Qantas Frequent Flyer Changes - Online NOW!!

[thomastse]

Hi,

a) no one forces you to join QANTAS FF - you know the situation when you join

b) whilst some rewards require a lot of points, it's much easier to earn QANTAS FF than on some other airlines (e.g. minimum 1000 points per segment)

c) there is no requirement to be flying higher value fares to earn points on QANTAS FF (e.g. check many other European FF schemes and discount flights earn 25%, 50% or 0 miles / tier points)

So, it's not quite a black/white as you are making out

Thanks for the info. Yeah, I guess nothing is black & white. I figured that there must be some other benefit that suits Qantas FF's target customers & obviously I am not one of them. I get most of my points through credit cards & most Visa/Master cards ( except two I know of ) can only transfer to Qantas. So for places that do not accept Amex, I'm "forced" to save points to Qantas. And when there are a few family members, the joining fee can get a little steep. Perhaps QF FFlyer provides more benefits to Australian citizens than overseas residents ? Even before this "any seat award", the points required for one of the QF award seat I tried was 50% higher ( & unavailable probably due to the very limited seats QF allocated ) than VS or SQ. Anyway, as usual, we'll just have to choose the most suitable one for each of our own circumstance. All the best !

 

[thomastse]

I have a CitiB Plat Visa which offers Anyflight Cashback at the rate of $100 travel for 10000 points. A purchased ticket Bris - HK return in september would cost me $1272.44 and I could use cash back for 127244 points to pay for it if I wanted to. As a lowly bronze FF I would earn 11162 points for buying the ticket. Cost includes all taxes.

With any seat the points required for the same flight is 136667 which includes all taxes but I would not receive any points for the flight.

Never considered Cashback before but may be an option as I have to have firm dates to plan staffing while we are away from our small business.

If these points you are talking about are FF points, perhaps you can get better value for your points.

60,000 FF points will get you a free economy class ticket to HK from Sydney ( may be less from Brisbane ). But you'll have to book months ahead.

$100 for 10,000 points means they are paying you 1c per point. I believe in Canada one can sell one's points to agents for 4c / point.

Depending on how you save your points, with other airlines, one can get like 7-8 c / pt.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[savydog]

If these points you are talking about are FF points, perhaps you can get better value for your points.

60,000 FF points will get you a free economy class ticket to HK from Sydney ( may be less from Brisbane ). But you'll have to book months ahead.

$100 for 10,000 points means they are paying you 1c per point. I believe in Canada one can sell one's points to agents for 4c / point.

Depending on how you save your points, with other airlines, one can get like 7-8 c / pt.

Hope this is helpful.

Thanks, I was aware of classic rewards being 60000. I got a direct Bris - Hong Kong return earlier this year but most seem to to be through other capitals now which does add on more points.

I was just highlighting that option with Citibank Platinum for those who might be about to spend big with "any Seat" . A few alarm bells are ringing if CitiBank are offfering a better deal than Qantas.

I also noticed that Citibank can transfer to Singapore Airlines at 1.5 points = 1 mile so thats another option to explore.

 

[thomastse]

Thanks, I was aware of classic rewards being 60000. I got a direct Bris - Hong Kong return earlier this year but most seem to to be through other capitals now which does add on more points.

I was just highlighting that option with Citibank Platinum for those who might be about to spend big with "any Seat" . A few alarm bells are ringing if CitiBank are offfering a better deal than Qantas.

I also noticed that Citibank can transfer to Singapore Airlines at 1.5 points = 1 mile so thats another option to explore.

Thanks for that info : I was looking for any other CC that can save points for airlines other than QF. I'll look into joining Citibank. QF is not good value to me at all.

 

[Tooner]

The CC FF point earn is a big issue for QFF, as noted in the AFR Magazine article. They want to encourage direct earning, and discourage indirect earning via credit cards.

 

[TheFergus]

The CC FF point earn is a big issue for QFF, as noted in the AFR Magazine article. They want to encourage direct earning, and discourage indirect earning via credit cards.

You what? Well, why don't they just say 'I'm sorry, he's in a meeting right now' every time Mr Visa and Ms Mastercard and that Fatboy Amex call up for some more points for their cardholders?? Helloooo.

 

[thomastse]

That's probably why I find QF points are of much less value as I mainly save points from CC spending. Thanks for clearing that up. Still, even if one saves points from buying tickets, the award seats are very limited & cost much more points than other airlines with more limitations. But I guess that's the way it goes. For those of us who save points from CC, we'll just have to use cards that can transfer points to other airlines. Thanks, guys !

Btw, has anyone used the airlinesavingsecret.com & found it useful ?

