Shamrock55

Hi all,
I moved from Ireland to NZ a few years back and joined Singapore then Qantas's frequent flyer programs as I thougt I'd travel a lot and easily build up points. Circumstances meant that I didnt actually travel at all and lost the points I'd built up after a year.

Now I've got a new job that will entail some trips around asia and the US so I'm keep to build my status and get the hell out of economy if possible. I'm 6'1 so don't fit well into economy seats.

My question is how did you guys build your points and status so well to enable you to be able to get upgrades and status? I'm guessing there's not much science to it other then flying as much as you can but should I be buying certain types of tickets? booking directly rather then with agents? What other tricks do business travelers use to maximizes their points earning potential?

My first trip with the new job is next Monday, WLG-SYD-BKK-SYD-WLG with Qantas. Sadly in "L" class as my employer wasnt keen on a business class ticket so early in my career with them. Anyone have experience with the service on QF23 and suggest a good seat? I've had a loook at Seatguru and they all look as bad as each other really. Not keen on the exit seats due to losing extra width.

Anyway just wanted to say hi and looking forward to one day posting a photo from a Qantas business seat or lounge!

Shamrock55

Also..the Qantas Club...worth the $800 joining fee?

Blackcloud

Welcome to FlyerTalk Shamrock55 and to WLG as well
Earning status on QF flying discount economy involves lots of sectors, but in Premium Cabins on short sectors it is much faster.
Earning status on AAdvantage, "L" fares are 50% of the miles flown and there are ways to accelerate status by using challenges however there are rules on how to qualify.
AA has many advantages over QFF in regards to lower points to redeem awards, but if you only earn 50% of miles flown this can be equal to QFF, little surcharges on award tickets, but you cannot use the points to upgrade on QF, no earn on JQ (possibly EK as well) and little opportunity for Credit Card earning points opportunity.
I stuck with QF as it allows me to keep WP status based on my flying patterns for the last couple of years while AA would have seen me fall to nothing in this period.
Finally if you want a friendly meet up of FTers based in WLG send me a PM!

BD1959

Hi Shamrock,

Welcome to the QFF Forum!!

You can get QC Membership for far less than $800 - look at some of the Corporate Membership schemes around (maybe your employer has one) - also talk to your employer about the ability to salary sacrifice the fee (even if you can't, you may be able to offset your fee against your personal tax liability if you're travelling on business). The upshot is that $800 is - IMHO - quite expensive.

Whatever the final figure, you will be paying *something*. Whether that affords you value for money, only you can decide. Personally, I take out QC membership each time I don't qualify via status (yo-yo status based on my typical 2yr work cycle) - but, given the way that benefits come and go - I certainly wouldn't look to take out membership beyond 12 months.

Points: There are a myriad ways to earn points, QF has a very successful Frequent Points Buyer (as opposed to Flyer!) Scheme. Credit Cards - though not sure of any NZ-based cards - Car Hire, Hotels are some of the ways you could earn off-shore.

Status: This can ONLY be earned by travelling on OW or QF Partner airlines - within the QF scheme. If you want free Lounge Access, you need to be Gold and Above. There is lots of advice around about the AA scheme as a means of achieving significant status quicker. As a NZ based-bod - and travelling to the US - I'd be tempted to look at that scheme in as much detail as the QF scheme.

Upgrades: Internationally, it's a lottery (particularly on the very popular routes) - status does help; Domestic, they're confirmed. I wouldn't be joining QFF from NZ for the lottery.

Stick around - I'm sure there will be lots more discussion coming.

Regards,

BD

Shamrock55

Thanks very much for the welcome and information.

I'm going to join the club so that I get lounge access on the upcoming trip as I've got long layovers in Sydney so I can get some work done and hopefully my employer will help with the cost.

Excited, I've never been in a business lounge before, hoping the Wellington one is nice on Monday

Dave Noble

I would check whether this is the best value. You may be better off applying for an AMEX Platinum card, getting any bonus points for joining and getting OW Sapphire status through the AMEX card benefit of Gold status on CX

if you are flying on fare bases which allow credit to AA, I would suggest that crediting to AA will likely be a much better option than crediting to QF. QF is a v poor value scheme for redemptions

Also, if looking for lounge access, I would suggest looking at taking out an AA Admirals Club membership which costs USD500 to join USD450 to renew ( approx NZD600 / NZD540 ) which provides lounge access to Qantas lounges

