Using FF points

Bernie,

There are many answers to this question, as there are also many people with lots of experience on this board to answer it.

From my point of view, the best way to use points is to use them for business class upgrades or business class flights on long haul domestic or international flights.

In terms of better days to use them flights it all depends on how far in advance you use them and at what hours of the day you want to fly. Avoidance of peak times and events will help make getting the flights you want. Thats means avoiding flying on Mondays and Fridays, Event weekends like AFL Grand Final, Grand Prix etc, or school hoildays. If you waqnt to fly at these times you will need to book well in advance. The biggest thing is being flexible so that if the flights are not available on the day you want you can move the trip a day or two each side.

Also something to bear in mind is that you should try and fly direct as this results in paying less fuel fines and airport taxes, it can also save ponts.

Hope this abbreaviated advice helps. I am sure others will add their comments

BTW, welcome to FF

Reggie

 

Bernie, tell us more about your travelling style. Some people here only like to travel business class and they have the means to do so. They will use miles to upgrade purchased economy tickets.

Others, like me are economy travelers using miles for overseas holidays. We want to get from a to b for as little as possible. I usually manage to get a free (except taxes) ticket every second year or so. Where do you want to travel to?

 

Hi All,

Long term haunter of site, first time poster...

Would like to introduce myself .. L.E.D for short.. I thought I would keep the car-based nomenclature going (oh except that is for the 17 year old Elise that was on some time back :shock: :"Im a married spud, I'm a married spud" )

I am an Australian Health economist working in Ireland . QFF silver in 5 months (which I thought was pretty good.. not far to Gold ..those trips back from Eu do the trick..sick of F/furt airport though..) but am also wanting to use FF points to book a flight on October to Singapore, but no such luck..

What gives me the &#%$ is that their a heaps of flights out of LHR going to Singapore on the dates that i want..

Question: if you ring qantas can they do any better than the website??

I don't really fly business as am a contractor, so keeping it cheap is part of the deal for me..

Any input would be great!

cheers
LED

b.t.w; anybody coming to Dublin soon.. would love some expat drinks at the Gresham any time..

 

Hi LED, and welcome to AFF.

I wouldn't bother phoning QFF regarding availability, they will see exactly what is displayed online. The only difference is that they could look at more exotic routings.

Have you considered exotic routings? Perhaps via TLV with LY, or via HEL with AY? Or via HKG with CX? These would all be available with your QF FF points on LHR-SIN.

One consolation though is that once yu become Gold you will see added availability in WHY - WHY awards are booked into X class for Bronze and Silver members, but additional inventory is available, i the form of T class, for Gold and Platinum members.

Dave

 

Thanks Doc for the response..

Yeah will ring them.. don't care how I get there.. Am hoping to use EI as much as possible before it severs its links to OW.

Will ring Qantas in London today and see if they can help me..

although.. the cheapest I can find is Finnair flying Helsinki..

Oh ..err ...flying into Tel Aviv at the moment... erm...

will mention this to my wife .. will then tell me i'm an idiot.. and then I will book EI and Qantas deal.. (some E$250 more..)

But hey.. then with trip to S/pore and then back to Aus in Nov.. probably will be a Uber Gold deamon flyer...

Does this mean then that I get qantas staff begging for my approval? QA staff being bordering-on-obseqiuos nice to me? a special roast meal carved out for me (in fron to other jealous plebian Econ-warriors) by the Captain? prettier fellow passengers begging to sit by me in Seat A Row 26? ten year old Mumm chapagne dolled out to me e.t.c, e.t.c,

Or do I get a pre-printed letter from some computer in the back rooms of an Indian processing centre (with my name spelt wrong ) sending me baggage labels that snap when I put them on..? The letter "Franks me very much for my supper t.."

Oh reality bites

L.E.D

 

Me thinks you have achieved Gold with Qantas before to know this.

 

LOL!

That's not status enough for you?

 

Bernie and LED:

There are others far better to speak on this subject than I, however () this response from KiwiFlyer about using third party websites (Expert Flyer and similar) to check the availability of upgrades or award seats on flights may help.

To my mind the key is finding the availability of the particular flight or upgrade you want, then planning your travel around these dates.

-Doug.

 

If using QFF points, don't forget FrequentFlyerFriend.com - Welcome (subscription service, free trial).