 

[thomastse]

You what? Well, why don't they just say 'I'm sorry, he's in a meeting right now' every time Mr Visa and Ms Mastercard and that Fatboy Amex call up for some more points for their cardholders?? Helloooo.

Yeah, I reckon.

 

[oz_mark]

The CC FF point earn is a big issue for QFF, as noted in the AFR Magazine article. They want to encourage direct earning, and discourage indirect earning via credit cards.

More to the point, they wish to control the 'loyalty' relationship. You have more control if you take out the middleman (bank) scheme.

 

[TheFergus]

Qantas claim or imply that a peak Anyseat seat will cost more points than a non peak or low demand seat to the same destination.

So I guess that's a school holidays flight to London -v- non school holidays?

Can anyone show me two seats on same route which cost significantly different points under the Anyseat program? I cannot find same.

 

[dangerfield]

Thanks for the info. Yeah, I guess nothing is black & white. I figured that there must be some other benefit that suits Qantas FF's target customers & obviously I am not one of them. I get most of my points through credit cards & most Visa/Master cards ( except two I know of ) can only transfer to Qantas. So for places that do not accept Amex, I'm "forced" to save points to Qantas. And when there are a few family members, the joining fee can get a little steep. Perhaps QF FFlyer provides more benefits to Australian citizens than overseas residents ? Even before this "any seat award", the points required for one of the QF award seat I tried was 50% higher ( & unavailable probably due to the very limited seats QF allocated ) than VS or SQ. Anyway, as usual, we'll just have to choose the most suitable one for each of our own circumstance. All the best !

I'm with you thomatse, the joining fee is archaic and only shows that qantas is taking advantage of its monopoly. The plain fact these days is that credit cards "currency" is much more valuable than the old FF.

 

[dangerfield]

The merchandise section actually seems pretty good. The search tool is woeful but all in all there seems to be a decent alternative to burning a million points for a flight from canberra to syd when you want to go.

Anyone out there had a positive merchandise experience?

 

[thomastse]

one example I found :

SYD-HK-SYD OCT 11 & OCT 21 CLASSIC AWARD 66000 POINTS

SAME ROUTE & DATE ANY SEAT AWARD 129249 POINTS

DOES THIS HELP ?

 

[AnonymousCoward]

Can anyone show me two seats on same route which cost significantly different points under the Anyseat program? I cannot find same.

Sure - just look at SYD-MEL on a Monday morning.

Cheapest Red e-Deal seats are ~13k points. As we get closer to a Monday only Full Flex and Flexisaver tickets will be available, and they start at ~36k points.

 

[TheFergus]

Sure - just look at SYD-MEL on a Monday morning.

Cheapest Red e-Deal seats are ~13k points. As we get closer to a Monday only Full Flex and Flexisaver tickets will be available, and they start at ~36k points.

Yep, OK. How about longhaul?

 

[dajop]

OK was thinking, at least this presents new options provided that they keep the classic program intact, and may be even opportunities to pick up something cheap during sales ..... so they're offering a SIN-PER-SIN sale at the moment for $260SGD + taxes (or about $200AUD + taxes). I thought cool - maybe this is available for el cheapo anyseat.

Huh fat chance! IIRC, minimum charge under anyseat is 25K pts per flight, so looking at dates where $260 sale fare is available, still comes in at 50K points + taxes or 95K pts in total with no taxes.

A value of 0.4c per point - you have got to be kidding.

 

[scottmac99]

The merchandise section actually seems pretty good. The search tool is woeful but all in all there seems to be a decent alternative to burning a million points for a flight from canberra to syd when you want to go.

Anyone out there had a positive merchandise experience?

See my post today under "Experience with Qantas FF shop"

 

[TheFergus]

My wife saw the new QFF program ad in paper on weekend and said 'that can't be right - he's not going anywhere on the new anyseat program' and I was puzzled: 'How can you tell that?' I asked.

'Coz he's under 35 and that's not long enough to accumulate anything worthwhile under the new program'

Boom tish.

 

[munitalP]

My first retaliation against these BS changes to the Qantas FF scheme from a log time blue blood supporter (and long time WP member) is that I am flying J tomorrow to Taiwan via Sin on Singapore Airlines.

QF have been informed by email

Mr!



Kris lounge Mel - 0830 onwards if anyone wants to meet

 

[bambbbam2]

OK was thinking, at least this presents new options provided that they keep the classic program intact, and may be even opportunities to pick up something cheap during sales ..

This is where anyseat falls down - sometime the anyseat is as cheap as the classic award - but I have yet to see one that is cheaper..