I couldn’t find any other classes to test it on. It is only QF, Jetstar and Emirates. Edit. Yes email says economy only. I have put in for a points upgrade though.
Thought I could pop to Tahoe for a week or so before heading home. No plans really, I was open to anywhere I could get the cheaper flights and use Epic pass. Whistler and Tahoe it is
My wife has managed the credit card books at a few banks. The return for the bank on credit card spend is minimal. Just set for direct debit each month. Done.
So to clear up one thing about churning, particularly in the new lending rules. Continually applying for cards is fine as long as you remember to cancel them. This kinda limits you to a card a year in many cases. The reason why is having too many cards - even if you have zero balance - is seen as high risk due to large credit availability at high interest rates. So get your card and points and then close it down. Then once you’ve cycled through a few banks and head back for another round, see how you go
You have to really take the piss to end up having issues with your credit score. Applying for a large volume of cards in any given year is a no no, but be reasonable about it and you'll not have an issue. Even a decline won't necessarily cause you any grief, because it doesn't show on your credit report as a decline, but rather a 'credit enquiry' which subsequently had no credit product attached to it. A bank could surmise that was due to having been declined, but equally, you may have simply rejected the offer, never activated the card etc. Thankfully I've not had to test the theory. I cycle a reasonably small number per annum, only have one active card at a time (occasionally they overlap), pay off the balance each month and never cop a cent of interest. For the tiny bit of management involved, my everyday spend has worked very hard for me over the years. Anyway, just my experience, not advice!
agreed, earned nearly 1.2m so far, boosted by having a woolies car, so we get double points for every $ spent in woolies on amex. I don't do much work travel any more, so missing out on a lot of the travelling points now
So if I value my points at a conservative 0.02/point = $20,000. In reality I value my points at about 5c/point for upgrades = $50,000
if anyone needs a credit card right now, ANZ/Qantas are offering a Visa with 120,000 points if you spend $7.5k over 3 months
The deals are constant. Points are becoming easier to collect, and harder to use, unless you’re QF Gold/Platinum.
Status impacts when booking/upgrading on QF flights. But there can be better and cheaper OW airline choices for us low/no status card churners, with long haul classic awards, like the 280k OWJ (& if you can avoid Xmas-Jan holidays).
just booked the 280k points OW business class award. two trips - a RTW and Japan ski trip later: booked late at only 230 days out, two passengers, QF silver: Hong Kong-Dublin (Cathay) Dublin-London-Austin Texas (BA) Austin- Salt Lake City (ParkCity with PB Epic pass) SanFrancisco-Sydney (QF). Sydney - eight week "layover"; then Sydney-Tokyo QF(Hakuba-PB Epic pass) - return Sydney JAL used the 30% off QF points Sale for the positioning flight to Hong Kong to start the OWA. All up 300k points each + charges. Most points were from card bonuses collected over 12 months.
Had a QFF win today! We had our reward flights already booked from earlier this year SYD to YVR on Cathay via Hong Kong Prem Eco, obviously when we booked there was no unrest in Hong Kong so we had planned to have a day in Hong Long during our transit (12 hours sitting in HKG would not be fun as well albeit an option we had). With the unrest continuing I started to keep on eye out for other flight options and this morning we struck gold! Found a flight SYD to LAX on a date that still worked without changing other transfers etc, on QFF it appeared to be an economy flight for 3 pax, I clicked on it and it was economy SYD to MEL but then FIRST CLASS MEL to LAX - needless to say I booked it!
im not using them, but i did sign up for Q car insurance this week (saved $200!) and also opened an Australian super acct, for another 20000. I have grand plans of using them for multiple trip in the future!
Got screwed on some status points, biz from SYD-JFK on June 30,got a load of points that expired the next day.
I'm due for a churn soon, about to drop my current Amex for something offering bonus QF. Any suggestions?
This year I’ve done the Qantas money cc and ANZ. I’ve done ANZ before but closed over 12 months so eligible again.
Im in hongkers for a few days in 2 weeks ... pretty sure it wont be an issue ... or Im hoping so! Could make it an interesting trip if the unrest gets worse!
