To buy, or to fly??

So you've got a few points, and can't find the flight you want, and you've seen all these other wonderful things you can buy with your points? Do you wait until you can get the flight, or do you just buy the other things?

It all depends on what you think your points are worth!  In my experience you get a better conversion going for flights, especially if you use for business class or above on longer trips.  If you do want to buy that Qantas club membership, Myer voucher, iPhone, coffee-maker or one of the other great things they always advertise - my biggest suggestion would be - check out the retail price of the item, so you know what you are converting your points at!!  If you travel alot, then more often than not you will get a better conversion of your points using them for travel!  Of course that is why they offer so many things for you to buy!! 

Example - $100 Myer voucher costs 13,500 points, but for 16,000 points you can get a return trip Hobart- Melbourne, which could range from $266 - $600 depending on when you travel.  So much better to use for travel in this case!!

So choose your rewards carefully!!  Of course, the footnote to this is once again, these points are something for nothing, so with whatever you choose you will be in front!!

Cheers!!

PS:  next time - travel tips, for sure!!

December travel - the silly season!!

Apart from keeping my fingers crossed that this slight challenge with the A380's will be fixed within the next three weeks, what else is new?  Qantas are making some changes to their frequent flyer rewards and benefits, some good and some not so good!!  It is always timely to remember that frequent flyer points (or any loyality programs for that matter!) are an added bonus! (There may be some people that would say we are do pay for it - however indirectly!!!)

Now that we are approaching that particular time of the year when in the frequent flyer world - all bets are off!! Yes, its always a challenge getting free seats in December - unless of course you book a fair way in advance, and lets face it, we are talking peak travel time, not just domestically, but internationally also!!  Best time to travel - Christmas Day - because by then most people have travelled to where they want to be!!!  If you are planning to travel in December and wanting to use your points - I suggest you book now and keep your fingers crossed!! 

Whilst it may be hard to plan travel and/or holidays very far into the new year - there are some great deals with all airlines at the moment - yes, even Qantas have some cheap fares - so if you know of trips you have coming up, start booking!! Very timely if you need additional status credits to either maintain or attain certain levels of FF status - if you can get a Qantas ticket at a cheap price, its much better value for the credits than saving $20 and travelling Virgin or Jetstar.  (I'm not even going to mention Tiger, as I have absolutely no experience travelling with them, and am not planning on it) - I'm one of those people who enjoy getting to the airport at the last minute, and is very grateful that that is still very possible in downtown Tassie!!

Next time - some tips for making travel a bit more fun and a bit less stressful!!

PS:  have just experienced the first panic of hitting the wrong button and thinking the whole post had disappeared - no, it is saved somewhere!! :-)