Blackcloud

Taking your itinerary it will be the morning QF118.
As a QC member I believe you also have the ability to use the Business Class check in line....worth it
The QC in WLG is large for the number of flights so there is plenty of room, well appointed for drinks but food is limited.
You can get cereal, fruit, toast, some pasteries or scones, possibly bacon/sausage and an egg dish.
If you are a morning shower person you can get a few minutes extra sleep and have a shower in the lounge, towels are from the front desk, and they have Molten Brown toileteries in the shower rooms.
I have not been in the SYD Qantas Business Lounge in years, as I use the First Lounge, so I do not know what the offering are there but check out matthandy trip report for photos and description, well worth the read.^

Shamrock55

Ah nice one Blackcloud I was wondering what the towel situation was. It opens 90 mins before departure right? So If I get through checkin and security by 430 I have plenty of time to check it all out.

SeriouslyLost

Several others have mentioned joining the American Airlines programme rather than QFF, but let me give you a real life example in the context of starting out: if I count the 5 intl economy flights I did in 2012, I would have flown enough miles on QF and other One World airlines to go from Bronze to Silver under QFF rules. Silver in QFF gets you... nothing. Oh, not quite true: you'd get 1 invite to the QFF lounge and can check in at the PE counters. Big whoop. Great "reward" for ~5 transpacific & transatlantic flights, huh?

Now, the exact same flights & flight classes credited to AA would give you Platinum membership in AA. In One world terms, that's Shapphire in AA and only Ruby in QFF. For the exact same flying!

Heck, AA will let you fork out some money and do a PLT "challenge" and that single intl flight you mention would probably be very close to give you PLT status straight away. That would potentially get you upgrades. It would get you access to the AA and QFF lounges (& BA and CX, & others). It gives you priority check in and, on some flights, boarding. AA also has lower points costs for redeeming on flights. AA also sells lounge access more cheaply than QF, if you want to pay for it. You can find coupons online for US$100-$150 off the asking price and get global access to (most) One World lounges for 12 months for US$350. (If you're flying intl economy a lot I'd say paying for lounge access is well worth it!)

Short version of all this? Do take the suggestion of checking out other One World programmes, especially the AA version of it. It's cheaper to join (ie. free!), as easy to earn points, far easier to earn useful status that actually gives you something, and far easier to redeem.

Mwenenzi

Hi Shamrock55 Welcome to FT. [from a former Wellington resident]

IIRC AA plat challenge now needs to be on AA flight numbers. Some years ago any OW was OK.
You cannot upgrade QF flights with AA miles or AA flights with QF points

Master thread as link below, but your question has been answered well here
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html

If you are going to do US flights you will likely to go Air NZ. Do not join the Air NZ freq flyer program. There are better star alliance FFP. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...post-here.html

Dave Noble

This is correct. If flying on an AA codeshare to USA on Qantas, that can be used for the purposes of the challenge


True; but the cost of upgrading on QF can be a lot worse than the cost of an outright award flight using AA miles

e.g. SYD-LAX
72k QF points to upgrade from Discount Economy to Business
62.5k AA points for an outright award in business class

Plus also should consider that no Fuel Surcharges apply to AA awards redeemed on carriers other than BA ( plus a small charge on IB ) vs the QF attitude that QFF is a fine scheme , so everyone should be fined

also to consider if redeeming across USA, if booking a business award on AA, the domestic USA flights will be booked in 1st class whilst with a Qantas business award , they would be in economy

Thai-Kiwi

Welcome from another WLG FTer and QFF convert (of a sort).

Note that I don't think the immigration pathway to the QC opens before 05:00. I dropped my son off on Sun for the same flight.

By the way, I paid for him to join the AA Admirals Club, ,which allows access to QC and BA Lounges. They offer a full membership with a 30 day limit for $99. You first need to join AA AAdvantage FF program. This is free. suggest you search for more info, the WLG staff were noT too convinced but access gained after I call the QC from land-side and explained the scheme, SYD QC knew all about it.

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInform...ralsPasses.jsp

Cheers, TK

pandaperth

With regard to the AA Challenge, since June last year flights on the following airlines countSee this post from the relevant thread in the AA forum

ThomasBne

Deleted.

Dave Noble

if you fly enough to be able to hold status with AA , then Gold members get a min of 625 miles and Platinum / Executive Platinus members get min 1000 as long as not travelling on the zero earning bookings

Upgrading a decent length flight such as SYD-PER costs 16k on Qantas points but indeed cannot be upgraded with AA miles.. AA award cost outright is 17.5k though

Back in 2000 I would have had no hesitation in recommending joing QFF; anyone starting out now I would seriously suggest checking other schemes out 1st