Cancelling hotel booking through Qantas - which refund option is better?

Hotels & Accommodation
#1

Like many in NSW I had to cancel my New Years plans with the recent COVID spike. This included a road trip from Sydney to Gold Coast (w/2 kids) for which I booked a stay each way to break up the long drive. I had a surplus of points not going anywhere in the current situation.

I now need to cancel these bookings. Qantas is trying to keep business of course and offering a 1,000 points bonus if instead of a full refund (points for me) they will give me a credit + the bonus points. I’m not needing the money back and happy to use it again for travel later on. Is this a good deal? Does this voucher equal good value for points comparison?

Note: voucher can only be used for Qantas hotels (no flights)

Details are:
One night stay cost $413
Paid 54,816 points (full refund will simply be this back to my account)
Qantas offer is $413 voucher + 1,000 bonus points

#2

It really depends.

Accepting the voucher would mean that you are locked in the particular value for your points (cents per point, CPP). If you were going to spend the points on Qantas Hotel anyway, taking the voucher probably doesn’t sound too bad of a choice. 1000 Qantas points that they throw in, would probably be worth $7 if spending points on Qantas hotel. A premium cabin redemption would yield a higher CPP but these a much harder to come by during Covid times.

If it was me, who value flexibility a bit more, I would just take the point refund. Getting the points back would allow me the flexibility to use it on flight, hotels, item, etc.

However, it sounds like you have more points than you know what to do with so (great problem to have), it probably doesn’t matter, which route you take. However, it is a good fundamental question to ask yourself.

Pre-covid times, I wouldn’t use Qantas points on anything outside of flights. But things have indeed change in the last 12 months. I have heard of much stranger things this year than using points on Qantas Hotel.

Hope my 2c worth is helpful.

1 Like