Anybody feel the same as me that airline points hacks are really more useful to get cheaper business class or first class tickets? With the sales on economy its almost always cheaper to just buy them outright rather than hunt for points..
Airline Points Hacks
NotAnAudiophile on 07/05/2018 - 16:41
Comments
Mostly, but not always. For example, flying to Perth from the east coast is usually better value using points compared to cash.
The problem is it is hard to get an upgrade from the really cheap tickets.
If I was flying economy I would always book the cheapest airfare class regardless of the reduction in FF points awarded. In my experience the points are never worth the extra cost. However there are other ways of building up FF points.
I agree that there is not a lot of value in using points in economy redemptions.FF points for Economy are good for:
- Peak periods (holidays, Friday night domestic flights, etc) where ticket prices are often very expensive
- Itineraries using one-way flights.
- Many routes have minimal competition and discounting and no LCC alternatives
- Occasional points award points discounts. Eg, Qantas did a 50% off some routes until last week
- Great flexibility on award tickets, cheap cancellation/change fees
I've actually never used award points for anything besides Economy
Qantas for example charges more than double points for J class and increases the taxes as well
Double points is totally worth it when the ticket is usually 4-5x for a cash value ticket.
I find Qantas surcharges a rip off. Articles abound recently where surcharges cost more than booking economy outright for some routes.
I focus mainly on Velocity as a result. Recently booked business to Singapore for 65000 points plus $~100 taxes and back from Malaysia (via Singapore) also for similar - over Christmas and New Year period!!! (Fly few days before Xmas, Back early-mid Jan).
So all up cost me only 130000 points plus $200 which is cash value of 1500 in business return (open jaw ticket too - absolute bargain!!!!)
Economy cash ticket during that peak season is around 800-900 via Singapore airlines!
Qantas taxes is no doubt a rip-off (and J award points).. but they have the widest range of routes from Australia by a long way. Sometimes you don't have a choice.. pay absurd taxes or pay non-discounted economy fares.
Malaysia/Singapore is a classic location for heavy competition.. including LCCs. I fly LCCs 90% of the time (often cheaper than Qantas taxes alone).
Agree that award J multiplier is usually much less than cash value (not always, I've paid $1k one way for J in a full service airline last year). But what it comes down to is whether 2 trips in Y is more valuable than 1 trip in J. Personal decision.. I don't find much value in J.
One way fares is a good point. I've been looking into relocation cruises and will be looking for a return flight. Points are based on sectors but fares are not half price for one way.
This really can be such a really tricky process and sometimes, what looks like a good deal really may not be.
I have recently looked at MEL to LHR fares for two pax, and I considered what best to do with our Qantas FF points.
The discount economy fare with Qantas was just on $1500 for the dates we wanted, and it was not upgradable.
The cheapest upgradable fare was $2500 return, and J class upgrades would cost 75K points each, each way.
If we take the value of those points at 1.2c each, which seems to be the going OzB rate, that means that the 'true cost' of flying Business was about $8600 — and that is provided we got the upgrade.
We could actually buy Business class seats outright for less than that (with Vietnam Airways) but we could have flown with Emirates for $10,600 for two — and would be guaranteed J class seats.
But, booking a J class seat with Emirates earns twice as many points as QFF Economy, and at 1.2c/pt the value of those is $446. So that extra $2000 is now down to $1554.
Then we factored in that Emirates provides limo service (at each end of the trip) which is worth around $400 — so Emirates would cost only about $1150 more. And Emirates is considered by many to be the gold standard for J class service.
Tough call all around, and there is often a lot of homework to do.
We usually use points and depart out of HKG, CX (cathay) fees are a smidgen on Qantas, just booked HKG/JFK/CNS in J (Bus.) with points, the fees were only $197 for two, Qantas via LA was $2000!. Its disgraceful what Q charge.
The best part of going via HKG is CX and others fly direct to a plethora of USA and European cites.
Great use of points and lowering fees!!!
Would you also fly from Australia to Europe / USA via HKG?
Is there a way to work out what the taxes/charges would be on redemption flights?
Isn't it really hard to accumulate CX points?
Can fly Qantas FF code share.
How do you go about getting good flights to position yourself to HKG? Seems you've got the flight home sorted.. what about the one-way airfare to get to HKG?
Thats been the case for a while now. Buying economy with points (especially once you take into account the surcharges) is a poor use of points.