Oct 2, 2015, 3:08 am
Last edit by: sxc
Related threads:
What are the best value segments under the new system?
Switching out of Marco Polo: What do you choose and why?
FAQs as answered by AgencyGuy:
When will the mid-tier benefits be awarded?
They will be awarded as the member hits the mid-tier milestone. Not at the end of the membership year. These will be valid for a year commencing the day they are granted. No points are deduced when members are awarded these benefits.
Does that mean a member reaching 1800 tier points will get all three mid-tier benefits?
Yes, each benefit will be made available as the member hits the 1400, 1600 and 1800 point milestones
What mid-tier benefits will be awarded as of the conversion date of 15 April 2016?
The mid-tier benefits will kick in automatically after 15th April, if your converted club points balance exceeds the mid-tier thresholds. So for a Diamond tier member, if your converted balance is 1800 points you will immediately have access to two first class lounge guest passes, four bookable upgrades and one companion Gold card.
A Gold member on his/her way to Diamond pick up four short/medium upgrades along the way, but a renewing Diamond gets nothing?
You are correct, Silver, Gold or Diamond members on their way to renewal, don’t get additional benefits until they reach the mid-tier thresholds. But they will get there, I guess the benefits are designed to recognize members who go the extra mile after they have passed their renewal thresholds.
Is there any requirement on the underlying booking sub-classes when using a mid-tier upgrade "coupon"?
Yes, the original flight needs to be booked in an “upgradable” sub-class, the same sub-classes that qualify for Asia Miles upgrades
Is economy upgraded to Premium Economy or business for flights with Premium Economy?
It is always a one class upgrade so Economy to Premium Economy, if a flight does not have Premium Economy then the upgrade is to Business.
Are the sub-classes for the upgraded bookings A, I, and E (if applicable)?
I don’t know what these subclasses are yet other than that they will be revenue instead of redemption sub-classes. I guess they will be announced later.
What miles will be awarded for a flight upgraded using a upgrade coupon? The original ticket class, or the upgraded class?
I understand that both points and miles will be credited based on the upgraded class.
Green Re-Qualification
For Green members, if their membership year ends before 15 April 2016, like now, their membership will automatically be renewed. If their membership ends after 15 April and they have ANY club points at that time, they will be automatically renewed for another year (even if they are below 100 pts). If their membership ends after 15 April and they have no club points at that time, they will lose their Green membership or have the option of paying the US$100 fee to renew.
What are the best value segments under the new system?
Switching out of Marco Polo: What do you choose and why?
FAQs as answered by AgencyGuy:
When will the mid-tier benefits be awarded?
They will be awarded as the member hits the mid-tier milestone. Not at the end of the membership year. These will be valid for a year commencing the day they are granted. No points are deduced when members are awarded these benefits.
Does that mean a member reaching 1800 tier points will get all three mid-tier benefits?
Yes, each benefit will be made available as the member hits the 1400, 1600 and 1800 point milestones
What mid-tier benefits will be awarded as of the conversion date of 15 April 2016?
The mid-tier benefits will kick in automatically after 15th April, if your converted club points balance exceeds the mid-tier thresholds. So for a Diamond tier member, if your converted balance is 1800 points you will immediately have access to two first class lounge guest passes, four bookable upgrades and one companion Gold card.
A Gold member on his/her way to Diamond pick up four short/medium upgrades along the way, but a renewing Diamond gets nothing?
You are correct, Silver, Gold or Diamond members on their way to renewal, don’t get additional benefits until they reach the mid-tier thresholds. But they will get there, I guess the benefits are designed to recognize members who go the extra mile after they have passed their renewal thresholds.
Is there any requirement on the underlying booking sub-classes when using a mid-tier upgrade "coupon"?
Yes, the original flight needs to be booked in an “upgradable” sub-class, the same sub-classes that qualify for Asia Miles upgrades
Is economy upgraded to Premium Economy or business for flights with Premium Economy?
