jlfor4 Welcome to FT (or is that il for 5)
Originally Posted by
jlfor4
Hi, and thank you for providing such a comprehensive thread. I've done a lot of reading but can't work out the best FF program for my family's circumstances. Here are my responses:
1. What is most important to you in a frequent flyer program (FFP)?
>>> Reply: flight class upgrades, lounge access
2. How many miles do you usually fly each year? How many flights/sectors?
less than 25000 miles, 50000+ miles and 20-25 flights, etc.
>>> Reply: 30,000 miles per person. We are a family of five, so points/status credit pooling would be valuable. Around 3-5 flights per year across Australia, Middle East and Europe
3. What fare class do you usually buy?
first, business, premium economy, economy
>>> Reply: Economy and then try to upgrade. The next two years will be buying Business for the long haul, economy between Jordan and Europe
4. Are you able to choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
>>> Reply: Varied. Flights between Australia and Amman and around the Middle East cannot be chosen. The rest is travel for pleasure and so airline/class can be chosen
5. Which routes do you fly most often?
transatlantic, domestic USA, intra-Asia, etc.
>>> Reply: Over the next two years we will be living in Jordan and we will fly to and from Australia 4 times. We will also fly Amman-London, and Amman-Rome. My husband will fly from Amman to other Middle Eastern countries 3-4 times a year
6. What is your home airport?
>>> Reply: Over the next two years it will be Queen Alia Airport (Amman, Jordan). After that, Canberra airport, Australia
7. Do you have status in any FFP? What is it? How miles do you have banked in each FFP, if any?
>>> Reply: Mainly points in Virgin Australia (400,000), and Qantas (140,000) whcih option to transfer 500,000 Qantas points from family member. Previous status in both which has expired.
8. What are your preferred airlines, if any?
Hoping to find that here
Q1. Upgrades
Upgrades are generally only available on the airline of your ffp, using ff miles/points/avios and at time a cash co payment (varies with ffp).
Star Alliance has a cross airline upgrade scheme, but requires a very high base fare and not guaranteed. Useless for most people.
Oneworld Alliance (QF, BA, RJ, QR and others) does not have a cross airline upgrade scheme.
Some airlines have out of alliance cross airline upgrade schemes. Example AA-BA, AA-AS. But have onerous t&c’s.
The chances of all 5 of you getting an upgrade on the same flight are zero. Not a hope.
Nor will 1 or 2 on the same PNR upgraded: it’s all or nothing.
Long haul upgrades, for a family of 5, and on varied airlines is not a realistic objective.
Lounge access is from mid-top tier status and business-first class flights. However some airlines are now restricting lounge access on cheaper cash paid business fares. Notability Qatar QR (Oneworld).
Lounge guest rules varies a lot. Qantas QF is more generous than many in allowing children to enter QF lounges with QF status holders (i.e. not counted).
Q2. Flights
For a long time 30,000 miles was considered about the amount needed for low to mid tier status. But varies a lot depending on ffp’s. More ffp’s are going to revenue based miles/points/avios accrual with different rules for status earning. Is far more complicated than even 5 years ago.
Status pooling is *very* unusual. A good feature of VA Velocity ffp.
Pooling of redeemable miles is unusual.
BAEC have a family account. QR Qatar have a family account, but is poor. Onerous t&c’s with QR
QF does not have pooling, but QF allow points to be moved to eligible family member as no cost. One of the better features of QF ffp. Some other ffp’s allow transfers. but with a cash payment. So poor value tending to useless.
Q3.
You are not going to get upgrades for 5 passengers
Q4 Airlines
In what alliance will the airline you cannot chose be?
Flying QF back to AU? Or QF codeshares on EK operated flights?
Q5 routes
As for Q4
Q6
Assume home is Australia
Q7
Better to have status (and ff miles/points/avios) in the airline you fly most. Then fly airlines of alliance in which your main ffp is a member.
For only 2 years may not be worth the effort to get status and ff miles/points/avios in a new ffp. Can take the best part of a year to earn status. May end up with orphan frequent program.
For the 2 years you are living out of Australia important you keep the VA and QF points alive. Check the expiry rules carefully.
With QF transferring QF points between family members is *not* and eligible activity to keep points alive. Need eligible activity a least every 18 months. If your trips back to AU have a Oneworld flight , credited to QF ffp, that will be enough. Or buy fuel at an AU BP linked to your QF ff account. Some banks have accounts that award QF points every month.
For VA check the rules. Etihiad EY is a VA ff partner
Avios for Australia is interesting.
Avios is used as the ff currency for BA, IE, IB, VY Vueling and QR Qatar. All linked by
IAG Later in year Finnair AY will use avios. Subject to t&c’s avios, but not status earning, can be moved from 1 frequent flyer program to another.
Can get Qatar QR avios on VA Virgin Australia flights.
Can get British Airways BA avios on QF Qantas flights. QR is a ff partner of QF Qantas, but earning to QR is low or even nil, depending on fare booking class.
So flights by the 2 largest AU airlines can earn avios. But check the details
QR, BA & QF ffp’s have “own airline flights” rules for status. Check the rules.
An avios ffp may be a possibility, but consider what happens when back in AU.
QF codeshares on EK operated flight can credit* to BAEC (but not status earning). [*needs to be checked]
IMHO for 2 years will not be worth starting new frequent flyer programs [redeemable ff miles/points/avios and status]. After the 2 years may have an orphan ffp that cannot be used or added to effectively.
Some ffp's have age limits (~no young children).