Value of OneWorld Emerald Status
#1
Original Poster


Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: San Francisco
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 100K, Hyatt Globalist, and Marriott Titanium Member
Posts: 402
Value of OneWorld Emerald Status
Hello, I just became an Emerald member for the first time, but I wish I had this status before the Pandemic.
I know people may value Oneworld status differently, but for me the one thing I was looking most forward to was access to First Class lounges. I know there are other perks obviously, but if Im flying long haul I know Id book an award ticket in at least business class, which would offer me free checked bags and business class lounge access for free anyway. I highly doubt Id ever fly economy long haul again, and even if I did Id have priority pass or the Centurion lounges to access for free.
After doing some research, it looks like the best Oneworld lounges to visit are the CX First lounges in HK and the Qantas First lounges around the world. Im not optimistic CX will recover the pandemic, they seem to be the most distressed airline in the whole world right now. So that just leaves Qantas, and some of their first lounges are not open yet, and that would also make travel plans more restricted to certain destinations.
So with all that said, is there any value left in Oneworld Emerald status?
I know people may value Oneworld status differently, but for me the one thing I was looking most forward to was access to First Class lounges. I know there are other perks obviously, but if Im flying long haul I know Id book an award ticket in at least business class, which would offer me free checked bags and business class lounge access for free anyway. I highly doubt Id ever fly economy long haul again, and even if I did Id have priority pass or the Centurion lounges to access for free.
After doing some research, it looks like the best Oneworld lounges to visit are the CX First lounges in HK and the Qantas First lounges around the world. Im not optimistic CX will recover the pandemic, they seem to be the most distressed airline in the whole world right now. So that just leaves Qantas, and some of their first lounges are not open yet, and that would also make travel plans more restricted to certain destinations.
So with all that said, is there any value left in Oneworld Emerald status?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 34,974
I think that the principal value to you would be when flying short-haul or medium-haul on AA or AS: free checked baggage, free extra-leg-room seats at time of ticket purchase, and free, space available upgrades to the next class of service. How useful is any of that to you?
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 22,903
I think that the principal value to you would be when flying short-haul or medium-haul on AA or AS: free checked baggage, free extra-leg-room seats at time of ticket purchase, and free, space available upgrades to the next class of service. How useful is any of that to you?
https://www.oneworld.com/travel-benefits#benefits
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 34,974
Some of those are not Oneworld benefits, but from the AA-AS agreement, which offer more benefits than OWE status.
https://www.oneworld.com/travel-benefits#benefits
https://www.oneworld.com/travel-benefits#benefits
#5




Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Singapore
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold (Only took 30 years)
Posts: 1,097
Hello, I just became an Emerald member for the first time, but I wish I had this status before the Pandemic.
I know people may value Oneworld status differently, but for me the one thing I was looking most forward to was access to First Class lounges. I know there are other perks obviously, but if Im flying long haul I know Id book an award ticket in at least business class, which would offer me free checked bags and business class lounge access for free anyway. I highly doubt Id ever fly economy long haul again, and even if I did Id have priority pass or the Centurion lounges to access for free.
After doing some research, it looks like the best Oneworld lounges to visit are the CX First lounges in HK and the Qantas First lounges around the world. Im not optimistic CX will recover the pandemic, they seem to be the most distressed airline in the whole world right now. So that just leaves Qantas, and some of their first lounges are not open yet, and that would also make travel plans more restricted to certain destinations.
So with all that said, is there any value left in Oneworld Emerald status?
I know people may value Oneworld status differently, but for me the one thing I was looking most forward to was access to First Class lounges. I know there are other perks obviously, but if Im flying long haul I know Id book an award ticket in at least business class, which would offer me free checked bags and business class lounge access for free anyway. I highly doubt Id ever fly economy long haul again, and even if I did Id have priority pass or the Centurion lounges to access for free.
After doing some research, it looks like the best Oneworld lounges to visit are the CX First lounges in HK and the Qantas First lounges around the world. Im not optimistic CX will recover the pandemic, they seem to be the most distressed airline in the whole world right now. So that just leaves Qantas, and some of their first lounges are not open yet, and that would also make travel plans more restricted to certain destinations.
So with all that said, is there any value left in Oneworld Emerald status?
#6


Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: the American West
Programs: Aiming for less
Posts: 4,065

