Back to Finnair plus or stick with BA EC?
Oct 3, 2016, 2:02 pm
#286
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Helsinki-Vantaa APT, Finland
Programs: AY LUMO
Posts: 6,059
Oct 3, 2016, 2:04 pm
#287
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
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Oct 4, 2016, 1:30 am
#288
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,965
Oct 4, 2016, 1:31 am
#289
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,965
Oct 4, 2016, 1:40 am
#290
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
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S7 has a very weird calculator. What ever you input, it just says business class trip on a oneworld carrier earns either 150% (basic) or 250% (business flex) and has the fineprint "Please note this quotation is approximate. "
Since the earnings table says 125%, that fineprint is probably the understatement of the year.
Since the earnings table says 125%, that fineprint is probably the understatement of the year.
Oct 10, 2016, 4:48 am
#291
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, OZ Diamond, LH Silver
Posts: 553
Here are some of my thoughts about comparison between AY Plus and BAEC.
My mind has recently been drifting towards changing back from BAEC to Finnair Plus after the improvements of Plat benefits. For me the emerald status and its perks have always been more important than collecting and using miles. Nevertheless, Finnair's upgrade vouchers and the new giveaway gold card would trump BA Gold's quite nonexistent extra benefits there are in addition to normal emerald benefits. I made 2600 tier points last year and received a GUF2 voucher but as I don't see a chance to make Gold Guest List status in the near term, I was pondering other options.
However, reviewing my flying pattern for the next three months it seems difficult to justify to change. I can easily maintain my BA Gold for another year but with Finnair plus I would barely reach AY Gold. As my spring will include less flying and my AY Plus tracking period ends in May I would probably not get to Platinum at all. So for me personally, sticking to BAEC is a good idea especially as I have surprisingly few AY flights coming up after QR starts flights to HEL.
Analysing the situation more carefully, I posted my upcoming oneworld flights in the next three months below. I calculated a column where one can see how many % of emerald status tier points each flight generates (150 000 points in AY Plus, 1500 tier points in BAEC). I find this interesting as AY beats BA in only one of my trips when flying restricted economy on QR. On all other flights BAEC gives me a larger % of points needed for emerald status.
My mind has recently been drifting towards changing back from BAEC to Finnair Plus after the improvements of Plat benefits. For me the emerald status and its perks have always been more important than collecting and using miles. Nevertheless, Finnair's upgrade vouchers and the new giveaway gold card would trump BA Gold's quite nonexistent extra benefits there are in addition to normal emerald benefits. I made 2600 tier points last year and received a GUF2 voucher but as I don't see a chance to make Gold Guest List status in the near term, I was pondering other options.
However, reviewing my flying pattern for the next three months it seems difficult to justify to change. I can easily maintain my BA Gold for another year but with Finnair plus I would barely reach AY Gold. As my spring will include less flying and my AY Plus tracking period ends in May I would probably not get to Platinum at all. So for me personally, sticking to BAEC is a good idea especially as I have surprisingly few AY flights coming up after QR starts flights to HEL.
Analysing the situation more carefully, I posted my upcoming oneworld flights in the next three months below. I calculated a column where one can see how many % of emerald status tier points each flight generates (150 000 points in AY Plus, 1500 tier points in BAEC). I find this interesting as AY beats BA in only one of my trips when flying restricted economy on QR. On all other flights BAEC gives me a larger % of points needed for emerald status.
Oct 10, 2016, 10:49 am
#292
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
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Very interesting, haapalainen! Thanks for posting, this shows clearly why it is extremely important to do ones homework.
In your case, BAEC is silliy generous for those US domestic F sectors, with each leg counting for 14% of emerald!
AY is generous to no one except their own flight codes. You only have 2 AY segments, so with that knowledge alone one could suspect AY+ is not going to be a good program for you.
This is not only due to the earnings table but to the fact that AY tier bonus affects tierpoints too. This is a smart move, since it fosters loyalty. Once you hold AY Emerald, it will be easier to renew if you keep flying AY code.
Before I post my spreadsheet, I'd just like to add that anything above 100% of emerald is lost. Sure, on BAEC one can aim for the higher tiers but in the discussion "on what program will my flights earn me emerald" a program with 150% of emerald is equal to one that yields 101% of emerald.
In your case, BAEC is silliy generous for those US domestic F sectors, with each leg counting for 14% of emerald!
