I'm more a frequent spender than flyer but as a result, Amex give me enough points for two First Class seats to Europe or anywhere I guess, every eighteen months.
Now, just so we are clear, that's about thirty five thousand dollars of free stuff every eighteen months. Once, I won a chook at the pub but that's a distant second so you can imagine how much I appreciate these points.
The issue, as all Qantas FF's know well, is spending the bloody things and in the past, to go anywhere worthwhile at the front of the plane meant a twelve month lead time - which was fine once or twice but the last few, I just haven't been able to plan that far ahead and had to cancel a few weeks out. A marriage can only handle an event like that once or twice.
Happily, Amex now offer parity on the Singapore Airlines program and so, on a Wednesday night, my wife and I went seat shopping and found what we were after - booked that night and departed on the Saturday to Europe for twelve days first class.
That in itself is amazing if you have ever spent anytime on the Qantas site. Apparently, it's par for the course at Singapore Airlines.
The points cost was about two thirds the same trip on Qantas (Classic) - I think 220k points versus 370k. We paid a premium for a 777 sector and if you get the chance - that plane is a very different first class experience to the 747 and worth the additional.
So, big thumbs up KrisFlyer for doing what apparently, Qantas are incapable of doing.
Now, just so we are clear, that's about thirty five thousand dollars of free stuff every eighteen months. Once, I won a chook at the pub but that's a distant second so you can imagine how much I appreciate these points.
The issue, as all Qantas FF's know well, is spending the bloody things and in the past, to go anywhere worthwhile at the front of the plane meant a twelve month lead time - which was fine once or twice but the last few, I just haven't been able to plan that far ahead and had to cancel a few weeks out. A marriage can only handle an event like that once or twice.
Happily, Amex now offer parity on the Singapore Airlines program and so, on a Wednesday night, my wife and I went seat shopping and found what we were after - booked that night and departed on the Saturday to Europe for twelve days first class.
That in itself is amazing if you have ever spent anytime on the Qantas site. Apparently, it's par for the course at Singapore Airlines.
The points cost was about two thirds the same trip on Qantas (Classic) - I think 220k points versus 370k. We paid a premium for a 777 sector and if you get the chance - that plane is a very different first class experience to the 747 and worth the additional.
So, big thumbs up KrisFlyer for doing what apparently, Qantas are incapable of doing.
@ 1.5pts/dollar - so I'm binning my bank qantas visa card with it's ****e cap - 36k from memory and grabbing that.
