Multiple emerald. Does it make sense?
 

I haven’t been able to find a current thread that deals with the issue of multiple emerald memberships. I would be interested in learning what more experienced flyers have considered the pros and cons of multiple emerald?

For my travel patterns, and I would imagine for most North American based flyers, achieving EXP on AA would seem to be the top priority. After reaching EXP during the year last year, it seemed desirable to me to get BA gold for AC access, BA phone priority, etc., and so I did so. As I understand it, QF provides the same AC access and their mileage award benefits might be better, so this year I’d be inclined to aim for QF Platinum rather than BA Gold renewal. I realize after having reached EXP by switching from AA you are giving up the bonus miles offered at that level- so that is a significant cost. Has anyone investigated the incremental benefits of a second emerald, and would QF be better than BA – or maybe CX is better still?

You have a good plan. EXP first for the AA benefits - then a second oneWorld program for lounge benefits. The question is which plan is the best? I'd say BA and QF are similar from a benefits standpoint. BA is easier to attain especially if you have a continental Europe address you can use... CX is really hard to attain and you don't earn bonus miles with them, but as a Diamond you will probably get a fair share of op-ups from them. Some analysis had been given to JAL - but I don't recall it being any more beneficial than the others.

QF seem to be enforcing the 4 QF segments rule now, so if you're based in North America, it may be difficult to achieve.

I chose QF over BA, CX, etc. and have been happy with the result. I think QF is considerably better than BA; CX Diamond takes 210,000 miles to earn in the first year, so it is twice as hard as EXP. The major advantage of CX Diamond is that CX will sell any eligible fare to Diamonds on sold-out flights -- a huge benefit if you fly CX on discounted fares. QF will only sell full J (not even Y or F) as their equivalent benefit (while AA has no such benefit). Whether double Emerald is worthwhile is hard to say; it depends on how much you value miles. Most of the time it has little significance beyond the AC access (and that can be bought for a few hundred dollars), but occasionally it does act as a super-Emerald status which solves some problems. I've been happy with it.

If lounge access is your main goal, make sure to weigh that benefit against the AA bonus miles you'll be giving up. An AC membership only costs 35k miles (or $250) for an EXP, and I expect you will forgo many more miles than that to get your second Emerald. Of course, there are lots of other benefits to having status on BA, especially if you fly them a lot, but I can't imagine that AC access alone would be worth it.

Michael

Interesting question. I've been BA Gold for a while now, and am on my way this year to making AA EXP as well. Having a continental European address and doing at least one DONEx or AONEx a year, retaining BA Gold is easy. I've decided to add AA as the miles I earn there have higher value than the BA miles. So in my case, it's an issue of redeemable miles rather than pure status. But the other benefits of EXP are nice too, specifically the eVIPs.

I still use my stash of BA miles for the occasion MFU booking, but since I'm trying to avoid LHR as much as I can, the benefit of BA Gold is diminishing for me. Still, I'll definitely renew it as it's relatively easy to get.

I've looked at CX as well and I would probably switch from BA if I were to live in or near HKG. The (sometimes unofficial) benefits of CX Diamond are attractive only if you fly CX a lot, and I've had several op-ups on CX as a BA Gold. I've never considered QF Platinum as I've been spooked by the redemption horror stories, and it's harder to attain than BA Gold. I might consider it if I were to live in Australia or nearby.

QF has a guaranteed seat availability for economy not business

From http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/...atusPrivileges

Dave

I can't see getting another Emerald just for lounge access in the US. I'd rather have the 100,000 or so miles that I'd get from AA as bonus miles than save the $250 for that year.

I've considered switching to another oneworld partner (BA or CX would be the choices that make sense) entirely, but I just shudder at the higher bar to getting to emerald the first time since I currrently only get about 125,000-150,000 q points a year in the AA system.

If BA had the equivalent of an AAnytime award I'd seriously consider it, though.

Steve

Out of the big 4 OW carriers, QF possibly has the worst burn rate in OW. If it is miles your after BA definitely wins hands down and also gives you the chance to MFU across the Atlantic. QF will obviously allow you to upgrade onroute to Australia, although upgrades are not confirmed.

