great deal on frequent flyer points

[barrheadboy]

just received an email from qantas ff offering a great deal only $1461 plus 100,000 f f points for a cheap economy return to europe i know dixon and his cohorts treat their staff and customers with distain these days but this realy takes the cake and i can,t even email them back.

[Philthy]

D.N.S.,

How do you use your QF FF points on a one world carrier?

[turbantime]

Daily Telegraph ran a story on this one too.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22882346-5001031,00.html

December 07, 2007 12:00am
DO we have the rip-off for you. Perhaps the 'flying kangaroo' should be renamed the 'fly-by-night roo.' Or more simply, Dodgy Airlines.
Qantas has unveiled a very special offer for its frequent flyers. Special as in outrageous and offensive.

Very simply, it is to use 100,000 frequent flyer points to save yourself around $750 on a return economy flight to Europe. You still have to pay around $1500.

Compare that with only 128,000 points to fully pay for a return economy flight to Europe. That's to say the extra 28,000 points would save you the $1500.

Indeed, it's worse because these particular flights are lower-cost restricted ones. You could get a $4200 full-cost economy flight to Europe for those 128,000 points.

Now airlines and the banks and credit card companies that link to them, have a clear hierarchy of "preferred" use of frequent flyer points.
First and best is that you don't use them at all.
Billions of points just accumulate and gather accounting dust.
Most people don't appreciate it, but they will have paid good money for those points.

So the airlines and the banks and credit card companies pocket tens of millions of dollars and in practical terms give nothing back.
Thank you very much Mr and Mrs and Ms Suckers.
Second preferred option is that you pay way over the odds for domestic flights. Filling seats that would otherwise fly empty almost costlessly.
So it will cost you 16,000 points for a Melbourne-Sydney return flight that you could get for around $254. Or $140 if you were prepared - or forced - to fly Jetstar. Even less on specials.

Third preferred option is that you use them to buy all the goods like

[BallTearer]

This is why I am ceasing all airline memberships with my credit cards. I've been looking at whether to pull the plug or not for quite a while now, but my mind is made up now.

I have an NAB and ANZ credit card with Velocity and Qantas respectively, but have finally worked out that with annual fees of the cards and membership, and the taxes you have to pay when you do use points on flights, you're not any better off. :ugh: You only have to look at the 'online shop' to see what you can buy with points (but mostly cash) and compare what you pay there to real world, un-inflated prices.

:)

[PAXboy]

In discussions on this topic, it is oft held that the most cost-effective benefit from FFMs is to use them to upgrade. That is, buy a Y and upgrade to PE/C/F. You get a better deal as they get some cash and you get some benefit.

I now sit to await a torrent of contradictory posts explaining why it ain't so. However, for me, based in the UK, it is so when using BA + VS.

[VH-XXX]

I've earned 2 x trips from Melbourne to New York (or London) in 6 years through normal spending on my credit card so I'm sticking with it. It's great value.

[10bob]

Totally agree Paxboy. Earlier in the year, I bought BA premium economy for me and Mrs bob to JFK, at about £800 each. As it was only half an upgrade from PE to World, that is just 25,000 miles each to upgrade to business class that would otherwise cost £3,500+. Well worth the money.

Mind you, I've also just splurged on two FIRST returns to South Africa which seemed pretty good value to me as well...:ok:

[Chica]

For my money the BA Amex card is the best value offering a "free" companion ticket once a year. Earning 100,000 miles a year is a doddle which pays for other half and I to travel Club World to Mexico DF for the price of the tax - under £200 each. Bargain!

[MrSoft]

Yes I like the BA Amex too, it is to be recommended. They time the free companion flight offer just after zeroing your Tier Points. I suppose the lord giveth and the he taketh away also. BA points upgrades seem to have completely vanished in the ME however. Struggling to spend my miles at the moment.

[840]

PAXBoy,

It depends on the airline.

Aer Lingus have a slightly odd one where a business class return flight to San Francisco will cost you 12,000 Gold Circle points, but to upgrade yourself from economy on the same flights will cost you 13,000 points. I'm sure it makes sense to someone somewhere.

It does seem marginally easier to find dates where upgrades are possible.