BAexec

I am not failar enough with other flyer programs, only BA's. I do not like the fact that you can only get lounge access (Silver) by accummulating enough tier points, which means more expensive fares. You could have a zillion miles flying BA exclusively (bein loyal), and yet have close to nothing in tier points. I am business traveller yes, but these days many companies try to get the lowest fare possible. Also, as a personal traveller, whyo would I seek anything but the lowest fares? Now do I understand correctly that with AA you can purchase separately, no matter your status, Admir. Club access for $450? I wish I could do that with BA because lounge access is what is most important to me if I got BA Silver. Any recommendations for someone who needs lounge access? Admir club is in T3 of Heathrow unfortunately (T1 and T4 used by me). Shold I start flying AA and join their program?

Dave Noble

Simple solution to this one. Join the Qantas Club. Costs AUD587 (approx �241 / $386) for the 1st year and about AUD300 (�123 / $197) thereafter. This will allow you access to the BA and QF lounges when travelling either BA or QF, plus also allow you access to the AA Admirals Clubs when flying AA,plus allow you access to the US Airways lounges when travelling US Airways.

Also, when visiting AA lounges, you will be entitled to drinks vouchers , allowing you free alcoholic beverages.

Don't join the Admirals Club since (a) it's more expensive and (b) gives you far less access rights

You can join online at http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/qantasClub/index

Dave


[This message has been edited by Dave Noble (edited 08-16-2003).]

BAexec

Hi Dave, thanks a lot for your response.
Gee that seems too good to be true. I guess I will do that. So I just join Quantas as a first-time member, and I can get into the lounges at Heathrow for ex? I fly to Hki all the time but Finnair seems no better.

Question though: Does it matter that I probably will never use QF? Never need to go to AUS myself. Also, is this the QS FF program I am joining?? Or is it more akin to Admir. Club payment I mentioned? The QS FF is separate right? And, I would assume, free.

Dave Noble

"Hi Dave, thanks a lot for your response.
Gee that seems too good to be true. I guess I will do that. So I just join Quantas as a first-time member, and I can get into the lounges at Heathrow for ex? I fly to Hki all the time but Finnair seems no better."

You just need to join the Qantas Club ( NO "U" in it btw ) and then show your card along with boarding pass for admission to the lounge.

"Question though: Does it matter that I probably will never use QF? Never need to go to AUS myself."

Doesn't matter at all


"Also, is this the QS FF program I am joining??" Or is it more akin to Admir. Club payment I mentioned? The QS FF is separate right? And, I would assume, free."

The QF Frequent Flyer scheme is free to join ( unless you are resident in .au or .nz ). When you join the Qantas Club you will automatically be enrolled into the Qantas FF scheme but there is no requirement to ever accrue points to it. Other than that it is very much like the Admirals Club excepting that you get a much wider range of lounges which you can visit. You can still accrue points and miles to the BA scheme if you wish to.

Dave

Shuttle-Bored

Just a quick suggestion, but if you work for a multinational, check if your Sydney office (or other large Australian city office!) has corporate membership of Qantas Club.

If so, the rates quoted seem to fall dramatically - first year of annual membership for AUD220, which is equal to the bargain sum of just over �90!

I do sometimes wonder if Qantas have twigged about the large increase of applications for our Sydney based scheme from <Megabank> employees in London.....

[This message has been edited by Shuttle-Bored (edited 08-16-2003).]

BAexec

Multinational idea: Thanks, that might be a good idea to get a lower QC rate.

Question again Dave or anyone: Are there any other lounge access schemes you know of besides QC? Just to see my options that is. For example, does not Diners Club membership allow for this? If so, would I get into the same lounges as QC allows (BA, USAir, Admir Club)?

TheCub

There is Priority Pass which you also get with a (European) AMEX Platinum or Centurion card. It doesn't allow access to any of the oneWorld lounges, so if you are flying BA a lot, QF Club would be a better bet. It is also a whole lot more expensive than QF Club (didn't used to be ... just noticed the $399 price tag on their website)

See http://www.prioritypass.com

You might also want to consider doing a Platinum Challenge on AA (equiv to BA Silver). That will get you the status quickly and access to the lounges; but not Admiral's Club when travelling domestically in the US. Do a search of the AA forum and you will see a lot of discussion.

