Be on the ball for trip to Qatar with spending

FOOTBALL fans caught up in World Cup hype can book a ticket to the Qatar 2022 tournament by tailoring their spending habits to maximise credit card rewards points, new Canstar research claims.

The analysis found bigger spenders could even make it to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, while those with a long-term view could score a trip to the 2026 World Cup in Los Angeles, without spending extra.

“The key is identifying your ideal destination early on and planning ahead,” Canstar senior research analyst Josh Sale said.

The research looked at top performing credit cards and the spend needed to accumulate enough points to fly to each destination, across each relevant time frame. Direct flights to Qatar were not available so the research looked at flights to Dubai.

Excluding sign-up bonus points, consumers who spent an average $720 a week could make it to Tokyo in time for the next Olympics, while a $347 weekly splurge could get them to Dubai in 2022. Just $181 each week was enough for LA in 2026.

But include sign-up bonuses and spenders would need just $402 a week for Tokyo, $217 a week for Dubai and $113 for LA. And savvy consumers could do it even more easily.

“By doing your homework, you could double dip on points by purchasing at a particular retailer and using a matching payment method, such as a frequent flyer card,” Mr Sale said. “Try to match these points with complementary products, so if your preferred supermarket earns you Velocity points, pair it with a credit card that can also earn these points and likewise with Qantas.”

Mr Sale suggested breaking an ideal trip goal down to a weekly spend and seeing if current habits matched the goal.

“You don’t want to be changing your spending behaviour,” he said. “If you are able to stick to a budget and (use) your card responsibly, there’s a great opportunity to build value within the loyalty and points programs attached.”

Travel comparison company Skyscanner has further savings tips for flights to Japan and Qatar.

For Japan, travellers can save by flying into cities other than Tokyo.

“A flight from Sydney to Osaka offers an estimated saving of $97 and the same flight from Brisbane could save an incredible $319,” a Skyscanner spokeswoman said, adding that all Qatar World Cup venues will be accessible from the main city of Doha and that the sweet spot for flight discounts was about 12 months ahead of the event.