whats better QF Points Plus Pay or Classic Reward

[Popeye]

Hi AFF Gurus,

I am sure that this has been asked before , but in trolling through the questions section (is there a search function I can use?) I couldn't find anything.....but

I have been told by a Travel Agent that I am wasting my points using PPP and that CR are a better use of my Points.

I have always been under the impression that PPP is superior to CR due to the fact that you can also earn SC and Points?

Please advise

 

[samh004]

Search is top right.

PPP came from ASA, a product that doesn't exist anymore and were extremely good value as you could book them for the same price as a CR (using your terminology) if you knew where to look. The cheapest use of points will always be a CR as it's a straight up reward, and if you already have status or are booking the highest class available then nothing beats not spending any money. However, when you're in the great status chase game you need to re-evaluate the value a little.

Case in point, I recently returned from a European vacation. My goal is to someday hit LTG and continue hitting WP along the way as that gets me into nice lounges and looked after along the way. I could have simply used a CR and spent far less $$ and points, and I could have simply used $$ and avoided using my points altogether, maybe even using the points on an upgrade, but instead I chose to use PPP to reduce the cost of a J ticket. This gave me the SC I needed in my "lifetime" goal and gave me the comfort I wanted for the journey, it also gave me a reduce cash ticket cost. It was truly the best of both worlds. Many here however would probably say what I should have done was purchase AA miles and ignore status – but then I'd never get to my "lifetime" goal and I find that this advice often comes from those who have already hit LTG.

I guess, the thing you have to remember is that everyone uses their points differently, so what might be extremely valuable to one person is not to another.

 

[BAM1748]

Horse for courses, but if I want to use points for me it's points plus pay to get the credits, everyone else in the house gets the classic rewards when it's my points.

 

[Popeye]

Search is top right.

PPP came from ASA, a product that doesn't exist anymore and were extremely good value as you could book them for the same price as a CR (using your terminology) if you knew where to look. The cheapest use of points will always be a CR as it's a straight up reward, and if you already have status or are booking the highest class available then nothing beats not spending any money. However, when you're in the great status chase game you need to re-evaluate the value a little.

Case in point, I recently returned from a European vacation. My goal is to someday hit LTG and continue hitting WP along the way as that gets me into nice lounges and looked after along the way. I could have simply used a CR and spent far less $$ and points, and I could have simply used $$ and avoided using my points altogether, maybe even using the points on an upgrade, but instead I chose to use PPP to reduce the cost of a J ticket. This gave me the SC I needed in my "lifetime" goal and gave me the comfort I wanted for the journey, it also gave me a reduce cash ticket cost. It was truly the best of both worlds. Many here however would probably say what I should have done was purchase AA miles and ignore status – but then I'd never get to my "lifetime" goal and I find that this advice often comes from those who have already hit LTG.

I guess, the thing you have to remember is that everyone uses their points differently, so what might be extremely valuable to one person is not to another.

Many thanks Samh004 , your right , we all do it differently. I am already LTG and got dropped out of WP last year as I retired from work and dont travel as much. As there isnt LTWP and unlikely to get enough SC to earn WP again , I suppose SC arent that important any more. My problem is that I never seem to build up enough points to use classic rewards for the retirement trips I do which is on average is 2 a year and needing 2 J seats one for me and one for Mrs Popeye. Its a bit hard to go cattle class after traveling J most of our lives. Sorry couldn't do it.... Mrs Popeye also wouldn't have it. So I use whatever points i do get to make the trips i do do cheaper

 

[pauly7]

Many thanks Samh004 , your right , we all do it differently. I am already LTG and got dropped out of WP last year as I retired from work and dont travel as much. As there isnt LTWP and unlikely to get enough SC to earn WP again , I suppose SC arent that important any more. My problem is that I never seem to build up enough points to use classic rewards for the retirement trips I do which is on average is 2 a year and needing 2 J seats one for me and one for Mrs Popeye. Its a bit hard to go cattle class after traveling J most of our lives. Sorry couldn't do it.... Mrs Popeye also wouldn't have it. So I use whatever points i do get to make the trips i do do cheaper

I know loads of people in similiarish circumstances that use PPP with QF as it makes sense for them too!

 

[wandering_fred]

Sometimes it just depends on how good the sale fare is.

SYD-AKL a few years ago was about 3000 points cheaper on PPP compared with a CR for the same level of $ outlay.
YMMV

Happy wandering
Fred

 

[JohnK]

Points plus pay has its moments but I have not been able to find the sweet spot on my routes.

I guess you need to find a sale airfare that's too good to be true and then check points plus pay. I don't travel as often as previous years but Platinum status travelling with wife and daughter is very handy especially with luggage allowance.

 

[serfty]

PPP came from ASA, a product that doesn't exist anymore

Actually, once upon a time there were P&C (Points and Cash), ASA and CR.

Here's a rough, potted, abridged and condensed history:

When introduced ASA and CR would not earn points or SC's. But since the +++ on ASA, even on some of the 'sweeter' spots which booked into reward fare buckets was generally higher than that for CR they were largely ignored by savvy Frequent Flyers.

In a effort to encourage the use of ASA, QFF announced that points and SC could be earned with an ASA.

Savvy Frequent Flyers soon realised that ASA booked into rewards fare buckets could earn SC's (and points); ASA could be a cheap way of earning status for a generally small premium in +++ over CR.

Eventually Qantas canned ASA and renamed Points and Cash to PPP; trying to infer PPP and ASA were the same thing.

These days PPP returns a value on points of under .8¢ per point, which is generally considered by savvy Frequent Flyers to be of poor value, unless you have millions of them and nowhere else to redeem them.

 

[Popeye]

Actually, once upon a time there were P&C (Points and Cash), ASA and CR.

Here's a rough, potted, abridged and condensed history:

When introduced ASA and CR would not earn points or SC's. But since the +++ on ASA, even on some of the 'sweeter' spots which booked into reward fare buckets was generally higher than that for CR they were largely ignored by savvy Frequent Flyers.

In a effort to encourage the use of ASA, QFF announced that points and SC could be earned with an ASA.

Savvy Frequent Flyers soon realised that ASA booked into rewards fare buckets could earn SC's (and points); ASA could be a cheap way of earning status for a generally small premium in +++ over CR.

Eventually Qantas canned ASA and renamed Points and Cash to PPP; trying to infer PPP and ASA were the same thing.

These days PPP returns a value on points of under .8¢ per points, which is generally considered by savvy Frequent Flyers to be of poor value, unless you have millions of them and nowhere else to redeem them.

Thanks serfty ....0.8c per point ....ouch ..... I guess that is what the Travel Agent was talking about....