Points top up, is it worth it?

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Lynnelanne

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Hi, so yesterday I received an email from Qantas offering points top up to purchase. At the top level they are offering 50% bonus points. I’m pretty sure this is happened in the past but I haven’t been in a financial position to take advantage of it. At the moment I am in such a position. Compared with many of the people on this forum I know nothing and I’m seeking your advice. The way I see it if I bought 150,000 points it would cost me $4000 and I would get a bonus 75,000 points. This would seem to be enough for a first class one-way classic rewards flight to London from Melbourne which would normally cost a great deal more than $4000. Now I know that nobody in their right mind would want to fly to London at the moment but I’m hoping I’ll be alive for a few more years and that that will become a possibility again. So this seems too good to be true and such things usually are. Please tell me what’s wrong with my thinking here. TIA.
 
Classic awards could cost more points by the time you are ready to book travel.

Points top-ups generally only make sense when you are only a little short of what you need and have imminent plans to book travel (can’t wait for future regular points earn).

Credit card sign up offers if you are eligible for them and disciplined with such products offer much better value than points top-ups but you could be waiting over 3 months longer for the points than a points top-up.
 
As @mivy suggested credit card sign up offers are better, as you will get 100K points just for spending $3k-4k over the first 2-3 months on regular purchases. Also considering that QF have mothballed the a380 for the next couple of years there is no need to rush.
 
Being a self funded retiree, I’m not in a position to get new credit card signup points, so would it be worth it for me buying points?
Like the op, I’m hoping to live for a few more years and hopefully the covid stuff will be over and we can enjoy o/s travel again.
 
I'd only say it's worth it if you're using them right away on domestic/NZ business class fares but always best to check cash fares first. I wouldn't be saving them up because award charts can change at any second, availability can dry up overnight etc.

When purchasing the highest amount $3999 you get 225,000 points (~1.77c per point).

Examples below:

RoutePointsTotal Cost (buying points + taxes)Cheapest Cash FareSaving
SYD - CNS41,500 + $47$781.55$932$150.45
SYD - PER41,500 + $44$778.55$2587$1808.45
SYD - AKL41,500 + $162$896.55$862-$7.55
SYD - MEL18,400 + $39$364.68$719$354.32
SYD - DRW41,500 + $57$791.55$1309$517.45
SYD - ADL27,600 + $45$533.52$790$256.48
 
You need to be prepared that points drop in value over time and that if you don’t have status it may be very difficult to get points seats even if you are very flexible about when you plan to travel.
 

225000 points for $5130 here - comes with 180 bottles of wine!

(or just wait for a better deal, like this one which would come to $3800 for 220000 points and comes with 66 bottles of wine)
 
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Thanks everyone so far. More information: I don’t drink alcohol (health issues) so wine purchase no go. Also I’m retired and wealthier than I’ve ever been-which means banks won’t give me a new credit card. Don’t start me on that one.
 
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I guess my point on the wine is that the current 50% points promo is not the most amazing deal.

You will have more opportunities to spend $4k on 225000 points in future and if that means buying 180 bottles of wine which you are unable to drink, I am happy to help you dispose of them.
 
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Thank you to the OP for raising this topic. I too received an email from Qantas about purchasing points top up. As others have mentioned, if you're in positiong to take advantage of credit card signup bonus points offer, they would be the best thing to do.
 
If you still want to do the points top up, you can. The other thing is to make sure you keep your account active as points expire after 18 months of inactivity. The last thing you want is to purchase points only to end up letting them expire.
 
Thanks so much Sudoer for the kind offer. Seriously, I wonder if I could buy the wine and then sell it. Must look into that. Not sure how an unlicensed person would do that.
 
If you still want to do the points top up, you can. The other thing is to make sure you keep your account active as points expire after 18 months of inactivity. The last thing you want is to purchase points only to end up letting them expire.
Oh yes, I did know about that but thanks anyway.

Everyone has been very helpful. I think I'll (seriously) look at options to buy wine and then sell it. If anyone has any hints on that (I know it's off topic) please let me know.
 
Buying points from some airlines when they're on sale can actually be quite good value. However, this offer from Qantas Frequent Flyer is not an example of that. Buying top-up points from Qantas is still poor value IMHO, even with the 50% bonus. This is even more so if you're just buying points speculatively (i.e. without an immediate use for them).

FWIW, I buy wine as well if I'm short of Qantas points. I happen to like wine, but I can also give away the wine as gifts etc.
 
I think I'll (seriously) look at options to buy wine and then sell it
Unless you've got close friends/family you're selling it to, I'd highly advise against this.

If you're going to try and sell it online, places like gumtree don't allow alcohol, and ones that do like eBay require you to have a liquor license ($1500+ per year depending on the state). The penalties are quite tough around this sort of stuff so it's not something you'd want to play around with just to get some bonus points.
 
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I don’t think it was mentioned earlier but Top Up points count towards Points Club - so you could be earning SCs as you burn those points.
 
Unless you've got close friends/family you're selling it to, I'd highly advise against this.

If you're going to try and sell it online, places like gumtree don't allow alcohol, and ones that do like eBay require you to have a liquor license ($1500+ per year depending on the state). The penalties are quite tough around this sort of stuff so it's not something you'd want to play around with just to get some bonus points.
Nah, my family would only take it for free! Looks like I'm not doing too well with this idea. Oh well, it was a thought. The way vaccines are going we might not be going anywhere for some time anyway.
 
I don’t think it was mentioned earlier but Top Up points count towards Points Club - so you could be earning SCs as you burn those points.

As do points from Qantas Wine and every other non flying source.

In all cases it would be necessary to split the purchase into at least two transactions to get around the max 125k limit.
 
As do points from Qantas Wine and every other non flying source.

In all cases it would be necessary to split the purchase into at least two transactions to get around the max 125k limit.
Yes, I’d be doing the wine option (which has already helped me achieve and maintain PC). Not that I need the points - can’t burn them at the moment in any great qty...

Meanwhile, I‘m also happy to take delivery of any wine orders in excess to need! 🤣

It’s actually amazing the number of points purchase offers I receive from airlines and hotels. Rarely does it make sense unless, as @mviy said in post #2, that you‘re just shy of some specific reward.
 
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