Newbie questions from a new flyer

[yoursnowtographer]

Hi all

What a great forum, I've already found a heap of answers to questions I had but I still have a few unanswered ones.

I've never flown international before, and will have to quite a bit starting the end of this year

1/ If I book a flight through Qatars website, can I still accumulate QFF points?

2/ I read a post a few days ago about opening a few CC accounts with different banks to fly RTW for $150, the bank I do my banking with doesn't offer FF points with any airline, should I open accounts with AMEX, Westpac, NAB, etc to take advantage of accumulating points even though I have no intension of banking with them, or is there prerequisites that need to be fulfilled that would make it not worth while?

3/ First flight I will need to be booking will be from Syd-->Venice. I was told to also check other routes like stopovers in Frankfurt or London, not just Dubai with Qantas. Is there an easy way to search all the possible routes to get there and filter only for details that will accumulate QFF and Aquire points?

4/ This is a bit tricky to explain, but I'll try. I have to do about 2 weeks of promo shoots for Aus. businesses/companies trying to break into the EU market, I have been given the okay to use my kids as models (usually my kids model for these businesses when I shoot in Aus.) instead of trying to find and hire kids over there as my kids are experienced in what is needed and to fly them over will cost similar to hiring over there. They already have there own QFF accounts. The question is, will Qantas acknowledge that theoretically my kids will be working as hired models by my business and can I claim Aquire points on their flights?

Thanks for checking out my queries.

Luke

 

[VulpesVulpes]

Hi all

What a great forum, I've already found a heap of answers to questions I had but I still have a few unanswered ones.

I've never flown international before, and will have to quite a bit starting the end of this year

1/ If I book a flight through Qatars website, can I still accumulate QFF points?

yes but not at the same earn rates

2/ I read a post a few days ago about opening a few CC accounts with different banks to fly RTW for $150, the bank I do my banking with doesn't offer FF points with any airline, should I open accounts with AMEX, Westpac, NAB, etc to take advantage of accumulating points even though I have no intension of banking with them, or is there prerequisites that need to be fulfilled that would make it not worth while?

$150 rtw? sign me up! but yes there are some cards better than others. Choose a card that works for you. I have a Comm Bank Plat and NAB plat - you will probably be different YMMV. Choose financial sensibility over earning points (massive case of pot-kettle-black but oh well)

3/ First flight I will need to be booking will be from Syd-->Venice. I was told to also check other routes like stopovers in Frankfurt or London, not just Dubai with Qantas. Is there an easy way to search all the possible routes to get there and filter only for details that will accumulate QFF and Aquire points?

if it is your first - go to a travel agent - they do hard work for you and get paid a commission on the ticket price so it wont cost you more and the'll get it right.

Also try on the QF website enter your start and finish places and see what it spits out.

4/ This is a bit tricky to explain, but I'll try. I have to do about 2 weeks of promo shoots for Aus. businesses/companies trying to break into the EU market, I have been given the okay to use my kids as models (usually my kids model for these businesses when I shoot in Aus.) instead of trying to find and hire kids over there as my kids are experienced in what is needed and to fly them over will cost similar to hiring over there. They already have there own QFF accounts. The question is, will Qantas acknowledge that theoretically my kids will be working as hired models by my business and can I claim Aquire points on their flights?

Pretty sure you book with your ABN and will be good to go - I know you will be fine if booked via a travel agent

Thanks for checking out my queries.

Luke

 

[RooFlyer]

Hi Luke and welcome to AFF!

I'm going to repeat some of VulpesVulpes excellent advice, so forgive the duplication.

Not sure about your Q re booking though 'Qatars' web site. You mean you are looking at going on a QR flight under your QFF member number? Yes, you earn QFF points on QR, but less than if you fly with Qantas (this is true when you fly on any OneWorld airline other than Qantas). Use this QFF earning calculator to see how many points and SCs you will earn, depending on your status, the route and the airline flown. Flying on a QF codeshare on a different airline earns as if you were flying on Qantas metal.

Yes, you can apply for a few cards that give QFF points as a bonus, and then you earn on the spend. Spend some time on the credit card part of this site for some ideas. Some cards have a qualifying spend I think before you get the bonus. Be aware of possible impacts on your credit rating if you apply for many and maybe get knocked back somewhere along the line.

Definitely go to a good travel agent (I'm not thinking Flight Centre type) for instance here re routing for the long haul; if you are going to keep travelling o/s, establishing a relationship with a good TA can be valuable. They get commission out of the airline, so should be no more expensive for you. And if things get cancelled etc, they spend their time fixing, not you in a panic at some foreign hotel. Many here like doing their own research and booking, looking for the best combination of low $ / max FF points and Status Credits (SC), but a good TA can save you a lot of time and sometimes can get fares not available elsewhere. For oneWorld (QFF points) look at Finnair via Helsinki. Great airline, and they offer some really, really good deals to Europe. Sounds like a long way there, but a number of us here choose this way due to the quality of the experience and the price. You go QF to Asia, then pick up AY from SIN, HKG or BKK. From HEL, the intra-Europe flight is sometimes at no extra cost (not always available)

However ALWAYS ask the TA to give you (say) 3 choices - you might ask for 1) cheapest 2) most direct and 3) good value (such as Finnair) and don't even just accept these. Don't be pedantic, but make sure they are giving you what you want. Go here to see the oneWorld routes - it'll give you some planning ideas.

Yes re Aquire. Make sure your kids are 'employees' then they will help you clear the '2 people in the business' hurdle to get the points. As VulpesVulpes says, just make sure your ABN is in all the bookings.

Edit: Finnair's current offers here.

 

[Steady]

Pretty sure you book with your ABN and will be good to go - I know you will be fine if booked via a travel agent

Yes re Aquire. Make sure your kids are 'employees' then they will help you clear the '2 people in the business' hurdle to get the points. As VulpesVulpes says, just make sure your ABN is in all the bookings.

Keen to hear how you go with this.

While I agree this should be the case my limited experience indicates otherwise. The owner of the company I manage has kids - 12 & 14 who are on the payroll and their flights did not earn Aquire points. I have not bothered challenging it as they only had 1 short return discount economy flight and I decided the time involved was not worth the potential reward.

 

[RooFlyer]

Ah, that rings a bell. Yes, I recall there is an exclusion for 'family'; for adult family members I think its possible, but for young children, you may be out of luck. Sorry to the OP for confusing things.

 

[yoursnowtographer]

Thanks very much for the info