Is it really all worth it?
Apr 13, 2018, 9:41 pm
#16
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Portland OR Double Emerald (QF and AA), DL PM/MM, Starwood Plat
Posts: 19,589
The extra baggage allowance for QF Platinum can be worth thousands of dollars in waived excess baggage charges if you do use it. I have saved over $10,000 from that benefit over the years, even though it is used maybe 1% of the time. That's probably the only quantifiable advantage of making WP if you fly paid J all the time. While QF J tends to be premium priced, it tends to be better than most alternative J services (varies by route) and price can be reasonable with sales or creative routings. But QF does very effective yield management which maximizes revenue.. .
Apr 14, 2018, 12:54 am
#17
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
There are much better schemes for earning free flights - even then - using an airline because of an FF programme I view as a tail wagging the dog - FF points can make a nice benefit of taking a flight, but don't let points override quality, price and schedule
Apr 14, 2018, 5:02 am
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP/LTG | UA P
Posts: 13,530
Its easy to select the best flights at the best price in your preferred cabin on your preferred airline if you have the security of life status so you can get “free” status benefits as a fall back if class of service doesn’t measure up. So, status chasing can have tremendous benefits for many. But after getting to the “life status” goal, the airlines need to work to keep that loyalty.
Apr 14, 2018, 5:26 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: HKG/HND/OOL
Programs: QF Emerald. SQ Gold.
Posts: 3,170
OW has only been around for 20 odd years and lot can change In landscape of alliance by the time you attain it who knows how valuable it is.
Apr 14, 2018, 6:32 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP/LTG | UA P
Posts: 13,530
QF WP (and above) status is more valuable IMHO in QF than other OW carriers but it also gives handy benefits in EK which is not part of OW. But yes, alliances can change and I’d speculate QF has already considered whether ir not it should continue with OW.
Apr 14, 2018, 6:33 pm
#21
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
We only fly F internationally where it's served, on QF, EY, EK and BA.
I have several family members who are WP and I have this same conversation every year. The primary benefit of a F flyer maintaining WP is the ability to have award seats released on request which is incredibly valuable. Of course there are the extra points, preferred seating etc etc but you need to weight up if the cost to maintain status is worth it over the benefits gained via Class of Service.
I have several family members who are WP and I have this same conversation every year. The primary benefit of a F flyer maintaining WP is the ability to have award seats released on request which is incredibly valuable. Of course there are the extra points, preferred seating etc etc but you need to weight up if the cost to maintain status is worth it over the benefits gained via Class of Service.
Apr 15, 2018, 4:47 pm
#22
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Programs: HH Diamond, Qantas Platinum One and LTG
Posts: 79
Apr 15, 2018, 6:18 pm
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
We only fly F internationally where it's served, on QF, EY, EK and BA.
I have several family members who are WP and I have this same conversation every year. The primary benefit of a F flyer maintaining WP is the ability to have award seats released on request which is incredibly valuable. Of course there are the extra points, preferred seating etc etc but you need to weight up if the cost to maintain status is worth it over the benefits gained via Class of Service.
I have several family members who are WP and I have this same conversation every year. The primary benefit of a F flyer maintaining WP is the ability to have award seats released on request which is incredibly valuable. Of course there are the extra points, preferred seating etc etc but you need to weight up if the cost to maintain status is worth it over the benefits gained via Class of Service.
The only time when travelling business where I have seen a benefit from status is on a v rare time when booking on BA due to it charging for seat selection unless booking in J or C
If booking based on quality/schedule rather than slavish adherence to a FF scheme, will still be able to earn points and status - just may be on different schemes.
Apr 15, 2018, 7:09 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: SYD
Programs: QF WP (OWE), VA PLAT, EY GLD, SPG PLAT, Hyatt DIA, Hilton DIA, Hertz PC
Posts: 8,527
I wouldn't class that as a great benefit ; I would rather credit to a scheme where the miles have a better value even if there is no award seats to be released. That is also a benefit that I only ever tried to use once when I held Platinum status - 392,000 points plus taxes and fees disguised as taxes for a r/t 1st class award to Europe is hardly great value in FF schemes
The only time when travelling business where I have seen a benefit from status is on a v rare time when booking on BA due to it charging for seat selection unless booking in J or C
If booking based on quality/schedule rather than slavish adherence to a FF scheme, will still be able to earn points and status - just may be on different schemes.
The only time when travelling business where I have seen a benefit from status is on a v rare time when booking on BA due to it charging for seat selection unless booking in J or C
If booking based on quality/schedule rather than slavish adherence to a FF scheme, will still be able to earn points and status - just may be on different schemes.
Most of our earning through non flight spend is QF, therefore the ability to release seats is a stand out advantage for us.
Much more than Row 1 seating on QFLink as a member of my family convinced me was the reason to retain WP!
Apr 15, 2018, 7:46 pm
#25
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Singapore
Programs: QF LTG, SQ EGTP, Bonvoy LTG
Posts: 4,847
Aaaah, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. On, for example, my main route MEL-SIN, ignoring the premium Y type products of the LCCs on the route, I would not want to pay a cent more for QF compared to its competitors on the route (EK A380, SQ). And even some of the cheaper competitors heading to Asia and beyond do have reasonable quality J products. Looking towards North America (from AU) QF did always have the edge, but I'm not so sure these days, all of the 6 carriers flying Australia-North America continent have reasonable product (at least in J, I'd still probably tend to QF - or VA - in Y).
Apr 15, 2018, 7:59 pm
#26
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597