Hi team,
Sorry for this.
I switched from AirNZ Airpoints after flying about 200,000 miles with that program in 2013, and barely made silver status. I'd been a FF since 1998 - but enough was enough.
I joined Aegean. I got to StarAlliance Gold within weeks. Very happy, even with their new program, as I fly Aegean 3-5 times a year anyway.
However, I decided to switch over to OW, as I've also been a QFF since 1999. Happily, I started earning well, as OW covered more territory.
Within 5 months I was Gold (up from an ambient Silver), and after another 5 months (May) I'd earned QFF Platinum.
However, Qantas is quite sloppy. If I travel more than three legs (as I frequently do), the first leg is ALWAYS "forgotten". It takes time to follow up, do phone ins, etc, and I'm ALWAYS pretty shocked that I receice so few miles and so few status points.
TODAY, I'm three days away from my year-end; and my account says "65 points to go" (of the 1400 target), still, yet to be recognised as Platinum.
However, I know I've flown at least 180 points that they are yet to credit, includiIng a trip from Athens to Doha (7hrs), and Singapore to Sydney (7hrs), a Doha to Singapore (6hrs) and a Sydney to Auckland (3hrs), plus a Business Class trip Nadi to Auckland (3hrs), economy AKL/KUL (9 hrs), and a second SYD/AKL... It's always a problem when I go to New Zealand!
So, I'm no mileage sloth. But I always feel I'm getting a raw deal. QFF always seeming to book me in Discount Economy, despite expensive fares, maybe because i generally book my tickets 3-12 hours out; yet I fly about 400,000 actual miles per year, and rewarded with maybe 250,000 'accrual' miles despite the "multipliers" - (flight spend is around $50k/year). So i feel very short changed, and frustrated.
My question: given I have gold (at least) for another year (OW*Saphire), plus SA*Gold; and will probably maintain the 300,000+ miles per year (yep, 20-90 hours per month, wheels up)....
Where should I place my loyalty ($$!) - (given I don't really trust the QFF programs ability to recognise my actual travel/value/use - just as I've previously moved off AirNZ?
(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Reply: Last minute check in. Consistent recognition. Good Operational upgrades. Large network.
(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
Reply: >400,000 miles & >100 flights per year (mostly cheapest available).
(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Reply: fastest connections.
(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Reply: cheapest available. My wife is increasingly coming with me on work trips.
(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
Reply: Europe to Pacific. Asia to Africa, Asia/Europe. Pacific/US.
(6) What is your home airport?
Reply: Singapore, Auckland, London and Athens. A little SFO or Dulles/DC.
(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
Reply: 300K Miles in Qantas Gold/Platinum. 100k miles in Aegean Gold. Just started earning status in Skyteam.
(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
Reply: Cathay has probably the best staff. Then prefer Fiji Airways, Singapore, Etihad, Emirates, Qatar, Qantas, Turkish, AirNZ, Aegean, BA, in that order, then the rest. Fly often (but less than the above) on Air France/KLM, Korean, United, American, Lufthansa, LLCs, and South African... Don't prefer Virgin as they gave me a ratty deal on an airnz codeshare for status/mileage LHR-SFO-AKL once. Although their Upper Class lounge was nice, I've not used them since.
Also... I'm not against buying access. Like the Chairman's Club at United (if they still call it that)...