I would take a deep breath before recommending the QF programme to anyone unless of course your based in Australia and able to take advantage of points earning via a credit card.

I've only stuck to QF because BA don't fly to my home port in Australia and because of lifetime status.

If I were in your position, I would purchase Qantas Club membership which provides AA lounge access and otherwise keep all my miles with AA. AA in most cases is still by far the best mileage earning programme in OW.

Having multiple top tier status can be useful in some situations (eg I have multiple *G statuses). However, if flying mostly on one airline it may not be worthwhile, and my impression is less valuable in OW than in *A (because of minimum own airline flights rules for BA and QF, and poor redemption value).

If not flying BA or QF much (and thus not getting much value from those airlines looking after their own elites), I wouldn't bother. If you need domestic US lounge access then cheaper to buy it.

I have considered dual Emeralds but have decided against it. In my case the deciding factor was that it would take me that much longer to reach MM (life) status with AA.

You are quite right. It is a worthless benefit (must buy a full Y fare, which is often higher than the J fares available, and sit in Y). Thus it stuck in my mind as a J guarantee. I tried to use it once, but no more. The CX benefit is really quite nice (LH used to have a similar seat guarantee policy, but it was dropped).

Yes and no. The QFF plan was always quirky, and became more so after the 2005 changes. Award costs vary greatly, and seemingly similar awards can change in cost by 100%. For example YYZ-LHR-YYZ costs approx. 50% of YYZ-LHR-JFK-YYZ; lots of other quirks like that. Some annoying, some advantageous (for specific routings, QFF can be cheaper than AAdvantage). But these are rare. I do find QFF a lot better than BAEC for my purposes (BA has different quirks, and few ways to use advantageously other than MFU, but I don't often upgrade).

AA does have guarenteed Y +1 guest if you purchase 24+ hrs in advance.

I live in the US but travel to Hong Kong and Mainland China often. I am a border-line MPC Diamond. I cannot afford to split my miles among different airlines.

As I travel on CX and KA very often, being a MPC Diamond is great. Unlike QF, I can get seat guarantee on mileage earning fares in economy and also J and C on business. There is effectively no ticketing deadline, and easy to redeem my miles. Even though I cannot use seat guarantee with my family, I get waitlist cleared very quickly when I travel with them. These benefits save me a lot of money. I can use the Admiral Club even when traveling within North America (I still have not tried that yet).

If I fly a lot, I may actually try to put the extra miles on AA. It is easier to get to higher tier and get even 100% bonus miles.

I am not far off hitting EXP to go with BA Gold. AAdvantage is comfortable the best all round FFP in OW, with some excellent earning and burning opportunities. However, I am hanging on to BA Gold as I can make use of the BA Amex 241 voucher, and the one way award options have considerable value for me. Plus, BA are largely disinterested in anyone with status less than that so it is my lucky charm should I hit irregular ops.

As my other main OW airline is CX, I am happy to use EXP as they do care about other OW elites. Diamonds get superb service, but I've been well looked after with BA or AA in the booking.

QF's awful redemption rates should be enough to scare off anyone who has a choice.

I am both AA EXP and QF plat.. I keep the QF status strictly as I live in LA and NYC. Access to the Flagship lounges ( soon to open at JFK ) is very important to me especially since most transcon trips are in upgraded Y-J class and withouth QF platinum I could not access the FL.....

BA Amex 241 vouchers are of course only available with a UK BA Amex and therefore one needs to be resident in the UK to apply for the card. If you want real value, opt for BD especially once you hit above 55K the double mileage comes through which puts most other programmes into the shade (but that of course is another alliance!).

Thanks for the various comments. I am currently rethinking my double emerald strategy.

