Qantas Points Plane Lord Howe Island: Is it worth it?
It's a top-value redemption, but there are a few downsides to consider.
I've written before about how a trip to Lord Howe Island is one of the best ways you can use your points. A one-way flight to Lord Howe Island from Sydney can cost anywhere from $600 to $900, but requires just 8,000 Qantas Points (plus $86 in carrier charges). Even assuming a cheap seat, that gives you a value of around $64 for each 1,000 Qantas Points, which is well above the Points Finder target of at least $20.
The difficulty is that normally Classic Reward seats to Lord Howe are very hard to come by. However, that's not the case this week. Qantas' latest "Points Plane" promotion sees every seat available between Sydney and Lord Howe available as a Classic Reward – but only for a selected handful of dates.
Specifically, seats for between 15 July and 31 August 2020 are all available. You have to book between 16 December and 23 December 2019. This only includes Sydney-Lord Howe Island flights; the less frequent Brisbane service isn't included.
Like previous Points Plane promotions to the Northern Territory and Japan, this offers all flights in a given date range. Points Planes before that were one-off services to a specific destination.
While I've long had the Lord Howe trip on my bucket list, I'm in two minds about this particular deal. The main issue is the weather. July and August are the rainy season on Lord Howe. While the nights aren't freezing, there's a lot of damp about. (Presumably, that's one reason the offer is running: those seats might be harder to fill anyway).
The other perennial challenge with this route is that accommodation on Lord Howe is limited, with only around 400 people able to stay on the island at one time. The actual number can be lower, since not every apartment will be filled to capacity.
I did manage to find some reasonably priced options for one potential date, so I'll have to make my mind up quickly. If you are tempted, make sure you can book suitable accommodation before committing to the tickets.
Angus Kidman's Findings column looks at new developments and research that help you save money, make wise decisions and enjoy your life more. It appears regularly on Finder.
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