Pickles

As an AA EXP, I use my CX GO status to get into AA's Admiral Clubs when flying domestic in the US. So in that case, Sapphire trumps Emerald...

LoveHateRelationship

Let's be honest, the benefits cost them very little vs the loyalty they get from Silver members. I don't think you can quantify who would leave if they devalued the Silver program but they will definitely find out if they do decide to leave.

garykung

Nowadays, unless you have a workaround, loyalty is based on $$.

And there is no doubt that GO trumps SL for this.

blum81

interesting. I'm heading to LHR today on BA0032 for the first time.

So when I arrive in LHR, is there a specific line for Oneworld Sapphire?

SLGO

That depends if the $$$ is spent on CX or other OW airlines

chater

CX lounges in some outports are sometimes better than those of the hub airline (e.g. LHR, HND). But there are exceptions where the hub airline's lounges is much better than the CX lounge (e.g. NRT) so GO would help if flying from that location frequently. But overall, and aside from the better recognition on board (which seems to be inconsistent) it can seem that the benefits are marginal unless travelling with a companion with no status.

Although there is fast track at security on flights outbound from LHR, I had thought that fast track immigration for inbound flights is not avaialable for frequent flyers who are not in first or business. I think you need a "by invitation" pass which is handed out on board the flight. Crew may offer one to DM if it's asked for (but it's not a published benefit), but probably not to GO. Please correct me if I'm wrong anybody ...

Rami Tamimi

This is on the spot. SL can not enter based on the OW rules, but they can, based on CX rules and if there is a CX lounge in the airport, CX will obviously not allow other lounges to admit SL (they can not do that to GO/DM).



For T3, yes you are right, you absolutely need a voucher. The eligibility rules are based on the policies of individual carriers. I had a heated discussion with some CX staff on this and the outcome is that FFPs in Y don't always get the arrivals fast track voucher and it depends on the destination. They get it when going to KUL, but not BKK. Not sure what is the status for LHR, but it never hurts to ask the crew when they distribute the landing cards.

For T5 (OP stated they are on the BA flight), you don't need an invitation and you can just show your OWE/OWS card or the BP or give them the voucher. They are much more relaxed about this in T5 and OWE/OWS get access to fast track (regardless of your FFP).

Arbeysix

[QUOTE=garykung;28217521]1. Although not materialized, it seems that there are talks further devaluing SL. CX's generosity towards SLs may come to an end.

I find it hard to believe CX would further devalue given recent changes to MPC. MPC Silver is now roughly equivalent to GO on other carriers (eg. SQ) and requires a very high degree of loyalty from those traveling on cheaper fares. For example, it would require return HKG-SYD roughly every 4-6 weeks for 12 months in discount Y to make it to MPC silver. Yes a revenue based model implies heavily discounted mileage accrual for discounted fares but bear in mind these "discounted" fares can significantly exceed those available from other carriers on many routes (granted many of these are LCCs, but that's the reality...).

percysmith

http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...s-class-seats/

garykung

Currently, the differences in benefits between SL and GO are minor. If CX does not devalue SL, the only victim is CX itself as those GOs will stop see the value staying with MPC.

While I am not an advocate for devaluation and changes (I believe that CX's move to revenue-based is a very bad move), if the difference among tiers are so minor, people simply won't further for next level.

Arbeysix

You make good points.

Personally I think the thresholds for both GO and DM are set a bit too high, particularly with the new accrual rates and given many loyal customers will fly in a combination of classes/fares throughout the year.

SLGO

IMHO, I don't believe there are many GO members prefer staying at SL or leaving MPC due to the "minor difference". However I think there will be quite some SL members leaving MPC upon devaluation, as there is no point to be loyal to CX instead of finding the best fare available. The tier GR and SL would be so alike as well.

freakinflyer001

I flew my first GO flight today HKG-LHR on Y+ and other than the onboard greeting from the ISM/SP it was just another routine CX flight.

But coincidentally two flights I've waitlisted for were cleared at the same time (one of them is a LHR flight with all booking classes zeroed out) - whether that's a result of my GO priority is anyone's guess!

QRC3288

It really depends on the class you fly. If you fly J, GO is insanely easy. Far too easy IMO. I mean, the idea you could fly two longhauls in J, and 4 short haul in J, and get GO is a little whacko to me. (Round trips I'm referring to). Especially with the cheap outport pricing, you could have someone based in Shanghai or Beijing effectively just flying 2x annually to Europe, and 2x extra round trips to HK and they're basically done. Because the round trips to Europe will go via HK and get something like 230+ Club Points each round trip. Meanwhile the pricing out of these ports is crazy cheap, especially compared to what HK people are saddled with. I guess CX does the math these outport people don't use the resources of lounges etc. like a local HK person might.

Ultimately what you're saying just kinda reopens the debate about whether CX should or shouldn't value Y fliers. I think they should, but they made the conscious decision with last year's MPC changes to say screw you to loyal Y fliers and embrace J fliers with open arms.

[Added later: these changes were kinda stupid without CX enhancing the GO and DM programs, since benefits are naturally most used now by J and F fliers, particularly for DMs. Aka, these fliers already HAVE most of the benefits afforded to them duplicated via status, simply because they're flying a higher class already. By not enhancing DM and GO to get those business travelers to STAY loyal and go out of their way to fly CX (not just get GO/DM out of convenience), combined with CX's stingy policy towards Y fliers, I think they missed the plot with the overhaul. Effectively GO and DM stayed very similar to before, just earning got easier if you flew J and F. And Y traveler qualifications were made far harder. So they lost premium Y fliers, while J and F fliers simply shrugged. Oops]

I will add, to CXs credit SL is very very generous with the lounge benefits. I assume many SLs take their CX lounge access for granted but I'm not sure you can find many other examples of competitors being so generous. And I'm certain there aren't any with a combination of the generosity of lounge access combined with such consistently amazing J class departure lounges. CXs new J lounges in both HK and across the network blow pretty much everybody else's J lounges away, and many F lounges. And they keep opening / overhauling more. I'm critical of CX on many aspects, but my heavens for J lounges they are leaps and bounds ahead of others. CX has taken what BA lamely did with the "Terraces" concept globally, except made the CX lounges 10x nicer. It is a branding exercise but my lord the product backs it up.

Of course, you really need to be based in HK to fully maximize SL and fly CX/KA more than just a few longhaul, so it's not one size fits all, but if your pattern are like this SL is a killer "hard" elite level.

I'd say GO is more "soft", meaning things like the guaranteed seat, more op-ups, far better chances for awards clearing, etc. You don't see them on the surface but those benefits are real. There are waaaaay more SL members out there than GO members.

sxc

@QRC3288 earning OWS on CX is not insanely easy when flying J when you compare to other oneworld programs.