I'm lucky enough to have both top tier memberships.
I enjoy AA's 8 x system wide upgrades (16 for your first year of EXP qualification. these are easily transferable and has given me an option into the USA via Narita that I probably wouldn't take 'cept for the joy of flying flat. In addition these upgrades are alot easier to get than Qf's J to F.
The points are roughly half what QF require for the equiv award tickets.
Yep, the AA first is really equiv to a J seat , but I have found the 763's for coast to coast remarkably good with better leg room than the QF 747's. Yes I would choose AA rather than 108 , specially since the connecting flights to Sydney leave from T4 in the main.
A million miles see lifetime OW R.....ith AA and is insurance in case QF ever change their lifetime Gold deal or if the OW partnership dissolves.
The EXP line is fantastic , (as is the QF Plat). The food on Aa generally is of a lower quality and the IFE is non existent but they are of little consequence for a 4-5 hr flight .
Having said all that the benefits of AA are really valid as long as you can keep EXP status easily. If I had to make a choice between tthe two I would opt for my home airline

"on all sectors other than LAX/LAS (in L class, getting 0.5"

LAX - LAS can happily go to AA. You will only get 500 qpoints towards your challenge, but you will get 100% miles earning since it is an AA flight. ( If it was a QF flight number then your earning would drop )

Dave

I doubt this will impact your final decision, but from what I can tell, i think B Class fares will earn 150 percent q points on QF/AA, but only 100 percent miles.

Also B Class on Alaska will only earn 100 percent q points although the 500 minimum still aplies.

rich

It may be timely to reactivate this discussion, especially the value of AA program miles versus QF program miles. Redeeming AA miles on QF metal is looking better than ever.

This will be an interesting discussion indeed. I had never thought of jumping ship before, but with the new changes I'm now seriously thinking about it. :(

Well I am seriuously considering it now. UCs were one of the most important benefits. Lounge access domesticlly in NA too, but that can be bought.

I am going to have to do some serious number crunching given I am in the middle of a DONE4 too.

I think the main problem would be the credit card points. Anyone know how to transfer from an Aussie CC to AA points? Amex let you transfer to Hotels, then on to AA, but your points get seriously devalued. 61k Amex to 20130 SPG to 25130 (with 5k bonus) is about the best I can find. Compared to 61k Amex = 61 QFF it's about a 2.4:1 devaluation. I guess if the award flight difference is more than this, then it would be worthwhile.

CBA seems to only transfer to QF. What about other cards?

Does anyone know for sure if Qantaslink flights earn on AAdvantage?

For sure they do

Dave

I'd just like to stick my hand up and pretty much ask the same thing. Are there AU cards available that allow for direct transfer to AA? I'm in the process of rationalising my credit cards and would like to save the angst of sticking with the wrongs ones because I was trying to maximise points earning solely for QF.

Thanks...

I solve this problem by using a cash-back card instead of earning miles. I've found that I can always buy miles cheaper than the cards earn miles and I have complete flexibility in timing and what miles to get. Using cash back in lieu of miles seems to be the solution to this problem and happens to increase your yield which is a nice side benefit.

I've worked out the impact of the QF changes and for my use of miles it means 50% increase in cost of awards. It was already poor compared to AAdvantage, now it is no contest and I'm putting all my travel into AAdvantage instead of QF. Luckily I've requalified for WP until 2006 so I can ignore 2005 and finish the year with 0 SCs -- maybe QF will get a message from that.

Hmm, now lets see. If I am only going to qualify for QF Gold, then the AA Plat Challenge is a walk in the park. But to compare WP to EXP earning based on my expected travel ... now that is an interesting exercise.

I do little domestic travel these days. I used to do a lot, spending more time in SYD and MEL than home in BNE. But that all changes a few years back when I moved into a global team and now do very little domestic travel.

