How much would you pay to buy points?

[Genie]

Or more particularly, how much would you pay to get point-earning purchases onto your credit card?

For example, say there was a store that let you make a purchase for $1,000 on your credit card, then refunded the $1,000 to your bank account. So you get the points from your credit card for the $1,000 spend. Also, say you got the funds back quickly - within a few days - so you could cycle the same funds through this store over and over again.

The catch is that you have to pay the store a credit card processing fee, so the amount billed to your credit card is actually $1,000 plus the fee.

What fee would you be willing to pay for something like this?

 

[Guest]

Genie... 2001 is calling... they want their ideas back

 

[QF WP]

Welcome to AFF, Genie.

I think paying a fee for an endless loop just to get points is somewhat self defeating, because the loophole will be likely closed when it is realised.

I happily pay $250 for a credit card that gives me 1 point per $1 and $395 for a card that gives me 1.5 points per $1. As my wife and I rack up a lot of points using CC's for every purchase we can, I believe the cost is justifiable.

BTW dOOt, when are you going to correct the English in your signature??

 

[dajop]

Yep tend to agree with Lindsay ..... However it were being done once off to push you across the line for a specific redemption (eg you were 8,000 pts short of that RTW J class award) then it may be more economical than buying points off QF or doing a mileage run just for the sake of it.

 

[aus_flyer]

I would happily pay between $10 and $15.

40,000 for a one-way upgrade from East Coast to Hong Kong at 1.5c per point is $600. A good deal indeed.

I hope that the "credit card" cycle that you suggest wouldn't be considered money laundering!

 

[JohnK]

What fee would you be willing to pay for something like this?

Does not sound above board to me. :shock:

No amount of money would be worth me risking what I have already saved up for a rainy day.

Goodluck if you get to keep QFF membership.

 

[johnsmith]

Or more particularly, how much would you pay to get point-earning purchases onto your credit card?

For example, say there was a store that let you make a purchase for $1,000 on your credit card, then refunded the $1,000 to your bank account. So you get the points from your credit card for the $1,000 spend. Also, say you got the funds back quickly - within a few days - so you could cycle the same funds through this store over and over again.

The catch is that you have to pay the store a credit card processing fee, so the amount billed to your credit card is actually $1,000 plus the fee.

What fee would you be willing to pay for something like this?

Points to me are worth 0.01785 cents per point so i would be prepared to pay no more than 1 cent per point, there are few businesses that would be able to negotiate a credit card service fee of less than 1%, but if you could then this suggestion would be worthwhile. I doubt that it would be illegal but the credit card processing company would not allow this if they knew about it.

 

[NM]

To me, points a benefit of flying because I have to fly. I don't spend more money (of my own) to get more points. I have more important thing for my money that points.

If I get points for no additional cost, then I will do it, such as use my CC for all possible purchases. I need to have a credit card, so I might as well have a points earning one. But that is my extent of paying extra for points.

Yes, point can be good for buying an upgrade, but if I didn't have any points I would not be paying $$$ for the upgrade, so I have not really benefits except for the comfort during the flight - and that is a temporary benefit with no ongoing financial or lifestyle benefit for me. I can survive in Y when I need to, even if I like to fly in J and F :shock: . My long-term financial and lifestyle goals are more important than short term points earning opportunities.

 

[serfty]

Tomorrow, I am flying for work MEL-SYD and SYD-MEL. Total fare $153.29. There's 2000 ffpoints + I get QP access; that gotta be worth ~$50.

IMO, Comparing "points for $$$" with "points for flights" is very similar to comparing the "costs" of being "serviced" by a prostitute with the "costs" of "wedded bliss".

One may be simpler and carry no baggage; but it certainly has no Class!

 

[NM]

One may be simpler and carry no baggage; but it certainly has no Class!

I have not met Mrs Serfty, but I think she may take offence at being called classless .

 

[NM]

Tomorrow, I am flying for work MEL-SYD and SYD-MEL. Total fare $153.29. There's 2000 ffpoints + I get QP access; that gotta be worth ~$50.

Don't for get the 20 SCs! They cannot be bought except by flying. I am no points junkie, but when it comes to SCs I have been known to do some things that others may call crazy (but at no additional cost).

 

[JohnK]

IMO, Comparing "points for $$$" with "points for flights" is very similar to comparing the "costs" of being "serviced" by a prostitute with the "costs" of "wedded bliss".

One may be simpler and carry no baggage; but it certainly has no Class!

Just because someone is married does not mean they have class. :roll:

Oh.. and a prostitute does not take the house, car, kids and leave you with child support and mortgage payments when she goes through a mid life crisis.

 

[serfty]

One may be simpler and carry no baggage; but it certainly has no Class!

I have not met Mrs Serfty, but I think she may take offence at being called classless .

:shock: I actually meant the opposite! (i.e. "There's no Class in buying points") ... which is a bit too much of a generalisation really.

...Just because someone is married does not mean they have class. :roll:

Oh.. and a prostitute does not take the house, car, kids and leave you with child support and mortgage payments when she goes through a mid life crisis.

Apologies, did not mean to punch any buttons.

FWIW, I've been through the family court once; we went there to split the debts! :shock:

 

[JohnK]

Apologies, did not mean to punch any buttons.

FWIW, I've been through the family court once; we went there to split the debts! :shock:

No apology required.

It has happened to a good friend of mine and the way he was torn apart, not a pretty sight. Anyway life moves on and every new day it hurts less than the day before.

 

[bigjobs]

ANZ are currently offering 16000 bonus points if you sign up with their QF FF Visa card.

i am assuming that if you signed up for this they would charge you the yearly fee of $X and that if you then closed the account the next day that would represent the cost of the points ... although i suppose you would need to activate the account by making a purchase with the card.

just looked at their website - this is taken from it ... regarding the fees ...

Total Annual Fee of $95 applies for an ANZ Frequent Flyer Visa consisting of a $40 Annual Account Fee and a $55 Reward Program Services Fee and a Total Annual Fee of $150 for an ANZ Frequent Flyer Visa Gold consisting of a $95 Annual Account Fee and a $55 Reward Program Services Fee. For both cards, an annual fee of $10 plus a Rewards Program Services Fee of $55 applies for each additional cardholder. Standard annual percentage rate is 18.5% p.a. as at 1 November 2005, subject to change.

i dont know if that is expensive for points or not, perhaps others can tell

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Less than 1c per point. Sounds good to me (earning is equivalent to SYD-MEL ticket under $10 incl taxes & surcharges).