Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus - Moving to Thailand. Do I move all my flying to TH or stay with SG or QF

Hi all.
I am an Australian moving to Bangkok for a new role. I will be doing a lot of flying to the US east coast, Europe, Australia and around SE and North Asia. A range of 120-200k miles per year. I am looking for advice on which airline, network and FF program is the best for my new home. My aims are two fold. To get the best out of th status I can generate and to generate the most miles for "free" trips for me and the family back to Sydney

I am already lifetime gold on QF. I used to be gold with both SQ, UA and DJ but those all expired in March.

Any advice would be great

Star alliance

Hi all.
I am an Australian moving to Bangkok for a new role. I will be doing a lot of flying to the US east coast, Europe, Australia and around SE and North Asia. A range of 120-200k miles per year. I am looking for advice on which airline, network and FF program is the best for my new home. My aims are two fold. To get the best out of th status I can generate and to generate the most miles for "free" trips for me and the family back to Sydney

I am already lifetime gold on QF. I used to be gold with both SQ, UA and DJ but those all expired in March.

Any advice would be great

Hi Tim Hughes and welcome to the forum.

TG is a logical choice if you're going to be BKK-based and travelling east, west, north and south from there!

With 120-200k miles per year, you'll reach ROP*Gold very quickly and, if your travels are mostly in business or first class, then you should be elevated from ROP*G to ROP*Platinum after 2 or 3 years of Gold.

Royal Orchid Plus (ROP), TG's frequent flyer scheme, is very good if you work it properly. The earn rates are low, compared to other carriers which lavish top tier flyers with bonus miles, however TG has two compelling "rewards" for *G and *P flyers plus award availability is exceptional.

The first reward is the Gold Upgrade, known as a GUP (or if you're Platinum, the Platinum upgrade, known as a PUP). The GUP is good for upgrading an entire itinerary, either from econ to business or business to first. As a ROP*G, broadly you'll get one GUP every year you fly 50k+ qualifying miles. As a ROP*P, you'll get one PUP for every 50k Q-miles you fly.

The second reward is what's known as the "birthday gift". Most years it's an e-coupon which lets you redeem miles for 50% of the usual price. So a SYD/BKK/LHR ticket in First which would normally cost you 230k miles will only cost 115k miles. Incredible value.

ROP*Ps also are entitled to use the Bangkok Royal First lounge which is magnificent, along with a range of other benefits.

You'll find TG takes special care of their ROP*G and *P flyers. Certainly it makes travel that little bit easier.

TG has great services through to Europe and their hard product is getting better (esp with the 777-300ER they presently use and the A380 coming soon). Through to North America they have unfortunately suspended their BKK-LAX and -JFK non-stop services. You can fly BKK one-stop to LAX or take UA (another *A airline).

Well, that's a quick summary and others will add more. Feel free to PM me if you wish.

Happy travels.

Addition - 15 Jul @ 8pm

Re staying with SQ and/or QF:

I never thought much of the QF FF scheme... easy to accumulate points, but limited premium class availability internationally. (esp compared to TG and their near 100% availability). Other thing to remember is that OW service into and out of BKK is limited . Of the majors, there's BA, QF and CX - so for most destinations you'll be looking at a one-stop service (unless your key destinations are SYD, HKG or LHR.... do you believe OW doesn't even have a BKK/MEL direct service).

Now SQ is a *A carrier so, so you can quite happily do your flying on SQ and bank your miles to TG (or vice versa). One thing to bear in mind is the "SQ double dip" - bank you mileage to another *A scheme, but accumulate PPS credits (based on J and F travel on SQ metal).

I agree with evrything that hgp says and find that Thai has improved their FFP when others are making their schemes less attractive.

Now that BMI Diamond Club has gone I am now using Thai as much as possible.

I fly to Europe, East and West Coast Australia and find the service improved over the last few years and I was a big critic previously.

The Award availability, Award sales and the Gold 50% Award offer are all good. I think you can also get another GUP if you fly 50,000 miles in the year after reaching Gold. BKKROP is the expert on that one.

