Cashing out Qantas FF points

LMilestron on 08/09/2020 - 07:49

Hey all - just wondering if people have started cashing out their FF points for gift cards etc re the current travel restrictions?

A while back I read an article where someone accumulated 1m points which paid for an around the world business class ticket for a family (ex taxes). I might be getting the specifics wrong but anyway after reading that I figured I would set the goal of saving up 1m points for a big holiday down the track. I'm currently at ~300k.

Just wondering if people had started using the points otherwise rather than accumulating? It kind of seems crazy to save up points when we might be years out from returning to normal? Also who knows if the economics behind flights and points etc completely changes in that time. I am thinking of just trading in for grocery and fuel vouchers as I need them. THoughts?

Travel Frequent Flyer Qantas Frequent Flyer Reward Points

Comments

  • MrHyde on 08/09/2020 - 07:54
    +3

    Over the years I've taken the family on 3 round the world trips using points. I have enough saved for another round the world trip. I'm going to hang on to the points as I think we should be able to fly anywhere in 2 years time.

  • PugHugger on 08/09/2020 - 08:07
    +2

    There is no way I am giving up my points. I haven't done round the world business (I have the points there and that is the next goal), but I have done a few hops to Singapore and across the ditch. A far nicer way to fly and I'll be back in the pointy end as soon as restrictions, and award availability, open up!

  • josh909 on 08/09/2020 - 08:18

    Likewise i'm not cashing out. Over the past 4 years my family of three have done Japan (business one way, economy one way), Fiji (economy return) and Japan again (premium economy one way, business one way). By the time the restrictions end we'll have enough points for a decent trip somewhere.

  • Jules855 on 08/09/2020 - 08:41

    We did an around the world trip in business class with points for our honeymoon (280k points each) and are now sitting at 1.2million points again. Definitely won't be cashing out, you can't beat the value you get from the around the world flights and life will return to normal eventually.

  • Skramit on 08/09/2020 - 09:12
    +1

    Panic selling is not wise. Cashing out for gift cards is poor usage of points, just about the worst actually.

    Qantas may struggle for the next year or two but the government wont let them fold. So your points are fairly secure IMO.

  • anonymite999 on 08/09/2020 - 19:49

    I’ve spent 1.3m Over the last 6 months. I’m a points club plus member which means I get an extra 10 percent off wine and store which when things are on sale or clearance really gives good value. Best wine purchase was 6 cases of 12 mystery wines for 25 a bottle which ended up having most wines over 70 to 100 a bottle.

    https://ibb.co/zbJ78gm

  • Milestron on 08/09/2020 - 21:03

    Thanks all for the perspectives. Seems like the vote is unanimous!

  • nickj on 21/09/2020 - 13:45

    I cashed out our family's Virgin points for gift cards because I had (and continue to have) doubts about their long term survival as an airline + the possibility of a VFF points devaluation (made more likely because one of the Velocity trusts major assets was a loan to Virgin, on which they may only get back cents in the dollar) + the likelihood that their points would become far more restricted in where they could be used (which has happened as they've removed transfers to KrisFlyer and for-the-time-being have stopped redemptions for Delta flights, and have cut flights, and are removing their A330s which had their nice transcontinental business class product). That cashing out was terrible value, around 0.5 cents a point, but it was about making the best of a bad situation and in that case I still think it was probably the right call - only time will tell for sure though.

    Those things are thus far not happening to QFF points, so I think it makes far more sense to hold onto them and spend them on flights when that resumes being a practical option, which is what we're doing.

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