QFF Value of Silver Status?

[Stoopidsteve]

The new Frequent Flyer card (coming soon) IIRC will allow Bronze FFers to check in with their card too. Also you can buy the bag tags if you really want them but bag tags are only of use when flying QFd. If you are flying mostly QFi then you won't be using bag tags - regardless of FF status.

Unless you need to carry handy drinks coasters with you.

 

[Deleted member]

Yeah - I would ideally love to put a dollar figure on every benefit (and the spreadsheet I put together does allow for this) but it's pretty hard to evaluate the value of elements such as:

• Priority Telephone Service
  
• Preferred Seating
• Preferential Access to selected Classic Award seats
• International Priority Check-in
• Qantas Card Check-in
• Qantas Q-Bag Tag
• Priority Waitlist/Airport Standby
• Priority Baggage (Gold)
• Access Premium Security Lanes (Gold)
• On Departure Upgrade requests for domestic flights in Australia (Gold)
• Priority boarding (Gold)
  

...made twice as hard given because I barely fly and hence have never really used the above.

Actually, I started reading the AFF Forum due to the Citibank discussions (and the value of a QFF Point) when deciding which credit card to choose... but I found it odd that there seems to be a lot of documentation re: the value of a QFF Point but very very little when it comes to evaluating the value of a status tier

In that case, accumulate points any way you can, and spend wisely, JASA for example. This will get you lounge access ,increased baggage limits etc.

 

[Yoz]

In that case, accumulate points any way you can, and spend wisely, JASA for example. This will get you lounge access ,increased baggage limits etc.

JASA in my situation seems awfully wasteful although it will most likely happen as I do enjoy comfort

And while I haven't used the perks I feel that the vast majority of the perks listed will be pretty much nil benefit even if I was flying a little more frequently.

Which is partially why I put the list together because the majority of perks seemed like trivial value adds - the only ones I can see being worthwhile at silver at the baggage allowance and the Qantas Club invite (which is pretty nice to have if you're stuck in transit).

Wonder what would happen if I posted asking how much people value their existing status level.

 

[Deleted member]

JASA in my situation seems awfully wasteful although it will most likely happen as I do enjoy comfort

And while I haven't used the perks I feel that the vast majority of the perks listed will be pretty much nil benefit even if I was flying a little more frequently.

Which is partially why I put the list together because the majority of perks seemed like trivial value adds - the only ones I can see being worthwhile at silver at the baggage allowance and the Qantas Club invite (which is pretty nice to have if you're stuck in transit).

Wonder what would happen if I posted asking how much people value their existing status level.

You earn SC's and points on a JASA.

I value my status quite highly at he moment. If I stop regular flying then maybe not so much

 

[markis10]

JASA in my situation seems awfully wasteful although it will most likely happen as I do enjoy comfort

Don't hear of many Bronze flyers getting double SC offers, but Qantas does like to invent those with status to retain it, given 24000 points will earn 280 SC under such an offer, JASAs don't really seem wasteful at all, especially with the bonus points earn.

Route: Melbourne - Sydney - Shanghai - Sydney - Melbourne
Class: Discount Economy
Status
Platinum 21,564* 90
Gold 19,120* 90
Silver 16,674* 90
Bronze 11,782* 90

Lets look at a scenario:

Two trips to PVG done, 180 SC and just under 24000 points in the bank (with a bit if Woolies shopping we will round it up to 24k).
Double SC comes in just after you spent $600 on wine at Epiqure which boosts the points balance to 48000.
Fly first leg of JASA, get 280 SC and 4000 points.
Fly second leg of JASA get 280 SC and 5000 points.

SC Balance 740
Points balance 17000.
Status: Gold

Next year do two trips as Gold to PVG again , earn an extra 7000 odd points on top because of status, add this to post run balance = 24000, so in reality achieving gold has cost you 24000 points!

 

[Chris82]

Two trips to PVG done, 180 SC and just under 24000 points in the bank (with a bit if Woolies shopping we will round it up to 24k).
Double SC comes in just after you spent $600 on wine at Epiqure which boosts the points balance to 48000.

Markis you've lost me here. Unless I'm reading it wrong, you're saying you get 24,000 points from a $600 spend at Epiqure??

 

[markis10]

Markis you've lost me here. Unless I'm reading it wrong, you're saying you get 24,000 points from a $600 spend at Epiqure??

