Why I didn’t book a seat on Qantas’ points plane
Qantas' Melbourne-Tokyo flight is a fun-but-not-tempting idea.
As soon as Qantas announced plans for its first-ever flight that could only be booked through points, people started messaging me. "I assume you'll be on this for sure," one friend wrote. "Have you got enough points to take me to Tokyo with you?" another asked.
Fair enough, everyone knows I'm an obsessed frequent flyer. And going on just because it was the first Qantas "Points Plane" would be a neat addition to my year of just because.
However, when the seats for the A380 flight from Melbourne to Tokyo went on sale last Thursday, I was not amongst those trying to grab a seat.
In part, that's because Tokyo really isn't on my travel radar right now. It's a fabulous city and I've visited a couple of times, but at this stage other locations are more attractive to me. The fact the flight is ex-Melbourne also means I'd be adding on extra expense just to connect to it.
But mainly it's because my goal is not to randomly spend points on the first flight that comes up. I set my frequent flyer goal at the start of the year: to save up enough points for a round-the-world oneworld business class trip next year. That's progressing well, but if I splurge on a side flight, I might not get there.
It's too late to change my mind now anyway. While Qantas' special Points Plane page claims that economy seats are still available, when I searched this morning there was nothing left.
Qantas has promised more Points Plane services in the future, and I'm not saying I'll never be tempted. But I want my main goal sorted first.
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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.
Picture: Getty Images
