Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SCL, MCT, LGW and a variety of 1W lounges in between.
Programs: BA Mucci (Seigneur et Ingenieur des Appareils Volants (Gold)), QF (WP and LTG), AA EXP, GF Gold
Posts: 3,931
All I can say is that I spend a lot of money on the Roo route and I cannot book 330 days in advance. I do not accumulate miles in a 9 to 5 job with the odd commute somewhere and a shed load of supermarket miles on a credit card. Perhaps 1000 QF miles a year come from hotel stays. Hundreds of thousands on QF etc. I have now been 14 months without a holiday, a day or two off in a month, but that 15 day break is nowhere to be seen.
So, if I want to feel rewarded by my airline of choice, I have to book on another, such as CX and pay the extra. I was looking back through the programme for the last ten years and I have yet to manage to book a single flight on QF with miles. So far, I have used miles and points for four upgrades on long haul flights.
It might be nice to take someone with me on a business trip between UK and Australia, but the Former Next Potential Mrs Spotwelder would not be impressed with a free economy seat whilst I sit upstairs or lie down in the front.... or, I suspect vice versa if allowed.
If I change programme to AA, then I will drop to gold with subsequent loss of ability to spend miles and upgrades as well as waitlist priority. Trapped?