Moving from QFFF to BAEC

Old Nov 28, 2018, 3:14 pm
  #1  
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Moving from QFFF to BAEC

Hi everyone. I recently moved to London from Sydney. I am a QF Platinum and cannot decide if it would be easier to maintain my QF status or move to obtain BA Gold as I'll be living in London for 2 years (maybe more). I'll be flying mostly around Europe and to America with maybe 1 trip a year back to Australia and maybe Asia. Is there an advantage to being BA Gold as I'll mostly be flying BA and AA from London? Many thanks for your advice - it is most appreciated.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 4:25 pm
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Whats QF plat in terms of OW status?

id be looking it on those terms.

If you joined BAEC youd have avios you might not get to use for example
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 4:28 pm
  #3  
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Originally Posted by UKtravelbear
[What’s QF plat in terms of OW status?
QF Platinum is equivalent to BA Gold status level wise

Originally Posted by dwglee
Is there an advantage to being BA Gold as I'll mostly be flying BA and AA from London? Many thanks for your advice - it is most appreciated.
You would not have to worry about 4 QF flights to maintain status - you might also want to consider whether crediting to AA might be better than BA - if you decided to do a redemption for UK-Australia, the award costs are dramatically different

With BA, the one way redemption cost for travel on, say, Qantas would be
Business Class : 125,000/150,000 miles plus 232.00 surcharge plus taxes
1st class 170,000/200,000 miles plus 232.00 surcharge plus taxes

With AA miles
Business C;laas : 87,500 miles plus taxes
1st class : 115,000 miles plus taxes

Last edited by Dave Noble; Nov 28, 2018 at 4:41 pm
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 4:36 pm
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So pretty good then and absent possible other criteria Id stay with QF because it may be more beneficial when the OP returns to Oz
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 4:43 pm
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Originally Posted by UKtravelbear
So pretty good then and absent possible other criteria Id stay with QF because it may be more beneficial when the OP returns to Oz
I wouldn't - the QF redemption rates are so lousy that I would definitely look at switching to AA given the travel to USA and the poor redemption value of many Qantas awards
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 4:57 pm
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Originally Posted by Dave Noble
I wouldn't - the QF redemption rates are so lousy that I would definitely look at switching to AA given the travel to USA and the poor redemption value of many Qantas awards
+1 If you enjoy QFF's colossal surcharges on awards, hundreds or thousands of dollars extra, then you'll really love BAEC's special F surcharge. And for most routes you pay about half as many miles on AA as QFF charges. Best of all AA allows you to reserve an award for 3-4 days before committing yourself.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 6:12 pm
  #7  
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How close are you to getting any lifetime status on QF? And will your travel be J or Y?
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 6:42 pm
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I would suggest you evaluate closely the qualification criteria and earning system for any FFP you are considering joining.

Since AA was mentioned as a possibility upthread, make sure you understand the difference in earnings between BA (based on miles flown) and AA (fundamentally revenue-based for AA flights, but based on miles flown for partner flights), as well as the difference in status qualification (TP for BA, its complicated for AA).

As far as your original question (whether it would be easier to maintain status with QF or acquire Gold status with BA), I would suggest you review the very thorough guide in the dashboard which explains the way the BAEC works: Your guide to the Executive Club, attaining status and earning Avios | 2018 edition. After reviewing the guide, you can probably determine for yourself whether your flight patterns would make it easier to maintain status with QF or acquire status with BA. But, by all means, feel free to ask any questions you have after reading that guide.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 8:11 pm
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AA's scheme is hardly complicated - it seems to be designed such that the average person should be able to understand it
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 8:20 pm
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How close are you to QFF's "for life" status? Much easier to get with QFF than with BAEC...

E2A: Apologies, realised this has already been commented.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 8:52 pm
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I agree with the above questions re: lifetime status.

I switched to QR from QF when I moved to the Middle East but have returned to QF as I am close to LTG but lost three years of credits which would have probably already gotten me there by now.

The issue is getting your four squiggles per year, although not required for lifetime status.

If you are QF Plat you obviously have some lifetime balance of note already.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 9:48 pm
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A few things to consider:

- QF sectors, i.e. will you be able to fly 4 sectors?
- Flying patterns within Europe: BA does not have "15/60 SC" band for medium length short haul economy/business class, if you know what I mean (only 40/80 TPs) which might make a difference to your qualification/requalification
- QF upgrades - as you probably know, you can't use BA Avios to upgrade QF sectors (including ODU)
- As mentioned already, QF lifetime status question, including LTS and LTG
- Australian credit cards earning QF points (you don't want to spread the points/miles etc. too thin everywhere)
- Most JQ sectors can only be credited to QF and you cannot use the lounge when flying on QF on the basis of a non-QF OW status
- Redeeming on EK is not an option with BAEC
- Status bonus not mutually available between BA and QF (unless on codeshare)
- There is no equivalent of Any Seat Award with BAEC (at least not yet)
- Money off with Avios option on BA flights is available with BAEC Avios but not with QF points
- Last but rather importantly, BAEC won't be available to you once you move back to Australia

Do think about your options, your current lifetime status credits, and flying patterns carefully before shifting programmes.

I'm an "ex-QF Platinum"- I did not move over to BAEC despite living in Europe until I had the Lifetime Gold with QF.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 11:51 pm
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Originally Posted by sxc
How close are you to getting any lifetime status on QF? And will your travel be J or Y?
I have lifetime gold with Qantas. Ill mostly be travelling a combination of J and Y (self-funded). Thank you
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 11:54 pm
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Originally Posted by Dave Noble
I wouldn't - the QF redemption rates are so lousy that I would definitely look at switching to AA given the travel to USA and the poor redemption value of many Qantas awards
Thank you for your insights. My concern with AA is losing access to the Flagship lounges in America. Also correct me if Im wrong but arent long haul redemptions from LHR to SYD are pretty hard to come
by? Unfortunately my travel is confined to peak periods due to work commitments. Cheers.
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Old Nov 28, 2018, 11:57 pm
  #15  
sxc
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Given you are already Qantas Gold (Sapphire), I'm not sure if there's much point to change over to BA. Have you calculated whether on your expected travel you will be able to maintain QF Platinum? And is status more important, or redemption?
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