So is QFF points chasing worthwhile?

[benjy]

Points chasing for 2 years without spending a point, earned 250,000 points. Only issue now is that I don't want to spend them and/or don't have plans on spending the points yet.

 

[burmans]

I'm not sure this is an either/or question. I do value SQ/AA more highly that QF but in the OZ market QF are hard to ignore given there are many cases where they throw their points at you.

So I certainly take the QF points on offer when they make them easy to get but I wouldn't say I "chase" them. Getting them is easy, finding great value redemption offers not anywhere near as easy.

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

They are worth accumulating if they come to you, but I don't think they are worth chasing. For example:

- I won't book QF when I can find flights for the same routing for cheaper on other acceptable airlines (i.e. not Tiger or Deathstar) - which is most of the time
- I will not pay $49 or whatever for a "Qantas Rewards Fee" to earn QFF points on credit card spend when I earn equally valuable points with other programs without paying that amount
- I will not pay to use their Online Mall when I can find the items to purchase cheaper elsewhere

The money I save I transfer to my Self Managed Frequent Flyer Fund.

 

[JohnK]

There was a time when I thought chasing QFF points was beneficial. I don't think so anymore.

I think I also need to change my whole attitude towards chasing points in loyalty programs. I moved hotels quite a lot during the past couple of weeks in Thailand with my wife in tow. It is tiring. It isn't fun.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Surely this was a rhetorical question.

Not at all. It was a lazy question. As I stated, I am quite genuinely confused by the allure versus reality. It also seems to me that at least some are attracted by the earn availability, without full consideration of the whole point life cycle!

 

[Colin 2905]

Our daughter is about to move to Perth, so I envisage a fair few CBR - PER flights over the next ? years. As much as VA requires fewer points and a lower co-payment than QF, they don't have direct flights. I'd much prefer the daily direct flight on QF, even if it is going to cost me more points and dollars. As such, I'll still be on the QFF points scrounge for the foreseeable future. :-|

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I find QF easier to earn SC than VA with NZ in the mix. VA J is an option but with no int lounge of their own.
Lots of NZ flights via SYD have no J services, ie its the Airbus320 to NZ, 15 VA SC even in Works Deluxe.
QF Boeing737 have J services. 80 QF SC to NZ. QF int SYD J lounge is nice if no access to QF int SYD F lounge.
QF have a MEL - AKL dep MEL before midnight which allows me to connect dep ADL 15.30 or 16.00, get to AKL early next day with time in QF int MEL J lounge.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

VA J is an option but with no int lounge of their own.

The VA int lounge issue is one of the VA problems I spoke of earlier. Seems that sometimes the partnership works well and lounge access is correctly granted and at other times the partners just decide to change the rules (a la EY lounge at SYD). I think the OW partnership is possibly more consistent and more widely understood.

 

[bsb]

Who cares about points? I mean really, it's status you should be chasing. Points are just about flights and if you want flights just buy cheap airfares - there are plenty of dire airlines to cram yourself into.

I write this as I sit in the new LAN lounge in Santiago and nice as it is, it reminds me that nothing tops QANTAS for consistently good (owned) lounges (18 hrs ago in QF F lounge was a dream). I used to bash QF for years, 'flys nowhere, blah blah blah' but it's time to get real. Every whinging QFFer should be forced to fly domestic in the US or J around Europe, the conversation would change radically.

 

[serfty]

I chase points with VA Velocity over QFF as I can more efficiently redeem them than on QF.

WP status has better benifits with QF/*O than with VA, although row 3 on booking and generally cheaper fares means most my domestic travel is on VA.

So, to the question " So is QFF points chasing worthwhile? ", my answer is "yes", but only if you can't earn Velocity points instead doing the same thing.

 

[Anna]

yet QF still seems to be the airline of choice for many, many AFFers. Why?

In my case, not because of the 'loyalty' program. But while I'm choosing QF for other reasons, I may as well collect the SCs and points even if the latter aren't nearly as useful as QF wants you to believe.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Who cares about points? I mean really, it's status you should be chasing.