Another possibility for you is to get the Thai American Express Platinum credit card which gives you Gold for only 25,000 miles in your first year of membership. There are other benefits such as buying a F or biz ticket and getting another seat same class for half the usual miles if that is of interest. There are also initial bonuses when you use the card and fly with Thai. See the link below and look through all the benefits. Amex provide great service here and even come to your office and go through the application and card arrives within a few days.

http://www.americanexpress.com/thailand/en/thai-amex-card#sub1

The Award availability, Award sales and the Gold 50% Award offer are all good. I think you can also get another GUP if you fly 50,000 miles in the year after reaching Gold.

There are a few other posts on the GUP availability. It's not completely straight forward, so here's a run down.

You qualify for ROP*G on flying 50k Q-miles b/w when you join (or January if already a member) and 31 December of th same year (25k Qmiles with the Plat Amex).
Qualification is good for two years.
When you qualify you'll receive a GUP (known as GUP1) to be used within the two year period.
If you fly 50k Q-miles in the calendar year after qualification, you get automatic re-qualification for 2 years from when your initial Gold period ends. You also receive another GUP (known as GUP2) to be used within the initial 2 year qualification period.
Each time you qualify (or requalify) for Gold you'll get a GUP (this will be another GUP1).


Example:
(1) July 2012 - Join ROP
(2) Oct 2012 - You've flown 50k Q-miles so you will qualify ROP*G from Oct 2012 to Oct 2014 and receive GUP1 to be used within this period
(3) B/w Jan 2013 and Apr 2013 you fly 50k Q-miles. You receive GUP2 to be used b/w Apr 2013 and Oct 2014. You also get automatic requalification from Oct 2014
(4) When Oct 2014 rolls around, the requalification kicks in, good until Oct 2016. You'll receive GUP1 to be used b/w Oct 2014 and Oct 2016. At this point, you're back to step 2 (if you fly 50k miles in calendar 2017).

Qualifying for Platinum is "invitation only". However, the criteria involve having been ROP*G for a continuous period of at least a few years plus 80k+ miles in bus or first class.

Determine which airline you will be flying most and take a serious look at choosing their program over another. Airlines treat their own flyers better than an alliance partner's.

Only pick TG's ROP if you will be doing a significant amount of flying on TG.

Airlines treat their own flyers better than an alliance partner's.

Important and true point there.

If you want to fly premium classes on SQ, join Krisflyer. Those seats won't be available from *Alliance partners (last week notwithstanding). You can get up front on everyone else through TG though. wj

Determine which airline you will be flying most and take a serious look at choosing their program over another. Airlines treat their own flyers better than an alliance partner's.

Only pick TG's ROP if you will be doing a significant amount of flying on TG.

Mostly true though LH has upgraded 2 of my last three flights as a TG Gold while TG rarely upgrades me. The 2 years oh Gold for a single 50k qualification is also great.

Hi all.
I am an Australian moving to Bangkok for a new role. I will be doing a lot of flying to the US east coast, Europe, Australia and around SE and North Asia. A range of 120-200k miles per year.

Hi Tim, there are a handful of very active downunder flyers based here, you will have fun. Keep your QF account active, this comes in handy as a second string to get direct flights to MEL/SYD/BNE out of HKG with CX for 120000 in business. If you are with family, HKG becomes a drawcard for the girls. and the flight home arrives at 6am which is great. Singapore is difficult to get QF awards out of, but HAN/SGN i use a lot as QF code shares out of Indochine. The two FFP I am currently using are US and TG, both are brilliant. Sign up with TG and also with American Express in Bangkok, they give you free first class tickets and also 300%, but you have to crawl first. Make time to introduce yourself to the boss of TG in Sydney, you will get on well with him, they invite you to shows, cricket matches and tennis every January in Melbourne. Get yourself an introduction to the lads in Bangkok, they love to entertain.

Never buy economy tickets, you will be able to buy Business class tickets for the price you used to pay for economy in Australia. Once you have settled in PM me and if I can help, I will, although except for November through to early December there is little to get excited about, looking forward. At the end of the day if you continue flying with SQ and QF, then I would stay with their programs, they both have good benefits.

If you're going to be BKK based, it's very hard to go beyond TG. Airlines take best care of their own frequent flyers, and given TG offers most flights from BKK, you're going to be better looked after if you get some serious status with TG than if you bank you miles to another program.

One point to remember: SQ! If you fly SQ and decide to make TG*ROP your thing, don't forget the double dip to get TG miles and PPS credit.

