What has the points chase saved you

[OzEire]

Has anyone here ever tried adding up how much you have saved in actual $ over, say, a year.

I imagine one might either count earn (using your own personal per-point value) or count burn by the value of an equivalent fare/stay/spend, etc.

Might be interesting, no ?

 

[cove]

OzEire the way I look at it the plane that carries the different classes of fliers goes to the same final destination. What I feel changes is that once you start moving up from economy you have real problems going back. We don't think we would be able to fly 14 hours in economy class in one stretch and very few of our friends can do that either. It may be that our age is showing but at 65 we don't want to fly baggage class if we can help it.
The points value typically runs between 4 and 7 cents on redemption if you go for the highest class of travel and the cost of points would range from zero to maybe 2 cents each. Multiply the difference by the number of points redeemed and that would be your saving. I think of it more as a game where you fly in comfort if you can.

 

[Buzzard]

In one year +1 and I went through about 1 million points doing Dom J and 2 x return J to AKL. I'm guessing we "saved" many, many thousands of dollars.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Has anyone here ever tried adding up how much you have saved in actual $ over, say, a year.

I imagine one might either count earn (using your own personal per-point value) or count burn by the value of an equivalent fare/stay/spend, etc.

Might be interesting, no ?

Two fold savings...

By far the biggest has been giving up Qantas [insert your airline program] status. Giving up status allows you to search for other deals for all flights - not just those after you qualify for silver/gold/platinum... special fares, departures from Asia, or buying points.

The second saving then comes from the special fares/buying points deals themselves. In that respect... buying points isn't always that much of a saving, but it gets convenience and/or a better airline. Instead of having to fly to Asia and a separate ticket from there, you can fly all the way from Australia. Or instead of flying business class on Royal Brunei (currently $1700 to most of Asia), you can fly Non-stop on Air China, Singapore, Asiana or ANA.

First class fares are where the real savings come in.

 

[RooFlyer]

Two fold savings...

By far the biggest has been giving up Qantas [insert your airline program] status. Giving up status allows you to search for other deals for all flights - not just those after you qualify for silver/gold/platinum... special fares, departures from Asia, or buying points.

<snip>

On the other hand, you can have status on both major alliances, then not only get the perks but also just take the best flights (LCCs excepted).

I don't chase points - just accrue them in the natural course of flying for work and shopping with ccs. Redemptions would save me maybe 2 medium / long haul return trips in J per year- $10K - $15K or so? Of course the pedants would say that I wouldn't have taken those trips without the points, so therefore not a 'saving' in a net sense, and the cost of hotels etc on those trips may negate the 'savings' anyway .

 

[amaroo]

Our points cost between 0 and 1c.

We've had/will have a lot of fun toasting around 3m points this year - we only use points for long haul F and J.

The savings are massive and motivates us to keep playing the game :mrgreen:

 

[Dr Ralph]

Saved isn't the way I think of it. Opportunities gained is the way I prefer to see it.

 

[Deleted member]

Gosh. Rooflyer. 3 million. Here's me sitting smugly on 1.3 million thinking I'm Christmas.
Well done you

 

[Princess Fiona]

Saved isn't the way I think of it. Opportunities gained is the way I prefer to see it.

Spot on as far as I'm concerned.
No way I'd pay full freight to transport the entire Shrek family in J/F to the US and Europe.
Careful harvesting of miles and points expands our travel in a myriad of ways.

 

[JohnK]

Just like my gambling addiction I would hate to think what chasing points has actually cost me over the years.

At the end of the day I want to get from A-B via C and D in relative comfort without paying through the nose. I can easily do BNE-SYD-HKG-SIN-BKK and return in economy netting me a good portion of SCs required for requalifying Qantas Platinum and Virgin Gold. Cost is ~AUD1200-1300. I see no reason to travel in business class direct BNE-BKK when it's going to cost more and do nothing for my status.

 

[Awesom Andy]

I don't really consider it chasing or saving. My points account is simply a different currency in the wallet, valued at 1c per point. When purchasing flights, I would compare prices after adjusting for the value of the points earned, based on the 1c per point formula. When redeeming, I use the same formula where if the points are less than 1c per point, I'll use cash, but if it's above 1c per point, I'll most likely use points (unless I really need the status).

 

[smit0847]

It doesnt save me money it allows me to do things I never thought I would be able to do.