Which FF program to reedem points on

[paultiffen]

With SPG you get a bonus of 5000 miles for every 20000 that you transfer. So your 240000 SPG points become 300000 AA miles

Are there no fuel surcharges/fees with AA awards? I wasn't aware of that, but that would certainly be a major bonus.

However, wouldn't 480,000 Amex pts end up converting to just 240,000 AA miles? And bear in mind you need more AA miles than KF miles for an award flight to Europe.

 

[Bazzi]

If you are concerned about expiry, perhaps you should consider closing down one Amex, transferring those points and then close the other one down say a year down the track - maybe downgrade your card to entry level minimise membership fee. Or try the 'we're thinking about leaving Amex' and I wouldn't be surprised if they don't waive the fee for a year or at least negotiate a lower fee.

I find SQ brilliant for redemptions across all classes and the 15% online discount makes a difference. The further you go is sometimes cheaper too i.e. SYD SIN J booked online is 46k+ miles SYD SIN DXB J is 61k+ miles. I also like the 'free' add on with SQ - no more pts needed to fly PAR SIN DPS than PAR SIN. A recent search on MH Enrich turned up a KUL SYD J award less than 10k more than the economy award and under 30k miles.

Personally, I am not too concerned about the taxes etc, $330 J class SYD DXB sounds pretty good to me. I'm more affronted by $145 SYD BME ret in QF Y!

I gather your points are in respective Amex accounts, so you may need to consider a program that allows you to pool points into one account - Etihad Guest - or KF (and be co-nominees) certainly makes it easier when trying to get 2 on the same flight, same PNR and seated next to each other.

And you are right to be concerned, there is no going back to Y after J!!

 

[Bunty]

If it is an option to wait, I would hold off on the Amex closure and points transfer until there is a Bonus offer available. At least a couple of times a year, Amex offer to provide a Bonus of between 10% and 30% points for transfer to its airline partners. I recall a 30% Bonus for transfers to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club a couple of years ago. More recently, 15% Bonus to Velocity.

On another matter, points can be warehoused in VA Flying Club indefinitely as long as there is an activity on the account (i.e. points earned or redeemed) within 3 years (which then resets the clock for a further 3 years. Quite easy to add some small activity by earning some Partner points, like a Hotel stay, car rental etc. VA Flying Club points can be redeemed on MH, SQ, Gulf, VA, Air NZ and Air China amongst others.

 

[MSmith]

I would look for the best points deals with the programs you have listed and decide on your "purchases" before you transfer the points - perhaps plan your travel 9 months ahead. I would do this as you never know what points deals are going to come up, so splitting the points might give you the greatest benefit. I can transfer points to Qantas from my Amex Card - but it is a Platinum charge card.

 

[paultiffen]

Qantas is probably the worst option when you look at the actual number of miles needed for most redemptions.

 

[lahlee]

thanks to everyone that has taken the time to post - some really good ideas here, and much food for thought...

 

[melaus]

Qantas is probably the worst option when you look at the actual number of miles needed for most redemptions.

Quite agree there, I've been sitting on 500,000+ and growing for a long time and not really excited about anything I can do with them for my wife & I.

Yes, I know many will say just use them and shut-up. But when you consider how good this scheme was, to what it is now, we tend to use the very economical cost of going to Asia a couple of times a year with say Air Asia and "dream" of going further afield with the QF points when my mind accepts that just how bad QFF is and go with it.

I've been travelling o/s from Australia for around 45 years, business (paid for) and pleasure and love doing it, but to log-in to QFF and see what's what is most certainly not a pleasure!

Been a member of QFF since it started, the point you make plus the ridiculous $'s to pay on top of the points used is a disgrace!

 

[Nizar]

Quite agree there, I've been sitting on 500,000+ and growing for a long time and not really excited about anything I can do with them for my wife & I.

280k OW Awards are probably still good value ? Or even the best remaining value ?
Or not exciting enough lol ?

 

[paultiffen]

I believe that you can book these through aa too at better rates

 

[tundern]

I can transfer points to Qantas from my Amex Card - but it is a Platinum charge card.

Here's someone with an Amex Platinum credit (charge?) card who thought that the no transfers to QF applied to all Amex cards. How do I confirm? A call to QF, I suppose...no, a visit to the Amex catalogue.membershiprewards.com.au site which shows that there are three different "Platinum" cards and my Platinum Edge Credit card permits points transfers only to "Virgin Australia Velocity Frequent Flyer, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer and now (to) Thai Airways International Royal Orchid Plus, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Malaysia Airlines Enrich and our newest airline partner Etihad Guest".

 

[serfty]

Only the Platinum charge card permits transfers to QFF (Ascent premium).

Platinum credit cards (Reserve, Edge) do not.