[lovetravellingoz]

Hi all,

Having just swapped to a Rewars Maximiser Card and hence am now a Rewards Maximiser Member I have also become aware of the Membership RewardsTravelkey where points can be redeemed for flights for quite attractive burn rates, but perhaps more importnatly "no black out dates"…..when one can use the Travelkey Special Fares.


ie

Melbourne

MelbourneLondonBritish Airways*128,000 96,000 13,000
MelbourneMilanBritish Airways*128,000 96,00013,000
MelbourneAmsterdamBritish Airways*128,000 96,000 13,000
MelbourneFrankfurtBritish Airways*128,000 96,00013,000
MelbourneParisBritish Airways*128,00096,00013,000
MelbourneEdinburghBritish Airways*128,000 96,00013,000
MelbourneRomeBritish Airways*128,000 96,00013,000
MelbourneBrusselsBritish Airways*128,000 96,000 13,000
MelbourneBangkokBritish Airways56,000 42,000 6,000
MelbourneAucklandEmirates38,000 29,000 4,000
MelbourneNadi-FijiAir Pacific48,000 36,000 5,000

Now points are also shown for adults, children and infants. So if you have kids the scheme is even more attractive (unluckily for me my youngest has just turned 11!!!)


I saw reference to this in another pot, but it was not really explained and so I have been reading up on it


These are called Travel key Special Fares.
http://www.americanexpress.com/australia/personal/cards/rewards/flightsdetail.shtml for att the special fare rates.

SPECIAL FARES FEATURES
Specially negotiated fares with a number of preferred airlines
Book any available seat (subject to airline availability)
No black-out dates
Book for your family and friends
Special rates for children and infants
Book directly with American Express Membership Rewards


It was also indicated that they sometimes have special on with regards to points used in this way. of 20/30%.

I on the weekend saw an announcement for 33 % off..for transfers by Dec 31.
Travelscene American Express

Christmas Treat - Save 33%°
Redeem your points with TravelKey before end December and enjoy:
• $100 worth of travel = 12,000 points now 8,000 points;
• points that can be used instantly when booking your travel; and


So my question is does anyone know how often the extra discounts are typical given.

ie once a year…every few months etc?

The travelkey special fares scheme would seem to offer ok burn rates (sometimnes cheaper)….and if one can reasonably anticipate that one can access these rate at a further 20 to 30 % off then they are more attractive again.!!!! and would effectively make this one of the best ways to gain flight rewards about.


However have said that an posted the burn rates above it should be noted that they are special offer rates as points are normally burned at $100 of flights for 12,000 points for travel key flights and so for example Melb Lond is 229,000 points or $1915. and not the special rate above of 128,000 points.


So with a Mel /London fare with no black out dates for 85,760 points (64,320 fora child) that is a good deal....boty for cost as well as being able to fly when one wants!!!



But how often are the special rates available….and how often is the extra discount of 22-33% available??

If others have been using this scheme I would be interested in how they have found things including whether the no black out dates means that with availabiloity when you want .

[lovetravellingoz]

PS....so fora great deal this month of Dec if one combined the 10 point earn deal....with the 33% redeem on a special rate airfare.....$7458 of spend at the named stores would get you one ticket to Europe return!!!!!

Or $3262 of spend on your Amex would get you one ticket to Bangkok return.

[simongr]

I was looking at the little brochure this weekend as I tidied my study (I really do live life on the edge) and couldn't see what class of travel it was. I assume whY but there did not seem to be a J/F option.

[JohnK]

While this appears to be OK when first looking at it I would not say it represents great value. Also note that taxes and fuel surcharges are not included in the special rates offered.

I do not think that the 33% off applies to the airfares quoted with the actual number of MR points required. It would appear that the 33% off applies to any other type of booking through Travelscene where you pay for the cost of the trip with MR points at the rate of 8000 MR points = $100 where it is usually 12000 MR points = $100.

Originally Posted by lovetravellingoz

However have said that an posted the burn rates above it should be noted that they are special offer rates as points are normally burned at $100 of flights for 12,000 points for travel key flights and so for example Melb Lond is 229,000 points or $1915. and not the special rate above of 128,000 points.