I agree that status is also a valid discussion and I also concede a discussion on either will include the other. This threads question was fairly and squarely aimed at point collection though. I understand the benefits of status (I currently fly about 120 sectors a year on both domestic and international), however as I've stated a few times now, I'm confused about the allure of relatively easy QFF points accrual versus the reality of good value redemption prospects.

Who cares about points you ask? I would have thought many more people than those who care about status. The reality is, that wise point collection can mean comfortable travel in J or F without the need for status. You seem to be fixated by points being used to buy the cheapest flight available whereas I believe many people who have responded to this thread may possibly believe that is not the best use of points.

 

[Limewood]

Of course with the rope tightening on those who pay for financial services like Tax for FF points coming to an end its harder to accumulate in many cases. So being self funded our travel pattern has changed and we find buying miles from the US based airlines (even with our poor exchange rate) still good value if one puts the hard yards in to find J seats without chasing points here in OZ. A recent trip to Europe return on OneWorld carriers was under $3000 per pax in J.

 

[Freq Flier 2013]

I mainly fly with Virgin as the taxes Qantas charge are just too high. Redemptions are easy to get for domestic flights and are realistic for international.

 

[TomVexille]

I got 2 Y-J upgrades BNE-PER-BNE in January this year even though a PS only.Comped at that.

Domestic upgrades are confirmed if available. Status doesn't come into that equation.

 

[amaroo]

Yes!
.......

 

[ozflier]

They are worth going for if you do not expect too much.
My interests are in
domestic business award seats which are available unless you wan to go to Perth and
international Y-J upgrades ( never got one but then again i have no status)
international award business award seats - usually only available if booked 9 months early or closer to flight times if I am happy with a One World Partner.
QFF award taxes are over the top - now that oil is so cheap , perhaps Mr Joyce can cut the punters some slack.

 

[zoomzoom]

QFF have in my opinion just about killed the goose that laid golden eggs for them. Like so much about QF its FF scheme is below the value offered by other airlines in my opinion. (eg. AA taxes are usually less than $10.....yes $10!) Also cost in points is much higher........but QFF are devalued points because they are available at just about every corner store.............Value to average punter is very limited. Getting flights out of Australia is very hard. QFF offer only limited flights and seats they can't sell..........economy domestic on unpopular/non commercial flights.
Sure QFF is a business, and they are exploiting their dominant position in the market. Thank goodness Virgin are offering some competitive choice.

Australians are locked into QF because of its domestic dominance and strangle hold on the big business market. Only if you fly significant international time is there any real option. If you fly international a lot there are much better value options than QF. The QF product is sub standard, over priced and QF goes to very few international destinations.

Its interesting to note that Australians fly QF when the company pays, but when they spend their own money they buy other airlines...........the proof of the old saying, they vote with their feet!!!

Personally, I am over QF, whenever possible I choose another carrier.....like so many others.

 

[mel1]

RooFlyer - my CBA card points go to Qantas...I did not know I could direct them to VA Velocity and then Krisflyer - how does that work please?

I don't 'chase' QFF points. Not in shopping, eating or anything else. (Use my CBA cards where points get turned into VA Velocity and then Krisflyer). So I guess I'm saying that I don't think they are worth chasing.

Earn enough QFF points in J flying for work to keep a decent balance, for occasional dom upgrades and a future intl redemption I suppose.

 

[mel1]

We have used QFF a lot in the past year (2 x business tix return to South America in April; then 2 x business tix return to USA in August), HOWEVER, I had to book exactly 11 months ahead, to get to USA we had to go via Hong Kong on Cathay....all in all it was a pain. Recently I booked 2 x business to Europe return for next year on Singapore Airlines and it was much easier to find flights, also the option of Saver flights for many many less points. OK, I did have to book a long way ahead and the connections are not great, but not as far ahead as Qantas and so many many more options. We would only use Qantas again if travelling to USA and that probs won't happen again for a while!