kids at school, and that he has a hard time getting them all free at once, and at a time that he can reasonably expect to be able to book the award flights for all of them to go somewhere that he wants to go to. So he would have to value deals such as this one as something that is going to occur at some indeterminate time in the future - he may not be able to use the complimentary flight and the lounge passes that year, and they will expire. And the amount of points required for a flight may well increase in the future, hence devaluing his current valuation.
Cheers,
Renato

So you were unsuccessful getting the Dr to use your referral.... I have managed to get 2 referrals so far but hadn't thought of hitting up my GP

 

[Renato1]

Said I'd report back, so here it is. I've not seen the points hit my velocity account yet but I checked the Amex site today and they are being reported there - probably just waiting for the end of the CC month to move across. 100K + 10K points - happy with that ... even happier once they actually hit Velocity.

Congratulations. With my Amex card, I have to go into the points account and transfer the points across to Velocity.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Moopere]

Congratulations. With my Amex card, I have to go into the points account and transfer the points across to Velocity.

Yes, so do I for my 'normal' Amex which is a Plat edge - I came back to this thread though to add anecdotal evidence that having an 'edge' at least doesn't appear to deny one the ability to also grab the Velocity Plat with the current 110K offer - of course, as with all things, YMMV and I always felt it to be a gamble. I shouldn't count those chicken before they hatch and are safely in the velocity account I know, but this is what happened to me last time I got this Velocity Amex as well - the bonus points came anyway, despite at that time holding the Edge and a green Amex charge.