So with a Mel /London fare with no black out dates for 85,760 points (64,320 fora child) that is a good deal....boty for cost as well as being able to fly when one wants!!!

I think the above paragraphs contradict one another. I think it will be 128,000 MR points for a SYD/MEL-Europe flight that has award availability through BA most likely using the QFF program. I don't think you can apply the 33% discount to the special 128,000 MR points required and come up with 85,333 MR points required.


If you want to purchase an anytime airfare and say this airfare costs $2500 then you would normally need 300,000 MR points but with the 33% discount this reduces to 200,000 MR points. So anytime purchase of an airfare does not really represent good value considering that the normal special rate is 128,000 MR points.

Originally Posted by simongr

I was looking at the little brochure this weekend as I tidied my study (I really do live life on the edge) and couldn't see what class of travel it was. I assume whY but there did not seem to be a J/F option.

There is no J/F option on the special rates but one would think that you would be able to purchase a J/F airfare with MR points. My interpretation would be that you would apply the 12,000 MR points = $100 or with the special on offer of 8,000 MR points = $100 for the airfare. So for SYD-LHR business class return valued at ~$10,000 you could normally require 1,200,000 MR points but with the special on right now it would require only 800,000 MR points.

[simongr]

Hmm - that makes the QF awards look reasonable

I wonder if this will be the model for QF AAnytime AAwards...

[lovetravellingoz]

Thanks for that John....but part of the reason for being attractive is the no black out dates.

IF there is availability then at 128,000 points the same as Qantas it would be attractive to some as availabilty on that route is often tight..


I have seen in another string where posters mentioneda 20% discount though.....


So will be interested to see if anyone has redeemed...and for what????

[JohnK]

Originally Posted by simongr

I wonder if this will be the model for QF AAnytime AAwards...

Not sure but I would expect a huge surcharge on the number of QFF points required compared to number of QFF points required for normal award availability. Maybe not quite as high as 800,000 QFF points but if current business class return to LHR is 192,000 QFF points then I would not be surprised if some anytime QFF business awards to LHR are upwards of 384,000 QFF points. Especially the hard to get flights with no I or D class availability.

Originally Posted by lovetravellingoz

I have seen in another string where posters mentioneda 20% discount though.....

You may well be right as I was only offering my interpretation and not fact. But I still can't see how they will offer a SYD/MEL-Europe for only 85,333 MR points which is a potential value of only ~$1066 for the return airfare after applying the discount.

One point to note is that they are offering a 5 day Monkey Mia Dolphin tour from only $1320 per person for upwards of 105,600 MR points. That would make the SYD/MEL-Europe return for 85,333 MR points great value.

[dajop]

These rates do seem almost too good to be true. On the brochure I saw, with the 128K return to Europe on BA, it also allowed free stopovers enroute in Asia & London (if going onto the continent). I also wonder what fare class they book into.

[lovetravellingoz]

Originally Posted by JohnK

You may well be right as I was only offering my interpretation and not fact. But I still can't see how they will offer a SYD/MEL-Europe for only 85,333 MR points which is a potential value of only ~$1066 for the return airfare after applying the discount.

.

Yes...but that is the reason for my interest...because it would bea great deal.

I also cannot see how AMEX can offer 10 bonus points on top of the normal 1.5 like they are at electrical stores....but they are

[dajop]

Originally Posted by JohnK

Not sure but I would expect a huge surcharge on the number of QFF points required compared to number of QFF points required for normal award availability. Maybe not quite as high as 800,000 QFF points but if current business class return to LHR is 192,000 QFF points then I would not be surprised if some anytime QFF business awards to LHR are upwards of 384,000 QFF points. Especially the hard to get flights with no I or D class availability.

Given the multiples that exist in the NZ & DJ "any time availability" programmes (two of QF's main competitors in this part of the world), I would fully expect some reasonably high multiples to exist. However, the SQ model (obviously another competitor) which isn't quite any time availability, has a double multiple for regular awards compared to their "saver" awards.