At times its possible, all depends on the bonus offer, the $600 spend before Christmas was for the festive dozen x 4, new member bonus of 2000 for the first 12 then 8000 for the 48th bottle, and a nice buy two dozen get 8K bonus points, which of course was actually 27200 points odd.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

The reason no one has placed a value on each tier is because there are too many variables to accurately do this. Each tier would have a unique value to each person based on their travel needs and patterns.

Someone who is SG and flies weekly interstate would place more value on their tier than a WP who flies once every 3 months. Even WPs with the same flight pattern who both use the Dom J lounge could have different values if one drinks water and the other loves their spirits.

 

[harvyk]

Yoz, each person is different in how they travel, so putting a value on PS membership is hard.

First of all, QP single entry I'd place a total value of around $30 on. It's a nice place to sit and get some free drinks and food, but really it can be hit and miss, and every so often the main terminal has been the preferable place.

Additional FF points, again it's really hard to value them. It's possible to get a burn rate of up to 10c per point (my best effort), it's also possible to get a burn rate of 0.3c a point (my worst effort, I was points rich but cash poor and I really wanted to go on the trip)

Of course, there is always the brag factor which comes with having a PS card (which actually requires flying) over being an NB. (Contrary to belief on this forum, most ppl do not have status, so any status has bragging rights attached to it, esp among your non-status friends)

The one I think I would personally miss the most if I was to drop down to NB would be the free seat selection, the ability to select seats (it amazing how frequently a solo traveler can find shadows by selecting the right seats) is something I would miss on long hauls, and I probably wouldn't pay for the privilege.

Would I consider doing a status run if I was 20SC's away? Probably... Would I consider doing a status run if I was 50SC's away? Probably not, even if they came in under the value you had listed here.

 

[Yoz]

Two trips to PVG done, 180 SC and just under 24000 points in the bank (with a bit if Woolies shopping we will round it up to 24k).
Double SC comes in just after you spent $600 on wine at Epiqure which boosts the points balance to 48000.
Fly first leg of JASA, get 280 SC and 4000 points.
Fly second leg of JASA get 280 SC and 5000 points.

SC Balance 740
Points balance 17000.
Status: Gold

Next year do two trips as Gold to PVG again , earn an extra 7000 odd points on top because of status, add this to post run balance = 24000, so in reality achieving gold has cost you 24000 points!

Doesn't this completely neglect the dollar difference paid? Or am I completely missing something?

 

[markis10]

Doesn't this completely neglect the dollar difference paid? Or am I completely missing something?

The dollar difference is missed out because its a look at value re points earned versus points earned later, in the above scenario its $150 each award to drop it from 40000 to 24000 at the moment but that changes, it used to be around $50.

 

[Yoz]

The dollar difference is missed out because its a look at value re points earned versus points earned later, in the above scenario its $150 each award to drop it from 40000 to 24000 at the moment but that changes, it used to be around $50.

Baaah. Still confused as it doesn't seem to add up in my head ._.

In the scenario above (or previous page now) what's the actual cost of:
a) MEL-SYD-PVG
b) PVG-SYD-MEL

Just for simplicity's sake - ignoring any points/status credits earned on the flights themselves or in the future as a higher tier?

(Ps. Thanks for trying to explain it. My bronze brain does not want to comprehend)

 

[markis10]

Baaah. Still confused as it doesn't seem to add up in my head ._.

In the scenario above (or previous page now) what's the actual cost of:
a) MEL-SYD-PVG
b) PVG-SYD-MEL

Just for simplicity's sake - ignoring any points/status credits earned on the flights themselves or in the future as a higher tier?

(Ps. Thanks for trying to explain it. My bronze brain does not want to comprehend)

The cost of the trip to PVG is irrelevant, its just an example of a travel pattern for someone who does two trips a year, with my example showing that the cost to attain status can be very little. Put another way, if the same travel pattern continues, spending 48000 points would net an extra 7338 points for every trip as a gold member and an extra 4892 as a silver member, if the trips taken remain as 2 in the year the member is gold and two when they drop to Silver, net haul is 24460 extra points!

At the end of the 2 years someone not attaining Gold would be better off by 7000 points and $300 if todays costings apply using the travel example posted, obviously for each person is different but future earn versus what is spent when it comes to points is a very import consideration in most cases.

 

[Yoz]

Aaaah. I thought you were trying to JASA to PVG.

It's just a standard JASA status run to generate 280 SCs which now makes far more sense!