London based - Qantas FF or BAEC
 

Hey guys
Question for you. I've just moved to London and after taking an upcoming flight will be able to move up to Qantas FF gold or BAEC silver.
I will predominantly take BA flights around Europe, and I'm just wondering if there's any advantage to being BA Silver over Qantas FF? Do all the seat selection perks etc become open to Qantas FF using their online system?
Or would it just be simpler to stick with the Exec Club?
I love the idea of keeping my Qantas membership active, but if it's easier to switch I will
Thanks

For BA status you would need 4 eligible flights (BA or IB marketed or operated).
QF requires similar.

BA Silver and QF Gold are oneworld Sapphire, so provide similar benefits. It depends how long you would remain in the UK, if permanent I would switch to BAEC unless you are near lifetime QFF status.

Yeah won't have an issue hitting the 4x eligible segments on either

I guess I was just wondering I feel by being QFF, my status will show on the BA booking system when selecting seats etc

Are you a member of both QF ffp & BAEC now?
How long will you be in UK for? A short time (few years) or for ever?
As well as the 4 own airline flights for BA or QF status you need to be careful with expiry of avios/points

The airline you fly most or an airline of the country you live is the best ffp for many people. Generally you are better earning on your primary airline due to greater recognition, better service when disruptions, ability to upgrade flights and possible operational upgrades. Freq flyer miles/avios/points from non flying activities is a good earner for some people.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...help-here.html

If you have a chance to reach LTG and 4 QF segments are no Problen, stay with QF. Status perks on BA are not a problem, including seat reservations.

I was in a similar situation a few years back. Ended up living in the UK for 4 years.

I recommend changing to BA.

1) Better avios earn on BA flights (compared to QF points earnt)
2) Better perks being BAEC flying BA. I was BAEC Gold and received about 6-8x more upgrades to J and F compared to my current Qantas Platinum One flying mainly Qantas. (The BAEC equivalent of P1 is Gold Guest List, I was just a gold)
3) Lifetime status credits for BA - they offer lifetime OWE but depending on your flying habits could take a while to reach
4) If you apply for the BAEC premium amex card (annual fee GBP100 or 150) you get a free voucher every year: make an awards booking and receive another identical ticket free for the same trip. That means if you book LHR-SYD return in F on points you get another one for your travel partner on the same flight for free.

Yes it will. You may have to enter the Qantas website with the BA booking number to select seats.

I have both and BA is much easier to reach and retain status. I only use my QFF account to credit domestic or short haul QF flights to (because BA earning rates for avios and status are woeful since the end of the JSA). However if I flew QF long haul in premium classes, I'd credit it to BA unless I was looking to spend QFF on an upgrade.

BA is much more generous in status credits with other OneWorld carriers compared to QF. e.g. whether you fly BA, QF, CX, QR or JL LHR-SYD you earn the same status credits regardless of class, the difference is you will earn more Avios with BA than with any of the others.

Similarly, if you rarely do longhaul (esp to Australia or DXB to fly on QF metal), then makes more sense to grab BAEC Silver and maintain that. Keep QF alive by crediting one flight every 18 months to it.

Very much going to depend on your circumstances. I moved from Melbourne to London in 2010 and credit all flights to QF with credit card spend to BA (with a BA Premium Amex). Have taken advantage of the QF Double SC offers last year and this year, so am very close to LTG. Despite the poor earn on partner airlines, this has served me well.

Once I obtain LTG? I'll probably just stick to BAEC for flights and credit card spend.

I was faced with a similar situation - my stay in the UK was only ever going to be ~2 years so the balancing act was perhaps a little different.

I agree with the comments and sentiments above.

What I opted for was to keep crediting to QF - and cringing whenever I got 5 status credits and 100 miles for a very shorthaul flight. With hindsight I suspect that I might have been better off swapping to BA - although it would have been a right pain to not be able to use the priority security lines at T5 and then have to wait around at the door of the lounges whilst they see whether you are eligible to enter.

I did open a BAEC account for bits and pieces accruals - tesco, cash back site (topcashback - although this is no longer worth it) various other bits and pieces. I managed to accumulate a number of points quickly and easily - which have come in very handy on more than one occasion (particularly for last minute flights).

That's what I did. Put your QF number when booking and then switch to the BA number at the lounge service desk. Never had a problem.