For simplicity in raising the question, I mentioned the plan of achieving AA EXP first and then attending to the other (e.g. BA) program later. However, for anyone else in this situation, I should probably clarify that the desirable strategy, of course, is to anticipate your future flights over the membership year(s) and to carefully select which flights get assigned to which program while making sure that you will attain EXP by the end of the calendar year. For example, if you have a first class ticket(s) including the two segments PHX-PHL (2072 miles) and SJU-DTW (1934 miles) and then both receive virtually the same EQP on AA but on BA, the former is deemed to be long haul (>2000 mi) and the second short haul. Furthermore AA’s booking classification puts the former as first class while the second (not being within the continental US) as business class, so while the former earns 180 BA tier points, the second earns only 40 tier points. Conclusion: if you are working toward a double emerald (or sapphire too for that matter), be sure to carefully consider which flights get assigned to which program.

I have AA, CX and BA emerald cards... but actually 2 is already enough, and I am thinking of dropping BA one next year...

Since I'm based in HK and fly CX quite a lot, CX program is great in that its the only one you can use miles to upgrade on CX... other programs can only redeem awards for flights, but no upgrade.. Also, as others have mentioned already, the ability to purchase at any published fare even when the flight is full is a big benefit... I also tend to put my CX number onto my CX flights for better recognition and service, and a much better chance of op-up.

AA is great for earning miles on other OW carriers especially with 100% bonus miles, plus lots of bonus mile promotions for domestic US segments... Plus there's 1mm and 2mm levels with give you lifetime ruby or saphire in OW...

BA is really only useful if you fly a lot on BA and need to get things like waitlists cleared or preassigned seating.. otherwise not really useful... I just got it last year coz I took a lot of BA flights and I was able to have the miles credited to Asiamiles while still getting tierpoints...

I'd like to suggest JAL Mileage Bank as your second frequent flyer program -- or at least to consider it. If you fly BA between the U.S. and Europe then you cannot earn AAdvantage miles on these flights anyway, so you might as well credit them to some program. (Hopefully you don't fly discount economy class, which earns only 25% mileage credit.)

The first year you'll have to accumulate 50,000 FLY ON points (JMB's EQPs) to reach JMB Sapphire level. That'll get you oneworld Sapphire level as well.

But now it gets interesting. Upon reaching JMB Sapphire you'll be invited to join JAL Global Club (JGC) in exchange for a modest deduction of miles (5,000, I think). Do it. You'll immediately get 3,000 JMB miles back when you credit your first JAL flight each year to JMB. And you can retain JGC membership quite easily by flying a relatively low number of miles or through an annual mileage deduction. But the real reason for keeping JGC membership is because, if you're a JGC member that accumulates at least 20,000 FLY ON points, you'll be given oneworld Sapphire status.

I don't know any way to keep oneworld Sapphire with just 20,000 EQPs except through JAL's JGC (excluding AA's Platinum Challenge). You'll have to do the math very carefully, but if your strategy is to get oneworld Sapphire in another program in order to get domestic U.S. lounge access, JAL might be the best way to do it, at least on an ongoing basis.

Both QFF and BAEC can earn Sapphire for less than 20K EQP (they are SC based, and there are some anomalies with flight length (10 miles longer flight can triple the SC credit); BAEC in particular has some huge SC earning arbitrage opportunities if you fly F/J or even Y on AA). A few short flights in F make it possible to earn Sapphire for about 5K miles, if I remember correctly (it is some ridiculously low number in miles; substantially more in USD). I'm sure it is possible to concoct a way to do it with less than 1K miles on BAEC (using some of their Bahrain etc. anomalies).

Edit to add an example: 6 LAX-LAS-LAX roundtrips in F earn 720 QFF status credits, which gets Sapphire (for about 3K flown miles); only need 600 SC to retain sapphire in subsequent years. This may or may not be cheaper than 20K ON points on JL. Works on lots of other routes too (LAX-SFO-LAX earns the same SC, but is almost twice as many miles and generally a much higher fare).

I hate to open another thread, but perhaps I should -- I've pondered joinging the CX program or BA, mainly because I hate not being able to use the SFO-LHR nonstops on BA.

I fly pretty much KUP domestically in the states, and a lot of I/D fares with a few others mixed in. Last year in AA I had a point/mile ratio of 1.4.

