Strategising DJFF or QFF

[simongr]

Ok - without wanting to get into a hard product/qff have betrayed me and taken away my benefits debate I am just strategising for the remainder of my QFF and DJ/VA year. I was comped status with DJ/VA back in August like a lot of other people. I therefore have a 29 August renewal period. For QFF I have a Sep renewal.

I am currently sat on 790 SCs for QFF and 120 for DJFF. Having forecast my travel to June I will comfortably hit 1450 QFF SCs by then. For the remainder of the year I then have one trip to the UK and multiple trips to MEL. I think if I squeeze all the trips I can I can just make WP+ (the old PG) but am not going to be anywhere close to P1 (1800 of the SCs would be on CX).

If I stick to QF I will earn roughly:

BIS points: 80,000
SC bonus : 24,000
PG bonus : 50,000

Total about 150K points taking me up to 450K points

I will also hit about 10,500 LT SCs.

I am working towards a Cyprus trip in 2013 (have a few points on Amex...)

The other option would be to credit to DJFF once I hit WP renewal (ish as I will try to fly up to HKG on the A380 and that might change everything given the double SCs on offer).

Given I am currently on 120 SCs on DJ it will take a fair amount of work to get the required 800 renewal - I am not bothered too much on the hard product don't find it better or worse overall than QF) and the big flight to the UK would be on Ethiad. My main concern is that if I earn say 50K BIS related points on DJ and "lose" 74K in bonuses (not status bonuses) I am going to be much worse off overall. The only thing would be the retention of DJ WP - which is only good if travelling on DJ.

The other downside to crediting to DJ is the lack of great F lounge ex-SYD on my UK trip.

Am I missing anything? Is it better just to cut my losses with DJ and stick to what I know?

The other alternative is to credit to AA once I hit 1200 SCs and start to rebuild points with AA (I could easily make [-]Gold[/-] Platinum this year based on forecast travel).

Bloody hell there are just too many things to consider when you actually know some stuff about FF... I some times wonder if we would be better off living in ignorance...

Again I don't want this to be a QF vs DJ hard product thread - I am more interested in the optimisation strategy... Mainly am I missing anything?

 

[medhead]

Not sure of the cabin class you plan to fly going to the UK but DJ SC earning is very good on Etihad. At a guess you might be able to achieve gold requalification with a return flight.

Otherwise, that's a nice complex question. I've realised that I'll requal DJ gold one flight before doing the same for QF gold. But I've still resigned myself to dropping to DJ gold come september.

BTW are double SC still available to HKG. I'll have to dig out that email.


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[simongr]

I would be in BIZ to the UK. Double HKG SCs on QF go through to mid May (which is when I am going).

 

[medhead]

I would be in BIZ to the UK. Double HKG SCs on QF go through to mid May (which is when I am going).

So 400 SC and there is the gold requal. As I said I'm going to satisfy myself with that, but that would also equal a big chunk towards PG on oneworld. Maybe the question is whether you plan anymore DJ flying, I do and so minimum gold status is important to me. If you plan to drop all DJ flying then maybe concentrate on QF at least until LT Gold.

Thanks of the HKG info, I think I might have missed the purchase period.


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[markis10]

Double SCs is a targeted offer in the context of QF!

 

[medhead]

Double SCs is a targeted offer in the context of QF!

Yeah I know. And I was one of the targets hence why I mentioned digging out the email


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[TonyHancock]

I'm not sure I'm going to help you but I have thought long and hard about this too. I am in a slightly different position but nonetheless it ihas been a small dilemma for me.

QF year ends 31st July and DJ year ends 31st August. This year is sorted 4800 SC's on QF and 1500 SC's with DJ or thereabouts.

Next status year I will not be traveling quite as much......hopefully!!! My aim is to hit QF PG because of the 50k bonus. There is also the 32k "loyalty" bonus to consider too. These additional points assist with upgrades and long haul JASA's.

I want to maintain DJ Plat too. (The four complimentary upgrades are pretty handy.) All of my domestic trips (barring the QF connections to SYD international flights) will be with DJ and I'll do a couple of long haul J with either EY or SG. This strategy is allowing me to burn the DJ points on domestic upgrades pretty much as I earn them. (Once my comp upgrades have run out.) Since MrsH qualified WP I'll be under pressure to deliver partner plat with DJ too, but I believe this will be a stretch for me next year on top of QF PG.

For next year with QF I have 1540 SC's already booked. I have 280 SC's with DJ booked. (None of my domestic travel has been booked for next year yet.)This takes me to half year with QF and five months in with DJ.

If I was planning personal long haul travel and was targeting points to do this I would probably credit to one program rather than maintain plat in two. It seems to me the DJ Gold offers more than QF SG so I would retain WP with QF and gold with DJ.

