Budget Travel - Jetabroad.com.AU 20% Cashback on flights (Paypal.com.au promo)

Jetabroad.com.au (Australian travel agent) is offering 20% Cashback if using Paypal to book flights with minimum spend $A750 and maximum cashback $A400. The site will book "anywhere to anywhere" and I have been looking for a one-way LHR-SYD in October 2010, which I would generally book about 8 months ahead to get lowest (Y) fare (at about $A800). I can now book the same fare 12 months out at this price (after cashback) and still fly the QF A380. It's not much more to fly via LAX (with a stopover). Is there any problem with this Paypal cashback or is it a really good discount?

20% rebate raises red flags for me. That far exceeds any airline's agency commission, research before you proceed.

I haven't looked into this, but I am familiar with Paypal's 20% promo... I think the $ is coming from Paypal (sort of like Microsoft's Live/Bing Cashback promo).

Wonder if it's good for US based bookings.

I haven't looked into this, but I am familiar with Paypal's 20% promo... I think the $ is coming from Paypal (sort of like Microsoft's Live/Bing Cashback promo).

Wonder if it's good for US based bookings.

it looks like it is. i wonder how long it takes for cash back to be processed?

hmmm, this could be interesting ...

hmmm, this could be interesting ...

As far as I can see, JetAbroad imposes substantial "service fees" on tickets -- over $130 for the itineraries I searched. Granted, these service fees were on $1500 tickets, so all in all it's still a savings, but on cheaper itineraries the 20% back just seems to rebate the "service fee" (i.e., a $40 service fee on a $220 ticket).

I'm a bit hesitant, particularly with the bolded items:

Terms and Conditions

•This promotion is valid from the 3rd of November until the 18th December 2009 or until the cashback budget is used up
•Jetabroad reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time without prior notice
•Eligible flights will be displayed on the Jetabroad website with a PayPal cashback amount beside them
•This offer is for a 20% Cashback on the first booking of each PayPal account during the promotion with a minimum purchase of AUD$750 and a maximum Cashback of AUD$400
•Not available on Australian domestic flights or New Zealand domestic flights
•Cashback amount for eligible bookings made during the promotional period will be credited to eligible PayPal account holders by the 30th of January 2010
•There is a limit of one cashback per PayPal Account.
•Jetabroad's normal terms and conditions for flight purchases and site usage apply. Click here to read them
•PayPal is not responsible for the promotions offered by Jetabroad, and you should read these promotion terms and conditions as well as the normal terms and conditions on the Jetabroad website. The PayPal service is provided by PayPal Australia Pty Limited (ABN 93 111 195 389) which holds an Australian Financial Services Licence, number 304962. Before deciding to sign-up for or use the PayPal service you should consider the Product Disclosure Statement, available at www.paypal.com.au

So essentially they can pull this at anytime, or claim that the funds ran out on the promo... which you can't complain to Paypal about as it seems it's jetabroad's $$$ and promo.

I recall some deals w/ Paypal in the past (not travel related) which irked a lot of buyers because after the purchase was made, it was disclosed that there was no longer sufficient funds to cover for the cashback.

Given the minimum purchase requirement of 750AUD, unless one is looking to purchase a ticket that is in the similar price bracket, it will be confined to a relatively few people. Of course, if there's a FD to be had w/ their pricing engine, then maybe that's another angle... but of course there is the issue of getting the cashback.

As far as I can see, JetAbroad imposes substantial "service fees" on tickets -- over $130 for the itineraries I searched. Granted, these service fees were on $1500 tickets, so all in all it's still a savings, but on cheaper itineraries the 20% back just seems to rebate the "service fee" (i.e., a $40 service fee on a $220 ticket).

yeah, 90 AUD fee for a 230 USD cashback plus the hassle with exchange rates and the uncertainty ... guess I will pass.

As far as I can see, JetAbroad imposes substantial "service fees" on tickets -- over $130 for the itineraries I searched. Granted, these service fees were on $1500 tickets, so all in all it's still a savings, but on cheaper itineraries the 20% back just seems to rebate the "service fee" (i.e., a $40 service fee on a $220 ticket).

The cashback is only eligible on international tickets over 750 AUD, so some savings can be had, assuming everything posts properly.

However, doesn't Paypal charge fees for foreign exchange? That really reduces the savings, I think, for US account holders.

I was looking at the price for a ~750 AUD ticket I purchased recently - I would have saved about 100 USD with this, before any Paypal fees.

Since this isn't discussing a specific fare after the cashback and is not status/miles related to FFPs, I'll move this across to Budget Travel, just in case there are some decent fare deals, with or without the MR benefits.

I'll leave the link in MR Deals for a while, too.

As discussed, it's a PayPal promotion (Paypal.com.au is doing this promo with a few travel merchants) and I'd be thinking it's targeted to Aussie residents using paypal.com.au, so it's probably of limited interest to MR forum readers, but potentially good for anyone interested in searching for an international fare ex-Australia.

Cheers,
BiziBB, Moderator, Mileage Run forums

Just a warning - check www.ozbargain.com.au or other bargain sites for feedback and updates.

As happens on slickdeals, the promo 20% off will likely be exhausted as soon as it's given a bit of airtime on the Australian bargain sites.

I'll move this across to Budget Travel now, but it's still worth a look for this 2010 QF LHR-SYD routing, provided you're aware that this promo might be gone now or some time into your booking.

Here's a Flight Centre 20% off Paypal promo - AU domestic, up to a $200 cashback:
http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/18399

The offer on www.webjet.com.au is 20% off fares to NZ up to the value of $200

The Jetabroad offer has now been posted by someone on OzBargain, which has an active and fast-moving readdership.

If you've not tried to use this yet, you should either try now or monitor the link here, where you might get comments once the cashback's exhausted. I'd expect the cashback to be exhaausted VERY soon!

Note the linked info here mentions ALL international bookings; check that for yourself:
http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/18447