So I can expect 2 or 3 trips to the USA each year now. Company pays for WHY and I look to pay to use DCIR22 or DONE4. So if I use 2 or 3 x DCIR22's, I can expect 1200 to 1800 SC's on QF, retaining WP. Or 66,000 to 99,000 EQP on AA, being Plat or close enough to EXP to make it worth getting. On the old QF program, I could use 2 x DCRI22 to requal WP and upgrade the third trip trans-Pacific sectors using points/UC's. On AA, I would need all three trips to be DCIR22's to qualify EXP.

But if earning points for redemption of award flights, AA points would grow faster and buy more awards. I just can't use the AA points for trans-Pacific upgrades. But with the QF changes, I may not actually get to upgrade anyway (no more confirmed international upgardes). And of course no Aus credit card earning points for AA program.

Its going to be a tough decision and one complex spreadsheet to work out the options.

Of course also to throw into the consideration pot if you get Executive Platinum status is the 8 upgrades which could be used to upgrade from business to 1st class on your trips from US to Europe and any domestic US economy flights that you do will be eligable for complimentary upgrades

With the new scheme at QF and upgrade costs going loopy, I wouldn't hesitate in recommending AAs scheme if there's a chance of getting Emerald there. The only minus is the lack of lounge access on domestic flights, but that shouldnt be too much of an issue.

Dave

On point to my dilemma. I have requal'd for WP till Dec 2005. I have 640k QF miles. I am in the middle of a DONE4. I have calculated that I would get 79422 QF miles in 2005, 82311 AA miles (assuming Plat Challenge), and 53754 AA q-points. This is purely on my DONE4. There is a pretty good chance I will have 3-4 LAX-Europe trips next year in J, which would help me make EXP (although I think Plat elite bonus miles don't count towards the 100k miles (not q-points) required to qual for EXP).

The mileage earning is not vastly different between AA and QF - but clearly 82k AA miles is worth more than 82K QF miles.

If I was sure I would make EXP it would me a no-brainer. But I am not sure it is still heavily leaning towards AAdv - all I lose (assuming only Plat) is lounge access (which I have for 2005, and 2006 as SG, after which I could always buy AC or QP membership). And who knows what I am going to be doing in 2007.

My plans is to buy another DONE4 (these are personal travel) next July to take me through to July 2006. Any business travel would be over and above that. Would be international J and domestic Y/J on AA. After 2006 I doubt there will be much DONE4'ing around since mini-alect will be over 2 and I don't fancy buying a DONE4 at 75% for her. By that time I would be redeeming miles - which is the only stickler for me - I assume it would be much harder to redeem 640k QF miles for J/F travel if not a WP (I can definitely forget about upgrade awards).

Given the above scenario, and if I were to assume QF WP v. AA Plat, what do you all think? As far as I can see I am losing NA lounge access (but not for 2 years), and international F lounge access (not sure this is worth the devalued miles - and I would only consider The Wing/Pier worthy of even making me think about it twice). Other than that I don't see much downside in going WP - Plat (oh yeah the op-upgrade - as if I ever get any of those anyway :rolleyes: ).

Any thoughts and opinions welcome.

I think that you have surmised it fairly well. The only real tangible loss is the lack of access to the 1st class lounges. Considering the new mileage tables for QF, then there is definately a good reason to go to AA.

It will now cost the same for an upgrade from an eligable economy ticket to business using Qantas points than it would cost to get a 1st class return award ticket on AA miles on routes such as US-OZ. Even on a short route such as SYD-AKL a QF upgrade r/t will cost 32k compared to 35k for a J award from anywhere in Oz to NZ from AA or 36k for an economy return SYD-AKL with QF

Do be aware of course that mileage earning on QF flights can be restricted when accruing to AA

Y,B,H,K earn 100% base mileage whilst M,V,L,G,O and S only earn 50% ( each with a min earning of 500) plus the same again as the platinum bonus.

Dave

Apologies for the stupid question, but can you book an itinerary with the starting/ending point in Australia (i.e. SYD-LAX-SYD) on QF using AA points? Or do the awards have to start in the USA?