Points or $$$ for award booking
 

This may have been discussed earlier, but I've just successfully booked a trip SYD-LDH-SYD for late next year. Nothing particularly dramatic about that (plenty of seats available :) - but seemingly only 2 X seats per flight) but the instant decision to pay the surcharges/fines/taxes with points or cash caused a small degree of stress. I took the cash (cc) option.

What do others think?

Incidently, 2 tickets (SYD-LDH-SYD) cost 32,000 points and the surcharge/fine/tax payment was either $269 or 24,000 extra points. That means 1000 points is worth $11.20

You are going to Lord Howe? I am jealous. This is definitely one of my favourite places in Australia. Where are you staying? I had two award tickets there a few years back before you could pay the fines with points. (I got two seats to LDH and one award seat back).
I usually only use my QF points for upgrades or for domestic travel. All international award travel is done with *A.
So I tend to I burn them for taxes and fees.

Was that $269 for 2 tickets or per ticket?

SYD-LDH-SYD is my favourite award trip. 16000 points for a ticket that would cost at least $830 (including fines etc). Lots of availability up to todays limit of 18 Nov 08. We have stayed at Lorhiti Apartments but have not booked accommodation for this trip as yet.

Sorry, I should have made it clear - the $269 was for the 2 tickets.

And the wife is b**ied where?;)

:D

She asked to be left at Capella Lodge but after looking at their rates I decided to pay for her ticket back to the mainland....

A slight OT, what do you think of Arajilla for a 4 day stay? Was quoted about $4100 incl meals, airport transfers, bikes.

Are their facilities/services up to their steep price?

All lodges provide airport transfers. Bikes are about $5 per day. Meals are usually available in many nice restaurants in the settlement (ie not really necessary to only eat in one place). As for $1000 per day - wow. Seems very expensive - but I have not stayed there. Does the price include flights?

I have not stayed at Arajilla (and OG, this price does not include flights) but I have heard good things.

However, I would recommend that you have a look at Capella. The design, service and everything are up to the price, the hosts are fantastic and the location is very unique on Lord Howe. No other place has fews like they have. Oh, and did I mention their food?
We stayed there two years ago when they were significantly cheaper and had a huge off season special. We loved every second of our stay.

Cheers og/DUF.
I had a look at Capella's site, looks cool; their prices are less than Arajilla's; will definetly have them in priori.

As for the flights, I'll most likely use points :D

FYI: recently booked 2x award tickets for
MEL-SYD-PQQ-LDH-SYD-MEL.
Choices were:
40k AA points + AU$200.28
64k QF points + AU$404.20
124k QF points

I chose the AA points, and am learning the relative value of them vs QF at least for this type of trip.

Nice trip. Ever since QF changed their fees by point policy so you have to pay for every leg, not for every trip it has become prohibitiv to use points to pay for the fees of connecting flights.

I switched to AA a while ago but still book the occasional QF award and am still stunned at the surcharges QF apply - a RTW award in J (syd-hkg-jfk-lhr-lca-lhr-hkg) cost me $250 in charges. A one way in whY HKG-SYD using QF points cost $125...