bneboy

Hello,

Why doesn't Qantas allow us to purchase points like Air NZ does. I know it would be great for a gift from a boss or family member and it would be great to have the option to buy some points whenever. Looking at my Airpoints membership guide to purchase points it is reasonabley priced. For First class to get 60,000 points it costs NZ$1,800 and for 4,000 points it costs NZ$95.

It would be great to be able to use these points for award flights, frequent flyer store etc. I am amazed that Qantas doesn't have something like this. Would it generate a lot of extra profit?

Cheers
David

deeruck

4000 points for $95 certainly is cheap. The best we can do is a mileage run on a cheap red-e-deal, getting 1000 for $50 or $60 when there's a sale on.

Kiwi Flyer

Not quite as generous as it seems.

NZ Airpoints allows 20% of award points to be purchased (they call it top up) - effectively making a points + cash option. Cant just buy points at any time (other than of course via transfer of points through credit card or Fly Buys), and the amount is limited to 20% of the award being redeemed for (at the time of purchase).

However with the revamp of NZ Airpoints effective 16 November 2004, top up of points is no longer allowed. The rationale given is now awards are one way so if you are short of points you can just purchase one way award and buy tix for the other way. Makes sense for domestic and short haul but I'm not convinced it makes sense long haul.

Other programs also allow purchase of points, eg LH Miles & More allows up to 10,000 points per calendar year (currently extended to 13,000 in a promo).

abcedaria

In the end surely it comes down to the fact the FF points are all about loyalty and rewarding customers, and keeping them. Selling points seems to somewhat undermine this: something that you have to earn versus something you buy. While topping up points with purchases makes sense to a consumer, where is the added value for a company? If Qantas sells points are they doing any more than offering a cheaper airfare (perhaps not on the literal sense, but if it would cost an extra $2k in travel to earn the points, versus $500 to buy them outright, certainly less people will use their rewards, but the profit levels may be higher from those remaining customers that do travel to earn)? If they don't sell points, its more likely to keep patrons brand loyalty and make them fly qantas for those extra 20,000 points (or how ever many). In some markets, top up points work to keep the loyalty. If there is more competition, then being able to buy the lacking points will keep the people on the flights on a specifc carrier, which is then the value to the company (Such as in the US market). But is that a viable idea here? I don't believe there is enough competition in the local market to make this worth the investment. Further to that, doesn't Qantas have the highest brand loyalty of any airline already? I seem to remember studying that during one of the few times I wasn't at the bar during uni (I must have bought my own in that day )

virtualtroy

BA are now allowing EC members to top up BA Miles balances, provided they are willing to part with some cash.

NM

QF does allow you to buy points. Many of us already do this. Its called a MR. You pay QF some money, perhaps as little as $50-$100, they let you sit in an aircraft for a short time, perhaps even giving you something to eat and drink, and the next day you find you QF has given you 1000 points for your money.

There is no limit to the number for 1000 point packages you can purchase.