Originally Posted by
scubadu
I have to say, this is actually quite a stunning change and I'm a pessimistic guy by nature. Basically, discount premium economy across all OneWorld carriers earns no cabin bonus whatsoever. Full fare Premium Economy does, but few would book that given the price delta. International PE was a sweet spot in the previous system for earning EQDs via longer distances and earning 1.5 EQMs per mile (vs. 1 for standard econ).
It will still be just about as much of a sweet spot. Broadly speaking, EQM didn't matter much in the previous system because EQD was the more difficult requirement to meet (for the sort of frugal traveler who talks about "sweet spots"). For example, partner PE with 1.5 EQM and 20% EQD would reach the "normal times" EXP requirement of 15,000 EQD after flying 75,000 miles, yielding 112,500 EQM (more than enough). Now, LP is essentially a rebranding and rescaling of EQD. For EXP requalification, 200,000 LP is equivalent to 18,182 EQD, which is worse than 15,000 EQD but not catastrophic (given that CC spend miles also count as LP).
Originally Posted by
scubadu
Similary, Qatar, which was another sweet spot literally has no cabin bonus at all for discount business.
I played around with an example Qatar flight (business class) from IAH to DPS (Houston to Bali) to educate myself. In the current system that flight would earn ~39% of the required EQMs toward EXP and ~34% of the required EQDs toward EXP. In the new, LP system, same flight would earn you ~13% of EXP! That is actually a pretty stunning devaluation...
You seem to be forgetting that
LP includes elite bonuses. If you're already EXP, that IAH-DOH-DPS round trip (25,846 miles) in R class will earn 54,277 LP, which is 27% (not 13%) of EXP requalification.
Originally Posted by
scubadu
I've been saying for years that "winter is coming" (to quote a rather famous show) to these programs, mostly only to be poo poo'd by many here, but I think it might actually be here.
You might be exaggerating the chill.