How much more valuable is an AA mile versus a QF point?

[Princess Fiona]

A little while ago I was dead keen on AA and was ready to purchase 80,000 miles + bonuses for each of the four of us/per annum. I was all set to go when I noticed the transfer cost. Always worth running your own numbers......

I run 6 x AA accounts and like straitman have never transferred miles between any of them.
I pay with my CC for awards booked on all the family accounts (same surname)

 

[drron]

And I use my CC if redeeming from mrsdrron's account.No problems.

 

[amaroo]

I'm trying to understand this...how did you manage to transfer 1mil QFF points between accounts?

Family transfer - every account can transfer 100,000 x 4 times a year

 

[Foreigner]

Family transfer - every account can transfer 100,000 x 4 times a year

Thanks. New knowledge for me. I presume no fee for transfers.

 

[amaroo]

Thanks. New knowledge for me. I presume no fee for transfers.

Yes, totally fee free.

 

[ketsuzei]

It means nothing that 1 AA mile is more valuable than 1 QFF point at face value. Totally irrelevant

In a thread titled "How much more valuable is an AA mile versus a QF point?", this definitely goes in the denominator of the SNR.

 

[Nizar]

Great thread and thanks to all for contributing.

To me, and everyone's situation is different, AA miles are probably at least twice as valuable as QF points, and, the higher the class of travel and for longer haul flights, the difference becomes more profound.

And that's before taking into account the substantial difference in the taxes/fees/surcharges component.

The only pity is lack of direct AA earn on credit cards for those based in Aus. Still, there are other ways to earn for example I've earnt 75k AA miles from Rocketmiles this year.

 

[burmans]

Agreed. If I had direct CC earn (incl ATO) I'd be directing the rivers of gold that way. Alas, I can't - therefore, QF is the clear winner for me. The real competition is SQ...still deciding on that one.

Again, it seems we are confusing value with cost. The fact you note that you would direct to AA if you could, indicates you "value" points more, what you are talking about is your (limited) ability to take advantage of that value.

JohnK separately notes

Agreed but you are not comparing like for like.


What is more valuable? An ounce of tin or an ounce of Gold?

JohnK wants to mark down the AA points because they are harder to obtain but using his own metaphor it's gold that is more valuable than tin, precisely because of it is harder to obtain. Thanks for making that argument for us, JohnK!

 

[Kangol]

I did a MEL-LHR return in First on AAdvantage. I won't mention the +++ differential, but will note the same trip booked using QFF will cost 384,000 points. (FWIW, economy is 90,000 miles on AA compared with 128,000 QFF points)

When did you book that?
P availability on QF2/QF10 from LHR-SYD/MEL is currently scarce, even when looking on QFF 12 months out!
Or did you get a classic released by way of WP, then cancelled, then if lucky enough to go back into inventory, booked with AA miles?

 

[serfty]

When did you book that?
P availability on QF2/QF10 from LHR-SYD/MEL is currently scarce, even when looking on QFF 12 months out!
Or did you get a classic released by way of WP, then cancelled, then if lucky enough to go back into inventory, booked with AA miles?

I did not book it.

I found P from LHR to MEL in MAY and MEL to LHR in June then did a dummy booking on AA.com.

 

[amaroo]

Well they should cost more if they are more valuable! That's just basic economic theory.

Hard to beat free or bugger all.

Honesty, I don't understand the tone against members posting alternative views to the same old humdrum view This thread has had >1800 views and 85 post of which <20 are unique. Members of AFF are searching for solutions - not repetitive posts with little or no detail.

JohnK and I have posted detailed arguments showing that AA mile is not (always) good value versus a QF point....from completely different perspectives. It would be folly to assume there aren't more.

 

[JohnK]

JohnK separately notes



JohnK wants to mark down the AA points because they are harder to obtain but using his own metaphor it's gold that is more valuable than tin, precisely because of it is harder to obtain. Thanks for making that argument for us, JohnK!

Give me a little bit of credit instead of focusing your energy on putting me down.

If an AA redemption costs 35,000 miles and $90 in taxes but costs twice as much to obtain than a Qantas redemption that costs 60,000 QFF points and $170 which is more valuable?

An AA mile could be more valuable than a Qantas point but that means nothing unless you compare how easily it is to obtain each.

 

[dajop]

Sheesh, has anyone ever heard of the acronym YMMV? Could easily post a link to this thread under the definition of the acronym!

 

[TonyHancock]

Well they should cost more if they are more valuable! That's just basic economic theory.

For many years the prospect of "paying more" for an AA or BA point put me off making the effort to go down that route. If "simpler and fairer" has done one good thing it has opened my eyes to earn and burn rates for QF, AA and BA. All points are not created equal.

For me an AA mile or a BA Avios is considerably more valuable than a QF point.

 

[diningdecadence]

Who wants to try and do a knowledge centre on this!

 

[serfty]

It's already outlined in the "knowledge center", maybe with not so many examples.

As I have posted before, earn/burn is important.

I will repeat the theme of a post I made before - the OP's indication of 50% more valuable is under the odds IMHO - to me it's more.

YMMV!

FWIW, I don't have the issues with E class as VA is generally cheaper when QF are selling these fares anyway. As a WP I generally have that row 3 seat organised on booking. (And, Off topic, I find a Velocity point more valuable than a QFF point)

OH to be back in the 90's when I mainly travelled around Oz on B/Y fares ... paid for by employer of course ...

 

[diningdecadence]

It's already outlined in the "knowledge center", maybe with not so many examples.

really? i don't recall there being a direct comparison of popular premium international routes e.g. SYD-LHR MEL-LAX side by side using different programs.

perhaps it could be added into the AFF status runs google drive doc

 

[serfty]

really? i don't recall there being a direct comparison of popular premium international routes e.g. SYD-LHR MEL-LAX side by side using different programs. ...

I did use the term 'outlined'.

However, look here: American Airlines AAdvantage - The Australian Frequent Flyer Knowledge Centre

 

[diningdecadence]

Plenty of posts in this thread that contribute very little and just want to close the discussion down to a level of "how great is AA"

and perhaps it would be different if this was in the QFF thread where there would be plenty more QFF users/ readers than in the current AA thread, which, for Australian based flyers, i consider requires a little more research and patience to understand the AA program...

side note - funny how this guy seems to release articles to mainstream media when they begin to generate discussion on AFF, pure coincidence i'm sure - Frequent flyer points: how much are they worth?

 

[Supersonic Swinger]

In the example above I would direct the points to the scheme where I generated the most miles/points. I dunno, maybe if I flew more I might have a different view. However, even with QF LTG in the bag I'm still loathed to open accounts and start distributing miles/points willy-nilly.

I guess there's the difference. I have accounts with both QF and AA. I don't fly enough to get status in both, and barely have status in QFF through LTS. However, I don't distribute miles willy-nilly, I credit to both based on where I'll get the most value, and in situations like Hhonors points conversion scenario, AA is where it goes.

My program to date miles on AA are just over 500,000, and they have been redeemed for nothing but long haul business and first on AA, QF, BA, CX and JL. I suspect my program to date miles on QFF will be much higher, but my redemptions have not achieved anything near the distance and fare class as my AA redemptions have done on just 500k.