It is always a one class upgrade so Economy to Premium Economy, if a flight does not have Premium Economy then the upgrade is to Business.
Are the sub-classes for the upgraded bookings A, I, and E (if applicable)?
I don’t know what these subclasses are yet other than that they will be revenue instead of redemption sub-classes. I guess they will be announced later.
What miles will be awarded for a flight upgraded using a upgrade coupon? The original ticket class, or the upgraded class?
I understand that both points and miles will be credited based on the upgraded class.
Green Re-Qualification
For Green members, if their membership year ends before 15 April 2016, like now, their membership will automatically be renewed. If their membership ends after 15 April and they have ANY club points at that time, they will be automatically renewed for another year (even if they are below 100 pts). If their membership ends after 15 April and they have no club points at that time, they will lose their Green membership or have the option of paying the US$100 fee to renew.
Changes to MPC announced for 15 Apr 2016
Apr 8, 2016, 10:18 am
#646
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
Apr 8, 2016, 7:27 pm
#647
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: country Western Australia
Programs: QF SG(LTS) - AA LTG(1MM)
Posts: 2,771
Six long haul PEY flights in January.
Two opups
Three with one or two empty seats om PEY cabin
One PEY cabin half full (Ex LAX 1125 departure)
The issue I have with PEY is that the pricing is very location sensitive. The premium exUSA is actually fairly reasonable. exHKG or exAustralia - ridiculous. But then in the last two cases, it would seem that all air fare pricing is out of proportion with many other locations. Whatever the market will purchase?
Happy wandering
Fred
Two opups
Three with one or two empty seats om PEY cabin
One PEY cabin half full (Ex LAX 1125 departure)
The issue I have with PEY is that the pricing is very location sensitive. The premium exUSA is actually fairly reasonable. exHKG or exAustralia - ridiculous. But then in the last two cases, it would seem that all air fare pricing is out of proportion with many other locations. Whatever the market will purchase?
Happy wandering
Fred
Apr 8, 2016, 7:50 pm
#648
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
Six long haul PEY flights in January.
Two opups
Three with one or two empty seats om PEY cabin
One PEY cabin half full (Ex LAX 1125 departure)
The issue I have with PEY is that the pricing is very location sensitive. The premium exUSA is actually fairly reasonable. exHKG or exAustralia - ridiculous. But then in the last two cases, it would seem that all air fare pricing is out of proportion with many other locations. Whatever the market will purchase?
Happy wandering
Fred
Two opups
Three with one or two empty seats om PEY cabin
One PEY cabin half full (Ex LAX 1125 departure)
The issue I have with PEY is that the pricing is very location sensitive. The premium exUSA is actually fairly reasonable. exHKG or exAustralia - ridiculous. But then in the last two cases, it would seem that all air fare pricing is out of proportion with many other locations. Whatever the market will purchase?
Happy wandering
Fred
Apr 8, 2016, 8:09 pm
#649
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ORD [formerly] + HKG
Programs: CX Diamond, AA exExPlat, BAEC exGold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Starriott Titanium, GE
Posts: 2,966
I remember that the consensus here used to be most MPC elites tend not to fly W, but last time I flew a NA long haul in W, >50% of the cabin were elites. Maybe everyone's chancing an op up, so CX has incentivised more rev here? (For me I fly W for the 1.5EQMs, but the occasional op up is a treat too). Nevertheless, SLs/RUs got no special treatment on that flight but DM/EM/SA/GOs got goodies.
Apr 8, 2016, 8:39 pm
#650
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
Apr 9, 2016, 10:22 am
#651
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: CX DM, SPG Pt, Le Club Accor GO, Shangri-La GC Jade
Posts: 1,327
For MEL and SYD, both were something like R1 or 2 and E0 at departure
Apr 10, 2016, 2:51 am
#652
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
One thing that the changes has caused me to do is to look at alternatives to CX. I am now finding premium fare alternatives on other one world carriers that are only slightly more than CXs economy fares. Or J class fares that are much cheaper than CX. So aside from the losses CX will suffer due to having to buy miles on other programs when I fly with CX, they lose when I don't even book with them.