I've got about 36,000 points amassed this year but have an AONE3 coming up as well as some other flights, so I could still generate some points in other programs...but is it worth it? Both BA and CX seem less "friendly" in benefits, but as much as I've tried to dig and search, I'm still not sure.

Steve

I am not on BAEC, but I am on AA and CX (MPC). There are pros and cons on CX:
* You cannot get elite bonus miles on CX and it takes more miles to move up the tier.
*If you fly HKG and China/South East Asia a lot, that may worth it as it increases your chance of op-up and allows you to do mileage upgrade.
* If you fly a on a lower class fare, you can still get CX miles, but not AA miles.

IMHO, If I am not traveling to Asia often, I would try to get to get/keep AA EXP status first, then bank all flights not qualifying for AA miles to CX so that I can get miles elsewhere.

I think the most primary issue would be that if you fly a second OW airline frequently, then that would definately be the one to look at. As we all know, an airline treats its elites better than someone else in the alliance.

With my travel plans, I'd be hard pressed to consider anyone else. I just don't cover non-AA areas frequently enough for it to matter, so I'd stick with AA. Personally, I really like South America, so I'd probably look into the LA/LP program and take advantage of the 40K km (24K miles) w/2 J long-haul r/t and use some of their business class discounted flights to meet that. Their Sapphire program also gives you upgrade coupons that are valid for any flight (with fare restrictions), so you can upgrade that US-SA flight to their Premium Business. Then again, that only makes sense if you want to fly them.

I am seriously thinking about this in 2007 (despite the great advice from the people who converted me to AA from QF). I am am AA Plat at the moment and will hit EXP in July absed on qpoints. After that I have about another 117K qpoints to be earned before the end of the year (is it really that much - eek).
I currently have 200 SCs under QF and am thinking of putting my flights in August to QF to get WP so that I have better chance of UG clearing (and better value for credit card points) and can guarantee lounge access on some odd US itineraries (may not be an issue if I change jobs in 2008).

The downside to QF is the dramtic reduction in points value for awards - so its a real toss up for me.

By july I will have enough points for a major RTW trip with mrssimongr in J and we dont have much travel planned in 2009 and beyond so is the burn rate a concern....

If I am you I will just bank it to QF because as u said better UG changes clearing and also you MIGHT potentially give u wife the partner gold if you fly even more. Also bear in mind that the people at AA are not stupid and I think they will have even more restrictions coming up to stop people freeriding into EXP or PLT. Given u are based in Aust it is still sensible to maintain a QF account.

Another complication is that AA awards lifetime status when you hit certain lifetime mileage levels. I think at 1 million lifetime miles (any source) you get lifetime Gold (oneworld Ruby), and at 2 million it's lifetime Platinum (oneworld Sapphire).

So if you're in your peak flying years and expect to wind down, but still want to enjoy some elite benefits, then, depending on how much you fly, it might make sense to stick to AAdvantage in order to reach those lifetime tiers.

QFF 4 segment rule very strict now. Revoking my emerald status. Need help
 

Great thread, I've been pondering over the pros and cons of putting all my miles into QFF and now I've just heard that as I haven't flown 4 segments with them this year I will lose my Plat (Emerald) status. I am nearly triple the tier credits to gaining platinum (as flying RTW sabatical and on 3rd AONE6), flown 10 of eligible flights last year with them and have 6 booked for just after my year end. I therefore contacted customer relations / manager / up the ladder and have just received confirmation that my status will be revoked. Unbeleivable.

My tickets are with BA in MRU (fantastic people and prices) so I have asked them if they can re-route my current ticket YVR-SFO-LAX-NYC as all these segments have QF codeshare and the LAX-NYC (QF107 I think) is indeed a Qantas aircraft. They have replied that its not possible, it must be under AA.

Is this because it is a BA AONE6? would it make a difference if I re-routed through Qantas?