Keep your QF account active, this comes in handy as a second string to get direct flights to MEL/SYD/BNE out of HKG with CX for 120000 in business. If you are with family, HKG becomes a drawcard for the girls. and the flight home arrives at 6am which is great.

I believe the OP said he's moving to BKK, not HKG.

Singapore is difficult to get QF awards out of, but HAN/SGN i use a lot as QF code shares out of Indochine.

I believe the OP said he's moving to BKK, not SIN.

Make time to introduce yourself to the boss of TG in Sydney, you will get on well with him, they invite you to shows, cricket matches and tennis every January in Melbourne.

I believe the OP said he's moving to BKK, not SYD.

[QUOTE=hgp;18978454]

One point to remember: SQ! If you fly SQ and decide to make TG*ROP your thing, don't forget the double dip to get TG miles and PPS credit.

Very true but my experience of taking 13 biz segments between LHR-SIN-SYD and SIN-AKL was that PPS status is not easy to get unless you are paying top dollar in Biz or F. TG ROP status is much easier to achieve and works on booking class rather than revenue per ticket.

Very true but my experience of taking 13 biz segments between LHR-SIN-SYD and SIN-AKL was that PPS status is not easy to get unless you are paying top dollar in Biz or F. TG ROP status is much easier to achieve and works on booking class rather than revenue per ticket.

PPS credit is only earned through first and business class travel on SQ metal. Simplistically, you need to be spending SGD25k per year on premium cabin travel. You're right in suggesting this can take time depending on the fares you're buying.

However, there's no downside to the double dip. If you bank miles to TG (or any *A scheme) you can also claim PPS credit as well. If you reach PPS, great. If not then no harm done.

If you're going to be BKK based, it's very hard to go beyond TG. Airlines take best care of their own frequent flyers, and given TG offers most flights from BKK, you're going to be better looked after if you get some serious status with TG than if you bank you miles to another program.

One point to remember: SQ! If you fly SQ and decide to make TG*ROP your thing, don't forget the double dip to get TG miles and PPS credit.



I believe the OP said he's moving to BKK, not HKG.



I believe the OP said he's moving to BKK, not SIN.



I believe the OP said he's moving to BKK, not SYD.

Huh? The OP also said he's an Australian who will be flying all over the place. Regardless of being based in Bangkok, there's a legitimate case to be made that TG will not satisfy all his flying needs. In that light, I think BKKROP's responses are completely appropriate and address OP's potential needs. Seems that you're the one that's missing the Bigger Picture here. The point is to advise what might work best for ALL OP's needs (which may be multiple FFP's), not to be a defacto salesperson just for TG, though TG might be one weapon in his FFP arsenal.

Huh? The OP also said he's an Australian who will be flying all over the place. Regardless of being based in Bangkok, there's a legitimate case to be made that TG will not satisfy all his flying needs. In that light, I think BKKROP's responses are completely appropriate and address OP's potential needs. Seems that you're the one that's missing the Bigger Picture here. The point is to advise what might work best for ALL OP's needs (which may be multiple FFP's), not to be a defacto salesperson just for TG, though TG might be one weapon in his FFP arsenal.

Fair point. But please note the OP was enquiring about airline, network and FF scheme for someone based in BKK. Your point about multiple FF schemes is valid (I am a member of several myself, as are many of us here).

BKKROP's advice confused me, but maybe it was just me. The OP said he was going to be BKK based, so I didn't quite get the logic in flying BKK to HKG to pick up a "direct" flight to Australia. Same logic for SIN. Doesn't flying BKK/HKG sort of compromise the "directness" of HKG / Aus? Does this seem odd to anyone else?

Being based in BKK, the OW options are a bit limited so this really does bring things back to TG and ROP. Please note, I am not a defacto TG salesperson.

PPS credit is only earned through first and business class travel on SQ metal. Simplistically, you need to be spending SGD25k per year on premium cabin travel. You're right in suggesting this can take time depending on the fares you're buying.

However, there's no downside to the double dip. If you bank miles to TG (or any *A scheme) you can also claim PPS credit as well. If you reach PPS, great. If not then no harm done.

Yep no real downside apart from wasting time to deal with something your not likely to get. My point really is that PPS is not much good if you are paying for your own discounted biz tickets. If however your company is paying and pays top dollar yes it can work for this status.