Previously I would blindly choose CX.
It will be interesting if CX comes out ahead after the program changes are in place. If CX benefits - good on them and they have been successful. But there's a chance CX won't commercially benefit.
Previously I would blindly choose CX.
It will be interesting if CX comes out ahead after the program changes are in place. If CX benefits - good on them and they have been successful. But there's a chance CX won't commercially benefit.
Apr 10, 2016, 3:00 am
#653
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
Very much so. At first I thought it was going to reward long haul premium class travel. But HKG-JFK in C/I takes exactly 3 rt's for GO, both under the old new and old systems. So no change, okay.
My standard route is HKG-DUS in PEY.
This previously took 4.77 round trips per year for GO in any fare class - and now 5.45 in W/R and 6.66 in E.
I know PEY isn't considered Premium, but the thing is: They sell HKG-DUS in PEY for both ~14K ("Premium Economy Standard") and ~18K ("Premium Economy Flex"). Both are sold as E class.
They sold ex-DUS for 2.230 HKD in November in Economy. Now that's discounted travel alright. But someone paying 18K for PEY is hit by a 30% "devaluation"?
I am one of those who really gets screwed by the new system
My standard route is HKG-DUS in PEY.
This previously took 4.77 round trips per year for GO in any fare class - and now 5.45 in W/R and 6.66 in E.
I know PEY isn't considered Premium, but the thing is: They sell HKG-DUS in PEY for both ~14K ("Premium Economy Standard") and ~18K ("Premium Economy Flex"). Both are sold as E class.
They sold ex-DUS for 2.230 HKD in November in Economy. Now that's discounted travel alright. But someone paying 18K for PEY is hit by a 30% "devaluation"?
I am one of those who really gets screwed by the new system
BA has been said to say their premium economy cabins are their most profitable cabin. Maybe CX is bleeding money on Y+....in which case the should rip out those cabins.
Apr 10, 2016, 3:02 am
#654
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: country Western Australia
Programs: QF SG(LTS) - AA LTG(1MM)
Posts: 2,771
The fact that you had 2 op-ups, and knowing LAX, tells me it's Y oversold rather than PEY being sold. Even before PEY the port LAX is known as op-up heaven. The two times I flew there (before PEY) I was op-up both times. I asked the local manager and he told me at some nights there can be as many as 20-30 oversolds that he has to clear.
One Opup was anticipated as both PEY and Y appeared oversold as I got closer to departure. The other was when a nice lady came and said I have the same seat assignment and the cabin attendants went back to the gate and came with an amended BP for me.
The issue with the 6 long hauls is that I have been and will be grounded for 4 months due to surgery. And the incremental cost of flying exJNB was minimal (even when comparing exCMB). The last three (LAX-HKG-JNB-HKG) were consecutive and no OPups. I recall a LONE4 in an earlier life (in 12 days) when the AU$ was low(er). Such is life now as I can sleep in PEY and I enjoyed the mini stay in JNB/GBE on the way out. And I re-qualified Gold before 16 April.
Happy wandering
Fred
Apr 11, 2016, 11:13 pm
#655
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: HKG
Programs: MPC -> QFF
Posts: 205
One thing that the changes has caused me to do is to look at alternatives to CX. I am now finding premium fare alternatives on other one world carriers that are only slightly more than CXs economy fares. Or J class fares that are much cheaper than CX. So aside from the losses CX will suffer due to having to buy miles on other programs when I fly with CX, they lose when I don't even book with them.
Previously I would blindly choose CX.
It will be interesting if CX comes out ahead after the program changes are in place. If CX benefits - good on them and they have been successful. But there's a chance CX won't commercially benefit.
Previously I would blindly choose CX.
