Getting 120 Qantas status credit before March 31

Hi everyone, hoping you can help- my husband needs 120 status credit points before March 31 to keep gold on qantas. Do you have any recommendations on how to get this in the most cost effective and least flying hours way or is it just a bridge too far? We are based in Melbourne and taking time off work, unless there happens to be a Long weekend (?) before then won't work, hence the flying time. We can however, do a couple of trips if that helps? All advice much, much appreciated. Thanks as always :)

I'd recommend, given time restrictions, having your husband fly to Auckland on a QF coded EK A380 round trip (QF8762/QF8761) to Auckland one weekend. It'll cost $1725, and give 160 status credits and 7,626 points (based on Gold FF). It involves the least mucking about, and offers a decent experience. You could save $300ish coming back fully flexible economy on split tickets and still hit your SC target, but isn't $300 worth it for the J bar experience on the EK A380 round trip and all the other niceties. You could do multi-leg domestics alternatively, but it'll burn time and be a far less enjoyable experience.

And I should mention you struggle to find a multi-sector domestic package that'll earn enough SCs and be under that price (same goes for multiple journeys across seperate dates). Travel to NZ works well thanks to the fierce price competition, and it's year round pricing to boot.

Yes, I agree - have found the domestic market waaayyyy to tough to get status credits in a reasonable timeframe/money.

The best SC earners for $ paid are almost always overseas sectors - there are some great F fares/sectors out there for bang for buck, they just require some pre-positioning and a willingness/time for dog-legged journeys (always worth comparing hubs too).

If $1725 is too much, the next best alternative to to fly Fully Flexible Economy (return) to Christchurch via Sydney for $1020ish (On Qantas tin only this time as EK economy is a bit grim). This will get you exactly 120 status credits, although it's a long way from EK's A380 J experience and you'll have to do a T3 to T1 transit at SYD which is a bit of a pain.

I find AKL-MEL/SYD/BNE one way in EK F a cheap way of picking up QF status credits.

Usually by booking on the QF New Zealand site (rather than the Australian one) I can find a one way fare for under NZ$1000 (so well under AUD$1000). Couple that with the cheapest one way MEL-AKL Y fare you can find and you should be able to do it for a shade over AUD$1000.

Should have said, this will get exactly 120 SCs, plus whatever else you get on the journey over (QF, NZ, VA for example).

When Qantas have Jakarta on sale (typically around $2K for J return) it is a good earner from MEL because you clock 320sc in Business. Not as flash as an EK A380 round trip, but decent and the crew is usually excellent on this route.

You guys are amazingly knowledgable! Personally, not a fan of Jakarta from flight time and destination perspective, but what an earner!!!!

Jakarta is also a good launching point for other destinations on other airlines (OneWorld partners included), that are sharply priced compared to other regional hubs (ditto DPS). There are leveraging opportunities out there, for a little research, for SC earn.

What class is F- excuse my ignorance :) great tip on NZ qantas site! never thought of that before. I think Auckland sounds like the most manageable destination, so maybe a weekend in Auckland is the way to go. Now just to find a great fare on a weekend before end of March ;) many thanks! 

F for First, also called P sometimes.

How do you find out in an easy way how many status points I would get if I fly on emirates from Auckland to Melbourne - does the class in first matter? Also, can I use a qantas gift voucher on the qantas NZ site or do I have to send this on the australian site only? Thanks so much, you are absolute champions!

Qantas' website has a status credits calculator.