Status run to retain Qantas Platinum: 680 status credits in 6 weeks

20 replies

chirag72

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 10 Sep 2013

Total posts 1

Hi all.

My first post here - I'm looking to fly for weekends away over the next 4-6 weekends from Brisbane or Gold Coast and do Status runs that are the most economical. 
Please could you suggest easy flights to book up?
Do Jetstar flights get you Status Credits?
Cheers in advance,
Chirag.

silentiger86

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 23 Dec 2017

Total posts 90

680 SC? Book a return J class ticket to Europe with AY. Good fares and quicker than doing short Y hops over 4-6 weeks!

mviy

Member since 05 May 2016

Total posts 322

If you must do several economy trips you’ll definitely need to book indirect trips to maximise your SC earn.


If you’d known you’d be this far short you should have made use of the Double Status Credits promotion earlier in the year.

Flying to New Zealand via Sydney/Melbourne or Flying to Indonesia via Sydney could offer good value (compare the price per SC versus flying direct from BNE). Flexible fares have higher SC earn rates than the cheaper fares.

Another benefit of flying via Sydney or Melbourne onwards to an international destination is that you would get to visit the First Class Lounge before your international flight.

Flying BNE-SYD-LHR-SYD-BNE in Business Class on QF would give you 640SC + you could elect to take a 50SC loyalty bonus for doing 500 SC on QF giving you a total of 690 SC giving you all the SC you need from the one trip. Though this close at this time of year the fares would be quite expensive.

whoppersandwich

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 11 Dec 2017

Total posts 125

EK A380s are practically empty in the top deck between SYD and CHC. I managed to snag a $2k return flight netting myself 240 status credits. It might be worth calling QF up and asking if theyd be willing to give you a discount for flying this leg 4-6 times!?

btaus

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 15 Dec 2016

Total posts 171

I don't think I've ever found better SC run deal than last year's Qatar SGN-JFK business for just $860. I booked 3 back in last July, and flown in April, and earned SC that sufficient to retain my QF Platinum. Surprisingly, the JFK sector were actually operated by 777 with Qsuites.

You could look at various Europe to Australia return fares on Qatar (but not other way around). They're around $1500-2000 each, which is pretty much 1/3, even 1/4 of price departing Australia.

StuParr

Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards

Member since 01 Mar 2012

Total posts 203

I just picked up a reasonably cheap return Fare with BA In a couple of weeks in J for one of my colleagues. It should give you quite a few SC’s I would think. Easier than going to NZ so many times.

Last editedby StuParr at May 15, 2018, 07:16 PM.

patrickk

Qantas

Member since 19 Apr 2012

Total posts 736

Hi all.
My first post here - I'm looking to fly for weekends away over the next 4-6 weekends from Brisbane or Gold Coast and do Status runs that are the most economical.
Please could you suggest easy flights to book up?
Do Jetstar flights get you Status Credits?
Cheers in advance,
Chirag.

Whatever you do 680 is a lot and $2-5k is an expensive fee for good-ish lounge access and good-ish upgrade chances. Might get a credit card with similar benefits (except upgrade chances) , it would be cheaper

Andrew Barkery

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 21 Mar 2011

Total posts 433

Can you get some longer time off work?

BNE - SYD - CHC - SYD - BKK - DXB - BNE

EK still carries a QF flight number, so you could get some 120 QF SC somewhere along the above routings.

Hopefully its worthwhile for you to spend so much money to get up to 640 QF SC.

I found it hard even collecting 600 in one year, flying a few of F classes transTasmans with EK with a QF flight number, and a few Js too.

At least $7500 to $8000.

That was when EK still flew 380s over from Au - NZ, these days there is only one service with an F from Au - NZ.

MEL - SIN with the QF 380 and the EK 380 both have F services.

Won't be cheap though.

Edit: if you fly "business" not discounted business and one F, following my routings above, you get 665 QF SC.

One F is SYD - CHC.


Last editedby Andrew Barkery at May 16, 2018, 01:41 AM.

Andrew Barkery

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 21 Mar 2011

Total posts 433

Jetstar flights (JQ) do earn you QF SC, but you have to be very careful to pick and then pay the right bundles that will earn, and the bundle can add about $50 to a basic fare, personally, with JQ cancelling flights on me in the past, I would not fly them at all these days.

They may see themselves as an option to QF/VA, but I still see them as the pits of flying.

sdtravel

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 18 Jun 2015

Total posts 81

That's very short. Perhaps contact QF to see if you can use points to make up the difference. They have selectively offered people upwards of 100k+ points retaining platinum. But there could be a lot more they want or a cut off where they wont do it with so many needed. But could be worth asking.


As mentioned indirect is best.
if you want a weekend (perhaps even the upcoming long weekend) try indirect to chc in J. Perhaps bne mel chc syd bne of something like that. Around 250 credits. Perhaps more if fully flex J.

For a day trip in j try cns syd mel bne cns for 220 sc more if you can get full flex j.

GregXL

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 26 May 2014

Total posts 322

Is QFF gold that bad? Yes the second tier lounges aren’t great, but I figure if I am not flying enough to be P, I can manage with G privileges.

watson374

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 17 Aug 2012

Total posts 1,285

Is QFF gold that bad? Yes the second tier lounges aren’t great, but I figure if I am not flying enough to be P, I can manage with G privileges.


+1. I think the OP is better off lapsing to SG rather than trying to drop a motza on making the whole jump back to WP.

TiakiC

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 11 Oct 2017

Total posts 2

LATAM currently have a sale on there Business Class service between SYD and AKL The sale ends on 18 May, travel by 30 Jun, its $687 for the return trip and earns 80 Status credits, could be a cheaper option if you can get down to SYD.



jf80

Member since 17 Nov 2016

Total posts 17

QF have a special in I class (discount business) BNE/SYD/AKL/SCL/EZE for $4k that will nab you 560 SC. On sale until tomorrow. May have to call QF or see a travel agent as it may not show online.

Andrew Barkery

Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer

Member since 21 Mar 2011

Total posts 433

Too many regular trips to NZ (one return every weekend for 6 weeks) will ping NZ immgration's interest for sure.

Not so bad if we have one of our NZ based colleagues be your best friend that you are visiting every weekend, if the weekend is the only time you have free.
Au - NZ every weekend is doable, its only 3.5 hours plus from Au - NZ add on time difference.
Aussies have a bit easier as we don't need a visa to visit NZ.
If you have to, I guess NZ is the only way to do it.

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