Moving from QFFF to BAEC
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Qantas, British Airways, Krisflyer
Posts: 6
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.
#3
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,438
QF Platinum is equivalent to BA Gold status level wise
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
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
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,438
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
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: OOL
Programs: VA Plat, QF LTS, UA MM, Hilton Diamond, Rydges Black, ,Le-Club Gold
Posts: 3,659
+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.
#8
Join Date: Feb 2018
Programs: BAEC Gold, Hilton Diamond, Bonvoy Silver
Posts: 175
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.
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.
#11
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: OOL/DOH
Programs: QF LTS WP, Avis Pres Club, HH Diam.
Posts: 3,192
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.
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.
#12
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,126
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.
- 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.
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Qantas, British Airways, Krisflyer
Posts: 6
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Programs: Qantas, British Airways, Krisflyer
Posts: 6
by? Unfortunately my travel is confined to peak periods due to work commitments. Cheers.
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
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?