Does a 'codeshare' flight even count towards the 4 necessary segments? CRelations replied that it had to have a QF number and that is sufficient however if you read the conditions it states Qantas or Jetstar. Can anyone clarify this as I need to fly soon.

I no longer live in Aust but wanted to get to a lifetime status prior starting with a new OW member. I mainly fly on BA (and CX when possibhle as I love the airline until I realised that you don't get cabin status points with QFF on a CX flight).

I'm thinking AA after reading this thread. As I am flying so much for the next year (another 2 RTW at least) does any airline offer more than emerald? I already have the gold partner with QFF but I'm single! Can I nominate a friend?

Thanks guys,

Bobie

To answer one question, "Eligible" point earning flights on QF flight numbers count, this includes most 'point earning' codeshares (if not all).

YVR-SFO is operated by AS with an AA codeshare (thus never eligible for OWE travel); the QF SFO-YVR-SFO service can be used, but it is seasonal (operates July/August and again in December). You could fly your 4 segments on that flight. Otherwise QF codeshares on AA can only be booked as part of a ticket that has QF flight trans-pacific (which you obviously do not have), and the same applies to QF107/108. You would have to fly QF to or from US to book any QF flight or codeshare in NA.

But, if you are flying AONEx, there is little benefit for having WP status, and you still get credit for lifetime SC. So it doesn't seem to be of much impact to you if QF refuses to renew WP (other than loss of the status bonus).

Thanks - sorry to go on about everything but sometimes ONE makes me mad!

Ok understood but still annoying as I have been loyal to them for 7 years and status bonus adds up. If you were in my position globetrotting for at least another year from the UK often via canada or S America who would you go with? I'm about at Ruby status lifetime so I should change after this I reckon.

Last question, slightly out of this thread but need to get to sleep - Once an ONR has been issued when you pay a $125 for a re-route can you re-route continents?

Now - Africa -E-SA-NA-SWP-Asia-AF (1 flight taken MRU-LON)
Want - Africa E-SWP(transit in Asia)-SA-NA-Asia-Africa
Or- Africa-E-Asia-SWP-SA-NA-Africa
is that possible?

thanks for any advice
Searching for a routing thread, know of any?

To answer your last question - yes you can reroute continents. I once had a ticket issued CAI-xLHR-Asia-NAm-Eur-CAI and when I landed in London my TA had found me an A seat on the Concorde flight going that day (which was my last chance to fly on it) so I did a reroute at LHR T4 to go CAI-xLHR-xNAm-Asia-Eur-CAI.

BA transit ticketing desk took a couple of hours to do it, but I had time and they let me go through to the Concorde room to wait while they did the reissue.

Rerouting including changing order of continents is fully allowed, however the new routing must match the fare rules. This includes the rule about moving forward Area1/2/3 ... so Africa-Europe-SWP-SA-NA-Asia-Africa is not legal, while Africa-Europe-Asia-SWP-SA-NA-Europe-Africa to certain cities (not MRU!) is legal. For returning to MRU, you must not go to Europe first (you have to leave Africa to either Asia (CX on JNB-HKG) or to Australia (QF on JNB-SYD).

If already taken MRU-LHR, and wishing to return to MRU, then you must go WEST and fly Europe-NA-SA-SWP-Asia-Africa (no 2nd entry to Europe is allowed!). You cannot go east as there is no way to reach Africa except via Europe, which is not allowed for MRU (it is allowed only for the cities listed in the OWE fare, Nairobi is the closest to MRU).

It depends on the travel patterns and how you an obtain status.

I actually am Ba Silver first - main reason lounge access even on AA flights - and now am AA Gold, will go for Plat by challenge on the next flight (due to the duration of Platinum I decided not to go for Plat on the Gold challenge).

I will keep BA Silver but try to look at how to obtain it cost effective. Having both BA and AA allows me some benefits when flying with either of them and having the difference of BA / AA on the crossing of the atlantic there is even more reason to keep both.

With EXP you could think about retrieving more miles for the million mark, if you are satisfied with normal lounges in america / canada you for example do not need to retain emerald but a mere saphire is enough for lounge access on AA. :)