Originally Posted by
number_6
The JL 2 Emerald tiers is more a case of having an "Emerald Light" (80K points for Emerald vs. 100K points in AA, etc.) with the 2nd tier at the real Emerald level. A response to their market conditions and financial status
QF already has too many Emeralds, they need an Emerald Heavy with some decent benefits (though I am absolutely sure limo is not going to be one of them). QF has had an informal Emerald Heavy level in the past, one year I got a case of wine at Xmas from QF and this was strictly revenue based (not mileage -- bought lots of F fares that year from QF before I discovered AONEx and switched to CX).
United had a "1K Lite" for many years. Of course Star has no emerald level, so that was irrelevant to partners.
As for "too many" emeralds, that's awfully hard to believe, otherwise why would there be a thread about Platinums being granted extended tenure unilaterally? If there are "too many" emeralds, then, it's only because Qantas wishes it to be so.
Originally Posted by
lokijuh
Aaah, I think you will find that QF stack up pretty well in this regard compared to a lot of programs. A lot of airlines actually exclude earning on the most heavily discounted fares, or heavily discount the earning (look at NZ, SQ, TG, CX), at least you still get full points earned, and some contribution to status (FWIW if you did get a 100% miles earn on all fares, you would need 6 1/2 returns to SYD-PER to get to silver if it was based in the standard for such programs of 25,000 miles = silver)
QF's status scheme is no better or worse than many. It's clearly not welcoming to discount Coach flyers, and perhaps "too" generous to discount First flyers. One could make tweaks to the earning table, but this is not an area where the program is an outlier compared to others.
Freebie seat redemption is stingy but not advertised as anything but...
Originally Posted by
NZ_Flyer
WP can get upgrades confirmed up to 365 days before flight
SG can get upgrades confirmed up to 72 hours before flight
PS can get upgrades confirmed up to 48 hours before flight
NB can get upgrades confirmed up to 24 hours before flight
This allows WP's to get upgrades confirmed immediately if the right inventory is available and SG and PS members can get the upgrades confirmed up to a few days out if load is relatively low or at check-in/the gate if load is very high.
- Comp upgrade credits would be good
- Lifetime WP
- Another status above WP which is much harder to get such as HON Circle
The upgrade program is seriously out of kilter compared to many others. UA, AA, and DL are all handing out SWU's, and UA even has been taking them interchangeably with LH. Star partners offer upgrade awards on each other--- only from the top fare classes, but at least it's there. Asiamiles somehow offers upgrades on AA and BA. QF barely offers them on itself. As a cozy duopoly carrier for a long time, it should have done nothing else; however those days are gone. Delta has (and presumably virgin too) deep pockets and will not rest until QF's margins are whittled considerably.
For own-upgrades (US, UA, CO, DL, AA, AS, BA), booking an upgrade is no different from any other award-- the inventory is either there or not, but if it's there you can book it. none of this we'll think about it til the day before flying, and perhaps choose even then to ignore you... and that's international. Domestically, top tier domestic upgrades are infinite and free on US, UA, CO, DL, AA---except for United on its few "p.s." transcons, where only miles for upgrades are accepted.
Lifetime status is something most carriers are wrestling with. UA and AA do not offer lifetime top tier, but CO and DL do.
The ultra-high tier is likewise a developing point. DL chose to do it with a diamond tier at 125k, but their previous top tier was at 75k not 100. CO announced a fourth tier, but will it remain on the merge with UA? stay tuned. AA doesn't seem to need a super-top tier, but they did offer extra rewards at the 125K level last year.
Which leaves the benefit list in general--- as others have pointed out, Partner Gold is awfully inflexible. Why not do a rewards menu, as AA has successfully done and DL has now institutionalized. At the top top level, AA's extra rewards choices were: 25K redeemable miles, nomination of a friend for Gold status, a year's club membership, or a pair of extra SWU's. Two choices from the menu were permitted (repeats allowed, other than the club).