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-   -   Cheapest OW club/lounge program to join? (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/oneworld/394984-cheapest-ow-club-lounge-program-join.html)

jtmnyc00 Jan 30, 2005 7:48 am
Cheapest OW club/lounge program to join?
 
I am a AA Plat member and wanted to join admirals club. It is $350 year. I remember joining qantas was a cheaper way of doing it and still using AA clubs. Does anyone know the cheapest program OW partner club to join and still have AA club access?

JonNYC Jan 30, 2005 12:25 pm
Originally Posted by jtmnyc00
I am a AA Plat member and wanted to join admirals club. It is $350 year. I remember joining qantas was a cheaper way of doing it and still using AA clubs. Does anyone know the cheapest program OW partner club to join and still have AA club access?
Maybe I'm completely wrong about this, but, I think QF is the only choice (i.e. CX, BA, others don't sell club memberships). At this juncture it's really only cheaper than Admiral's Club if you buy a 4-year membership. When I bought my 4-year membership 2 years ago it was a much better deal.

serfty Jan 30, 2005 8:34 pm
QANATS Club membership has a joining fee unless it's a "Life" membership. This is payable in addition to the annual cost. For Non Australian Residents these costs are:

Code:
Membership      AUS$  Join.Fee  P.A.Cost P.A.US$
                      (US$232)

1 year        $325.00  $300.00  $325.00  US$251
 
2 year        $580.00  $300.00  $290.00  US$224
 
4 year      $1,090.00  $300.00  $275.00  US$213
 
Life        $3,820.00   
 
Senior Life $1,955.00
Access to the lounges is on the following basis. "... You must have onward travel that day on a flight marketed and operated by the partner airline whose lounge you wish to use. ..."

eamus Feb 1, 2005 8:45 am
Originally Posted by JonNYC
At this juncture it's really only cheaper than Admiral's Club if you buy a 4-year membership. When I bought my 4-year membership 2 years ago it was a much better deal.
If you buy partner memberships then QC still pays much, much better than AC in renewal periods. Annual AC membership for a primary cardholder plus a partner is US$750, renewal for 2 years in QC for primary cardholder plus a partner is ~US$800. It works out as near enough to a twofer, and as JonNYC says, the four year deal is better again. The joining fee skews things in initial periods, but if you are planning on flying a great deal you may just see that as sunk costs.

JonNYC Feb 1, 2005 3:18 pm
Originally Posted by eamus
If you buy partner memberships then QC still pays much, much better than AC in renewal periods. Annual AC membership for a primary cardholder plus a partner is US$750, renewal for 2 years in QC for primary cardholder plus a partner is ~US$800. It works out as near enough to a twofer, and as JonNYC says, the four year deal is better again. The joining fee skews things in initial periods, but if you are planning on flying a great deal you may just see that as sunk costs.
Good points. I took a 4-year about two years ago and it was an exceptional deal (dollar was stronger/ rates were lower?) and I don't remember paying a joining fee? Is that possible that I didn't? 'Cause that really boosts the cost and I remember thinking "what a great deal!" But, yes, w/ a partner it looks like it still is a good deal-- although 80% of the time I have lounge access w/o any membership.

I do remember being very pleased I had the membership when flying JNB-DXB on Emirates and the Emirates/SAA lounge really sucked and was very crowded. Right next door was a very nice BA lounge-- much nicer-- and they warmly greeted me w/ my QF club card, on a very long layover, it was great.

serfty Feb 1, 2005 5:33 pm
Obscure Joining fees
 
Originally Posted by JohnNYC
... and I don't remember paying a joining fee? Is that possible that I didn't? ...
You certainly would have paid a joining fee. The Qantas website is a bit obscure in this but it does have the following rider: "The above prices include a joining fee (except life memberships) ...".

At current rates, a 4 year membership will set a non Australian resident back about US$1080, a subsequent 4 Year renewal will cost US$845.

FWIW, a one year partner membership for a US resident costs US$350 which includes a US$155 joining fee. A renewal next year will cost US$195. For 4 years the figures are respectively US$600 with US$445. (A partner Member must reside at the same address as the primary member.)

JonNYC Feb 1, 2005 8:35 pm
I just searched back to see what the price was soon after I joined...
http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthrea...ht=qantas+club
Originally Posted by JonNYC
And if you really like to live dangerously, a 4-year QantasClub membership is $734 U.S. currently. When I first read the discussions of using a Q.C. membership to access ACs I thought it was a real "cheapskate" move. But, at $183 a year, I couldn't resist being a cheapskate. Indeed if the partnership breaks up in those four years it'll be a bummer, but I figured I would take a chance. YMMV, obviously.

serfty Feb 1, 2005 9:13 pm
Changing AUS/US $ exchange rates
 
In Jul '02, AU$100 would buy about US$56. These days the same AU$100 would by approx US$77, an increase of about 40%.

Thus the AU$1390 4 year membership in July '02 would have been US$780 and the AU$1090 renewal US$610. 1 year US$350 & US$182

In Jan '02 the rate was around .50 so the figures would have been around US$695 & US$545 respectively for 4 years and US$313 & US$156 for 1 year.

Qantas Club Membership fees have risen a little bit in the last two years, but not by nearly as much as the AU$.


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