Hi All,

Now with Qantas announcing the big changes to credit cards (I know there's a separate thread) I wanted to start this one to look at the Qantas program from my perspective, versus Singapore Airlines and ask people's opinions.

I used to think SQ's program as inferior to Qantas' as points expired every 3 years (I used to accrue very slowly). But now that I am accruing faster, and I am able to spend them faster, I begin to think about how hard it is to get a QF seat - in economy!!!! Business is not a chance. (for the times I tried, being a silver member).

On SQ though, I am able to get decent seats in J class to europe (usually Amsterdam works a treat) for much fewer points:

Online its 150,000 less the 15% discount = 127,500 - now thats the same as Qantas charges to get to Europe in Economy.

Westpac altitude (like the other card co's have been given the ultimatum from Qantas to make THEM the ONLY ones to redeem to). i.e. I can no longer have a card to redeem either Qantas OR SQ. I can continue with Altitude and use on SQ .... OR trash the card and take out a new one that is solely able to be credited to Qantas.

I think I am better off with SQ....Or am I missing something?

(For QF domestic flights I will continue to rack up points that don't expire, but my int'l travel is mainly *A, as I would choose this over OW now if I am going this route).

SQ has just "enhanced" their program. Also the continuing removal of 747 a/c and replacement with 77W and A380 business and first awards are getting harder to obtain and more expensive.

Hmm, Good point. But surely in a couple of years or so they will make the business awards on a 77W or 380 'normally' priced once the new business class product becomes standard for SQ?

Any other thoughts?

(Also was just thinking about the new higher J class redemptions on 77W: for 300K points.
That's 255K points if you do it yourself online after 15% discount - which essentially is the same as Qantas Business class at 256K Aus-Europe I think?? Meaning the old SQ J class, is the same as QF Economy at 127,500 vs 128,000. I wonder if they've done this intentionally?)

I was just doing this same calculaiton last night. Mrs Albatross wants to go to Europe next year. I was calculating which card I should start paying my suppliers with, is it worthh the 3% supplier surcharge with the new Westpac Amex Plat triple points and then run the risk of not getting the Qantas seats anyway.

The SQ points looked competitive but the loading for the 777-300ER & A380 complicated things.

I'm starting to think that keeping points either in AMEX MR or Altitude leaves us, the consumer, with more control.

As for my decision, I think I will continue accruing points with ALtitude for now and decide on the Qantas transfer value before March next year. If I see a non-Westpac triple point Amex, I'll take it.

I stopped transfering points out of my AMEX card except when needed at the start of the year for the very reason that I couldn't decide what to do with them. I looked into SQ but since most of my flying is domestic and perhaps next year 4 trans tasman flights and between 1 to 3 DONE4 or Business class circle pacifics this didn't make a great deal of sense. I looked into Virgin Blue but this also didn't make sense with international business class rewards more expensive than QF and no J class rewards for domestic or trans tasman and I would have to put up with the mad house that is Sydney T2. However the DJ lounge is far better in my opinion to the QF Dom J lounge in Sydney. I also don't trust that DJ won't give me a middle seat which I am not a fan of.

I looked at Virgin Atlantic but doing a Sydney to London to East Coast US in business was far too expensive so that rules that out as well.

So I have decided to stick with QF for the moment but to park my points with AMEX. With AMEX you can (if you have enough points) buy any seat as a reward seat on any airline. Terrible value from a points perspective but does solve the availability issue. If QF does have availability you can transfer the points in and hope the seat(s) are still there a day later, likewise with SQ.

This is why I use all of my QF points for domestic flying and for flights which can't be booked with other programs.
All international award travel is using the LH program and it's (non-Australian) credit card, newspaper subscriptions, phone contracts.....

I have ended up in the same position and outcome as you. I will have another look in March 09 but there are not a lot of options out there at present that make a lot of sense given my expected travel profile. Perhaps the current global financial meltdown will clear some seats? Then again, I might well be one of those that get cleaned up!