Pay more for Qantas Premium Economy over Air New Zealand? Am I crazy?

[deuteros]

Hi all,

Would like the wisdom of this great group.

Going to LA with friends in a few months but in a moment of silliness, have selected Qantas PE instead of Air New Zealand PE. My friends are flying ANZ PE. I'm struggling with the fact I'm paying $400+ more for the Qantas PE when on paper, the ANZ PE appears to be a better product than Qantas and sadly, I'm also flying separately to my friends. The ANZ PE offer was not only ridiculously cheap but also included PE for PER-AKL and AKL-PER and hence my friends went for it ($2.7k including taxes and fees). Whereas with Qantas, it is only Y from PER-MEL and MEL-PER.

My thoughts were:

• I've never flow ANZ before and have absolutely no status or points with them.
• You also end up on the plane pretty much sleeping and watching movies only anyway.
• More selfishly I'm thinking as a Qantas SG holder, I may have a chance at comp upgrade but more importantly SG gives lounge access which in the past of flying long haul, I've found to be invaluable. By flying Qantas, I will retain my SG status, which without this flight, would be comparatively more difficult as I'd have to think of creative work trip reasons to make up enough trips to retain SG.
• Qantas lands in LAX in the morning which I prefer, as it gives me more time. ANZ arrives in the arvo. However, since I'm travelling with friends, what benefit is there for me to arrive earlier than them?

I have a 24 hour period to change my mind through my travel agent. Can someone help me feel comfortable one way or another.

 

[sudoer]

I may have a chance at comp upgrade

From what I've read this would be extremely unlikely.

By flying Qantas, I will retain my SG status, which without this flight, would be comparatively more difficult

If retaining gold is important to you then I'd say stay with QF. You could purchase a year of QP for the fare difference though (assuming the ANZ price is still available) and get to travel with your friends. Are you close to LTS/LTG at all? This could be another consideration to make.

 

[serfty]

I would suggest that you use the "loyalty Program" and you put in for a points upgrade to business. If that comes though then your friends will no longer be able to cite fare difference with the same clarity.

Moreover, you don't have to hang out in AKL on the way.

As far as NZ PE goes, unless you get one of the few unrefurbed 773's then the PE product is a muchness.

BTW - what are they traveling to AKL in?

 

[deuteros]

I would suggest that you use the "loyalty Program" and you put in for a points upgrade to business. If that comes though then your friends will no longer be able to cite fare difference with the same clarity.

Moreover, you don't have to hang out in AKL on the way.

As far as NZ PE goes, unless you get one of the few unrefurbed 773's then the PE product is a muchness.

BTW - what are they traveling to AKL in?

Thanks for your impartial input. It's hard to think correctly when you're focused on the dilemma.

What's wrong with transiting through AKL may I ask? I've never been there nor transited through it.

I beleive it's 787 PER-AKL and 777 AKL-LAX for Air New Zealand.

It's A320 for PER-MEL and 747 for MEL-LAX (I get the A380 for LAX-MEL) on Qantas.

 

[bullerdude]

Air NZ still fly the space seat in premium economy for their LA flights - on paper it is really good but in reality it wasn't great for me at 6"3'. Last time I flew their PE food to good but nothing super special, crew was great through.

But i rate Qantas PE as one of the best for seat and service, so given it also gets you lounge access I would stay with that!

I'll be flying VA PE over to states later this year but would have swaped to QF PE of $'s made sense, but VA worked better for me for retaining status etc.

 

[serfty]

I have transited AKL dozens of times - I was an *Elite for 5 year (I used Aipoints for my onw ends, as they have confirmed instrument upgrades on booking (subject to class availability) for their top flyers.)

Ex PER makes it a little different. But the PE product on the 787 is very similar to Qantas PE on both their 747 and 380.

 

[deuteros]

Air NZ still fly the space seat in premium economy for their LA flights - on paper it is really good but in reality it wasn't great for me at 6"3'. Last time I flew their PE food to good but nothing super special, crew was great through.

But i rate Qantas PE as one of the best for seat and service, so given it also gets you lounge access I would stay with that!

I'll be flying VA PE over to states later this year but would have swaped to QF PE of $'s made sense, but VA worked better for me for retaining status etc.

Thanks. It's good to hear from people who have flown in the same class across different airlines.

