olinerd

Hey everyone -- long time lurker, first time poster.

I've been on UA Mileage Plus for several years, 1K last year and Platinum this year, generally enjoying the benefits as I travel extensively for work. As a non-US resident I've also been able to avoid the dollar earnings requirements this year. So that's all pretty cool. I've booked a lot of FF tickets for myself and family members and I get upgraded pretty regularly within the US; generally, it has made travel suck much less than it used to.

However, I'm moving to Australia in a couple of months so I think it's time to switch FFP to either AA or Qantas. I've been creating insane spreadsheets and going through other methods of trying to decide which carrier's program to switch to, but I haven't come up with an answer yet. Thus I seek your expert guidance.

Considerations:
-- Most future travel will be domestic Australia, with occasional long haul between Australia and the US or Australia and the UK.
-- International flights are more likely to be personal travel, not business, so the ability to use my benefits/miles to upgrade from Economy is a major consideration
-- Also would like to be able to somehow upgrade non-immediate family members if they come to visit me
-- Status matching would be ideal, though from what I understand QF doesn't do any matching and AA requires you to fly a bunch of AA miles within a limited time period; I have a couple long-haul OneWorld flights coming up soon but I'm unable to do QF or AA for those flights, nor am I able to book through them.

Any thoughts on which direction you'd go in my situation? Is there an alternative option that seems obvious that I'm missing?

VH-RMD

Are you married to the concept of OneWorld?

Virgin Australia Velocity program is the other major Australian FF program and while not (yet) in an alliance, has partnerships with many other carriers.

olinerd

Not necessarily wedded to OneWorld, but do want to make sure I can manage some international upgrades somehow -- I won't be able to pay for them out of my own pocket, and 14 hours in Economy is a painful thing.

AustralianPoochie

I like & prefer the QFF system, as you earn a fixed 1000 points per domestic flight between closer capital cities in Australia, and the rest, you earn a distance based earn. I find for eg, too, that a J trip from Adl to Syd to Akl, (I pay-not business trip), earns me 280 SC, and this is enough for PS.

I also find that I need to fly much more for the VR system of earning SC.

As for points earnt, (apart from SC), VG is per $ spent, ie, you get 5 points per $1 spent (for VR). Not my ideal cup of tea...

But I do have both paws in the 2, ie, one paw in QFF and one paw in VR.

TT, QF has links with EK, so wider ailses on the EK flights, all days of the weeks. VA
has links with NZ, but only has wide bodies (planes) some days of the week, TT.

With QF, you can upgrade so long as you have the required number of points, and you can make use of points from 5k upwards. Where as for the VA system, you do really need 9.9k to start doing anything.

Also get Qantascash & Velocity Global Wallet, (if you don't want to get a true credit credit card). Qantascash & Velocity Global Wallets are where you put money into these prepaid MasterCard & Visa accounts, so you are spending your own money.

Both are 1 point per $2 spent, which is the same for most cheaper annual fee credit credit cards here.

harryhv

It isnt worth spending too much time deliberating, compared with UAMP ar AA the Qf program is almost worthless. Burn rates are double those of AA and the "taxes" are 8-10x as much. Upgrades can be booked but only for domestic flights and cost a hatful of points. Int'l upgrades are a lottery on theday.

Status, however, is useful for lounge access.

Awesom Andy

That depends on your domestic travel pattern. QFF earns 1000 points as a minimum, even in the cheapest booking class. Crediting to AA depends on which booking class you are in, and the distance traveled. Also, for your occasional travel back to the US, QFF gets you access into the lounges in the US, where the AA program can be restrictive.

But yes, international upgrade is certainly a lottery...

thadocta

AND that you can't upgrade on QF using AA miles, so if you miss out on an award seat (remembering also that AA awards open up later than QF awards, so those elusive reward seats might have gone by the time the AA window opens) then no amount of AA miles will get you out of steerage, whilst there is at least a chance with QF miles.

Dave

Mwenenzi

Welcome to the forum

Is the move to Australia permanent or only for a few years?
What your primary objective is from a FFP can influence choice. (awards, upgrade, lounge etc)
Earning miles by non flying activities can add up and influences FFP choice.

Look at post 2 as link below in OW FFP thread. Your AA vs QF question has been asked before
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html

You can get AA status with the Plat challenge. Flights do not need to be on AA (see link below). However AA now does not have soft landing to the next lowest status. AA (like BA & QF) has a rule that you need 4 AA segments for AA status. However it is not currently enforced. Changes to the AA FFP are possible(probable?) from the AA/US Airways merger/takeover.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...-platinum.html
AA plat challenge wiki

AA Mile earning on QF is a less than QF points, but the AA miles are worth a lot more And far less copay fess on AA awards, other than on BA. If you get AA status difference is not that much different. For awards AA is far better. See post 330 here. The 353 days out for QF vs 330 days out for AA awards can be, but is not always, an issue. An AA award can be less miles/points than for a QF upgrade. AA awards to/from USA Aust can also be on Hawaiian, Fiji Airways & Air Tahiti

If you are flying a Star Alliance flight before 31 March you may be able to get some AA miles, by joining US Airways FFP. On 30 March US leaves Star Alliance. On 31 March US joins OneWorld as an AA affiliate. Some time in the future US miles will become AA miles

You may be able to maintain UA and a OW.
Also Alaska is a good FPP with a wide range of partners, including QF, EK, DL AS FFP Airline partners

You will have issues with upgrades on any airline from/to Australia other than United (and Delta?). Upgrade policy & instruments on non USA airlines is very different compared to USA based airlines. Upgrade with miles/instruments (SWU, etc) are not as common. Many people tend to look for awards

og

What is VR and VG?

thadocta

Ask some of the senior mods.
Dave

DownUnderFlyer

[mod hat] Moving to the OW forum as the thread compares two OW programs. Welcome to FT, olinerd.[/mod hat]

AustralianPoochie

I think I must have mistyped VG, supposed/wanted to type VR, its the name of the other (opposing) FFP/system, aka Virgin's Velocity Rewards. Velocity Gold?

VR is good if the OP wants to get from say, Per to Sin, as SQ flies this route, and if the OP pays that bit more, you can earn VRFF points flying SQ (Per to Sin to Lhr, bypassing Dbx).

Guess it would depend where the OP is going to be living. If going to live in Per, no more direct QF from there to Sin. JQ flies it of course. Per to Dbx via EK is a possibility, then Dbx to Lhr with EK as well, but flying to Sin, SQ is the only one to go for, (if wanting to fly with "class").

Sometimes its good to be a member of the 2 FF programs in Aust.

wandering_fred

Having a paw in both camps, I would ask where in Australia you are moving.

If not BNE/MEL/SYD, then AA looks a lot better. Though perhaps not enough better depending on your actual travel. OTOH PER would result in a flat go to AA. And fly to the USA via SEAsia. (Thought: Is that why QF cancelled PER-SIN?)

The other consideration is will you randomly depend on a soft status landing? If so, QF becomes a better choice.

Either way I would likely sign up for both, if I would fly enough to ensure status with both. OW Ruby is downplayed by many but avoidance of baggage fees on AA and the 50% mileage bonus on QF should not be ignored.

Conversely consider one of the Asian *A partners, or CX. CX OW Ruby does get lounge access in HKG.

Happy wandering

Fred