Many SQ flyers are not happy about PPS as found on various forums and funny whilst looking through this found an old post to business traveller when I had considered moving to SQ because they promised so much and delivered so little. I even had a complaint published in Business Traveller magazine and received a very disinterested reply from SQ.


BKK-man - 16/11/2009 01:39 GMT

I feel I have suffered from false promises with PPS and special points upgrades. I agree it seems like they are trying to find a way out of providing what they promised and how easy to is to get the special upgrades. All rubish in reality. PPS seems to be some kind of secret way of giving status as they do not and will not provide a clear and transparent way that a customer can atain this status. They do not provide a system where it is clear to work out and just give some vague answer but based on rules that only they know.

I flew 6 sectors SIN-LHR, 2 sectors SIN-SYD, 2 sectors SIN-AKL, and 3 sectors SIN-BKK all in biz clzss but only halfway to PPS status. although received 90,000 miles !

I expected much better from SQ but now I am re-evaluating if I should go back to an improving Thai and there much easier and clearer FFP programme where it is easier to book upgrades without having to wait untill 3 days before for seats to be released


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Reply



JackyLek - 16/11/2009 02:28 GMT

BKK Man before the change you have already reach the PPS renewal, but now is how much you had paid for your ticket. When I was PPS member is was enough with two round-trip from LHR to BKK via SIN in Biz. The SQ FF program is not so good if I may compare with Miles&More program even the Royal Orchid give more back then SQ. I have only Gold Status in LH but it gives me more perks then I was with SQ.

Also wondering where the op is as no replies after the initial post.

Yep no real downside apart from wasting time to deal with something your not likely to get. My point really is that PPS is not much good if you are paying for your own discounted biz tickets. If however your company is paying and pays top dollar yes it can work for this status.

Full agreement... but should be easy enough to work out if the miles will qualify and be sufficient. If yes, then why not take the in-the-money option?

In some circles, PPS is known as the Pointless Priority Scheme, so your comment is very fair.

I'm surprised you haven't reached PPS given the amount of flying you've done, even with discounted bus, but I agree the path to FF status is not always as transparent and easy as it should be!

Full agreement... but should be easy enough to work out if the miles will qualify and be sufficient. If yes, then why not take the in-the-money option?

In some circles, PPS is known as the Pointless Priority Scheme, so your comment is very fair.

I'm surprised you haven't reached PPS given the amount of flying you've done, even with discounted bus, but I agree the path to FF status is not always as transparent and easy as it should be!

ok and agree.

The flights I took were taken over a period of about six months and value of PPS posted looked good to start with and then really small amounts were showing for returning legs and I just got fed up with their attitude. Not only with PPS but with upgrades they enticed me with which were almost impossible to get, a bit like their awards from what I read. I was paying more but the equipment was good both A380 and my favourite 777-ER but I felt cheated on the PPS and upgrades promised.

Anyway Thai are usually cheaper and service has improved so now BMI has gone I will stick with them for the GUP, 50% award, which when linked to my Thai Amex card gives good rewards living in BKK.

I was paying more but the equipment was good both A380 and my favourite 777-ER but I felt cheated on the PPS and upgrades promised.

A kindred spirit! I love SQ's 777-300ERs... much prefer them to the bigbus!

I fly about 400,000 miles pa in biz class. I'm Platinum on TG & QF and PPS on SQ.

I'm based in Shanghai & Melbourne and many of my flights are via BKK where I usually spend a day or two several times each month.

My airline of choice is TG; I use SQ as a *A airline when I can't get a TG flight and credit those points to TG; and I use QF only as a last resort.

Wrt planes out of MEL & PVG both QF & TG planes tend to be old, whilst the SQ planes tend to be new. Service wise, SQ & TG are usually great and QF generally poor. Online booking with QF is good, TG is ok & SQ is a nightmare. Cost wise QF is very expensive, SQ varies and TG is the cheapest. Flights booked from PVG & BKK are generally 30% cheaper than the same flights booked from MEL. Redemptions are always available on TG with only a week or two notice and never on QF.

If you're based in BKK it's a no-brainer - use TG.

The only downside that I encounter with BKK at the moment is the incredible rudeness usually received at the premium immigration counter inbound. Outbound premium immigration counter is fine.