 

[Mattg]

I've found Qantas Premium Economy to be a very good product.

Also, the domestic leg between PER and MEL will book into a flexible economy fare class - meaning you can upgrade from economy to business class for only 10,000 points. That's excellent value if you're on an A330 for this sector.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

For $400 extra to keep gold it's probably worth it to fly Qantas. That off-sets the drop back to silver and having to buy lounge access through Qantas club.

Plus the whole experience will be better with lounge access on Qantas. PE is relatively comfortable... compared to regular economy. But it's not super great. The lounges will make a difference to the overall journey.

 

[pippen_2k]

What's the duration of both flights including transit time ? Going by what you said I would be sticking with the Qantas option. Would not bother me in the slightest that I was not flying with my mates. When you arrive in the morning are you able to go straight to the Hotel and sleep or are you going to hang out at the airport ?

 

[Mac502]

Lounge access alone would be enough for me...

 

[Pleb Status]

PE all the way, a slightly better flight split and $400 in the pocket would make NZ the easy choice in a dual status (or no status) world.

Fly with your friends as well is icing on the cake.

PER-AKL-LAX rtn will earn 420 VA SC. Find 80 VA SC more (and 4 VA sectors) and VA SG is available to you.

 

[browski]

This is a no-brainer really.
You fly NZ PE and pocket the savings.


Status and Lounge access are only relevant if the fares are the similar. The airlines are counting on punters to pay more for less. Remember what George Clooney says, Loyalty is not cheap.


To be honest I would have thought CX PE was the best option on that route; normally the quickest and cheapest option.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

This is a no-brainer really.
You fly NZ PE and pocket the savings.


Status and Lounge access are only relevant if the fares are the similar. The airlines are counting on punters to pay more for less. Remember what George Clooney says, Loyalty is not cheap.


To be honest I would have thought CX PE was the best option on that route; normally the quickest and cheapest option.

Yes but - as the OP points out, this trip on QF will keep them at gold. Without it they will have to find other flights to make up the shortfall.

On that basis, the +$400 is cheaper than Qantas Club (if they fall back to silver), and gives points, and gets lounge access and priority baggage etc. The points earned would go a fair way to offset the upgrades from economy on PER-East Coast and vv.

 

[Anna]

I would stick with QF. Having status is very useful if things go pear shaped. Plus if there are delays you get to sit in a lounge, not in the terminal or at the gate.

 

[deuteros]

PE all the way, a slightly better flight split and $400 in the pocket would make NZ the easy choice in a dual status (or no status) world.

Fly with your friends as well is icing on the cake.

PER-AKL-LAX rtn will earn 420 VA SC. Find 80 VA SC more (and 4 VA sectors) and VA SG is available to you.

Interesting. That puts a whole different perspective on it. I wasn't aware that PER-AKL-Lax rtn gives 420 VA SC and thus 80 VA SC short of VA SG. Having said that, I never fly VA domestic thus finding the extra 80 VA SC can be tough.

Just out of curiosity, LAX-LAS rtn in Y would yield how many VA SC?

 

[deuteros]

This is a no-brainer really.
You fly NZ PE and pocket the savings.


Status and Lounge access are only relevant if the fares are the similar. The airlines are counting on punters to pay more for less. Remember what George Clooney says, Loyalty is not cheap.


To be honest I would have thought CX PE was the best option on that route; normally the quickest and cheapest option.

Agree, loyalty is not cheap hence rethinking. Having said that CX PE did not show up as cheaper. Cheapest was ANZ followed by VA. Qatar and QF (the main carriers - excluding China Southern).

 

[serfty]

...

Just out of curiosity, LAX-LAS rtn in Y would yield how many VA SC?

presuming a discount economy fare bucket on DL then 10.

 

[deuteros]

presuming a discount economy fare bucket on DL then 10.

Gee, trying to get 80 more SC to make VA SG could be tough. There's no opportunity for me to fly VA to get the SC once I'm back in Oz. Furthermore, if I don't really fly VA domestic, what's the point of SG.


Now knowing my luck, no doubt my company would change their preferred carrier from QF to VA in the next 12 months leaving me high and dry and regretting my decision.

 

[serfty]

Note that per-syd - lax return in PE on QF will earn between 220 and 260 SC'S depending on the fare bucket across the Nullabour.