Look into the car insurance. I was very impressed. I have been only had the last policy 3 mths and just cancelled it and got a refund. And the health insurance is comparable to my current one and I will swap in March and pay 12mths in advance to lock in current prices. I want to get back into that cycle again.
The Mastercard I just took up was 120,000pts (20,000 points per month for 6 months when you spend $1500.00 p/m). I think there was a black ANZ card recently that was offering around 150,000. There's heaps of options - just depends on your monthly spend.
QF93 often has good availability for award seats in F. How did you go with the return? Have you done the MEL-LAX-YVR connection before?
tip. Book one way via Qantas Australian website. Then separately book a return one way flight via the qantas US or Qantas canadian site points are the same and given you more flex. Also no blackout period for classic rewards coming back in school holidays
Curious what sort of strategies people are using to make these frequent flyer point credit cards of value. Pretty hefty annual fees seem to be the norm ($200+). I'd have to assume the accumulated points well outweigh the annual fees. I'm guessing the strategy is to pay as much as possible of regular bills and retail spend on these cards and pay off within a interest free period. But what sort of $ are you all putting through each month, like $2k/month or more? Can't see it working out for me, Visa purchases are pretty much usual domestic shopping/fuel etc. Most household bills are on direct debit where possible.
I use credit on everything but I am extremely disciplined. I have never paid a cent of interest on any credit card myself or my wife have held. In terms of expenses, once you add up groceries, fuel, insurances, memberships, entertainment, etc, my monthly spend is easily covered for most credit cards on offer. These are all expenses we have anyway so we may as well try and obtain a benefit from it. The annual fee is for the privilege of not having to use my own funds. Money in our account is better than in someone’s else. Another reason why we don’t have anything on direct debit unless it is unavoidable.
Yep direct debit here on the credit card and now I'm buying woolies cards with 5% and using for fuel and groceries. Paying off the card each month. Also a lot have fee free for the first year, and you cancel before the next one. My work amex, I smash as much as I can! No annual fee for that one. (I always put my hand out to pay. In my role I process the expenses whether on their card or mine. So I may as well get the points.) Oh and pay the tax debt too.
At 2K spend per month it isn't worth it, you may end up with a free economy flight from Sydney to Melbourne which you can purchase for less than the cost of the annual fee. I haven't paid for a flight for years everyone is on points, but I'm putting around 150K a month through my CC'S.
The Qantas American Express Ultimate card will get you 120,000 points, but will cost you $450 a year. However, you get a $450 travel voucher each year, which means the card costs nilif you use the voucher
We have done LAX to YVR before - I never like it as it’s a shit fight. We have two and a half hours in transit, hoping with first class privileges and prem eco on the LAX YVR leg will stream line it. We booked the return several months ago prem eco on QF
We do this, do about 2 per year between us. Value for money the tickets we just got are valued at $17,500each...
I just finished churning this Amex, the initial fee of $450 is steep at the time, but as you said it really works out to be free when you use the travel voucher of $450. Plus you get free travel insurance (flights must be booked using the Amex) and 2 free Qantas lounge passes a year. Pretty good value really when you add in the 100,000+ points!
A bun fight it is. If you've done it before, you'll know you need to try and get through immigration asap. The early morning queues can be terrible.
I’ve been doing it for a few years now. I’m always a little surprised when another is approved. So no, doesn’t appear to. I do the required spend, get the points and then close. I have an ongoing Amex that earns points in between.
It’s rarely not accepted. Woolies and woolies servos accept it plus I get woolies points (which become qff) and double qff points. Hotels, restaurants, ATO. I’ve linked it to my paypal. Spent $2k at Mont last weekend, bought my mountain bike from Pushys earlier this year, all on Amex. Qantas of course. Have booked my Canadian trip all on Amex. Sometimes there’s a surcharge, but those places also charge on other cards. I have my Netflix, iTunes, internet linked though PayPal to Amex.
Yes I never get the "no one takes amex" It wouldn't be the corporate card of choice if it was so hard. In Sydney right now the shop local (with amex) promotion is in you face billboards everywhere. And the spend $50 get $20 back promotions are awesome.
