[AMA] Tonight I'm Flying Emirates First Class to Europe Thanks to Ozb QFF Points, with Wi-Fi All The Way

Associatedz0s0 @ Emirates on 03/09/2019 - 07:55
Last edited 06/09/2019 - 17:34 by 1 other user

Tonight I'll be enjoying the fruits of all the time spent / wasted applying for, and cancelling, credit card deals found on OzBargain.

Flight is about 12 hours away (EK407 departing MEL @ 21:15) so I'm currently hydrating to prepare for all the champagne and whiskey ;-)

Because I'm a dedicated OzBargainer, I've just bought my Skybus ticket (with a 10% discount code) to get to the airport. Sadly the chauffeur drive option is no longer available on reward bookings.

Ask me anything… and I'll have Wi-Fi for the whole flight so I can post pics from the bar on request. Not the shower :-P

All photos here

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          • [Deactivated] on 07/09/2019 - 17:20
            -1

            @z0s0: Whereabouts are you now? It would be nice if you could add updates to the OP : easier to find where you are and where you're going next :)

  • John Dough on 07/09/2019 - 13:15

    Loving this post OP and following your experience. Thinking of using some points for a similar experience next year so it's great to learn a bit more about it all! Thanks so much for sharing everything, it's appreciated!

  • ebN on 07/09/2019 - 14:19

    I heard you have to pay alot of taxes on QFF funded flights is that true? sometimes it ends up almost the cost of the flight itself

  • t_c on 07/09/2019 - 17:05
    +2

    I fly first class every night when I close my eyes at night.

  • SmartCover on 07/09/2019 - 22:17

    Well done, wifey and I recently did MEL->DXB,EK409->FCO (Rome) all first class from using points etc collected via same methods as you (with chauffeur pickup hehe)

    enjoy, make sure you keep going for the Dom and them caviar-plates, oh the lamb cutlets were amazing also.

    make sure you use exactly the full 5-mins of hot water but thoroughly rinse off the soap before it runs out :D

  • matt-ozb on 07/09/2019 - 22:19
    -6

    Business Class is a nice experience .. but for the 24 hours of travel to Europe .. I would value the benefits at about:
    a) check-in priority - $5
    b) lounge - $20
    c) larger seat - $100
    d) menu - $20
    e) priority baggage - $15
    f) feeling important factor - $30

    so maybe i'd value the benefits at about $200 or so for a trip to Europe, then $200 or so for the return leg.

    i'm only earning about $150K/yr, so perhaps I'm tighter with money than others.

    • SmartCover on 07/09/2019 - 22:31

      Qantas First Class lounge is worth way more than that if you do:
      - Spa treatment
      - A La Carte at restaurant
      - Alcoholic Beverages x 2 or 3

      btw 150k isnt too bad either, then again if thats insignificant for you….

      • matt-ozb on 07/09/2019 - 22:40
        -3

        Yes, I guess the First Class is better again, so I'd do a bit higher than $200 for First Class upgrade.

        Spa - $20 (nice but not really life-changing for me)

        A La Carte - $40 (rather than $20 for buffet) but not really the time to relax and have a long dinner with friends

        Alcohol - get this in Business lounges anyway .. even in Economy when flying for free.

        • dealman on 08/09/2019 - 14:43

          .> $20 for buffet

          Where do you get a buffet for 20$

          • matt-ozb on 08/09/2019 - 18:51

            @dealman: Yea, I get that the high quality a la carte dinner is worth $100+ but it's not really the time of place for me to enjoy a long relaxing dinner with friends. .. often I'm alone too so a quick burger is fine really.

    • TheMindsetTraveller on 08/09/2019 - 10:11

      Pretty low values but hey everyone prices things differently.

      I try not to put a price on my comfort especially when flying is probably the most daunting forms of public transportation. Thousands of people in the same space, at the same time, likely to be suffering a whole range of fears, anxiety, stress, emotions. Whether its the fear of flying, the anxiety of 24 plus hours in a small seat, whether moving to a new location is stressful or when emotions are high because you are leaving the family behind because you live half way around the world and may never seem them again. Let alone the screaming children, the first time flyer, fear of immigration, language barriers, or flyers who you generalise you are scared of.

      Flying Business reduces some of those stresses alot however flying First puts the comfort back into travelling -

      • gimme on 08/09/2019 - 23:48

        People seem to stress to easily these days.

    • daft009 on 08/09/2019 - 13:39
      +3

      24 hrs of lying down vs sitting up is only $100 worth?

      • matt-ozb on 08/09/2019 - 15:04

        It's only 12 hours of your life .. and $100 tax free.

      • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2019 - 15:56

        This kind of thing does depend on your height.The taller you are , the more you value being able to stretch your legs and arms.

