Any one use their Westpac Premium Voucher

[Gunners]

Guys

Recently received my Westpac/SIA voucher for staying with the Krisflyer Westpac Visa/AMEX program.

The voucher can be used for redemption bookings on economy flights or used towards economy to business upgrades.

The voucher is for 25,000 points. However, the 15% online redemption bonus gained by booking online is subtracted from the amount of the voucher so that that the total overal discount cannot exceed 25,000 points (refer below):

Krisflyer One line One line Westpac Net
Points 15% Redemp Voucher Points
Reqd Disc Discount Value Required
50,000 42,500 7,500 17,500 25,000
75,000 63,750 11,250 13,750 50,000
100,000 85,000 15,000 10,000 75,000


Using online redemptions best value can be obtained by booking an economy flight or upgrade for 50,000 points. Economy to business upgrade one way Asia to Aust is around 50,000 points. Strangely enough the voucher seems to encourage booking redemptions or upgrades through SIA as there is no benefit for booking online.

Has anyone else used their Westpac/SIA Premium Voucher on a redemption?


Gunners

[ADL_SQ]

Hi Gunners,

I used my westpac/krisflyer upgrade voucher shortly after they became available on the 1st July. The only way you can use the voucher is online - its not possible to ring the krisflyer call centre and redeem. This is because the max 25,000 point voucher "includes" the online discount.

The use of the voucher is cleverly integrated with the online upgrade/ redemption system. Was quite painless and worked well for me.

I used mine towards a SIN-LAX upgrade (business standard). Certainly not my preferred upgrade choice - but my partner is already travelling in business on this leg so I was kinda forced into it ;-)

Happy redeeming!

[DinkumDave]

Hi Gunners,

My voucher will quietly expire, unused, in six months time. There are just too many conditions & restrictions to make it worthwhile for me.

First of all I see no point redeeming KF miles for economy class tickets. LCC's will get you there for less than the cost of SQ's YQ charges - at least on the routes I fly.

So that only leaves an upgrade award.

Well, I made a biz redemption last week, and I could have used the voucher, but chose not to. The maths was fairly simple:
- Biz award, no voucher = $400 YQ + 55,250 miles
- Upgradeable EY ticket = $1250 + 21,250 miles to upgrade (after voucher)

So for $1250-$400=$850, I could save 34,000 miles and (eventually) earn an additional 6,500 BIS miles.

That's a fairly good price to pay for the miles (just under 2 cents per mile), but frankly, right now, I'm putting enough through the card that I'm already earning enough miles to cover all of my flights. I'd rather spend the $850 on something else.

Putting the maths to one side, the real clincher was the amount of effort involved in buying a Y ticket then upgrading, as opposed to a straight redemption.

Jeez, it was hard enough just finding dates with two saver awards available (for me and the Mrs). The thought of buying an EY ticket, paying premium for an upgradeable fare bucket, waiting for that to process, then coming back to find that the precious savers had already gone just sent shivers down my spine

Anyway, different people have different circumstances and different priorities, as ADL_SQ has shown. I hope you get some value from your voucher. Let us know how it goes.

[Gunners]

Hi DinkumDave

I agree that it is hardly worth using voucher for economy redemptions. As you stated there is no real way to obtain certainty that an upgrade is available after paying for a full fare.


The only choice is to ring SIA before booking the fare and ask them to confirm the availability. This is a lot of hasstle for using the voucher and maths at 2 cents a point makes the whole process questionable.

I wonder how may Westpac customers have allowed their vouchers to lapse.

Gunners

[lovetravellingoz]

The voucher is a joke and an insult. Mine will expire un-used.

Issuing it does Westpac and SQ more harm than good. It certainly annoyed me.

As to why they would bother issuing such an insult who knows???

[Gunners]

I agree that is a marketing ploy somewhat to justify the AUD $250 p.a. fee for AMEX/VISA Cards.

[ADL_SQ]

You guys are making me feel guilty for using my voucher :-)

[DinkumDave]

You guys are making me feel guilty for using my voucher :-)

Don't feel guilty. Be happy

I would offer you the use of mine, rather than see it going to waste, but I don't see how it would be possible?

I agree that is a marketing ploy somewhat to justify the AUD $250 p.a. fee for AMEX/VISA Cards.

I managed to get my fee waived this year. I rang them up and asked them if they were prepared to do so based on the amount of business I had been putting through the card. They were happy to oblige.

I tried to push them into telling me just how much spend is required to qualify for a refund, but they were very cagey about it. They would only tell me that every request is examined on a case by case basis.

I would recommend anybody should at least ring them and ask. You have nothing to lose.

[Gunners]

Don't feel guilty. Be happy

I managed to get my fee waived this year. I rang them up and asked them if they were prepared to do so based on the amount of business I had been putting through the card. They were happy to oblige.

I would recommend anybody should at least ring them and ask. You have nothing to lose.

Thanks DinkumDave, have not thought about negotiating a waiver for the fees.

[lovetravellingoz]

Thanks DinkumDave, have not thought about negotiating a waiver for the fees.

I had mine waived in year 1.