Many thanks. I'm yet to book but am weighing up options. QF in J from LHR to MEL, with a couple of sectors operated by EK but all with QF flight numbers, has just tumbled in price for the Christmas period.

CX has also fallen and is about £500 cheaper. The changes to the partner rates for points and SCs are making me consider paying the extra to fly QF/EK. £500 for an extra 250 or so SCs and about 25,000 extra points (as a WP) seems a lot, but I've been tiring of CX's overly fawning service and poor film selection of late, so think I might pay the extra and give EK a go. Lifetime Gold is within reach, which is another motivating factor to earn the extra SCs.

Do tell me if you think this is mad!