I did have a look, BA and CX both require 600 Tier/Cub Points for Sapphire-equivalent but it seems for the same trip BA is more generous
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/...y5pc6la/BA.PNG
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/...9mwf9no/CX.PNG

Even for destinations that BA doesn't serve (Flying CX for instance), they still give similar-enough points.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/...qqj/ba_icn.PNG
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/...8n2/cx_icn.PNG

Am I missing anything hidden?

cassiohui I suspect the answer will depend on what "cheapest" actually means in combination with how many European trips you will take in a year. And how many trips will have a traveling companion (which really would need OW Sapphire for double lounge access)

V class on CX to most European cities (>5000miles) will earn 35 points each way. E class (PEY) would be 45. Since at the moment MPC Silver (target 300) will provide the single traveler with lounge access when traveling on CX it might be easier to aim for that. If your cheapest really does mean S, N or Q fare classes on CX then status may be an impossible target.

If LHR is one of your destination cities, Sri Lankan would earn more in R class (10+35 each way with MPC) and would likely be less expensive than CX V class. For certain the business cabin would a lot less than CX and the newish A330s are "nice".

Perhaps biased wandering

Fred

I actually replied pdb456 with some screenshot showing the point differences but maybe because i'm new here it's pending approval from administrators

Anyway referring to your post, I just use LHR as an example because both airlines serve the HKG<->LHR route. For a round trip Y I get (depending on Ticket Class) 40-140 BAEC tier points flying BA but only 20-90 MPC club points flying CX. (No Premium Economy for me :( )

Another problem with CX is that they don't always serve where I'm going. For business reasons I had to go to Berlin, Venice, Stuttgart in the past four months, these are not CX destinations - they don't even have codeshare flights, so I'm not getting the max club points for MPC. Of course I can earn club points flying on more or less any OW flights but there is less for the same distance but CX.

The same obviously happens to BA too - if you fly with other OW members you get slightly less Tier points than what you'd otherwise get from BA, but it's still at least the same as CX. For example if I fly CX from HKG to ICN Seoul, I get 5-15 MPC club points, but 5-20 BAEC Tier Points, depending on Ticket Class.

The uncertain bit for me is, considering both have the same requirements for Ruby/Sapphire (300, 600 points respectively), it seems like BA is a no-brainer - unless I'm missing something?

The main reason I want Sapphire is not for the "bring a guest" but so I can go into a lounge as long as I fly with OW. If I'm MPC Silver I can only enter the lounge when I fly CX...and as mentioned it's quite hard for me to only fly CX.

p.s. interesting you mentioned S class - just for the sake of discussion, HKG->LHR CX S gives you 10 club points, BA S gives you 35, but HKG->ICN both S gives you 5...which is what I was thinking - at worst, same as CX, at best, quite a bit more?

For discussion sake, HKG->LHR flying srilankan gives 30-45 MPC Club Points, or 40-140 (!!!!!) BAEC Club Points.

All points calculated using official points calculator
https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_....html?switch=Y
https://www.britishairways.com/trave...r/public/en_gb

Why are both of my replies gone? :confused::confused::confused:

I was saying, to get OWS-equivalent levels in CX and BA both requires 600points but BA seems to be much generous, both for their own flight and for OW member flights. This is important because if I fly in APAC I will have to fly something that is not BA.

The official tier points calculators on their websites show that for the same route (say HKG->LHR)

Flying BA earning BAEC tier points I get 20-70 tier points (depending on Ticket Class)
Flying CX earning MPC club points I get 10-45 club points

Just as an example for an APAC route that I have to fly non-BA, e.g. a CX HKG->ICN (Seoul) flight
Flying CX earning BAEC tier points I get 5-20 tier points
Flying CX earning MPC club points I get 5-15 club points

And just for interest, For the Srilankan flight mentioned by Fred, HKG->CMB and CMB->LHR
Flying UL earning BAEC tier points I get 20-70 and 20-70 tier points totaling 40-140 tier points (!)
Flying UL earning MPC club points I get 10 and 20-35 club points totaling 30-45 tier points

Specifically, for the R Class Fred mentioned, I get 40 BAEC tier points or 45 MPC club points

So at worse I earn the similar, maybe a bit less points as MPC in BAEC but at best I earn quite a bit more.

Am I missing something? Am I over-simplifying the two plans? Or should I just go for BAEC?

I should add that one of the reasons I'm considering BAEC is because CX doesn't serve the few destinations I've been to in the past few months - Berlin, Venice, Stuttgart. There weren't even code-shared CX flights, but BA serves all these. And if, say I do a HKG->LHR->TXL return, then I would satisfy even the BAEC Silver requirement of flying BA 4 times

MPC Silver is not good enough for me because I literally cannot fly CX all the time, and therefore it means I don't get lounge access every time as MPC Silver only allows lounge access if you fly CX/KA. For that I need MPC Gold but it is quite impossible for me to rack up the club points required. BAEC tier points seem to be easier for me to get up to BAEC Silver which means lounge access as long as I fly OneWorld.

the downside is that if u are not able to get 600 BA tier point, you wont even get any lounge access as you would have when you fly CX as a CX silver. if you are willing to spend your own money, it is fairly easy to rack up tier point by flying cheap business class ticket. This is how many 70s years old parents, and 3 years niece able to obtain 2500 BA tier points in their first year of membership basing in HK.

i estimate that the 3 years old obtain BA gold for 25000hkd via discount long haul business class ticket and child discount. pretty sweet, i would say. (no mileage running, all vacation)

BA and Qantas points
 

When I first made my first long haul flight it was with Qantas and joined their FF progam. Since then been lucky to do lots more flying but been using BA.
Now what I've been doing is claiming the BA miles/points through my qantas account. Does it really make any difference seeing as they are part of oneworld or am i not getting the true value?