        • daft009 on 08/09/2019 - 16:03

          yes but also how efficient you are on both ends straight after your trip.
          time=money

        • matt-ozb on 08/09/2019 - 18:56

          I did 9 trips to Europe last year .. upgraded to business on a few flights .. obviously better but not really worth be heaps to me .. if you're clever, it's usually easy to get a vacant seat next to you .. when I failed and there was an idiot next to me, then I usually stood at the back of the plane, did some calf raises (I love my gym), and listen to music, watch music and chat to the flight attendants. Not too bad really.

          • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2019 - 20:43
            +1

            @matt-ozb:

            if you're clever, it's usually easy to get a vacant seat next to you

            Trust me, I've tried! But my family always finds a way to come sit next to me :p

            • matt-ozb on 08/09/2019 - 22:29

              @[Deactivated]: lol … yea had that problem too .. solo travelling is so much easier :)

          • daft009 on 09/09/2019 - 12:33

            @matt-ozb: thats great its not an issue for you.. 9 trips to EU in a year in Y..woah.. thats what nightmares are made off :p

            I average 1/yr but its only for 4 days sometimes so flying J helps a LOT, though I couldn't afford it if I paying cash. maybe PE if it was cash.

    • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2019 - 16:40

      Which class I fly depends on 2 main factors : Who's paying for the trip and the reason I'm boarding that plane.

      If I'm paying and we're going on holidays , it's premium economy or economy. If it's work related, then normally business class. However, if it's a last minute thing and they can't get all of us in business class, then its first. Only happened a handful of times but there was always the expectation that I would hit the ground running the moment I exit the airport. Having a comfortable sleep and being able to shower, shave and suit up make a massive difference to your state of mind and to how productive you are at that important meeting you're attending.

      The only exception to this was when I had to take my youngest to meet his dying grandpa for the first time. My wife booked us in business and we got upgraded to first on both legs. It may have been a combination of my wife explaining why my toddler and I were traveling to Japan and the fact that they don't like having kids in business class.

  • daft009 on 08/09/2019 - 08:49

    Minimal benefit traveling F over J for night flights as most of the time you're sleeping.

    I do travel J long haul, with points, being self employed I'm points rich but prefer to save my cash. Don't think I would fly J if it wasn't with points.

    Makes a world of difference arriving fresh and straight into a full day of work without issues, can't do that in Y.

    Personal holidays are a different issue though I'm still working even when on holidays

    • SmartCover on 08/09/2019 - 09:55

      Some sees it as a "bucket list item", at least for us in this instance when we did EK from MEL to FCO (via DXB), we just opt to do it now rather than when we have children (or after we pass retirement)

      I do agree - long haul overnight the benefit F gets over J isn't enough to justify the points/monetary differences.

      • daft009 on 08/09/2019 - 11:35
        +1

        I just did 3wks in Canada and went on points. My 2.5yo had a full flat bed for him. He slept 11hrs of the 15hr flight.. Was great.. was a lot of points but worth it at the end

  • dealman on 08/09/2019 - 14:42
    +1

    You are here answering this AMA with a bunch of Cheapies, and everyone else there thinks must be something important , he's been on his laptop for the entire trip.

    Lol

  • matt-ozb on 08/09/2019 - 18:59
    -4

    No need to highlight wifi in the title like it's something special. Just fly Emirates economy and pay $15 and you have wifi for the full flight.

    Or with my gold status, it's free anyway

    • Associatedz0s0 @ Emirates on 08/09/2019 - 21:10
      +8

      Yeah, thanks for the tip. Good to know your status, too.

      • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2019 - 21:57
        +4

        Don't mind him : he's green with envy :p So am I , for that matter. How I wish I was on holiday too :(

        P.s: In case you were wondering , the weather was cold and blustery in Melbourne today. Hope it's sunny wherever you are :)

        • matt-ozb on 08/09/2019 - 22:34
          -5

          yes .. envious for the 24 hr experience .. definiatley nice but I dont think its worth what many people pay ..

          add up the hourly cost, then add 30-40% income tax .. and it's a good chunk of most people's salary.

          as for points .. well, they can be used for free economy travel and not wasted on a 24 hr seat & food.

          • SnowDragon on 09/09/2019 - 11:54
            +1

            @matt-ozb: So basically everybody should always choose the cheapest option?

            Sure, he could have used the points for economy travel and basically had free flights around Australia for a couple of years. But he wanted the first class experience. Most people will never experience that.

            Do you eat only noodles for lunch and dinner because having a steak isn't worth what people pay? Live a little bit.

      • matt-ozb on 08/09/2019 - 22:31
        -2

        unfortunately gold status expires in a few weeks .. but it was a nice experience for 12+ months and about 9 trips to europe.

  • d86 on 09/09/2019 - 09:53

    "Wi-Fi All The Way" in the title sounds like a joke. I flew EK from Brisbane to Manchester in April, activated the package after take off and could only use it for an hour or so. It wasn't working most of the time for the rest of the flight. I actually managed to get a refund after.

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