AY is generous to no one except their own flight codes. You only have 2 AY segments, so with that knowledge alone one could suspect AY+ is not going to be a good program for you.
This is not only due to the earnings table but to the fact that AY tier bonus affects tierpoints too. This is a smart move, since it fosters loyalty. Once you hold AY Emerald, it will be easier to renew if you keep flying AY code.
Before I post my spreadsheet, I'd just like to add that anything above 100% of emerald is lost. Sure, on BAEC one can aim for the higher tiers but in the discussion "on what program will my flights earn me emerald" a program with 150% of emerald is equal to one that yields 101% of emerald.
Oct 10, 2016, 10:57 am
#293
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
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And here is my calculation.
My flights would earn me Emerald in both BAEC and AY+. Despite flying a lof of QR I'm far away from emerald at 69%. On AAaaaaaadvantage I'd end up at 88%, despite everyone saying AA is generous (they might be in cattle class).
Interesting is that BAEC is more generous on QR flights than AY+ is. If only flying QR, then BAEC might be a good program.
But where AY+ "really shines" is actually in the Value ticket type. That trip is 15,8% credited to AY+, compared to BAEC (3,3%) QRPC (0,0%) and AAaaaadvantage (4,0%).
My flights would earn me Emerald in both BAEC and AY+. Despite flying a lof of QR I'm far away from emerald at 69%. On AAaaaaaadvantage I'd end up at 88%, despite everyone saying AA is generous (they might be in cattle class).
Interesting is that BAEC is more generous on QR flights than AY+ is. If only flying QR, then BAEC might be a good program.
But where AY+ "really shines" is actually in the Value ticket type. That trip is 15,8% credited to AY+, compared to BAEC (3,3%) QRPC (0,0%) and AAaaaadvantage (4,0%).
Oct 10, 2016, 11:20 am
#294
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: BA Gold, OZ Diamond, LH Silver
Posts: 553
Nice analysis intuition! It's great to be able to see some more comparison. Those AY Value tickets really shine in AY+!
It can easily be seen that AY+ is best suited for people that fly a lot on AY metal. The tier bonuses bring a nice boost to tier points as a Plat but as said, flying other airlines doesn't yield any bonuses or actually that many tier points at all.
This is the opposite on BA, where tier points are basically identical regardless of the oneworld airline flown. Though, BA tries to create loyalty by giving a lot more Avios points for their own flights compared to for example AY flights.
Anyway, one can argue that BAEC is a very good program for a frequent flyers that fly on several airlines who care most about earning oneworld status. Adding the element of collecting and using miles will of course bring added complexity to this already quite tricky situation of choosing one's loyalty scheme!
It can easily be seen that AY+ is best suited for people that fly a lot on AY metal. The tier bonuses bring a nice boost to tier points as a Plat but as said, flying other airlines doesn't yield any bonuses or actually that many tier points at all.
This is the opposite on BA, where tier points are basically identical regardless of the oneworld airline flown. Though, BA tries to create loyalty by giving a lot more Avios points for their own flights compared to for example AY flights.
Anyway, one can argue that BAEC is a very good program for a frequent flyers that fly on several airlines who care most about earning oneworld status. Adding the element of collecting and using miles will of course bring added complexity to this already quite tricky situation of choosing one's loyalty scheme!
Oct 11, 2016, 12:19 am
#295
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seat 1L these days :)
Programs: AF Platinum/AY LUMO/SK EBG/baEC S/HYATT Globalist/MR LTP/A3 *G/HH Dia/IHG plat
Posts: 7,965
I havent been following up alot with Tps lately but wasnt there talk of intra US domestic F posting as 140tps lately except for three class?
Just something to keep in mind.
Just something to keep in mind.
Oct 11, 2016, 9:37 am
#296
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,107
...especially on AY metal or with AY code in the pointy end! 225% earning for Plats in C is no mean feat ^
Oct 11, 2016, 1:54 pm
#299
Moderator, Finnair
Join Date: May 2011
Location: MMX (CPH)
Programs: Eurobonus Diamond, QR Gold, AY+ Platinum, A3*G, Nordic Choice Lifetime Platinum, SJ Prio Black
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They are talking about the combination (COS bonus) x (Tier Bonus)
So a VALUE is 125% in this kind of calculation, ie better bang for your buck
So a VALUE is 125% in this kind of calculation, ie better bang for your buck