Would ideally move the points to BA but doubt they'd allow that?

aidan1980 Welcome to FT

Where do you live?
What is you flying pattern
What are your objectives from a ffp?
There is a big difference value - earn - burn between ffp's

The QF ffp is a poor ffp. If living in Aust can be OK with earning from non flying activities.

Generally better crediting to airline ffp ypu fly most with or an airline ffp of you home country

Look here http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html

Merging this thread with that one.

Gardyloo
Oneworld moderator

Im in UK and fly long haul at least a couple of times a year, just done uk->caribbean return and going australia return at the end of the year then new zealand and sri lanka in seperate trips next year. I also try and throw other places in to split my long trips.

my last flight was in business class with BA and not claimed the points yet and have 13600 points with qantas

just looking to get enough points for free upgrades and/or flights etc

CX has offered me a silver match after one flight - but I would still like some advice please.

I'd do a back-of-the-envelope calculation using BA's Executive Club vs. Cathay Pacific's. CX Silver is Oneworld Ruby, which won't get you lounge access except to CX lounges before CX flights, which you'd get anyway if traveling in business class.

From the sound of your travel patterns it sounds like you'd have little difficulty in reaching BA Silver (Oneworld Sapphire) which would allow lounge access across the network, even to AA Admirals Clubs on domestic itineraries in the US, something that even AA elites don't get. You'd have to fly at least 4 segments on BA metal (any class,) but that wouldn't be hard flying from TLV.

Depending on how often you fly long haul, you might find it quite easy to make BA Gold/Oneworld Emerald, which would bump your perks even more.

Generally award availability on BA is pretty decent, although of course you'll confront the dreaded BA fuel surcharges on award tickets. (They don't call it that anymore after getting sued in the US over it, but a rose is a rose.) But some Star Alliance carriers do the same thing.

But the analysis wouldn't take too long, and I'd bet you could easily find BA a better fit than CX for the long term.

Hi all,

My first post here - but I'm hoping for some help in choosing the best FFP, having done some research but quickly getting lost in all the options.

For the next 6 months, I'm going to be flying monthly in Business Class from London(UK) to Canberra(Aus). I'm also likely to be taking a few more domestic flights while in Australia, and 2-3 other Economy flights from London throughout the year for holidays.

I've heard mixed reviews about the quality of BA Business Class, so my current plan is to collect Avios through the BA Scheme, request a BA Premium Amex and look to fly via a different OneWorld carrier (perhaps Qatar airways). Does this sound sensible?

As below:

(1) What is most important to you in a FFP?
Upgrades, Flights, Lounge access (I usually fly Economy apart from these trips)

(2) How many miles do you usually fly each year & in what class? How many flights/sectors?
<25000 - although obviously this year will be far more

(3) What types of fares do you usually buy?
Premium Economy, Economy

(4) Can you choose your airlines and/or class of service? Do you travel for work and/or pleasure?
Work and please - and yes

(5) Which routes and airlines do you fly most often?
BA - mostly intra-Europe

(6) What is your home airport?
London Heathrow/Gatwick/City

(7) Do you have FFP status of any kind in OW or other airline? What is it? Do you have any miles banked in a FFP?
Only BA currently, not many Avios saved up

(8) Preferred Airlines? Most common Airlines flown on?
No preference - largely fly BA or budget airline

Adium Welcome to FT

I assume these LON-CBR trips are for business/government. Are you subject to a corporate travel policy-preferred airlines?

You will be flying LHR-xxx-MEL/SYD-CBR. xxx could be a range of airports
OW airlines are BA, QF, QR, CX (Cathay) & MH (Malaysian)

The airline you fly most or an airline of the country you live is the best ffp for many people. Generally you are better earning on your primary airline due to greater recognition, better service when disruptions, ability to upgrade flights and possible operational upgrades.

The airline you fly and the airline frequent flyer program you credit those flights to does not need to be the same.

Monthly business class will get status with most/all? of the airlines if you credit to that airlines ffp. If crediting to a different ffp from the airline flying the ff miles/status earning may be less. With BA you need 2/4 BA flights before you get to status. Many airlines have the 4 own airline flight requirement for status. Mid - top status has benefits. like better seat selection (or no requirement to pay $ with BA), lounge access and more avios/miles/points earned from a status bonus.

You will only get upgrades using miles/points from the ffp of the airline you are flying. You will not get cross airline/cross ffp upgrades.
BA/IB/AA have a limited cross airline upgrade system subject to specific t&c's, so not available on the Kangaroo route.

As you live in UK BA ffp would be the first choice. Do not consider the QF ffp.