120k points with Amex Gold – best transfer options for Sydney flights?
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I’m completely new to the points game so am unsure as to how to proceed. I know I can transfer points to various airlines/groups, but am confused as to which offers the best value for money. For example, I can convert Amex points to Etihad points (1:1 ratio). Etihad points can also be used with Malaysian airlines. However, if I were to convert from AMEX directly to Malaysian airline points (Enrich), the ratio would be 2 AMEX points: 1 Enrich point. Does that mean I will have to use twice as many Etihad points to book Malaysian airline flights as I would for Enrich points?
Another point that is super confusing is the points calculator. For example, the Qantas points calculators indicate roughly 150k points for a one way business class flight to Sydney. However, when I look at actual dates, the cost is around 800k points. How do these two numbers reconcile?
Finally, if booking economy flights, the surcharge for taxes and so on means the cost of the flight is a minimum of £300 irrespective. There are one way flights for £600 which represents much better value for money. This probably is a misunderstanding on my part but hoping someone can clarify for me.
Have you considered converting to Emirates?
Amex-BA-Qatar Airways: 90k gets you one way in business class. You have 39k to start the other direction – various options here, work towards econony ir business on avios, use avios and cash, book, book economy and hope for a decent upgrade price, keep the 30k amex points or avios for something else and book one way for cash.
If it was me I would go out on QR for 80k in J. Come back BA premium economy on BA using avios and money as that works well (or it used too). Coming back on BA or EU carrier gives you RC261 protection but coming back on Qatar does not. If you were confident if raising another 60k avios then I would opt for return in Qatar business.
Another point that is super confusing is the points calculator. For example, the Qantas points calculators indicate roughly 150k points for a one way business class flight to Sydney. However, when I look at actual dates, the cost is around 800k points. How do these two numbers reconcile?
The 150K would be for what Qantas call a Classic Flight Reward, which have fixed point prices. Availability tends to be scarce for popular international routes and seasons, especially for anything higher than economy. 800K is dynamic pricing, offered when Classic rewards aren’t available.
Finally, if booking economy flights, the surcharge for taxes and so on means the cost of the flight is a minimum of £300 irrespective. There are one way flights for £600 which represents much better value for money. This probably is a misunderstanding on my part but hoping someone can clarify for me.
As you have discovered, economy awards aren’t always the best use of avios / miles / points for long-haul flights because of the carrier surcharges (in addition to actual taxes). You will often see comments on HeadforPoints warning of this. Sometimes they come into their own for one-way flights or for a mixed cabin round-trip combined with a premium cabin in the other direction. They also provide flexibility to change or cancel flights, which is important sometimes. There are also programmes, such as some of the US frequent flyer programmes, which don’t usually charge these, but they are not necessarily Amex transfer partners,
If you are really are completely new to all this there are a lot of basic articles available on HfP that you might find useful to read before your start trying to make any bookings. There are lots of helpful and knowledgable people here to ask for advice.
As you probably realise, Australia is a popular destination and not necessarily the easiest one to start off with. You may want to look at short-haul European redemptions, even just pretend bookings to learn how they work if you don’t want to spend your points on a European holiday or weekend break.
It probably goes without saying, but you should hold off on transferring any Amex points until you know exactly what you want to do with them and which programme lets you do that most efficiently. Good luck with exploring!
+1 to above – read up all the articles and don’t assume that Amex points will be the best way to do things here. See Rob’s first sentence in this article for example (but then read the rest to see one way that points may be useful after all):
https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/01/29/avios-multi-partner-reward-chart/
Don’t be tempted to burn lots of Amex points to achieve only minor savings on an economy ticket as it’s “better than nothing”. Those same points have real value: they could have got you several nights in a high-price city-centre hotel during your trip, for example.
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