It will be interesting if CX comes out ahead after the program changes are in place. If CX benefits - good on them and they have been successful. But there's a chance CX won't commercially benefit.
This year, I shifted my short holiday trips to discount carriers (Jetstar to Osaka, HKAirline to Bali) for substantial cost savings; redeemed a J award to YYZ and nested an ex-YYZ PEY trip back to HK. This will kick me down to SL while I evaluate my options for the following year.
Apr 12, 2016, 1:03 am
#656
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: LON
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 172
Same here. Last year, I paid more to fly CX on planned trips and took several extra mileage runs to make GO. Also paid 50-80% more for V fares even when lower fares were available.
This year, I shifted my short holiday trips to discount carriers (Jetstar to Osaka, HKAirline to Bali) for substantial cost savings; redeemed a J award to YYZ and nested an ex-YYZ PEY trip back to HK. This will kick me down to SL while I evaluate my options for the following year.
This year, I shifted my short holiday trips to discount carriers (Jetstar to Osaka, HKAirline to Bali) for substantial cost savings; redeemed a J award to YYZ and nested an ex-YYZ PEY trip back to HK. This will kick me down to SL while I evaluate my options for the following year.
Since they nerfed the seat guarantee benefit, there basically is no value to being GO over SL apart from higher op-up priority and guesting family into the lounge. I wish they would address why they took this benefit away in an intellectually honest manner. I get that they may be leaving revenue on the table when a slew of GO's book V class on sold out flights during the main holiday periods, but they get some of that back when we forsake sale fares for the V minimum. In all the media releases and explanations out there in the latest discovery magazine, CX never really talks about this.
Status matched my GO to Star Alliance and other Oneworld Sapphire equivalents so I can continue get whatever benefits I can when flying on CX but will drop to SL after April.
Taken to flying J on HK Airlines and QF to Aus.
Apr 12, 2016, 9:07 am
#657
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
I get that they may be leaving revenue on the table when a slew of GO's book V class on sold out flights during the main holiday periods, but they get some of that back when we forsake sale fares for the V minimum.
Apr 12, 2016, 9:41 am
#658
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NYC/SIN
Programs: CX DM, SQ KF
Posts: 2,170
Pre-15th flights posting on/after the 15th..
Was there a definitive reply to what earn rates apply to flights, say on the 14th, that post 2-3 days later?
Just curious- I'm in the middle of a rather long no-fly period, almost a month.
While the MPC's always been based on 'posting date', the earning grid does read:
"The club points shown below are earnings per flight, and apply to all bookings for flight departing from 15 April 2016."
Otherwise today/tomorrow might be the last dates for the 'old' earn rates..bye bye V, you've served me well!
Just curious- I'm in the middle of a rather long no-fly period, almost a month.
While the MPC's always been based on 'posting date', the earning grid does read:
"The club points shown below are earnings per flight, and apply to all bookings for flight departing from 15 April 2016."
Otherwise today/tomorrow might be the last dates for the 'old' earn rates..bye bye V, you've served me well!
Apr 12, 2016, 7:28 pm
#660
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,345
Six long haul PEY flights in January.
Two opups
Three with one or two empty seats om PEY cabin
One PEY cabin half full (Ex LAX 1125 departure)
The issue I have with PEY is that the pricing is very location sensitive. The premium exUSA is actually fairly reasonable. exHKG or exAustralia - ridiculous. But then in the last two cases, it would seem that all air fare pricing is out of proportion with many other locations. Whatever the market will purchase?
Happy wandering
Fred
Two opups
Three with one or two empty seats om PEY cabin
One PEY cabin half full (Ex LAX 1125 departure)
The issue I have with PEY is that the pricing is very location sensitive. The premium exUSA is actually fairly reasonable. exHKG or exAustralia - ridiculous. But then in the last two cases, it would seem that all air fare pricing is out of proportion with many other locations. Whatever the market will purchase?
Happy wandering
Fred
Food for thought.