Originally Posted by
Gardyloo
I just did a little back-of-the-envelope comparison of the benefits of this
SAMPLE route:
CAI-LHR-FCO-LHR-DFW-YVR-JFK-ORD-SLC-LAX-SYD-NOU-SYD-HKG-BKK-LHR-DXB using the AA v. the QF FF program, and assuming you challenge up to Platinum with AA before the start.
Bottom line, you'd earn roughly 87,741 redeemable miles with AA and have Platinum status (Oneworld Sapphire) whereas you'd earn around 68,200 points with Qantas and have Platinum (Oneworld Emerald) status with QFF, i.e. 1500+ status credits and 4 Qantas-metal sectors. (Note I am
not an expert on the QFF, so I could be quite wrong.)
So I'd look at both airlines' redemption charts and decide if staying with QFF vs. "defecting" to AAdvantage makes any sense. AA is getting rid of its "soft landing" feature (you only fall one level regardless of how little flying you do) so if you didn't keep up flying 50,000 or more miles annually it would be a one-time thing; of course you won't keep Qantas status indefinitely either.
Agree that the OP needs to do her homework on this
But her stated intention was to earn enough to redeem flights: from Europe to US and from US to Australia
With QFF
LHR-JFK in economy requires 25,000 points
JFK-SYD in economy requires 64,000 points
So total is 89,000 points
From her proposed itinerary she will earn about 31,000 points (no status, business class so 125% points)
She will earn more if she gains status during the trip (which requires 4 eligible QF flights - her itinerary has two?)
With AA
Europe-Nth America in economy requires 20,000miles (off peak) 30,000 (peak). If she flies in to New York then she can stopover there and fly on to elsewhere in Nth America later
Nth America to South Pacific in economy requires 37,500miles. She can start from just about anywhere and stopover 'at the gateway' (LAX, DFW or JFK) on departure
Total 57,500 or 67,500 miles
She would not earn this many miles on her proposed itinerary, so more work is needed here - more flying to earn more miles/look at doing the challenge to get status and thus earn bonus miles
One note on the previous posts - VIE-PAR is operated by Nikki, which is not included in my copy of the OWE rules as an eligible carrier. Maybe something's changed?
Latest version of the rules includes HG as an allowed carrier