I guess there is some value in LTG with QF, but I am expecting some erosion of this as the numbers of LTG members increases. F lounge access is OK but I wouldn't be devastated without it. My first EY flight is in March so that also has a bearing on my future plans.

DJ/VA's lack of international routes keeps one foot in the QF oneworld camp and is also a major consideration. I know I can pick codeshare flights up with partners but some of the benefits with partners are a little confusing.

 

[pagingjoan]

DJ/VA's lack of international routes keeps one foot in the QF oneworld camp and is also a major consideration. I know I can pick codeshare flights up with partners but some of the benefits with partners are a little confusing.

There must be so many of us in some variation of this quandary. My situation is similar to yours and to the earlier scenario in many respects, although I've had LTG for some time, so that is no longer an incentive either. The crucial issue for me is your last point, relating to the international routes. Some of it is probably just long familiarity with OW and with all the nuances of the QF partnerships etc but the DJ partner benefits still present as confusing - as do the online booking systems, which can be time wasting and frustrating. It will be interesting to hear the strategies adopted by others who have a foot in each camp for now.

 

[markis10]

DJ are going through a review of international plans as we speak, while their results are due Thursday, it might be too early to hear what the plans are but they have promised to complete this by June.

 

[pagingjoan]

DJ are going through a review of international plans as we speak, while their results are due Thursday, it might be too early to hear what the plans are but they have promised to complete this by June.

Whoo! We will stay tuned then!

 

[markis10]

I should clarify, its half year financials that are due Thursday.

 

[pagingjoan]

Even the prospect of an imminent outcome is good.

 

[tuapekastar]

Am I missing anything? Is it better just to cut my losses with DJ and stick to what I know?

Does DJ 'soft land'? (I have been told they do but not sure if it is documented). If you figure it'll be too difficult (or a big hassle at the very least) to retain DJ Plat, then assuming you soft land to Gold would there be any point in accruing any more this year to DJ at all? You could re-evaluate and plan the following year to get back to Plat, or at least re-qual DJ Gold, whilst doing all your QF and/or AA stuff. As another poster noted (sorry cannot recall which) DJ gold seems a better prospect than QF Gold (for now at least, it still allows anytime lounge access, can't recall OTTOMH what else.)

I had both QF and DJ requal to Plat pretty-much worked out but QF complicated things with their recent 2-for-1 sale. It made 2 x J returns MEL-LAX more than $3K cheaper on QF than on VA (who'd have thought it - complaining about cheap fares ). That purchase has wrapped up QF Plat but left me with a large task for DJ Plat.

If they do not soft land I may not even be Gold. It would be nice if someone could confirm (or deny) that they do. If they don't then I will try and ensure I do whatever is necessary to maintain Gold at least.

 

[markis10]

Does DJ 'soft land'?.

Yes its a documented benefit!

If on your Review Date you have not earned the required number of Status Credits or travelled the Eligible Sectors^ in your previous 12 month benefit period to maintain your level of membership, you will move down to the next level of membership.

 

[oz_mark]

If they do not soft land I may not even be Gold. It would be nice if someone could confirm (or deny) that they do. If they don't then I will try and ensure I do whatever is necessary to maintain Gold at least.

Unlike QF, DJ does in fact specify that you will only downgrade one level if you fail to requalify:

7.12 If the total number of Status Credits earned at your Review Date does not meet the criteria in clause 7.14 to maintain the same Membership Level, then, your Membership Level will be downgraded to the Membership Level below your current Membership Level.

 

[tuapekastar]

Yes its a documented benefit!

Unlike QF, DJ does in fact specify that you will only downgrade one level if you fail to requalify:

Thanks blokes! Nice to know.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

When I spoke to an AFFer recently whenever she & +1 travel she specifies that her points/SC be allocated to +1 so that way you've got 2 people doing the flying but crediting to the one account which makes achieving/maintaining WP easier. The following year they will reverse the plan so her account is the one that benefits.

 

[simongr]

That is another complication as we have a trip to Cyprus planned next year with some paid J flights being considered and family pooling might be interesting for that.

 

[ReLoad]

When I spoke to an AFFer recently whenever she & +1 travel she specifies that her points/SC be allocated to +1 so that way you've got 2 people doing the flying but crediting to the one account which makes achieving/maintaining WP easier. The following year they will reverse the plan so her account is the one that benefits.

I've never heard of that before, yes to the once annually Family transfers after the event, but never live multiple crediting. I learn something new every day.

 

[tuapekastar]

I've never heard of that before, yes to the once annually Family transfers after the event, but never live multiple crediting. I learn something new every day.

That's just on DJ of course, not QF (unfortunately).