- Simon

Dave Noble

"Question again Dave or anyone: Are there any other lounge access schemes you know of besides QC? Just to see my options that is. For example, does not Diners Club membership allow for this? If so, would I get into the same lounges as QC allows (BA, USAir, Admir Club)?"

If it is BA lounges that you are wanting access to , then the QF Club is , imo, the best one.

Dave

BAexec

Yes I fly BA usually so their lounges would have preference for me. I will join QC then, thanks! Now, will this QC pass let me have access to arrivals lounges as well as departure ones? And for BA lounges, will it treat me like a Silver member as far as getting into their lounge goes?

number_6

No arrivals lounge access, only departure lounge (in most airports there is no arrivals lounge). You have to be BA Gold/QF Plat or flying BA or QF F/J to have arrival lounge access at LHR, but most of the time I skip the arrivals lounge (unless I didn't eat on board and want the rather good breakfast offered at LHR). QC or Oneworld Emerald isn't enough to get you into arrivals lounge. This is strictly enforced most of the time.

Shuttle-Bored

DC does offer lounge access, but only to approx 80 very random lounges globally, and generally of the Servisair variety - which although OK compared to "no lounge" are not of the calibre or service level of BA.

I've never had any problems getting into a BA lounge. Occasionally they will try to swipe your QC card (hence accumulating miles etc to QC) but if you explain nicely that your QC card is "lounge access only", they'll skip that bit. Generally a quick wave of the card is fine - tried and tested in EDI/LGW/LHR/GLA and JFK.

[This message has been edited by Shuttle-Bored (edited 08-16-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Shuttle-Bored (edited 08-16-2003).]

Dave Noble

"Now, will this QC pass let me have access to arrivals lounges as well as departure ones? "

Fraid not. Arrivals lounges are restricted beasts

"And for BA lounges, will it treat me like a Silver member as far as getting into their lounge goes? "

Basically yes. You will be allowed access as long as you are travelling either BA or QF and be permitted to take 1 guest in with you.

The slight difference between a BA Silver and a Qantas Club member is that the BA Silver member does not need to be travelling BA, just travelling on a OW carrier

Dave

Globaliser

Please don't try to join Quantas anything - it's usually spelt Qantas without the "u". And QS is an airline called Travel Service, of the Czech Republic. There is one other major difference from the Admirals Club - you get free drinks in AA lounges if you use your QF Club membership, although there are apparently sometimes some limits placed on the number of vouchers they will issue.

More seriously than all of the above, if you are a QF Club member and therefore a QF FF member, you might want to think about putting all your flying into the QF scheme rather than the BA scheme, particularly if you are not going to be flying on sufficiently expensive BA fares to earn tier points in the BA scheme. On the QF scheme, you earn tier credits towards status on every paid BA fare, no matter how lowly. Moreover, you can earn QF points on both BA and AA trans-Atlantic flying, whereas you can't earn BA points on AA trans-Atlantics and vice versa.

I have been doing the QF Club and QF FF thing for years - all personally-paid leisure travel mostly on BA and QF. I have been QF Silver/OW Ruby for some years, and am in my first year of QF Gold/OW Sapphire (= BA Silver) and about to start my second. Not bad value for travel all on rock-bottom discount consolidator and fare-sale fares.

BAexec

Globaliser: Maybe that is not such a bad idea, that is, to begin putting miles flown on BA and AA (my two primary carriers) into the QF scheme. So, you say it might be easier to gain status that way using low BA fares, but is Ruby anything really that great? I guess priority boarding maybe? If the BA Silver equivalent were actually easier to get using the QF scheme, then I would feel better. So, is it do you think?

Also, I would probably never fly Qantas...does the program mandate a min. number of Qantas flights to be in their FF program? Thanks this is really great information!!

BAexec

"And for BA lounges, will it treat me like a Silver member as far as getting into their lounge goes? "

"Basically yes...The slight difference between a BA Silver and a Qantas Club member is that the BA Silver member does not need to be travelling on a OW carrier"

Thanks, that summarizes the differences nicely. And to continue, I need to be travelling on AA in order to use the QC card to enter AA lounges, then, I take it. OK I can see now that Silver lounge access is actually better, but this is a nice compromise. You have any idea how long it takes to become a member of QC? If I signed up today and needed to fly tomorrow, I wonder what proof of purchase would be needed.